Wearing a mask in public is already illegal in many places[1].
It's been illegal in New York since 1845, due to some kind of violent conflict between landlords and tenant farmers. Some laws were targeted at the KKK, and newer laws were targeted at Occupy and Anonymous folks wearing Guy Fawkes masks.
This article[2] has a more complete list of state laws against masks, and where they've been overturned.
> Until the government bans masks in public places in the interest of, you know "public safety" once the covid-19 crisis blows over.
That's overly fatalistic. China hasn't banned them for that reason, and they're way more interested in that rationale than any government you're likely talking about.
> It sucks that we even need to think about wearing masks to escape facial recognition.
Avoiding facial recognition isn't just about avoiding the government facial recognition.
They just make you take the mask off to identify yourself when relevant, I had to do this the other day while identifying myself for an immigration officer.
I challenge you to find an example of a blanket ban on all masks, that doesn't rely on other factors like threatening violence, rallying, intent to hide identity, or a respresenting specific gang design/color.
'Intent to hide identity' sounds like a human right, criminalized. Unless asked by an officer, and even then in limited circumstances do I have to identify myself.
It's been illegal in New York since 1845, due to some kind of violent conflict between landlords and tenant farmers. Some laws were targeted at the KKK, and newer laws were targeted at Occupy and Anonymous folks wearing Guy Fawkes masks.
This article[2] has a more complete list of state laws against masks, and where they've been overturned.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-mask_law#United_States
[2] https://www.businessinsider.com/countries-states-where-prote...