Ohio Lawmaker Refuses to Wear Mask Because He Believes It Dishonors God

When you have faith in your beliefs, sometimes you can’t make room for anything that may get in the way. This is what an Ohio lawmaker thinks as he declines to wear a mask because it dishonors God, according to NBC News.

“This is the greatest nation on earth founded on Judeo-Christian Principles. One of those principles is that we are all created in the image and likeness of God. That image is seen the most by our face. I will not wear a mask,” Rep. Nino Vitale, a Republican, wrote on Facebook. “That’s the image of God right there, and I want to see it in my brothers and sisters.”

“People want to wear masks, they can. But mandating it, that’s a whole different story for me,” Vitale’s post said. “No one is stopping anybody from wearing a face mask. But quite frankly everyone else’s freedom ends at the tip of my nose. You’re not going to tell me what to do and there’s a lot of people that feel that way.”

“If someone is that scared, that they do not want to go out into the public because 100 percent of the people are not wearing masks, then that person should stay home, not tell everyone else what they should be doing,” said Vitale.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who is also a Republican, had previously said on April 27 that wearing masks was one of the “essential tools” to fight the spread of the coronavirus and ordered that shoppers wear them in stores at all times. “To not wear masks would be negligent and a mistake. We have to protect these employees,” he wrote on Twitter.

But DeWine backed down the next day after receiving backlash over the mandate and decided to reverse the order.

“Though it is not a mandate, it is clearly in the best interest for Ohioans to wear a mask in retail settings. This gives added protection to others,” DeWine said. “When I go out in public and go into a business, I will wear a mask. And, I have recommended to my family members that they wear masks.”