It is a good thing for us all that the City of Clemson’s Police Department is enforcing the mask mandate. If you are one of the numerous examples made for us all on Aug. 21 and 22, thank you for your $25 sacrifice. 

When business owners and their employees felt obligated to themselves and the Clemson community to request patrons to put on a mask, it was uncomfortable. This awkward businesses-driven enforcement has lasted for a while. Asking someone to wear a mask is strangely personal, especially now that it has become so politicized. In my experience, people don’t always listen. On numerous occasions, I’ve been told Covid-19 is going away after November as a response to my request. To me, this is insulting because in the worst-case scenario, by asking another human to put on their mask, I am asking a majority of the population to slightly inconvenience themselves for my safety, something I already do for them.

There was already an outbreak of Covid-19 in Clemson, and it affected the already hurt economy of Clemson as businesses shut down. Since this happened in June, the City of Clemson has had a mask mandate. 

This was made clear to many returning off–campus students this past weekend. Many visitors downtown were handed a $25 ticket for disobeying the ordinance. Police officers were not shy about enforcing this new ordinance on the first weekend back, nor should they be. 

There are consequences to not wearing a mask. There’s the obvious reason of contracting the coronavirus, but it’s not just for your own safety and risk of catching Covid-19. Going without a mask can affect your daily life right here in Clemson; trust me, it affected mine.

I work here and live here year-round, and when no one wore masks in late May and June when we all admittedly got sloppy, people contracted Covid-19. All of the bars and restaurants shut down: some for days, some for weeks. 

Now, these same local businesses are facing a fall that could possibly not have football. And if we experience another outbreak in Clemson? It could be devastating. If we all manage to wear masks, stay six feet apart and get tested if we’re exposed or symptomatic, we can have football.  More than that, we can have fun and – most importantly – stay safe. 

While it is inconvenient to wear, it is also beneficial. It will help keep our community safe and protect the small town most of us call home nine months out of the year. 

Clemson’s Police Officers will write a ticket to anyone caught not wearing a mask in Clemson if they are in a place where social distancing is not possible. This means walking down the street, drinking a beer (when not sitting at a table), talking to a cashier, or meeting your friends downtown to catch up.

If you would like to read the City Ordinance for yourself, you can find it here.

For more information on the ticketing this past weekend.

If you received a ticket this weekend, here’s the link to pay it.