Op-Ed: Raul Labrador: Stop Shaming Idahoans
By Raúl Labrador • December 20, 2020In an effort to win a Pulitzer Prize, the Idaho Statesman published a ridiculous story about me not wearing a mask at the mall. It was based on a Twitter thread about the picture that a random stranger took of me. The in-depth reporting relied solely on the man’s story even after admitting that he only saw me for a few seconds that day.
The Statesman reporter called to ask about the picture. I did not respond because I couldn’t fathom that a credible newspaper would print a story about a person sitting on a chair in the mall. My mistake was believing that the Idaho Statesman remains a credible newspaper.
If the virtue signaler at the mall would have taken the time to talk to me instead of playing gotcha games, he would have learned that my wife and I had been Christmas shopping all afternoon and that I was wearing a mask that day. Further, he would have learned that we were sitting down so my wife could finish a phone conversation. I took a break from wearing my mask while we were at least 10 feet away from others. Even though I believe the use of masks is overrated and the media has been misleading the public about their effectiveness, I wear masks to enter private businesses because I want them to stay open. It is not their fault that an overbearing government is imposing stupid requirements on them.
This cheap political attack piece came just one day after the editorial board of the Statesman wrote a ridiculous piece comparing our situation today to World War II. It’s offensive that a news outlet would equate the death of 75 million people and the genocide of 6 million Jews with Covid-19. But I’m not surprised. Today’s click-bait hungry media has reached a new low in journalism and have lost all credibility.
During WWII the very foundational principles of our nation and the free world were under attack. While the Allied forces were united under a common cause to defeat tyranny and oppression, the Axis forces relied on a network of informants to keep their power and control over the people. Ironically, the Statesman calls on Idahoans to inform on each other to fight a common cause.
Seriously, I can’t believe I live in an America where I have to write a response to this kind of yellow journalism. The America I see today is one where government is deciding which individuals are essential; where schools are closing down even though it damages our children; where parents are not allowed to be involved in their children’s sports and activities; where newspapers reward snitches by writing articles about their woke takedowns of private citizens; where we are not allowed to spend the holidays with our families while politicians dine in comfort with the rich and powerful; where people who have not lost a paycheck are condescendingly lecturing those who object to the lockdowns and are afraid they will lose everything. I weep for our country. We are better than this. Leading through fear is not leadership. As politicians and the media continue to exploit this crisis, our nation will become even more divided.
We can unite to stop the spread of this pandemic without pitting neighbor against neighbor, brother against brother, mother against son.
The words Ronald Reagan spoke 54 years ago sadly ring true today: “Freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction…Those in world history who have known freedom and then lost it have never known it again.”
I am afraid that this generation may be the last to enjoy the freedoms we have long taken for granted. If the politicians and the media continue to listen to the woke mob’s heavy handed demands to crackdown on the public, we will look back at 2020 as the year we let freedom slip through our fingers.
Raúl R. Labrador is a private citizen, and a former U.S. Congressman for Idaho’s 1st District, State Legislator and Idaho Republican Party Chair
Tags: Idaho Statesman, Mask, Raul Labrador
12 thoughts on “Op-Ed: Raul Labrador: Stop Shaming Idahoans”
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Mr. Labrador, please run for office again. Idaho needs more commonsense politicians like you. (From a non-related Labrador!)
Yes, we need more like Mr. Labrador.
VERY well-said, thank you for standing your ground!
People may not be aware but Labrador would have been governor, but marxist democrats came out in droves and voted for Little in the primary.
Little should be dragged from office.
I wish Labrador was our governor instead of Little, who governs like an authoritarian Democrat.
I would have had more respect for you NOT wearing a muzzle! And you think there is a pandemic ….Really??? I do not want you for Governor.
Appeasement at any price?
Governor little, at least made it clear where he stands. He suppressed HCQ when it could have quelled your hysteria, and saved our elderly from isolation and neglect in nursing homes.
Evil is powerless, if the good are not afraid ~Ronald Reagan
Mr. Labrador, I supported you for governor and have appreciated your leadership in the past. On this issue, I think you are missing your opportunity to ‘lead’. Every single person has to make a decision every day whether they will propagate the lie that masks can prevent the spread of a virus such as covid, or not. You as a leader need to quit playing games. Stand up and fight, or sit down and go along with the lie that is being used to take our very liberties. The mask on, then mask off, is no kind of leadership, it’s playing their games. The freedom loving people of this State, have had ENOUGH! You would think we were being run by democrats, but we have republican control at every level of government in Idaho. Who should we blame? ALL RINO’s MUST GO! For the sake of liberty, say no to the tyranny!
As a newcomer to Idaho, I appreciate reading about the folks that represent this state. Upon reading Mr Labrador’s article, I paused with concern over his acknowledging that he had worn a mask. I never have, nor will I ever wear that muzzle. I, too, am tired of flip-flopping politicians who have to put their finger in the air to see which way the consensus is blowing. And coming from _____, that was just about everyone!
Find out who the Idaho Statesman is “partners” with. The Lewiston Tribune is “partners” with the Washington Post. The globalist, communist propaganda machine’s tentacles reach into the smallest of cracks.
Raul Labrador has shown himself to truly care for his fellow Idahoans by volunteering for the health district. The leftists want to keep it their own little club and now have launched an attack on a logical minded individual who would help balance out the thinking of unelected health officials who have aspirations of governing us lowly peasants in the health district.
The SJWs who live such a pampered life that they even have time to notice whether or not someone, all by themselves, is wearing a mask shows what a trivial life these people live.
I have no idea why you’re wasting your time responding to this instead of preparing to run for Governor again. 🙂
I agree with you Raul. And urge you to run for governor of Idaho. We need fearless, common sense leaders in this country. We also need the public involved and knowledgeable of the truth.