The news landscape is littered these days with anti-vaccine voices who’ve made quite a name for themselves “standing up for freedom,” only to succumb from the disease they thought was overblown, or in some cases, a hoax.
I’ve been finding lately that my empathy level has all but vanished for these folks. Now entering the third year of this pandemic, my patience level has reached the breaking point. But then I began to think not about the individuals who refused the vaccine but the bevy of family and friends that they indeed have left behind.
Was the defiance worth it? Was the notoriety of being a “spokesperson for thousands, even millions, of Americans,” as 22-year Washington state trooper Robert LaMay said on Fox “News” back in October, worth losing your life over?
We will never know, of course, because LaMay recently lost his battle with Covid-19. He said those words on The Laura Ingraham show, who praised LaMay and wondered whether he had awakened the “sleeping giant,” referring to those who were pondering defying vaccine mandates as LaMay had done. He ultimately resigned from his job, telling Governor Jay Inslee to “kiss his ass” on his last day, which was shared by thousands on social media.
Fox hasn’t had the decency to acknowledge LaMay’s death as of this writing. They exploited him for the wrong reasons, only to toss him aside like a sacrificial lamb. They’ve done the exact thing many times throughout this pandemic to the thousands who’ve perished in the same manner — many because of the reckless and reprehensible disinformation campaign from that same media outlet.
Making matters worse is that Fox itself considers Covid-19 serious, having implemented their vaccination and daily testing requirements for all employees. Yes, that includes Ingraham, Sean Hannity, and Tucker Carlson. I suppose all of it is in the name of pandering to viewers for ratings. The shameless hypocrisy knows no bounds with that network.
Again, though, LaMay made his choice. And now his family and friends will have to deal with the consequence. I can only imagine what he might have been feeling as he took the last breaths of his life.
Another person who made the same choice was rock superstar Meat Loaf, who lost his life to Covid-19 in January. While his vaccine status was unknown, he had recently begun to speak out against vaccine mandates, lockdowns, and wearing masks on planes.
In an interview with The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette last August, he responded to the interviewer who talked about being controlled by everybody. “Yeah, I know,” he said. “But not me. If I die, I die, but I’m not going to be controlled.”
It’s a pretty safe bet that he wasn’t vaccinated, but who knows for sure? The bottom line is that Meat Loaf decided his freedom from control of “the man” was more than worth dying for. Judging by the heartfelt issued from his family posted to Facebook after his death, they might disagree.
While the two cases above are both high-profile media stories, they’re most certainly not isolated incidents, as we see those types of tragedies playing out daily throughout America and the rest of the world. My own family is no exception.
I found out yesterday that a long-time family friend had died of Covid-19. I’d only met him once but had heard nothing but wonderful things about him before our meeting, which occurred on Christmas Eve, 2016, at my sister’s house in Akron, Ohio.
It was a tough time for us back then. I visited because my mother’s health had deteriorated, and she was placed in a nursing home. The mood was anything but celebratory, but we made the best of a sad situation.
The family friend arrived later in the evening, a bottle of Crown Royal by his side. We proceeded to have a wonderful visit with him, and I was impressed with his charm and outgoing nature. He played the piano, sang some songs, and we both discussed our mutual admiration of Bruce Springsteen. I believe he even played the opening few bars of “Growing Up,” a long-time favorite of mine.
My two hours with him left a positive impression on me. He made the evening a pleasurable one, especially considering the circumstances surrounding my mother’s condition. And for that, I will forever be grateful.
I was highly disappointed when I discovered the circumstances surrounding his bout with Covid-19. It turns out that he was not vaccinated. And not only that, he had lied about it weeks earlier before visiting family at an annual California beach house vacation, which was attended by some elderly and immune-compromised family members.
Putting his selfishness and the ensuing anger amongst family members aside, they’re all completely devastated by his death. He was beloved by so many and will be sorely missed.
I asked my sister whether she knew of his political leanings, but she wasn’t sure. The night I met him, politics never entered the conversation. Anti-vaccine voices exist on all sides of the political spectrum, although most seem to come from those on the right. In the end, it does not matter. As did Meat Loaf, Officer LaMay, and thousands of others, he made his choice.
In the last days of his life, the family friend lay prone, in his hospital bed, for up to 16 hours a day, on a ventilator. His loved ones were told it was only a matter of time. It all could have been avoided — just as it could have been for so many more just like him.
Admittedly, I have mixed feelings about my family friend because I met him and liked him. But his actions, especially telling others he was vaccinated, reveal a selfish nature that is, I think, shared by most the folks who do not get the shots.
Of course, it could also be from listening to the anti-vaccination crazies on TV and radio. Surely that must also be part of the conversation. Where and whom we get information from is a matter of life and death these days.
Perhaps being a hero to the right-wing was something Officer LaMay could take to his grave as a badge of honor. In a post to his Facebook account from November 18, he wrote:
“Lots of speaking engagements for December. I’ll be around the state and being asked to travel out of state as well. Colorado, Oregon, you might see me soon. The platform is simple FREEDOM!!!! Fight now or lose it.”
Unfortunately, while he may have fought successfully for his “freedom,” he lost his life in the process. And now, his family and friends are left picking up the pieces.
If there were a way, in a spiritual sense, to get these vaccine deniers and defiers in a room together in some way, to show them what their actions have done to the loved ones and friends in their lives, I would certainly do so. And then I’d proceed to ask them one question:
Was it all worth it?
Risking your own life is on thing. But forcing someone else to unknowingly risk theirs is another thing totally. It speaks of supreme arrogance and selfishness to carry a terrible virus to places where there are elderly people with underlying health problems.
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It sure does David. And that’s the most troubling aspect from my family perspective. To not even have the decency to tell the truth speaks volumes. Just think how often this happens every day now.
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Jeff- Let me start by saying I am the person responsible for organizing the NorCal event refererred to in your post. It was my cousin who recently succumbed to Covid.
While I am sympathetic, if not in total agreement with 95% of your post, I would like to offer a comment from my perspective.
Our event was held under Santa Cruz County, CA Covid Regulations, arguably the strictest in the country.
The mandate at the time was that masks were required indoors only, vaxxed or unvaxxed. Our event is predominanty outside until it is time to eat, when probably 85% choose to dine indoors. This information was provided to all of the guests (100+/-). I was vaxxed w/ booster, and have a hard time understanding why others choose not to do so.
Pardon me for the deep dive ,but I just wanted everyone to be clear on the details of the situation.
I knew from direct discussion with my cousin that he was NOT VAXXED. Incredibly, from my Left Coast frame of reference, not only was he not vaxxed, but he actually worked for a school district as a bus driver that does not require employees, teachers or children to be vaxxed. I’m guessing that bus could very well have been the source of his infection.
While his and my politics were 180 degree diametrically opposed, we rarely discussed it and when we did, only superficially. We subverted this aspect of our relationship in order to preserve the familial relationship. I was
astounded that other members of my family weren’t aware of his true status. Admittedly, I just assumed that he was as candid with them as he was with me. I never discussed it with anyone other than my wife.
I certainly understand the sense of betrayal felt by others that experienced otherwise, admittedly he either, committed a sin of commission or omission and I am not excusing either. He was an incredibly gerous and caring individual. However, looking back his candor with me may have stemmed from a sense of feeling safe to be honest and not necessarily judged. I’m only guessing that with others, he just told them or let them believe what they wanted to hear, perhaps in an attempt to avoid judgement, divisive discussion etc.
Either way, while it may be seen as selfish behavior, he certainly was not a selfish person.
Finally, I believe that, both, Blue and Red are better served with real dialogue rather than manning our barricades as the latter may very well lead to civil war.
Thank you for your indulgence and i apologize for the length of the ramble.
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No apologies necessary Frank. I really appreciate the additional clarification of what really went down. The whole thing is just so tragic. And, avoidable. My sister kind of filled me in on his political leanings, or lack thereof. In other words, he seemed to do as you intimate, which was to avoid confrontation with fellow family members. Go along to get along, I suppose.
Still, the idea that he was a bus driver, and that there were no mandates of the sort, drives me absolutely crazy. And it’s why this pandemic continues to be around and will be for a long time.
That said, my sincere condolences for the passing of your cousin. As I said in my post, I only met him the one time, and I really liked him. Again, the fact it could have been avoided makes it that much worse.
Please stay safe, and I wish nothing but the best for your family. Thank you for reading my post and contributing to the discourse Frank. I really appreciate it. Maybe our paths will cross again someday, and we can drink some wine and have a good time. Take care!!
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Like you, my friend, I have lost all patience with the anti-vaxxers, even those in my family. It isn’t so much that they are risking their own lives … that is certainly their choice … but that they are risking the lives of everyone they come into contact with, including their own grandparents, children, grandchildren, neighbors, co-workers, and the average Joe they see at the grocery store. It is the height of selfishness and their “freedom” should not supersede our lives! We could have been Covid-free today were it not for the stubborn selfishness of these loons! Sigh.
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Indeed Jill. It did not have to be this bad. It shows the arrogance and selfishness of human beings. And we’ve got a plethora of them in America. I’m disgusted.
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Me too, my friend, me too.
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Jill Dennison, I am not anti-vaccine and don’t take kindly to such stereotypes. I just believe thatpeople should make that decision for themselves.
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🤷 Oh well, rag … I don’t much care what you ‘take kindly’ to or don’t. When people make that decision “for themselves” they are also putting the rest of us at risk, so … yeah, I’ve got a right and a reason to be angry.
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I disagree with your reason. Want to be angry at anybody? Start with the CCP.
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Tsk … Tsk, Jill You took the bait. This guy will NOT let go of this topic. I suppose we should all feel sorry for him because apparently, he has nothing else to do with his time except rant against the vaccines. Sad.
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Yeah, yeah … I know. He has tried to be a thorn in my side many times over the years — you’d think I would have learned by now.
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Jill Dennison, how so? I don’t recall any comments directed toward you as being full of ad hominems, so what is the gripe?
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Nan, unless and until Jeff asks me to stop commenting on his blog, I really don’t care if my comments rub you the wrong way, His blog, his rules.
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It’s not that your comments “rub me the wrong way” … it’s that you’re like a dog with a bone. You’ve expressed your view again and again and again on several different blogs. Those of us that are regular visitors “got the picture” waaaay back when.
Yes, you’re correct. It’s Jeff’s blog. But he’s a polite guy and so he’s asked you nicely –and even given you a warning– to back off.
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Nan, a lot of talking heads in the media beat the proverbial dead horse regarding their expressing derisive and misinformed and disinformed drivel about the therapeutics. The therapeutics predate the vaccines by many years. Look up the history of Monoclonal antibodies, Hydroxychloriquine, Artemisinin, Budesonide, Ivermectin and so on. They work.
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People think, that, they’re, exerxising the right to choose either to get vaccinated or not, that, it’s, something personal, maybe, due to the reports of cases of death caused by the vaccines, not realizing, that, by not getting vaccinated, they’re, putting themselves, as well the ones they love, in danger of, exposure and, contraction, it’s just, too, selfish.
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Agreed. 100%. It’s up to individuals to find the truth. If they choose to only listen to those they agree with-and not data-driven science-well, that’s precisely why we are where we are. Pathetic
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I am so angry that even healthcare workers are refusing to be vaccinated; refusing to protect those patients who are most vulnerable. I stand in unity with hospitals who chose to terminate their employment. After 40+ years in healthcare I no longer feel the empathy I once may have had for those who die choosing not to be vaccinated. Coming from a medical family, I thank God all are intelligent enough to be vaccinated and continue to stress the importance of same. I recently saw a wedding invitation that had engraved “if you have not been vaccinated, please attend in spirit only”. Speaks loudly to me!
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I love that invitation Sherri! I would do the same if I was in the same position. You, more than most, get it, because of your decades in health care. Perhaps that’s the worst part of all of this-the fact that so many of the anti-vaxxers couldn’t give a rat’s ass about the health care workers. They are the ones who have borne the brunt of this disaster. Shame on them for their selfish arrogance
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Almost every day we see a news story of another prominent anti-vaxxer dying from COVID-related issues and still the hard-core kooks refuse to back down.
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Haven’t you figured it out by now? These folk are impervious to the virus! Vaccines? Pshaw! Masks? Pshaw! Stay out of crowds? Pshaw! The fact someone dies? So sad. Too bad.
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All in the name of FREEDOM!!!!!! It’s pathetic Nan.
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Even when it happens to a loved one personally-to some, it does not matter. The gullibility and stupidity are mind-boggling.
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There is another side to the coin of Freedom.
It is Responsibility.
And Freedom. Do you know who ensures your Freedom? It is if you are fortunate enough to live within a state system that has democracy? (Yes, yes I know why can argue over the meaning of the word. Mature adults will know what I mean though). And that state protects you in varying ways, which you wouldn’t get on your sweet lil’ lonesome.
And for that gift. It is your responsibility to ensure you do your best for your fellow citizens in times of trouble and trial. Not to go off in a huff ‘cas you don’t like the game.
Anyway, none of this anit-vaxx hoo-hah is about Freedom. That’s a mask to cover up a neurotic satisfaction that be you Right of Left you think you know better than folk who have been studying a problem for years
I’ll stop now, my rant warning light is starting to blink.
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You might be on to something Roger. Amazing how many amateur ‘scientists’ are in our midsts these days.
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Not forgetting the ‘experts’ in ‘False Flag’ operations
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Jeff, it truly saddens me when people place themselves and loved ones in danger for some stance that sounded good at the time. If these folks had kids going to college or elementary school, they would have to make sure their kids’ vaccines cards are up to date. How many loved ones must we lose, especially since we are well over 800,000 now in just America? With freedom comes responsibility. Keith
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That’s so true Keith. To live in a society you do have a responsibility to your fellow human beings. But too often these days, that responsibility flies out the window. All for their own personal selfishness and greed. Or whatever political views they may have. It’s such a sad commentary of where we are as a country.
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Brookingslib, I am not anti-vaccine. I just believe that there should not be any vaccine mandates.
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REALLY??? Gosh, I would never have known you feel this way! 😵
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Nan, drop the sarcasm. It is childish. “My body, my choice” is the only reasoning required to decline the vaccines. I am not saying anything about you, however, while it is true that there is a significant level of hypocrisy in how the argument is made, why is it acceptable to rationalize the murder of the unborn under the guise of “my body, my choice” and yet say that “my body, my choice” does not apply to any other medical matters? You also clearly did not get the memo that vaccinated people, whether they realize it or not, can and do shed spike proteins.
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Thanks so much for the lesson is social mores. I’ll try to do better.
And as for your argument? You should know by now (after posting your personal stance innumerable times) that not everyone agrees. In fact, several million people don’t.
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Nan, if you got the vaccine, good for you. If any law enforcement officers or government officials try to beat down my door and force the issue, I will fight to the bitter end. “My body, my choice” is something I will take the whole 9 yards.
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I realize that Ragnar. You’re a libertarian kind of guy. At least that’s my take. I just believe that you’re “my body-my choice” argument falls apart because when it comes to a virus that puts people at risk-especially those who are old and/or immune-compromised, the government has a right to act unilaterally in order to protect the public. Not only that, but the fact that hospitals would be massively overrun with patients were we not to act, makes mitigation a necessity.
Multiple Vaccines are mandated for newborns and have been for longer than I can remember. Why is THIS particular vaccine not seen in the same way? It’s been politicized beyond imagination. Yes, it was rushed onto the scene. But now we have billions around the world who’ve gotten the shot, and surely you will agree that they are safe, right?
Sorry, but a woman deciding to end a pregnancy does nothing to public health. It does nothing to me and it does nothing to you. You may be appalled by it, and that’s your right to feel that way. But to use it as an argument for you or anyone else not getting a vaccine? It’s preposterous, quite frankly.
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SPOT ON, Jeff!!!
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Thanks Nan!
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Brookingslib, I am just not interested in playing the equivalent of Russian Roulette with my health by taking a purely experimental and untested vaccine. Due to my having Epilepsy, I am not going to risk taking a vaccine that could screw around with my brain. Cardiac arrest, Bell’s palsy, paralysis in some cases, death in other cases, is none to appealing to me.
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I’m sorry to hear about your Epilepsy Ragnar. I understand why you might have reservations about taking the vaccine. I would do research as well if I were you. And I do know there are instances where doctors recommend against taking the shots because of various conditions that may exist in individuals. Perhaps your condition is one of them? It’s not my purview to judge you on that. So, respectfully, my complaints are not against people like yourself who have underlying conditions. They are with the people who won’t do it because of politics and ridiculous misinformation spewed by the likes of Trump, Joe Rogan, and others. And, I disagree with the “experimental” and “untested” part of your argument. We’ve got plenty of data showing the efficacy and safety. I’ve said enough Ragnar. Take care
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Jeff, I mean no disrespect with what I say, however, I would put more stock in what people like Robert W. Malone, Rashid Buttar, Simone Gold, Pierre Kory Peter A. McCullough, Stella Immanuel, Sherri Tenpenny and Judy Mikovitz have to say than Anthony Fauci. Why? Because they are consistent and Anthony Fauci keeps shifting the goalposts.
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Sherri Tenpenny? Wow. I have no words Ragnar. That doesn’t even deserve a response.
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Brookingslib, of course you are left speechless, which is no surprise due to the fact that Anthony Fauci kept spewing the same lies again and again and hoping that people like you, Nan and many other people would believe it.
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Anthony Fauci is a national treasure who’s dedicated his life to saving lives. Tenpenny is a two-bit crackpot quack who spews conspiracy theories and lies. Fauci, btw, has changed his statements as the facts and data change. Do you know what a novel virus is Ragnar? That’s right, we’ve never seen it before. We were learning on the fly, especially with different variants and the like. But go ahead, believe the quacks and crackpots. Next thing, I suppose you’ll tell me that looney tunes Scott Atlas, who Trump picked as his main Covid adviser, was a genius. I’m saddened by your lack of clarity and common sense on this issue. Have a good day
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Anthony Fauci’s screwing around with Gain Of Function research is part of the reason for this worldwide pandemic.
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Nan, if you want to take the chance and gamble with your health and safety by taking a new and untested vaccine, that is your decision to make. Despite the b.s. being spewed by the mainstream media, a multitude of stories that speak to injuries and deaths are not being fairly or accurately reported. People who say that injuries and deaths have not happened are 1: Getting only half of the story, as indicated by their disbelief about reports of adverse events, 2: Wilfully lying and smearing people in order to silence them and 3: Not doing their own homework because of intellectual laziness, simple as that.
Brookingslib, the argument “my body, my choice” should apply to every medically-related matter. I oppose abortion and vaccine mandates, however, I believe in the right of people to their individual bodily autonomy.
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Rag — STRONGLY suggest you read this article. It’s quite long (I still haven’t finished it), but I believe it addresses a view that you have about the “b.s” of the mainstream media.
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Also read this related to vaccines.
Oh and BTW, I have your stance against being vaccinated memorized so you don’t need to repeat it.
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Brookingslib and Nan, if either of you know anybody who has Epilepsy, to pick a certain health condition, would you blame the person for refusing the vaccines because of the issue of potential neurological damage?
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Brookingslib, viruses like Malaria come from nature. Covid-19 was created in a lab. NIH funding of labs in Wuhan is what facilitated the creation of this pandemic. Anthony Fauci has as much blood on his hands as the Chinese Communist Party.
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Malaria is not a virus.
You are jumping to conclusions about covid-19. The best evidence seems to suggest that it came from nature.
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Neil Rickert, prove that Malaria is not a virus.
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From a google search for “Is malaria a virus or bacteria?”:
A: Malaria is not caused by a virus or bacteria. Malaria is caused by a parasite known as Plasmodium, which is normally spread through infected mosquitoes. A mosquito takes a blood meal from an infected human, taking in Plasmodia which are in the blood.
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Neil Rickert, if something infects humans and it can become transmissible, that makes it a virus by its nature.
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That’s wrong. Try looking up the definition of “virus”.
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Maybe I worded that inadequately.
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I’ve warned him about spreading this crap Neil. It’s unacceptable.
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Brookingslib, if you get your information from Anthony Fauci, the FDA, the CDC, CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, Vox, et cetera, that explains a lot.
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And where do you get yours? Fox? Newsmax? Tucker Carlson? That would also explain a lot
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Brookingslib, I get my information from all over the place. The FDA, the CDC, the NCBI, people who tell their stories in their own words. None of my information comes from Alex Jones.
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Ragnar. I will not allow you to spread lies like that on this platform. Consider this a warning.
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Brookingslib, anything can be labeled as a disease or a virus. Who is to be believed about what is what?
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Brookingslib, Malaria, Coronavirus, Polio, all affect the human body. Are they viruses or diseases?
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Malaria is a disease caused by a protozoan parasite. Coronavirus is a virus that can cause disease (such as COVID-19). Polio is a disease caused by a virus.
Water affects the human body, but is neither a virus nor a disease. Biologists make these distinctions for good reason. You have been spouting ignorant nonsense.
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Neil Rickert, perhaps I was careless with my language.
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Brookingslib and Nan, I mean no offense with this comment, however, you are both way off-base. As harsh as it seems, if someone takes advice about how to deal with a potentially deadly pandemic from politicians instead of virologists or people with MD behind their name, they deserve their ultimate fate.
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Jill Dennison, it is not society’s business as to the individual vaccination status of each person. We live in a Constitutional Republic, not a gestapo state.
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Brookingslib, in case you are not familiar with it, there is this concept called Doctor-patient confidentiality. All of these venues that hold people hostage by refusing business to them based on vaccine status is a bad business plan. It also is an invasion of privacy when people who one does not know insists on having what is by definition private medical information, both as a condition of employment, which violates HIPAA laws and also just because it is nobody’s business otherwise.
Jill Dennison, I am not saying anything about you specifically, however, the “my body, my choice” crowd has no right to decide arbitrarily when that argument is and is not valid. You might want to read the Nuremberg Code and the U.S. Constitution, particularly the Bill of Rights.
Nan, for as smart as you seem to be, you clearly seem to think that government can manage our health better than we can. That is indicated by the pro-vaccine mandate mindset.
David Prosser, everyone who takes the vaccines will be eligible for the Darwin Awards ultimately. How? By taking a vaccine that will unleash spike proteins, which are toxic, by the way, all over their bodies and ultimately dying in the most idiotic of ways.
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As usual, you make assumptions based on your own personal opinion and perspective. As many have said before, if you don’t want the vaccine … DON’T TAKE IT! But don’t try to tell others what THEY should or should not do. And BTW, your constant and irritating repetition of this SAME ISSUE is not going to change anyone’s mind, so please rag … GET. A. LIFE.
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Nan, be sure to check all of your medicines to make sure that they are not laced with graphene hydroxide, a toxin.
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https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2021/07/10/graphene-oxide-in-pfizer-covid-19-vaccines-here-are-the-latest-unsupported-claims/
Please take note of the last four words of the provided link …
Seriously rag … I’m beginning to feel sorry for you.
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Nan, a lot of these vaccine pushers are probably getting their funding from Bill Gates, George Soros, Jeff Bezos, big pharma and many other people.
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Again. You’re spreading lies and disinformation. You bring Soros, Gates, and Bezos into this? Friend, you’re so outside the mainstream and the scary thing is that you do not know it. Pretty soon you will tell me that Alex Jones and Joe Rogan are your go-to guys for vaccine information. This is getting beyond embarrassing. Move on, please. We know how you feel about the subject. I’ve had enough
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Jeff, I get all of my information from legitimate and licensed medical doctors, from the FDA, the CDC, people in their own words or from the family members of said people. Here is a website for you: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ This is where I get my information from.
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Nan, Brookingslib, Jill Dennison, David Prosser, Sherri Marzick and Taurusingemini, If the issue of long-term complications was rare, maybe I would be less skeptical about it. Every mixed message I get, be it get the vaccine, be it the vaccines don’t work, get 2 shots, get 3 shots, is hard to take seriously if stories are not consistent. To be fair, if someone had an MD who said 1 or 2 shots would be enough, maybe the risk would be worth it. As I mentioned, my having Epilepsy causes me to not want to risk exposure to Covid-19 or to the vaccines. If each of you got and tolerated the various vaccines quite well, I am happy for you. To run the risk of playing the equivalent of Russian Roulette with my health or very life is just not worth it if death or permanent injury is an end result.
I have heard stories about favorable and not so favorable experiences with Novavax, Moderna, Astrazeneca, Pfizer and the Johnson&Johnson vaccine. For the record, I am not saying that there are no side-effects and that the vaccines have not helped many people. The premise is about the potential of being given a vaccine in error. Example: Someone can take the Moderna and yet they should have gotten the Pfizer. Some people may have gotten the Astrazeneca vaccine when they would have been better off getting the Johnson&Johnson. Who knows?
By the way, I don’t get or solicit any medical advice from people like Alex Jones. I am not getting and will not take medical advice from people whose knowledge about medicine is 0% wither.
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Nan, Brookingslib, Jill Dennison, David Prosser, Sherri Marzick and Taurusingemini, If the issue of long-term complications was rare, maybe I would be less skeptical about it. Every mixed message I get, be it get the vaccine, be it the vaccines don’t work, get 2 shots, get 3 shots, is hard to take seriously if stories are not consistent. To be fair, if someone had an MD who said 1 or 2 shots would be enough, maybe the risk would be worth it. As I mentioned, my having Epilepsy causes me to not want to risk exposure to Covid-19 or to the vaccines. If each of you got and tolerated the various vaccines quite well, I am happy for you. To run the risk of playing the equivalent of Russian Roulette with my health or very life is just not worth it if death or permanent injury is an end result.
I have heard stories about favorable and not so favorable experiences with Novavax, Moderna, Astrazeneca, Pfizer and the Johnson&Johnson vaccine. For the record, I am not saying that there are no side-effects and that the vaccines have not helped many people. The premise is about the potential of being given a vaccine in error. Example: Someone can take the Moderna and yet they should have gotten the Pfizer. Some people may have gotten the Astrazeneca vaccine when they would have been better off getting the Johnson&Johnson. Who knows?
By the way, I don’t get or solicit any medical advice from people like Alex Jones. I am not getting and will not take medical advice from people whose knowledge about medicine is 0% either.
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Brookingslib, Nan, Jill Dennison, David Prosser, Sherri Marzick and Taurusingemini, Joe Rogan got the Ivermectin and that seems to have been of benefit to him. N-acetylcysteine, Budesonide, Hydroxychloriquine, Artemisinin, Ivermectin and Quercetin have been very effective for prevention of and treatment of Covid-19. Try looking up the data and do some due dilligence. Rashid Buttar, Joseph Mercola, Sherri Tenpenny, Stella Immanuel, Pierre Kory, Robert W. Malone, Peter A. McCullough, Vladimir Zelenko and Simone Gold, legitimate and licensed medical experts, have been more honest and more solution-oriented than Anthony Fauci. Anthony Fauci screwing around with Gain-Of-Function research enabled this pandemic. While your at it, look at the National Library of Medicine’s website.
People who get medical advice from news anchors who have no medical degrees or politicians who have no medical degrees are ultimately getting the fates that they asked for. I am not saying that they deserve that, however, if that is the end result, that is no different than people who won the Darwin Awards.
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Anyone who uses the quack Sherri Tenpenny as a reference has no credibility.
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Brookingslib, unless you have a medical degree, what gives you the ability to claim a monopoly on information about medical matters?
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Sherri Tenpenny claimed that vaccines can cause people to be magnetized and talked of people putting keys on their foreheads on the internet. I won’t even mention some of the other crackpot BS she’s claimed about Covid. If this is the type of person who you seem to think is an expert, you have absolutely NO credibility with me. I’m no expert, but I know who is respectable in their field, and who isn’t. And Ms Tenpenny is certifiably bonkers. I’m done with this subject Ragnar. Move on
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Brookingslib, if I took a vaccine that had as a side-effect a headache that lasted a few days but nothing else was wrong otherwise, I might be willing to risk it. Novavax, Astarzeneca, Johnson&Johnson, Pfizer and the Moderna vaccines respectively have all had adverse effects, neurological and otherwise.
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Oh, and I have a question for you. Are you a QAnon believer?
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Brookingslib, even if I was, something you cannot prove, I should be able to hold whatever beliefs I want.
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Yes, you can hold whatever beliefs you want. But if you would turn off that megaphone, and stop broacasting your beliefs, that would help a lot.
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Neil Rickert, if the media stopped the libel, slander and smears of people who report ill-effects, that would also help. Being more concerned with a network’s ratings than with the truth is a way to lose credibility.
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What libel? What smears? I’m not seeing it.
For your information, I had a bad reaction from the vaccine. My kidney function is reduced. But, unlike you, I am not whining about it. I still support the vaccination program, though I have chosen to not receive a booster shot.
We need to work together, not to start needless fights.
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I agree. For the record, I had honestly been willing to consider getting the Pfizer vaccine. What changed that thinking was multiple horror stories about injuries and deaths for people who got that one.
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Brookingslib, I know a lot about the risks of any virus, disease, medical condition, whatever. Maybe I was careless with my language regarding what constitutes a virus vs a disease. Lies and disinformation? In case you did not get the memo, I am not a political hack, unlike many people.
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Well, there are times that you come across that way.
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I will work on that.
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Brookingslib, there is a difference between being an anti-vaxxer, as some people are talked as being and being vaccine hesitant. I had high hopes for all of them. The issue is in the fact that it seems that everyone, Anthony Fauci, the FDA, the CDC and our elected representatives are lying to us.
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I don’t think it’s lying. I think it’s because Covid was and is a novel virus. The data keeps changing. Fauci is a scientist who analyzes data and tries to come to conclusions based on that data. We’ve got what, two years worth of data now? I think you should give him a break.
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It is hard to give someone a break that changes his story so many times that it is difficult to take him seriously.
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Again, you’d rather tout the conspiracy theory quacks like Ms Tenpenny and others over people who are widely considered experts and competent scientists. I don’t get why you do this. We are still learning about his virus, as I’ve said to you many times.
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Brookingslib, it is a manmade virus, not a traditional virus.
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Brookingslib, I have heard reports of favorable experiences with each of the vaccines I have heard stories of adverse, even fatal reactions, to the vaccines. The Johnson&Johnson and the Pfizer I was at the very least open to until some adverse stories came out about them. The Moderna and Astrazeneca are those of which I am highly skeptical.
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I just got my 2nd Moderna booster yesterday. I’ve never had any issues. Ever. That doesn’t mean that vaccines are a 100% guarantee that you won’t have a bad reaction. Do you know anything that is 100% Ragnar? I certainly don’t.
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Not only that, people take chances with just about everything in life … and hope for the best. Each individual has to decide FOR THEMSELVES based on whatever research they choose to accept. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. But bottom line … it always comes down to one’s personal decision.
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Brookingslib, I am not saying that vaccines are 100% bad. I just believe that people should be free to make their own choices. Even if the vaccines are safe and effective, that does not make it right or justifiable to mandate them. The next time I hear or read the phrase “My body, my choice,” I will throw that back into the faces of people who make that argument about the legality of abortion but not applying it to anything else.
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