While New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has given his state's businesses the right to deny entry to anyone who isn't wearing a protective face mask, a sign hanging on the door of a Texas tavern conveys the exact opposite message. It reads, "Sorry, no mask allowed. Please bear with us thru the ridiculous fearful times."
The Liberty Tree Tavern's owner, Kevin Smith, is among a growing number of U.S. business owners who are rebelling against their states' mask-wearing policies. In addition to banning face masks, one flooring store in Los Angeles encourages its customers to shake hands and hug each other. The owner of a campground in Wisconsin says if anyone walks into her office wearing a face mask, she'll deal with the situation as if it were "a robbery in progress."
While some might accuse the rebels of putting customers' health at risk, Smith says he's actually performing a public service by banning masks. "If we’re only allowed to be at 25 percent capacity, I want them to be the 25 percent of people that aren’t sheep," Smith tells The Washington Post. "Being scared all the time isn’t good for your health. It suppresses your immune system."