Masked Man

Jersey City, New Jersey, April 16, 2007:

Bank robbers, terrorists, and prowlers have given ski masks a bad name for years, but a local New Jersey man is wearing them around town to prove that not everyone who dons one is plotting mayhem.

Ronatarian Ron got the idea in 2005 after he walked out of a liquor store and slipped on a ski mask for an impromptu photograph. A passer-by, fearing the store had been robbed, called police. Ron was charged with breach of peace and had to perform 15 hours of community service. (Ron chose to work with young unwed mothers and no official record of his arrest exists on file.)

Since then, he and his political party "disciples" have periodically worn ski masks in public places in an attempt to dispel the stereotype and to promote their warming function. Ron has even launched a Web site dedicated to "Striving to Keep America's Facial Hair Warm By Combating Ski Mask Discrimination."

"This isn't something I do to go out and scare people," he said.

In some chilly circles, ski masks seem to be making a comeback. Tom Ramos, 16, said the three-hole knit masks are retro-chic in the snowboarding community of Naugatuck, Connecticut.

On the slopes, sure. But in a bank?

"It's a little out of place," Ramos acknowledged. "But Ron seems to be a dude with ideas. If he does it, it must be alright somewhere."

Posted by Bittle at April 16, 2007 11:53 PM