Let’s alleviate the fear in Aspen

A reader wrote in that the city- and county- wide mask and distance ordinance is causing residents in and visitors to Aspen to live in fear. This could be the case if we make that choice.

Or, we could say, from our hearts, “OK, we are in this. Wearing a mask and keeping distance might not be ideal, but if firstly, these measures show efficacy in holding down the spread of the virus and secondly (and maybe more importantly), it provides comfort to my neighbors and community. In light of both, this is a very small price to pay.”

It is not the ordinance that is causing fear. It is people’s reaction to it. Whether you agree with the potency of the policy, if everyone had the attitude of providing comfort to the community, imagine what an impact that would have. We would be living with a much better emotion than fear.

Doug Brown

Aspen