so The Mask law.
Here is My problem in general with the law that I posted a few days ago.
It is a law, so anyone with the inclination to enforce the law will attempt to do so, Even if they are not legitimately informed about the law and have not prior consulted with their employers.
Tuesday night was our Fat Tuesday Masquerade Ball. In a state where masks are a felony huh?
According to Section (i) of the Virginia Mask law Masks are permissible on traditional Mask wearing holidays. Mardi Gras is a traditional mask wearing occasion. According to section (iii) Masks are permissible at a Masquerade ball, Tuesday night was a masquerade ball. In the wording of the Law prior consent from the property owner is required to wear masks on said property. An advertised Masked event could easily be considered permission.
I have heard from many people this 30% rule... that you cannot hide more than 30% of your face. Well first the fuck off... How do they measure facial surface area at a glance. Secondly that is not written in the mask law and there is no published guideline for what the law means when they say "Significant portion of the face"
So with a few handy common misinterpretations under his belt one of the 3 security guards who works at the wave decided to enforce a law he doesn't understand.
My costume Tuesday Night was part of My stage costume for my band. Full Face mask kinda like Snake Eyes from GiJoe. For 1 hour I wandered the Club Unmolested. The Club owner said nothing. The Door Man Laughed. One of the security guards was just trying to figure out who I was and asked me to unmask. Rather than Unmask I pulled up the left sleeve of my shirt and showed him my tattoo's, He knew me immediately.
So after going out to cut a tiny hole in my Mask so I could fit a straw in it... I ordered an RBV. That's when the other security guard demanded that I unmask. I did so thinking he just wanted to see my face I went to put the mask back on, he said no... I asked him if he meant the Mask law, I told hi that according to the mask law I was in the clear becuase I was at an advertised Masquerade Ball on a legitimate mask wearing occasion with the owners permission. And the law does not differentiate between partial and full masks. He didn't care and demanded that I unmask and remain un masked.
Well I did so, then went and painted my entire face black with my lipstick.
When i was then informed that it is a misdemeanor to go in blackface in Virginia. I told the idiot to go fuck himself, I wasn't in black face, my face was black. There is a serious difference. Black face is when the rings of the eye and the mouth are left untouched... similar to the old Amos and Andy cartoons.
Well throughout the night everyone who invested time and money in their masquerade costume and wore a full face mask was forced to unmask by this particular security guard. Imagine a 49 year old law that no one knows about and the only people who enforce it never read it.
That is the problem with laws in general, and especially unnecessary laws. The chosen guardians of law and order are not always informed and in a different situation innocent law abiding citizens can suffer serious intrusions into their life until exonerated due to a misinterpretation on the part of law enforcement or security personnel.
Of course the law is seeing renewed insurgence due to Terrorism and Street gangs. In a way this is profiling, assuming all masked people are terrorists and gang members. Some may be peaceful protesters, Some may be insecure, some may have mental health issues, Some may be observing their religious faith.
Rather than enforcing laws to punish the guilty we make laws to persecute the innocent.
It is a law, so anyone with the inclination to enforce the law will attempt to do so, Even if they are not legitimately informed about the law and have not prior consulted with their employers.
Tuesday night was our Fat Tuesday Masquerade Ball. In a state where masks are a felony huh?
According to Section (i) of the Virginia Mask law Masks are permissible on traditional Mask wearing holidays. Mardi Gras is a traditional mask wearing occasion. According to section (iii) Masks are permissible at a Masquerade ball, Tuesday night was a masquerade ball. In the wording of the Law prior consent from the property owner is required to wear masks on said property. An advertised Masked event could easily be considered permission.
I have heard from many people this 30% rule... that you cannot hide more than 30% of your face. Well first the fuck off... How do they measure facial surface area at a glance. Secondly that is not written in the mask law and there is no published guideline for what the law means when they say "Significant portion of the face"
So with a few handy common misinterpretations under his belt one of the 3 security guards who works at the wave decided to enforce a law he doesn't understand.
My costume Tuesday Night was part of My stage costume for my band. Full Face mask kinda like Snake Eyes from GiJoe. For 1 hour I wandered the Club Unmolested. The Club owner said nothing. The Door Man Laughed. One of the security guards was just trying to figure out who I was and asked me to unmask. Rather than Unmask I pulled up the left sleeve of my shirt and showed him my tattoo's, He knew me immediately.
So after going out to cut a tiny hole in my Mask so I could fit a straw in it... I ordered an RBV. That's when the other security guard demanded that I unmask. I did so thinking he just wanted to see my face I went to put the mask back on, he said no... I asked him if he meant the Mask law, I told hi that according to the mask law I was in the clear becuase I was at an advertised Masquerade Ball on a legitimate mask wearing occasion with the owners permission. And the law does not differentiate between partial and full masks. He didn't care and demanded that I unmask and remain un masked.
Well I did so, then went and painted my entire face black with my lipstick.
When i was then informed that it is a misdemeanor to go in blackface in Virginia. I told the idiot to go fuck himself, I wasn't in black face, my face was black. There is a serious difference. Black face is when the rings of the eye and the mouth are left untouched... similar to the old Amos and Andy cartoons.
Well throughout the night everyone who invested time and money in their masquerade costume and wore a full face mask was forced to unmask by this particular security guard. Imagine a 49 year old law that no one knows about and the only people who enforce it never read it.
That is the problem with laws in general, and especially unnecessary laws. The chosen guardians of law and order are not always informed and in a different situation innocent law abiding citizens can suffer serious intrusions into their life until exonerated due to a misinterpretation on the part of law enforcement or security personnel.
Of course the law is seeing renewed insurgence due to Terrorism and Street gangs. In a way this is profiling, assuming all masked people are terrorists and gang members. Some may be peaceful protesters, Some may be insecure, some may have mental health issues, Some may be observing their religious faith.
Rather than enforcing laws to punish the guilty we make laws to persecute the innocent.