"A statewide mask mandate must be implemented to stop the increasing spread among residents in rural and urban areas of Tennessee"

This statement has all we need to see in it. If mask mandates actually stopped the increasing spread where they were used, I would not be writing this note. But we now have good comparison cases to see the effects. We have places where masks have been mandated (and a whole lot more beside), and we have other places where they have not. There is no difference. That's precisely the problem. They don't work. Places where all these "solutions" are put into place have worse spread than other places.

How hard is that? Look where they're used (France & Spain give two good examples); look where they're not (Sweden & South Dakota). Compare. They. Don't. Work.

THAT is the problem.