“Who was that Masked Man?” is a phrase I often heard as a kid when I went to the Saturday movies. 

Now we know the answer. 

Who is that masked man? that masked woman? that masked young girl? that masked little boy? They are warriors. They are patriots. They are helping to win the battle against COVID-19. 

No longer can American citizens think only of their personal comfort or personal vanity and refuse to protect others from their emitted vapors and droplets. Even this morning the World Health Organization stated that the world is going backwards in its efforts to fight the coronavirus. 

So, fellow citizens, if you are not making positive contributions here, it’s time to change your bad habits! 

This morning’s news reported that Georgia is fifth in the nation with new virus cases, just a tiny bit behind Arizona. That’s five out of 50 states. Top 10%. Nothing to be smug or proud about. 

As citizens in this fight to protect ourselves and those we encounter, we cannot succumb to Gov. Brian Kemp’s unprincipled, undisciplined and dangerous efforts to lull Georgia residents into not wearing masks in public. 

How can this governor be justified in suing the mayor of Atlanta for mandating masks in that city? The governor has no background or experience in containment of pandemics or even in science and medicine.

He and I are in the same boat. We know no more about how to solve this problem than a pig farmer in Patagonia. 

He should take his advice from experts in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health, not from some politician trying to cover his incompetence in this crisis.

The governor of Colorado has mandated masks. WalMart and Target (among other businesses) have issued guidelines for masks for their customers. Are citizens of Georgia more immune to the virus?

I urge everyone to be a Masked Hero of America and to do your part in helping to stem the avalanche that threatens us.

Lee Bradley

Valdosta

On behalf of the Young Lawyers Division of the State Bar of Georgia, I would like to congratulate the attorneys and staff of Coleman Talley LLP in Valdosta for earning the top award among medium-sized law firms in the Ninth Annual Georgia Legal Food Frenzy competition.

We also congratulate the Tifton Bar Association, which won the regional award for organizations supporting the Second Harvest Food Bank. 

The collective efforts of these South Georgia attorneys and their staffs contributed to the record-breaking total of 3.3 million meals provided by the legal community across the state.

A total of 222 legal organizations, representing more than 17,000 members, participated in this year’s Legal Food Frenzy.

Along with Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, the Georgia YLD is honored to co-sponsor this project to assist the Georgia Food Bank Association and its regional food banks. We have now raised the equivalent of 12.2 million meals in eight years.

Thanks again to each attorney and legal professional who joined us for this important cause.

We are proud to help lead an effort that has such a significant impact on communities across Georgia.

 

Will Davis is 2019-20 president

Young Lawyers Division, State Bar of Georgia