A bookstore owner in the US state of Texas has shared a letter from a customer he turned away for not wearing a mask.

The mask mandate for COVID-19 in the state was repealed in March though some businesses continue to impose their own mask mandates due to the low rate of vaccinations. One such business is ‘The Painted Porch’ bookstore in Bastrop County, Texas.

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As just 43.7% of Bastrop County residents are completely vaccinated, according to the health department, so Ryan Holiday elected to ask guests to still wear a mask in his bookstore.

On July 3, Holiday shared a letter on Twitter, stating, “A fun letter from a customer at The Painted Porch.”

The letter, dated June 25, is apparently sent by an anonymous 56-year-old woman who according to the letter had to leave the store due to the requirement of a mask to enter the premises.

The letter started off by first clarifying that the writer has a Master’s degree in library and information science and was not a Donald Trump voter.

“I am writing to let you know that I was upset to leave your bookstore yesterday due to your mask requirement,” the letter said, adding that the writer could not tolerate the mask theatrics.

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The letter went on to emphasize the writer’s support for local businesses and bookstores and argued that only N95 masks are effective in the pandemic although even they aren’t fully effective. 

The letter also said that the COVID-19 pandemic is being used as a political tool to create divides among people, families, and communities.

“The general population, which is benevolent, kind-hearted, and caring, is being purposefully manipulated in order to destabilize society, shutter local economies and small businesses like yours, and eliminate access to broad and sweeping ranges of legislated benefits,” the letter said. The writer said that she felt alienated at being turned away.

“COVID has claimed the lives of two of my relatives, one of whom died and the other who is still alive,” the letter goes on to say.