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This is a story you don't often hear about. In the era of mask mandates, vaccine passports, and vaccine mandates, it's rare to hear about a business throwing people out because they were wearing masks.

But that's what happened at Hang Time Sports Grill & Bar in Rowlett, TX last week. According to a report from the Houston Chronicle, Natalie Wester and her husband planned on meeting up with friends at Hang Time while the couple left their four-month old son with his grandmother. It was supposed to a date night and night out with friends. The Westers reportedly showed up at Hang Time and were asked to take their masks off. According to the report, Wester thought the request was made so they could compare faces to the drivers license.

According to the post Wester posted on Facebook, a waitress walked over to the couple after about a half hour and said,

Our manager sent me over because I’m nicer than he is. And yes, this is political,'" Wester wrote on Facebook. "She then told me that masks are not allowed in their building, and they can make the rules because they are private business."

The owner of Hang Time was interviewed by CBS DFW and said that as the owner of a private business, he has the right to refuse service to anyone wearing a mask and that he considers a mask against the dress code.

“I have spent my money on the business, my blood sweat and tears in this business, and I don’t want masks in here,” Tom said. “I feel the overall reaction with masks is ridiculous in the United States right now."

The couple are both vaccinated but say they prefer to wear masks in public because their four month old has cystic fibrosis.

The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that both the owner of the restaurant and the couple have received backlash from people online who want to take sides and threaten the side they disagree with.

As someone who believes in private property rights, I believe the owner of Hang Time should have the right to ban or allow masks. It's his business and if people don't like the way he runs things, then the free market will take care of things. The couple was asked twice to remove their masks and they didn't want to. Their response was to take to Facebook to complain about the rule. Neither deserve death threats or to be hassled in my opinion.

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