Editor’s note: This letter is in response to the article, “GoFundMe arranged for mail Express,” published Nov. 4.

As I understand it, a local business determined the health requirement to wear masks and socially distance from others indoors during a pandemic didn’t apply to their for-profit business operations because “freedom!”.

As a result of violating the health mandate, they were fined $7500 by the County Health Dept. Since then, an elected council member has decided to start a funding operation for this private business to pay the fine so they suffer no financial harm from their choice to ignore the requirements.

My question for Councilman Chevassus and others motivated to donate: Will you also be initiating GoFundMe accounts for the family and loved ones of the 25 Covid 19 victims in our community? Will other ‘Good Samaritans’ consider these victims to also be “sweet, responsible people”, who shouldn’t have to suffer the expense of burying or caring for their infected family members?

Further, what about the 150 positive cases that have been identified to date in Enumclaw? Those people may suffer lifetime injury from Covid-19, including future untimely death. The nearby communities of Buckey, Black Diamond, Greenwater and Ravensdale also have cases that may be connected via contact to our community. (https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19/DataDashboard)

How many of our community deaths or illnesses could be contact traced to the Mail Express business? We can’t know, but the likelihood that unmasked person/s spread this often fatal disease to those victims is likely. After all, people spread Covid-19 for two to three days before symptoms appear. If anyone reading this is interested in learning more about the dangers and risks of this disease, Johns Hopkins has a free online Contact Tracing program that is very informative. https://www.coursera.org/learn/covid-19-contact-tracing

This virus isn’t done with us. Cases are increasing, winter is coming, and we need to continue protecting the vulnerable among us by keeping our distance, washing our hands, wearing our masks, and meeting on Zoom;

I don’t support rewarding reckless behavior when it endangers the health of our whole community. Choices have consequences, and fines are an appropriate way to gain the attention of those who scoff at the potential for death and disease from this horrible virus. Your freedom to swing your arm ends where my nose begins.

I am concerned that anyone would fail to appreciate the potential for harm to my community’s health and well being during an epidemic. If you perhaps donated to this fund and didn’t fully consider the implications, I encourage you to contact GoFundMe for an immediate refund in full. We can beat this disease, but we must be committed and persistent, for the benefit of all.

I also urge you, Editor of the Courier Herald, to post weekly updates of our case numbers for the benefit of us all.

Shawn Johnson

Enumclaw