Reflection on American Polarization - The Demonization of Dr. Fauci

[Social Media]

 

In a charged atmosphere of political division and distrust, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), has become a lightning rod for controversy. Last month, Republican members of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic criticized Dr. Fauci for his support of mask and vaccine mandates, lockdowns, and school closures. They accused him of covering up U.S. government funding of research in a Wuhan, China lab that allegedly produced the COVID-19 virus, dismissing his assertion that such a result from this specific project was “molecularly impossible.”

 

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) intensified the attack, declaring that “Mr. Fauci belongs in a prison. He should be tried for mass murder and crimes against humanity.” She further added that many people hate him because “he is an a–hole and a liar.” Greene's vehement criticism is not an isolated case. In a July 2020 op-ed, Peter Navarro, then director of Trade and Manufacturing Policy in the Trump administration, claimed that Fauci “has been wrong about everything,” particularly the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine in treating COVID-19. USA Today later acknowledged that Navarro’s claims did not meet its “fact-checking standards.”

 

In November 2020, Steve Bannon, former chief strategist for President Trump, posted a video proposing that Fauci and FBI Director Christopher Wray should be beheaded: “I’d put the heads on pikes. As a warning to federal bureaucrats. Either get with the program or you’re gone.” The demonization continued in 2021 when Thomas Patrick Connally Jr. sent anonymous emails threatening to make Fauci “pay with your children’s blood for your crimes,” promising to drag Fauci into the street, break every bone in his body “with crowbars and sledgehammers,” and set him on fire. Connally was sentenced to three years in prison in 2022.

 

Fauci also appeared on the “hit” list of a man who believed he was “called upon by God to combat evil demons.” This man was armed with an assault rifle, ammunition, and body armor when arrested. Due to the frequency of death threats, Fauci was constantly accompanied by a team of special agents. These extreme reactions to Fauci’s public health guidance highlight a troubling trend in American society: the mainstreaming of partisan polarization, contempt for expertise, and a cultish propensity for conspiracy theories and violence.

 

By any reasonable standard, Fauci has been an exemplary public servant. Throughout his 50-year career at NIAID, he has played multiple roles: research scientist, physician, administrator, and advisor to policymakers, including seven presidents, on the threats posed by various communicable diseases, including COVID-19. Fauci was a chief explainer to the American public about preventive measures, vaccines, treatments, and diagnostics.

 

From 1983 to 2003, Fauci was one of the most cited research scientists globally. His discovery of how to re-dose cancer drugs transformed a 98 percent mortality rate for individuals with the autoimmune inflammatory disease vasculitis into a 93 percent remission rate. Under Fauci’s leadership, NIAID research led to the development of drugs that enabled HIV-positive patients to live long and productive lives while ensuring they could not infect their sexual partners. Fauci was also a driving force behind the President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which distributed HIV drugs across Africa, saving millions of lives. For his contributions to public health, President George W. Bush awarded Fauci the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2007, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

 

Americans have been sharply divided over how to handle the pandemic. However, Fauci's critics should acknowledge that he consistently tried to follow the science during a fast-moving crisis with limited reliable information. NIAID provided essential scientific and logistical support for the development of COVID-19 vaccines through Operation Warp Speed, an immensely successful initiative of the Trump administration. Fauci did not have the authority to impose mask or vaccination mandates, order lockdowns, or school closures. He was also correct that COVID-19 would not quickly “disappear,” that hydroxychloroquine was not effective, and that ingesting bleach would not act “almost like a cleaning.”

 

Fauci could have made tens or hundreds of millions of dollars by joining the pharmaceutical industry but chose to remain a government employee. His top annual salary of $480,654 is largely attributable to his long tenure as NIAID director. Contrary to claims made by Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Fauci did not profit from vaccines and made less than $200 annually from patent royalty payments. Fauci and his wife continue to live in the modest home they purchased in 1977. Voter registration records confirm that he is not affiliated with either the Democratic or Republican parties.

 

Given his outstanding contributions to public health, Anthony Fauci should be lionized, not demonized. His career exemplifies dedication to scientific integrity and public service, even in the face of unprecedented hostility and misinformation. As the world navigates ongoing public health challenges, the legacy of leaders like Fauci remains crucial in promoting evidence-based responses and fostering trust in science and expertise.

 

Opinion - GLENN C. ALTSCHULER

 

Credit: Hill 2024-07-09

 

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[Tug]

The division was created by one individual in an attempt to make excuses for his gross mishandling of the crisis heres a clue it ain’t dr Fauci……many thousands of Americans died as a direct result of his mishandling of Covid no more no less anything other than realizing that fact is in my opinion just a ploy to create shade for him

[john donson]

he lied about the origin, he lied to congress, he knew it was not a bat and a pangolin, but dangerous illegal gain of function sponsored via backdoors

 

he also is / was the highest paid governmental worker with ROYALTIES from patents related to covid 19 (origin or 'vaccine')...

 

this man belongs in jail

 

he was also responsible of the 'handling' of aids

 

morally forcing people in taking the 'vaccine' as otherwise you might kill granny or the threat of losing your job,  the useless closure of school and forced locked of sheeple while the elite held their parties

[stevenl]

1 minute ago, john donson said:

he lied about the origin, he lied to congress, he knew it was not a bat and a pangolin, but dangerous illegal gain of function sponsored via backdoors

 

he also is / was the highest paid governmental worker with ROYALTIES from patents related to covid 19 (origin or 'vaccine')...

 

this man belongs in jail

 

he was also responsible of the 'handling' of aids

 

morally forcing people in taking the 'vaccine' as otherwise you might kill granny or the threat of losing your job,  the useless closure of school and forced locked of sheeple while the elite held their parties

You have any facts?

[nobodysfriend]

4 hours ago, Social Media said:

They accused him of covering up U.S. government funding of research in a Wuhan, China lab that allegedly produced the COVID-19 virus, dismissing his assertion that such a result from this specific project was “molecularly impossible.”

 

He was right , one of the few ... and he did not propose that injecting bleach , as Trump said , will help .

The Covid Virus ( at least the first version of it ) was a zoonotic transmission , not a lab accident .

That should teach us something ...

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origin_of_COVID-19

 

Similar to other outbreaks,the virus was derived from a bat-borne virus and most likely was transmitted to humans via another animal in nature, or during wildlife trade such as that in food markets.While other explanations, such as speculations that SARS-CoV-2 was accidentally released from a laboratory have been proposed,such explanations are not supported by evidence.

[thaibeachlovers]

5 hours ago, Social Media said:

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) intensified the attack, declaring that “Mr. Fauci belongs in a prison. He should be tried for mass murder and crimes against humanity.” She further added that many people hate him because “he is an a–hole and a liar.”

On that I'm with Greene.

[jingjai9]

IDK

 

I think the most troubling thing about this controversy over Fauci is that I do not know what to believe. There is perhaps too much information and this results in a severe case of cognitive dissonance. What is true about the cause of COVID and  what informs your opinion? Who is credible? In this age of tribalism on the political front with misinformation and disinformation blanketing the Internet by both US political parties and perhaps hostile third parties - WHO KNOWS?  

 

I guess you could sum it up with one acronym - WTF?

 

How do you develop and arrive at your opinion?

[thaibeachlovers]

5 minutes ago, jingjai9 said:

IDK

 

I think the most troubling thing about this controversy over Fauci is that I do not know what to believe. There is perhaps too much information and this results in a severe case of cognitive dissonance. What is true about the cause of COVID and  what informs your opinion? Who is credible? In this age of tribalism on the political front with misinformation and disinformation blanketing the Internet by both US political parties and perhaps hostile third parties - WHO KNOWS?  

 

I guess you could sum it up with one acronym - WTF?

 

How do you develop and arrive at your opinion?

What I found odious about the politics around covid was the willingness of people that should have known better to become virtual dictators, and it seemed that Fauci became one. If that is wrong apologies. We did have our very own wannabe Fauci in NZ, who became so unpopular that I have not heard of them for years.

[Purdey]

If he had lied he would have been caught out by the evidence and taken to court surely? 

Instead, people without evidence keep repeating he lied as if that means much.

 

[300sd]

15 minutes ago, jingjai9 said:

IDK

 

I think the most troubling thing about this controversy over Fauci is that I do not know what to believe. There is perhaps too much information and this results in a severe case of cognitive dissonance. What is true about the cause of COVID and  what informs your opinion? Who is credible? In this age of tribalism on the political front with misinformation and disinformation blanketing the Internet by both US political parties and perhaps hostile third parties - WHO KNOWS?  

 

I guess you could sum it up with one acronym - WTF?

 

How do you develop and arrive at your opinion?

Well one can see the Wuhan lab from the "wet market"! Sure it probably came from the market.

[blazes]

While the opinions of some GOP members may be a trifle OTT, it is hard not to notice that Fauci is an utterly unctuous human being....

[spidermike007]

Whether or not he deserves the current level of excoriation is very debatable, however he did become the primary advocate for "the narrative", and Big Pharma, there were so many aspects of the narrative that were questionable and very debatable. And likely untrue. 

[Globalres]

2 hours ago, jingjai9 said:

IDK

 

I think the most troubling thing about this controversy over Fauci is that I do not know what to believe. There is perhaps too much information and this results in a severe case of cognitive dissonance. What is true about the cause of COVID and  what informs your opinion? Who is credible? In this age of tribalism on the political front with misinformation and disinformation blanketing the Internet by both US political parties and perhaps hostile third parties - WHO KNOWS?  

 

I guess you could sum it up with one acronym - WTF?

 

How do you develop and arrive at your opinion?

As far as I’m concerned, science should be debated with all and every aspect of views between acknowledged scientists on every angle of the topic. In the end truth shall be found.  By silencing/threatening/ignoring/smearing opinions of previously heralded world renowned scientists  because of them not adhering to the new common “brain washing” dogma in my opinion is propaganda and not science. I seriously wonder why this has happened.  Why have so many previously respected scientists and doctors been silenced?  Why is the issue taboo? Why is it so important to quell any opposing viewpoints?  George Orwell’s 1982 has unfortunately become reality.

[WilliamSmits]

Regardless of right or wrong, there is no need for polarisation. Covid was new and there was limited information at first.

The guy did his very best (my opinion) and did not deserve to be demonized.

[Doctor Tom]

1 minute ago, WilliamSmits said:

Covid was new and there was limited information at first.

A Covid virus, in one form or another, has been known about, or at least experienced, by humans for hundreds of years.  Covid 19 was just its latest manifestation. Like a London bus, another one will be along shortly.  

[candide]

4 hours ago, john donson said:

he lied about the origin, he lied to congress, he knew it was not a bat and a pangolin, but dangerous illegal gain of function sponsored via backdoors

 

he also is / was the highest paid governmental worker with ROYALTIES from patents related to covid 19 (origin or 'vaccine')...

 

this man belongs in jail

 

he was also responsible of the 'handling' of aids

 

morally forcing people in taking the 'vaccine' as otherwise you might kill granny or the threat of losing your job,  the useless closure of school and forced locked of sheeple while the elite held their parties

B.S. conspiracy theory! 😆

[candide]

1 hour ago, Globalres said:

As far as I’m concerned, science should be debated with all and every aspect of views between acknowledged scientists on every angle of the topic. In the end truth shall be found.  By silencing/threatening/ignoring/smearing opinions of previously heralded world renowned scientists  because of them not adhering to the new common “brain washing” dogma in my opinion is propaganda and not science. I seriously wonder why this has happened.  Why have so many previously respected scientists and doctors been silenced?  Why is the issue taboo? Why is it so important to quell any opposing viewpoints?  George Orwell’s 1982 has unfortunately become reality.

Who are these knowlegeable and reputable scientists who have been silenced and threatened?

 

Multiple scientific studies have been published on each and every aspect of Covid-19 in scientific peer-reviewed journals.

 

[candide]

4 hours ago, 300sd said:

Well one can see the Wuhan lab from the "wet market"! Sure it probably came from the market.

Well, if one can see it, that's surely a scientific proof! 😅

[candide]

4 hours ago, jingjai9 said:

IDK

 

I think the most troubling thing about this controversy over Fauci is that I do not know what to believe. There is perhaps too much information and this results in a severe case of cognitive dissonance. What is true about the cause of COVID and  what informs your opinion? Who is credible? In this age of tribalism on the political front with misinformation and disinformation blanketing the Internet by both US political parties and perhaps hostile third parties - WHO KNOWS?  

 

I guess you could sum it up with one acronym - WTF?

 

How do you develop and arrive at your opinion?

The first step is to concentrate on scientific sources, and ignore crappy conspiracy theories-friendly sites and social media accounts, as well as poticical theater.

[tgw]

1 hour ago, Globalres said:

As far as I’m concerned, science should be debated with all and every aspect of views between acknowledged scientists on every angle of the topic. In the end truth shall be found.  By silencing/threatening/ignoring/smearing opinions of previously heralded world renowned scientists  because of them not adhering to the new common “brain washing” dogma in my opinion is propaganda and not science. I seriously wonder why this has happened.  Why have so many previously respected scientists and doctors been silenced?  Why is the issue taboo? Why is it so important to quell any opposing viewpoints?  George Orwell’s 1982 has unfortunately become reality.

 

I would agree if we were in a pre-social media environment.

But seeing how rational and factual arguments do not reach the minds of a large part of people, and how some groups successfully pushed some ludicrous narratives to manipulate opinion, one has to wonder.

[Globalres]

1 hour ago, tgw said:

 

I would agree if we were in a pre-social media environment.

But seeing how rational and factual arguments do not reach the minds of a large part of people, and how some groups successfully pushed some ludicrous narratives to manipulate opinion, one has to wonder.

This is exactly the problem.  Only one narrative was permitted!  
News channels should have had debate stages, but even the news channels were prohibited from deviating from the government official narrative.  
Dr. R Malone, one of the scientists who “invented” the mRNA technique was silenced just because he queried how that science was being utilised.

Dr. p. macCullagh (spelling?), a world renowned heart surgeon/specialist was totally silenced because he warned of myocarditis as a side effect of the mRNA COVID jab.

There are many, many more doctors/scientists who had their licenses revoked, bank accounts questioned or shut down.  
Again, I’m wondering why this aggressiveness.  It couldn’t surely only be due to money being passed around?  Such suspect behaviour does create questions - and theyre not being answered.

[300sd]

1 hour ago, candide said:

Well, if one can see it, that's surely a scientific proof! 😅

No, just some common sense!! Some have very little of it!

[frantick]

8 hours ago, nobodysfriend said:

While other explanations, such as speculations that SARS-CoV-2 was accidentally released from a laboratory have been proposed,such explanations are not supported by evidence.

 

Nor is there "evidence" it came from an animal in the wet market; Occam's razor. 

 

"science" is supported through tax dollars, or vested interests, just follow the money. Peer review, for this same reason, has become a joke. DEI has chosen new students, scientists, etc., not from the pool of the best, but from smaller pools of "the best from this smaller pool". 

 

How many verbally rejected the vaccine prior to their "side" being elected, even though it was the same vaccine? 

 

How many people took a newly, barely human tested vaccine even though, based on an early, "scientific" study of Covid, it only had a 1.5% mortality rate? 

 

Why do you trust your government, when your side is on top, as much as you do? 

 

68, fat, smoker, pureblood. I don't trust the government regardless of who's on top. Unfortunately, I have to depend on them for most of my pension (which I paid into for over 40yrs), which undoubtedly will be reduced in the future to support an even bigger government. 

 

Ok, that's my yearly rant. Have a nice day. 

[stevenl]

5 hours ago, Globalres said:

As far as I’m concerned, science should be debated with all and every aspect of views between acknowledged scientists on every angle of the topic. In the end truth shall be found.  By silencing/threatening/ignoring/smearing opinions of previously heralded world renowned scientists  because of them not adhering to the new common “brain washing” dogma in my opinion is propaganda and not science. I seriously wonder why this has happened.  Why have so many previously respected scientists and doctors been silenced?  Why is the issue taboo? Why is it so important to quell any opposing viewpoints?  George Orwell’s 1982 has unfortunately become reality.

They haven't been silenced, just proven wrong.

[candide]

4 hours ago, Globalres said:

This is exactly the problem.  Only one narrative was permitted!  
News channels should have had debate stages, but even the news channels were prohibited from deviating from the government official narrative.  
Dr. R Malone, one of the scientists who “invented” the mRNA technique was silenced just because he queried how that science was being utilised.

Dr. p. macCullagh (spelling?)a world renowned heart surgeon/specialist was totally silenced because he warned of myocarditis as a side effect of the mRNA COVID jab.

There are many, many more doctors/scientists who had their licenses revoked, bank accounts questioned or shut down.  
Again, I’m wondering why this aggressiveness.  It couldn’t surely only be due to money being passed around?  Such suspect behaviour does create questions - and theyre not being answered.

Malone who 'claimed' to have invented the mRNA vaccine! 😀

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/03/technology/robert-malone-covid.html

 

Has he published an empirical study in a peer-reviewed journal, or just been interviewed in crappy media?

 

As to McCulough, the horse dewormer apologist, he did publish papers, but not supported by empirical evidence, and has been contradicted by empirical studies.

[tgw]

8 hours ago, Globalres said:

This is exactly the problem.  Only one narrative was permitted!  
News channels should have had debate stages, but even the news channels were prohibited from deviating from the government official narrative.  
Dr. R Malone, one of the scientists who “invented” the mRNA technique was silenced just because he queried how that science was being utilised.

Dr. p. macCullagh (spelling?), a world renowned heart surgeon/specialist was totally silenced because he warned of myocarditis as a side effect of the mRNA COVID jab.

There are many, many more doctors/scientists who had their licenses revoked, bank accounts questioned or shut down.  
Again, I’m wondering why this aggressiveness.  It couldn’t surely only be due to money being passed around?  Such suspect behaviour does create questions - and theyre not being answered.

 

Publicly seeding doubt is not indicated during a national and worldwide emergency situation.

It's something that people are welcome to do once the situation is under control or turned out to be less serious than it potentially was.

 

During such a crisis I consider it normal for the government to control the media. And from my point of view, it failed to do so, in addition to anti-mask people, there were plenty of contrarians and charlatans in the media that caused thousands if not more unnecessary deaths. If COVID had really been serious, it would have been nearly impossible to contain in most countries.

 

An emergency situation is not about you, me, or our rights to free speech or whatever. It's a time when the nation must follow and support the elected leaders and trust their judgement and their experts.

That's why it's important to have elected leaders one can trust to do the right thing to try and save as many people as possible.

 

Watch Japanese people carrying out emergency procedure rehearsals. That's how society should act in case of emergency.

 

COVID has certainly been a wake-up call.

Even China with their police state and government-controlled internet was unable to completely control information.

 

Our countries certainly need to do some serious thinking about how to protect our populations from a future pandemic, one that could potentially pose a lethal threat.

All while the "population" is working with all its might again being protected, because they "did their own research" and are being manipulated by demagogues, populists and foreign powers.

The alert and quarantine system has to work much faster and be way stricter, supplies need to be organized as well as production maintained. Huge challenge.

[spidermike007]

20 hours ago, Globalres said:

As far as I’m concerned, science should be debated with all and every aspect of views between acknowledged scientists on every angle of the topic. In the end truth shall be found.  By silencing/threatening/ignoring/smearing opinions of previously heralded world renowned scientists  because of them not adhering to the new common “brain washing” dogma in my opinion is propaganda and not science. I seriously wonder why this has happened.  Why have so many previously respected scientists and doctors been silenced?  Why is the issue taboo? Why is it so important to quell any opposing viewpoints?  George Orwell’s 1982 has unfortunately become reality.

The answer is absolute control by Big Pharma, the CDC, the FDA and the WHO. 

 

Their "science" was empirical and could not be questioned. 

[thaibeachlovers]

22 hours ago, Purdey said:

If he had lied he would have been caught out by the evidence and taken to court surely? 

Instead, people without evidence keep repeating he lied as if that means much.

 

Did he lie? I have no idea as I never listened to any of his speeches. What I find odious about people like him is that they destroyed people's businesses and lives with their IMO wrong actions in response to a respiratory infection. We never did, and do not now lock people up and make them wear masks during flu season, despite people dying from the flu. Cars probably killed millions ( over years ) yet we don't ban them.

IMO the so called elites wet themselves with the opportunity to control people. Hopefully, the next time they try it the resistance will be ready for them.

[thaibeachlovers]

19 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

The answer is absolute control by Big Pharma, the CDC, the FDA and the WHO. 

 

Their "science" was empirical and could not be questioned. 

Wow, something else we agree on.

What amuses me somewhat is that there are actually people out there that still think lockdowns etc were the right thing to do.

Obviously their lives were not ruined by the over reach of governments.

[thaibeachlovers]

15 hours ago, frantick said:

Why do you trust your government, when your side is on top, as much as you do? 

I trust politicians to do the right thing as far as I could kick the building they pontificate in. Unfortunately they have more power to ruin my life than I have to stop them.