A great disturbance went forth last night following Tucker Carlson’s commentary on outdoor masking. The Fox News host launched into a monologue covering the idiocy of that practice, noting there’s no science whatsoever behind wearing a mask outside.

But it was what he said for people to do that really got people riled up, and it wasn’t just the left this time. Many on the right also took to social media to voice their displeasure.

Here’s the original commentary and some of the responses.

Tucker Carlson is now telling his audience to harass people who wear face masks outside.

If they see children wearing masks, Tucker says the response should be no different than when you see a kid being abused — "call the police immediately, contact child protective services" pic.twitter.com/4svVH0JY3s

— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) April 27, 2021

This is deranged. It's no better than those who encourage others to harass people not wearing masks. Also, calling cops because you don't like someone's parenting style is not just wrong, but dangerous.

Mind your own business. https://t.co/3r7qtEC8J0

— AG (@AGHamilton29) April 27, 2021

as the recipient of threats to call cps because our kids were suspected of not wearing masks, please do not call cps on ppl wearing masks or not wearing masks or wearing two masks or wearing a Batman mask or wearing a goalie mask or watching The Man In the Iron Mask or https://t.co/MXPr1xpdJO

— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) April 27, 2021

First, let me start by saying how hilarious it is to see that flack from The Daily Beast (who posted the video above) losing it over this commentary when it is the left that made harassment over masks a sport during the pandemic. Note the distinct lack of angry replies in the past from these people when someone called the cops on another person for being in a store without a mask or harassed someone walking in a park without a mask. We’ve seen some really ridiculous episodes over the last year, including lots of public meltdowns from people who had self-appointed themselves the mask police.

And with that said, I’m pretty sure what Tucker is doing here is being facetious in his typical, stone-faced way. Does he really want you to go call the cops on someone for wearing a mask outside? Probably not, but using absurdity to mock one’s opponents is a common rhetorical technique. No one does it better than Tucker, and he’s doing that here, in my opinion.

But because some in the beltway, right-wing commentariat don’t like Tucker, they took this as an opportunity to snipe at him without even considering that he was actually ridiculing our ridiculous mask culture of the past year. In that, I feel like they are missing a big part of why Tucker is so popular, but it is what it is.

Besides, everything Tucker is saying is actually correct from a scientific standpoint, and if it takes some absurdity to push the truth about outdoor masking (and masking in general), then I’m all for it. Making your kid wear a mask outside is a terrible thing to do.