Meanwhile in New Jersey: Man Kicked Off United Flight For Overmasking, Frightens Passengers With Over-Compliance

On his way to a security job at Super Bowl LV in Tampa, Florida, a New Jersey man was kicked off his flight for not complying with the airline’s mask policy. His problem, however, wasn’t a refusal to wear a mask. Robert Joseph’s problem was that he overmasked. Much like a butterfly that lands on the moon or a monkey who learns to write Shakespeare in Latin, Joseph overshot what was expected of him, frightening passengers with just how seriously he was taking his Covid-19 travel precautions.

“Going into the airport, I felt safe wearing (this mask), like my own little bubble around my face to keep it protected,” Joseph said.

The mask behind the recent controversy is from Narwall, a tiny Baltimore startup that started selling $85 scuba-inspired headgear back in late 2020. And the man behind the mask is Alex Rattray, who according to The Washington Post is a total “nerd.” While the world watched the pandemic dragged on, Rattray saw an emergent market, one he thinks will be a unifying force.

“You hear all these stories of anti-maskers, but I’ve worn this mask in rural areas, and people just recognize it’s protective, and they appreciate that,” Rattray shouted through his mask hole.

But United Airlines didn’t agree.

“It could potentially create certain impediments in emergency scenarios, such as preventing clear communication between customers and crew members,” the airline told WNBC.

I guess United hasn’t heard about the global pandemic, also known as a full-time emergency. As for Robert Joseph, he still plans on using the Narwall (which has both an intake and exhaust filter). He was even willing to endure seven hours of United Airline’s customer service shenanigans plus the cost of rebooking his flight on an alternate airline, all in the name of safety.

Joseph confirmed his position in a virtual interview with NBC New York. “My wife’s cousin lost her husband to COVID. She was left with a 6-month-old and a 2-year-old, so it was a very unfortunate situation but it was kind of a wake-up call to everybody that this is no joke, we need to take this seriously.”

So with all joking aside, we’re just going to come out and say it. Robert Joseph is the masked vigilante America needs right now.

Cover Photo: Westend61 (Getty Images)

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