https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/new-hampshire-restaurant-shuts-its-doors-rather-enforce-mask-mandate-n1244319The owners of a New Hampshire restaurant have decided to close their doors rather than abide by a mask mandate.
Joe Bodge and Dorene Heselton closed Roselynn Homemade Ice Cream Breakfast and Lunch in Epping, New Hampshire, on Sunday. A sign on their door now reads, "What Happened to Live Free or Die."
"I have decided, and I'll be honest with you, the sheer volume of my customers and people supporting me believe the same thing — we can either exist in fear, and hope to not die, or we can live knowing eventually we're all going to die," Bodge told NBC News on Thursday.
Bodge and Heselton said a customer reported them to the state for not wearing masks and not requiring their customers to wear masks. Bodge said he then received a call from the New Hampshire Office of the Attorney General, asking if he was not requiring masks in Roselynn.
"I said, 'Ma'am, as a matter of fact, you are correct.' And there was a pause, and she said, 'So you're not denying it?' And I said, 'We are mask-free here,'" Bodge said.
The official told Bodge that they wouldn't need to investigate if he was readily admitting to not wearing masks at Roselynn, and that he would have until Monday to comply with the mandate or the state would pull the restaurant's license to operate, according to Bodge. Rather than abide by the mandate or have the state close their doors, Bodge and Heselton decided they'd close themselves down until they could reopen without masks.
....
Bodge said he can't wear a mask due to anxiety, and that other members of the staff also suffer from illnesses that prevent them from wearing a mask. He said he wears a mask in places that require them, like the grocery store, but that his anxiety is triggered when that happens.
