Lots of people should walk back their falsehoods. But I won't hold my breath.

I have met literally nobody who denies that there is a virus going around. Have you ever tried actually listening to people who disagree with you? For even 5 minutes?

Glad to get your postcard from literal-land. Here's a fun fact. Denial does not mean exclusively the outright disbelief in a thing. It also includes denial of it's seriousness and of the importance of preventative measures. No-maskers, it's just like getting cold/flu, it only kills people in nursing homes, everybody is dying from underlying conditions etc. etc. ARE ALL FORMS OF DENIAL!
I think perhaps you need 5 minutes of listening friend.

Didn't mean to make you cry pal.

Maybe, but that a particular person caught it has nothing whatsoever to do with any of those.

Perhaps it's a learning moment when the "maskless one" and related cronies are coming down with it after their flippant refusal to social distance. IDK maybe my expectations are too high for evidence to make a difference when it comes to people's opinions.

" IDK maybe my expectations are too high for evidence to make a difference when it comes to people's opinions."

How about this for evidence: The Washington DC government passed a law a couple of months ago requiring everyone to wear masks. There was an exception, however, for government officials and employees. Why is that? Do they want government employees to die? Do you have an explanation? I do.

Paraphrasing you: "You want facts? Here's an opinion!"

The DC mask order which carved out exemptions for government workers is a fact. But what is it evidence of? That's where it becomes strictly opinion on your part. I say it's evidence of politicians giving themselves special privilege. But see, that's no more a fact than your supposition that it's because Covid-19 isn't worrisome to them.

So their “privilege” is to be more at risk of contracting a deadly virus and infecting their loved ones?

Here: You have the privilege of drinking this glass full of the smallpox virus. No one else gets to, just you. Aren’t you lucky?

I'm not going to argue that politicians are smart nor that everything in politics makes sense. It's not like it's only civilians who are science deniers. Plenty of people in power scream "fake news!" every time they see something well-sourced when it doesn't fit their narrative.

If they believe there is a deadly pandemic, why is being more at risk of catching it a “privilege”?

Yes, some people making the rules don't think the pandemic is deadly. But follow the science and you'll learn otherwise. Are you arguing you'll believe the opinion of some rando politician over the rigor of scores of international health scientists?

I think if the people imposing the rules obviously don’t believe in them, I shouldn’t be forced to pretend like I do.

You know Sweden’s pretty nice these days. No lockdown, no mask mandates. They’re fine.

Nancy Pelosi doesn't seem to think the rules apply to her, nor Lori Lightfoot, nor Dr. Fauci, nor Gov. Whitmer. All of these people who are very keen on imposing these rules on us are happy to break the rules themselves. Repeatedly, we've seen stories of news crews going out and harassing people for not wearing masks until someone points out neither is the camera guy.

No thank you. They are not aristocrats. I am not a peasant. They do not get to pass down rules for us which they exempt themselves from.