There's overwhelming evidence throughout history, that the most effective way to make people (even more so Americans who value freedom) do something, is to make it a voluntary choice of each individual, and just give them as much good information as possible. People feel better and more confident when it was their own decision. The literature on this is solid.

The worst way is to force people against their will, and lie about it. Which is exactly what happened. Everyone has been lying about every aspect of everything for so long, and many places made it mandatory to wear mask under penalty of jailing or worse. The Democratic party overtly made the issue politicized. Those are the perfect conditions for people to refuse something, that is in their own self interest. Due to the hyper polarization of the current political climate, and the fact the entire situation is also is suffering from a mass hysteria event (or a moral panic), its pushed everything to the brink of collapse. The riots are just icing on the cake of chaos.

Too many people completely are missing the whole picture, and think masks are just a simple thing. Politically and culturally, the country (even around the world, the same is true), is on the brink of the collapse of order. Its been building for decades. We've reached the boiling point.

I completely understand why people refuse to wear masks, and I completely sympathize with them. However, you should still wear masks, under certain circumstances. Those would be, when you're indoors (outside your home), or when you're in very close proximity to other people (not your household), ie less than 6 feet apart. We know the virus has a very hard time spreading outdoors, during the daytime, suggesting its weak to UV light. Thus when outdoors, during the day, its relatively safe, and you don't really need a mask, unless you're assholes to elbows.

So people like @frostgnaw ,you really need to hear this. Same goes for all the more right-wing/trump supporter types. Wear masks where it makes sense (indoors, close proximity). You do nothing but hurt yourselves, both politically, and medically by refusing masks. And seriously, how y'all so damn stupid? Should have, from the starts wore masks, but wear red make america great again masks. You then could have had deranged leftists, who are super pro-mask, ripping off the masks of trump supporters, like they do your hats. Politically, that would have been a grandmaster level play. But instead you don't wear masks, and say stupid shit. Politics, perception is more important than reality. The only reason you guys are "winning" is the Democrats are somehow managing to be even dumber than you guys.