iStockphoto
Hate wearing a mask? Not as much as these two guys, I guarantee it:
Walter Wayne Brown Jr., 53, and Gary Brummett, 81, flashed mask exemption cards and fake U.S. marshal badges to get around mask rules at the hotel… They were arrested last week after a real U.S. marshal was sent to the hotel to validate their claims.
During their confrontations with members of the resort’s staff, both men wore “authentic appearing” circular badges with a seven-point star that read “Cherokee Nation Marshal” and “Aniyvwiya Criminal Justice Deputy,” according to the complaint.
Around their necks hung laminated cards that read “FACEMASK EXEMPT NOTICE/CARD.” The cards said that they were “exempt from any ordinance requiring face mask usage in public” and that “wearing a face mask poses a mental and/or physical risk to me.”
“Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), I am not required to disclose my conditions to you,” the cards said. The cards also listed the real A.D.A. violations reporting phone number.
Walter Wayne, Gary Brummett… I tip my cap to you sirs. If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing right. And by God, these two gentlemen went ALL THE WAY. Cherokee Nation badges? And not only that, but different Cherokee badges? That feels like the perfect fake credential. Esoteric enough that you run a very low risk of being outed by someone familiar with a proper Cherokee Nation badge. But official enough that most hotel employees won’t question it. Nobody wants to be the concierge Karen who calls out an official from the Cherokee Nation, only to go viral because they are who they say they are. Not in this day.
When I was a junior in college, these kids over at Boston College used to have “ticket parties” all the time. I guess they’d work out a deal with a local bar for someone’s birthday where they’d sell tickets to a set list of people. If you had the ticket, you’d get to drink for free, or maybe it was 2-3 free drinks or something. One night, a bunch of us wanted to go, but only one of us had a ticket. Our smart friend took that ticket to a printing store, knocked together a bunch of fake tickets, printed them out, had them laminated, and then cut them up into individual badges. We all went to the party, got in, had a drink, and then were promptly kicked out of the bar because the BC dudes sniffed us out and hated us.
But at least we got in. And that’s all that matters.
Point is, I admire this ruse from these two guys. If not wearing a mask is your cause, I say pursue it to the ends of the earth. Only problem is, you can’t let the badge go to your head…
During his stay, Mr. Brummett approached the front desk to ask for a coffee, according to the criminal complaint. When an employee working at the front desk asked him to wear a mask, Mr. Brummett presented the face mask exemption card and said that the hotel would be fined $75,000 if he were forced to wear a mask. Then he pointed to a badge on his belt and threatened to arrest the employee.
“Do you know what this means? I’m a U.S. marshal and can have you arrested if you force me to wear a mask,” Mr. Brummett said, according to the complaint.
Yeah, that’s… too far. We all get it. The badge is power, even if it’s fake. And people who impersonate cops, or military members? That’s frowned upon in this country. If you’re gonna go that route, just a quick flash of the badge will do. Keep as low of a profile as possible. You can’t go around threatening to arrest people and fine the hotel.
A for effort though, guys.