Last Saturday’s horrors of Hamas were followed here and abroad with another kind of horror. There were anti-Israel rallies at colleges and in major cities across the nation. These heartless people were demonstrating for just one reason: To show support for the barbarians who had just invaded a country, slaughtered innocent people, raped women and children and grabbed hostages.

Frankly, I had no idea how widespread antisemitism was in the U.S. until I saw these shocking images.

Take a gander at their hatefests and tell me what you notice:

Yep, masks.

And no, these hysterical fanatics are not wearing masks because they’re afraid of catching covid. They’re wearing masks to hide their identities. Just like bank robbers, looters and burglars and others who are up to no good. 

I remember the first time I walked into my credit union and the sign said you couldn’t enter WITHOUT a mask. I was stunned. Just a week earlier the sign had asked customers to remove their dark glasses before approaching the counter.

Prior to the pandemic about 15 states - including Virginia - had laws that banned the wearing of face masks in public. They were passed in reaction to terrorism, criminal activity and intimidation by the KKK and other hate groups.

According to an article by Robert Kahn for the Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee State University, America’s first anti-mask law was passed in 1845.

The earliest laws banning masked demonstrations date back to the antebellum era. In 1845 New York made it illegal to appear “disguised and armed.” Most anti-mask laws were passed, however, in response to the Ku Klux Klan, whose members used masks to hide their identities as they terrorized their victims. Masks were outlawed in many states 

Virginia’s anti-mask law was passed in 1950 making it a Class 6 felony to wear a mask in public. In 2010 the law was amended to allow for masks if the governor declared a state health emergency.

News flash: Virginia’s health emergency ended on June 30, 2021.

Last time I checked, though, former mask-loving Gov. Ralph Northam declared that those who wanted to continue to wear masks in public out of fear of covid could continue to do so. He really wanted to be a king, not governor.

Enough already.

It’s been two and a half years and some are clinging to their masks like toddlers who refuse to give up their pacifiers. More alarmingly, some of those sporting masks are committing crimes.

It’s time for law enforcement to start enforcing the anti-mask laws. Folks who are determined to wear masks because of health concerns should get something in writing from their physicians saying they have a legitimate reason to hide their faces.

Everyone else should be maskless. As we all were before 2020.

Anti-mask laws made sense when they were passed and they make even more sense now that fears of terrorism are heightened.

The message should come from Richmond, loud and clear: Lose the masks.

It’s a public safety issue.