Mask Mandate Comeback Sparks ‘We Will Not Comply’ Movement

A ‘we will not comply’ movement is slowly formulating across social media, spurred by Donald Trump’s renewed focus on mask mandates and COVID-affiliated lockdowns that he initiated at the pandemic’s inception.

Trump, in a video posted Wednesday on X, formerly Twitter, vowed to reject any “fearmongering” of new coronavirus variants and if elected president pledged to cut federal funding for entities like schools and airlines that follow such protocols.

Trump was the individual who set the original mandates and lockdowns in motion, however, when coronavirus cases escalated exponentially starting in March 2020. At the time, he urged individuals to avoid bars, restaurants and other areas where 10 or more people were gathered in the hope that the virus would dissipate by that summer.

“‘Do not comply’ means your [sic] not going to go to work if your employer requires a mask as part of the ‘mandate’ not law; your [sic] not going to wear one at the Dr, Dentist, restaurant or stores,” wrote one Facebook user. “Imagine if everyone did not comply how that would hurt our government or economy.

“If every American did not go to work or buy anything at all for one or two days things would get real. We are all slaves to our Government until we stop conforming to the demands and dollar.”

New coronavirus variants now emerging with case spikes in certain parts of the United States include EG.5 and BA.2.86. Major companies like Pfizer and Moderna who were highly involved in the swift rollout of vaccines at the height of the pandemic are scheduled to release a new vaccine in mid-September to combat the omicron subvariant XBB.1.5, pending approval from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

A CDC spokesperson told Newsweek on Thursday via email that the center’s advice for individual and community actions around COVID-19 is tied to hospital admission levels, which are currently low for more than 97 percent of the country.

“CDC continues to recommend that all people are up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines and take steps to themselves and others,” the spokesperson said. “Anyone may choose to wear a mask at any time.”

Time may tell whether the discussion around mandates and lockdowns is alarmist considering that very few places in the country have COVID-related measures currently in place.

One, for example, is Morris Brown College, a small Atlanta-based historically Black college, which told students to adhere to mask-wearing for a two-week period due to an influx of COVID-related cases.

“Dear Atlanta College, Regarding your precautionary mask mandate… I have a precautionary Foot I’d like to shove up you’re a**!” wrote comedian and former Saturday Night Live actor Rob Schneider on X, in response to the Morris Brown mandate. “But don’t worry, it’s just for the next 14 days! For your own protection! Ps. Students WAKE UP, SHEEPLE! SAY NO!”

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin released a video on X of her literally shaking her head when confronted with hypothetical mandates, even burning some masks outdoors.

Libs of Tik Tok, which has 2.4 million followers on X, is encouraging individuals to ignore all mandates and pledges to support impacted businesses—and even pay any fines for noncompliance.

One X user posted that she would ignore mandates instituted by Trump, President Joe Biden or anyone else.

“I won’t mask again,” the user wrote. “I don’t care what Trump or Fauci or Birx or Biden or any other governmental agency try and push again. I won’t deal with the anxiety mask wearing brings me again. Not going to cover my daughter’s beautiful face or force her to deal with the frequent painful breakouts again. Nope. For my child, I say, never again.”