Learned:
- Many bureaucrats relished enforcing rules that made no sense whatever. Dying aged people couldn't see their young relatives. Bars were open but churches were closed. Some places had curfews; others did not. In some places, schools were closed; in others, they were not.
- The main effect of Big Tech censorship was to make discussing the problems difficult.
- Far more of our fellow citizens than many of us would have thought possible simply accepted the crazy, then cowered, and hid. For no reason other than rank, irrational fear.
- Among more thoughtful people, the term "science" has taken one heck of a beating. When this is all over, we hope it still means something other than "whatever bureaucrats enforce."
An epidemiologist and professor at Stanford University said Dr. Anthony Fauci's credibility is "shot" after his recently released emails showed him flip-flopping on the use of masks."I think his credibility is entirely shot," said Jay Bhattacharya, a professor of medicine, during a segment on The Ingraham Angle.The Stanford professor said people will have a hard time trusting Fauci after his emails, which have recently been made public through Freedom of Information Act requests, show that he did not initially think face masks were effective."I think he's been all over the place on masks," Bhattacharya said. "There are emails you can find in the treasure trove of emails that have been released where he acknowledged that the virus is aerosolized — well, the cloth masks people have been recommending, they're not very particular[ly] effective against aerosolized viruses."Fauci first said masks were not effective, and even privately told one person as much, before reversing his advisement on the matter."Masks are really for infected people to prevent them from spreading the infection to people who are not infected rather than protecting uninfected people from acquiring infection," he said in one of the recently released emails.Bhattacharya said he was not sure what spurred the flip-flop from saying masks were not effective to imploring the country to stay vigilant on mask-wearing.
"The typical mask you buy in the drug store is not really effective in keeping out the virus, which is small enough to pass through the material," he wrote. "It might, however, provide some slight benefit in keep out gross droplets if someone coughs or sneezes on you. I do not recommend that you wear a mask, particularly since you are going to a very low-risk location.""I really don't understand his back-and-forth, and his answer made absolutely no sense," he said.Yeah, you should change your mind when the science changes. But what is that science that changed that convinced him that masks are the most effective way?" the professor asked.
Fauci ultimately agreed that face masks should be universally worn, advice that has been adhered to by most businesses and states across the country.
Comment: It would be nice if more teachers like Cross would stand up to authoritarian language police. If that were the case we might not be seeing it gain the foothold it is gaining in educational institutions. That being said, it does take a lot of bravery to confront the vocal minority, especially when one's job is on the line.
For more on the original story, see: Virginia elementary teacher placed on leave after opposing district's proposed transgender policy
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