North Dakota is all a’tizzy.

The North Dakota State House just passed a bill making the mandatory requirement of mask wearing illegal.

Three months ago, the virus strained the hospital system in North Dakota. The governor mandated statewide mask wearing and the number of covid cases “plummeted.”  Local officials said that was because of awareness about social distancing, not masks.

Minot Republican Rep. Jeff Hoverson, the bill’s sponsor, painted government-issued mask requirements as part of a larger conspiracy driven by “unelected, wealthy bureaucrats who are robbing our freedoms and perpetuating lies.” Hoverson said North Dakota should be free like its sister state to the south and called mask mandates “diabolical silliness.”

Okay, okay, English majors, is “diabolical silliness” a thing?  Can something be diabolical and silly at the same time, and if so, can you name one other thing that is?

Lidgerwood Republican Rep. Kathy Skroch and several other bill supporters claimed without evidence that mask-wearing doesn’t help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

You know, more and more newspapers are reminding their readers that some things are just plain silly by adding two words – without evidence. That’s a good thing.