Over the past few days, the US House of Representatives has initiated an investigation(1) into the origins of COVID-19, Dr. Fauci’s involvement, and the role of the NIH, along with the subsequent mishandling of the virus response by US leaders. This investigation has shed light on the fact that the mask mandates and six-foot distancing rules, which greatly disrupted our children’s lives and education and lasted in CT far longer than most of the US, were completely made up (2). Despite previous claims from Fauci and others that these measures were based on The Science (TM), they were not.
During the early days of the pandemic, I found myself among those who questioned these measures. From 2020 to 2022, I faced demonization, being labeled as uneducated, a racist, an “armchair MD,” and a “google scientist,” simply for referencing respected scientists(3), epidemiologists, doctors, and academics who argued against lockdowns, mask mandates, social distancing, and vaccine mandates. We believed these measures were more harmful than the virus itself, especially for the young and healthy, and, as it turns out, we were right. We know this because of studies that have subsequently been published about vaccines(4) in young children(5), minimal excess death rates and no learning loss in countries(6) which did not lock down or enforce mask or vaccine mandates, and mask studies which show a large(7) learning(8) loss(9) and minimal effectiveness(10) against the virus(11).
Many of us are eager to move past the COVID era. It was a chaotic and traumatic time, and the desire to forget is understandable. However, we cannot afford to forget because history repeats itself. I’m not suggesting another global pandemic could emerge from a lab(12), but rather that the playbook used during COVID is still in play today. We’re constantly told to “trust the experts” or the mainstream media on various issues, from our children’s education to matters of war and health.
What I took away from the COVID experience, and why I’ll continue to advocate against anyone forgetting, is that the playbook is still being used. That playbook is: 1) demonize those who question authority or the given mainstream narrative, 2) smear inconvenient facts as misinformation, and 3) use ad hominem attacks against those sharing opinions other than your own. It’s used to make us question our parenting, our discomfort with a range of societal issues, and even how we’re allowed to react to or question those with more power than ourselves. We need to acknowledge this is happening and address it head on. Doing what is right isn’t always popular or easy, but as parents, it’s our duty to protect our children.
In a society where “experts” dictate much of our lives, it’s crucial to question what we’re told. Do your own research, listen to dissenting voices, and do not relinquish your role as the authority on your own child to bureaucrats or technocrats. If these investigations into COVID-19 achieve anything, let it be an awakening to take greater interest and action in our children’s daily lives.
Finally, if you discover that you were mistaken about something, show a bit of humility by admitting it and apologizing to those who were correct. We can never progress, uncover truth, and strengthen our bonds as a community, family, or friends if we refuse to acknowledge our errors. We must always actively pursue the truth and continue to be open to new ideas every day. Let us all try to model this for our children and lead them to be independent thinkers as they grow up in this beautiful thing we call life.
RESOURCES:
(3) https://gbdeclaration.org/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
(4) https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.20.24306810v1?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
(6) https://www.cato.org/policy-analysis/sweden-during-pandemic?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
(9) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8185341/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
(11) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8446422/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Alex Sullivan
