Unlike many columnists, I didn’t get into this to make people angry. That was never my goal, but it happens.
Last month I wrote a column called “COVID has been a life changer.” I figured it might ruffle some feathers. It was about how we are still recovering from the tragedies and interruptions, with the hope that vaccines and safety protocols will ward off the worst of it in the future.
The can of worms opened wide, with an onslaught of e-mails, letters, and phone calls. Just like every other topic in America, it was about a 50-50 split. Some folks called me a “voice of sanity” and wished my “positive message” would spread far and wide.
Now for the other half. I got taken to the woodshed, and that’s fine. I respect those who disagree, even when they call me a moron, an idiot, a propagandist, a “puppet for the lame stream media,” and “a liar who takes advertising money from pharmaceutical companies.”
I was told frequently that I, like most journalists, “take marching orders from corporate overlords who create the narrative” and tell me what to say. This came as news to me, because it has never happened. If anything, my “corporate overlords” are never sure what I might say next.
In the previous column, I said nice things about the nation’s retired medical advisor, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and his 40 years of service under 7 presidents. I said while he certainly made mistakes during the pandemic, he also encouraged us to practice good hygiene, and recommended the vaccines that were approved and promoted by presidents Trump and Biden. I said I eagerly awaited the next round of boosters.
Some unhappy readers took me to task, encouraging me to watch videos they had found on social media, with the “real truth” about Dr. Fauci, masks, and vaccines.
I did watch some of them, which seemed to exaggerate and perpetuate certain theories. Many, if not most, have been debunked and dismissed by actual doctors and scientists.
Anyone can post a video on YouTube, including myself. On my channel, you can find me reading some Dr. Seuss books. But just because I say it, doesn’t mean that a fox actually wears socks.
I was scolded more than once for “not pointing out the truth about the satanic global elite cabal, including the Associated Press, Bill Gates, George Soros, and Barack Obama.”
I was blasted for not being honest about “mainstream media outlets, which are owned by evil people with a nefarious agenda. And the truth is not to be found in our current government administration, which has bad intentions for our great country, due to the shadow government actually running things behind the scenes.” I’m not sure if this is the same shadow government that is currently working to rebuild our nation’s infrastructure, but if it is, I am grateful to whoever is pulling those strings.
And I was called out for failing to report that “out of 100 shots, 20% of them are bad. That way, the 80% will advocate getting them, while the 20% die or become disabled.” Do evil pharmacists make the call on who lives, and who dies? They seem so nice to me.
Call me old-fashioned, but I trust my neighbors, doctors, and scientists. I don’t look over my shoulder for people who are trying to poison me. I believe in elections, and if I don’t like the president, I’ll vote against him or her the next time around. Win or lose, if a new person gets voted in, I’ll observe and respect the orderly transition of power. That was standard procedure until recently.
We, meaning all of us, need to realize that the truth can be found if we are willing to look for it. Unfortunately, too many of us are dependent on information sources that reflect what we already believe. Try this experiment. Watch one of those “news” channels for a random hour. Find a program with a host and a panel of guest “experts.” You will hear one phrase repeated more than any other: “I agree with you.” I rest my case.
