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Letter: Hate and ignorance won’t help

(Rick Bowmer | AP file photo) Utah Gov. Gary Herbert puts on a mask that came off a plane filled with personal protective equipment at the Delta Hanger Wednesday, April 15, 2020, at the Salt Lake International Airport.

I was extremely dismayed to read Piute County Commissioner Darin Bushman’s tweet where he compared Gov. Gary Herbert to Adolph Hitler because of Herbert’s approval of requests from Salt Lake and Summit counties to require face masks in public.

By erring on the side of public health and local control, Gov. Herbert absolutely did the right thing. Bushman’s attack is profoundly absurd and childish. This should go without saying, but It is impossible to compare the gross human rights violations that occurred under Hitler to the government requiring face masks in public during a pandemic; both events are diametrically different in multiple ways.

Going forward, may Utahns learn from this unfortunate episode and strive to be more civil in our dealings — especially in the public square.

We are in the midst of a truly challenging period in history and it’s vital to remember that we are all in this together. Hate and ignorance only serve to complicate an already harrowing situation.

Ryan D. Curtis, Salt Lake City

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