Falling prey to deception

OPINION

One of the most controversial topics of discussion that has surfaced among our communities and news broadcasts for the past several months surrounds vaccination.

While some are celebrating the fact that a COVID-19 vaccine has been created and made available in such a timely manner, in an anticipatory attempt to end our current state of upheaval, others are skeptical. It is by no means unrealistic to question some of the information that has been provided to us regarding safety and efficacy of an agent that is to be injected into our bodies, without long term research and testing.

It is only natural to feel apprehensive about putting our trust into the individuals who, although qualified in their field of expertise, are promoting a product that lacks empirical evidence to support its claims.

A quote from the World Health Organization in 1948 defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well being, and not merely the absence of disease or other physical impairment.”

If we look at our current situation, it is obvious that the majority of the population are living far below what would be considered a healthy life. Precautionary measures, set in place by governing bodies to stop the spread of COVID-19, are taking its toll on many individuals. The implementation of mandatory masks, social distancing, isolation and lock downs have led to a substantial increase in anxiety, depression, suicide and family violence. It is evident that more harm than good is coming out of all of this.

After months of following mandated protocols that we have been made to believe will improve our current situation, the opposite remains true. Numbers and new cases continue to rise as do mortality rates; however, we are not provided with any evidence. What we are being provided with are media reports with one sided views.

Kary Mullis, creator of PCR (polymerase chain reaction — the testing tool which has been used in identifying Covid), regarded it as inappropriate to detect a viral infection. PCR tests do not have a valid “gold standard” (i.e. the most accurate method available) to compare them with; therefore, where is the scientific evidence found of its reliability?

As people living in solitary confinement, are we not entitled to proof regarding such dire statistics?

Ruling bodies have programmed us to sit idly by, waiting for the string to be pulled by the puppeteers, who through manipulation have orchestrated an event far greater than what it appears to be. Numerous videos and articles written by scientific experts with opposing views have been and continue to be removed from social media, robbing us of the freedom to hear all angles. When we hear something continuously, it becomes instilled in us. We become desensitized to reality and begin to believe things that are meant to deceive us.

Let’s consider the fact that keeping small businesses open poses a greater threat to exposure and increase in cases than the big box stores. This is absurd! The number of people going through Walmart, for instance, is going to far surpass a small retail business on any given day.

We have been backed into an involuntary state of vulnerability, of economic disaster, a state where the benefits of conforming outweigh the risks of turning healthy functioning people into mere beings.

Only a corrupt mind, a mind lacking sense, thinks in a manner such as this.

It is irrational to believe that this virus has caused more deaths than anything in history. The number of deaths related to COVID-19 is presently estimated at just over 2.1million. Although this is a great number, it does not remotely compare to deaths associated with cancer in any given year, which were estimated to be 9.6 million in 2018 and a total of 17.9 million from cardiovascular disease (CVD).

It is also important to note that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is grouping pneumonia, influenza and COVID-19 under the acronym “PIC.” Deaths are documented as results of COVID-19, even though pneumonia or influenza was the cause.

Is there a stench of corruption rising? The chain of events leading up to our current circumstances is reminiscent of the late 1800s, when, as a result of a smallpox outbreak, all Ontario residents were decreed to be vaccinated. Refusal resulted in imprisonment, fines and denied access to, for example, education.

A remark attributed to Dr. Druitt in a speech given during the Gloucester Smallpox epidemic, at Goddard’s Assembly Rooms, Gloucester on 25 January 1896 stated, “You may as well try to stop a smallpox epidemic by vaccination as to prevent a thunderstorm with an umbrella.”

In today’s society, we see increased demands on getting annual vaccines as preventative measures to stop the spread of disease. One such vaccine is the flu vaccine. Those with compromised immune systems are highly advised to get an annual flu shot. In doing so, it is claimed that their bodies develop an immunity to the threat of getting infected with a presumable strain at a specific time of year, or should they get it, it will be in a milder form.

The unfortunate truth is that, according to CDC statistics, from the years 2009 to 2020, flu vaccine effectiveness has been more than 50 percent in just three years.

Has there been any research on long term affects of annual immunization? Could some of the diseases developed in aging individuals be attributed to the use of vaccines? And most importantly, if the efficacy rate is so low and people still die after being vaccinated, where do we find the evidence that supports the fact that it is beneficial to anyone but the companies who manufacture it?

This, to the mind of someone who does not receive annual vaccinations and further has not been medically influenced, might be seen as travesty.

With the introduction of an “emergency” experimental vaccine, one that comes with a long list of “possible adverse event outcomes” cited on the CDC website including, death, convulsions/seizures, stroke, anaphylaxis, meningitis, autoimmune disease, Kawasaki disease and vaccine enhanced disease (to name just a few), millions of people are lining up, believing that this will protect them from the threat of contracting the most terrible virus on the face of the earth.

But will it protect us? Is there evidence to support that? Do we want to expose ourselves and our children to something with an end result that can be potentially worse than the thing that we have been trying to fight? Companies have total immunity from legal liability surrounding injury or harm resulting from this vaccine, as does the Food and Drug Administration, something to take into consideration.

In sum, we must recognize that we, as individuals, have the right to make choices based on our personal beliefs and assumptions while respecting other’s difference of opinion without passing judgment. Information comes through various channels and regardless of topic, we will always be subjected to opposing views. Our perception of truth is just that — our perception. Whether we choose to vaccinate or not is dependent on personal choice. It should not be made based on fear, coercion or pressure. 

Making choices is simple; living with consequences may not always be.

Image World Health Organization on unsplash

Opinions and information published in The Current, in whatever form, do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Current.

11 Comments

  1. Mark Woermke

    I read Falling prey to deception with interest.

    At first, the author seemed to suggest that it was entirely reasonable to “get the facts” about the COVID-19 vaccine, but as the language became increasingly polemic, the piece devolved into propaganda and became anything but reasonable.

    When I got to statements like “ruling bodies have programmed us to sit idly by, waiting for the string to be pulled by the puppeteers, who through manipulation have orchestrated an event far greater than what it appears to be”; “videos and articles written by scientific experts with opposing views have been and continue to be removed from social media, robbing us of the freedom to hear all angles” and “we become desensitized to reality and begin to believe things that are meant to deceive us”, I realized that what I was reading was misleading and potentially harmful.

    The statement, “Kary Mullis, creator of PCR (polymerase chain reaction — the testing tool which has been used in identifying Covid), regarded it as inappropriate to detect a viral infection,” troubled me, so I explored that further. Reuters Fact Check refers to a similar quote that has been incorrectly attributed to Mullis and is getting a lot of attention on social media. Reuters notes that that quote is actually from an article written by John Lauritsen in 1996 about HIV and AIDS, not COVID-19. Reuters Fact Check considers that quote to be out of context and misleading: “The quote regarding the limitations of PCR appears to not be directly from Mullis, but it in any case is not evidence the test is fraudulent.”

    Since I am interested in history, the statement “The chain of events leading up to our current circumstances is reminiscent of the late 1800s, when, as a result of a smallpox outbreak, all Ontario residents were decreed to be vaccinated. Refusal resulted in imprisonment, fines and denied access to, for example, education” piqued my curiosity as did the reference to Dr. Druitt’s quote on the Gloucester smallpox epidemic of 1896: “You may as well try to stop a smallpox epidemic by vaccination as to prevent a thunderstorm with an umbrella.”

    Given the way it was introduced, one might think that Druitt was commenting on the Ontario experience. A few minutes of internet research revealed what I had already suspected, the Gloucester smallpox epidemic occurred in England. Within a quarter-of-an-hour, I learned that Dr. Walter Hadwen, who was anti-vaccination and denied the germ theory of disease, that quote from Dr. Robert Druitt (who had died in 1883) in his speech at the Goddard Assembly Rooms in Gloucester, 1896.

    Ontario’s experience with smallpox, though, actually proves the efficacy of vaccination. A very cursory search for smallpox in Ontario led me an online exhibit about vaccinations and smallpox at the Museum of Healthcare. What is more relevant than Dr. Druitt and Gloucester, England, are the facts of the smallpox outbreak that occurred in Windsor, Ontario in 1924. The Globe reported that of the 67 people who became ill, 32 died. All of the deceased were unvaccinated. Actually, of all the people who attended the funeral of the first victim, the only ones who survived were those who had received the smallpox vaccine.

    Because of vaccination, smallpox was eradicated in Canada by 1940 and in the world by 1980.

    Toward the end of the article, the author, tries to return to a reasonable tone: “Whether we choose to vaccinate or not is dependent on personal choice. It should not be made based on fear, coercion or pressure.” That’s laughable considering the entire article and specific statements like “only a corrupt mind, a mind lacking sense, thinks in a manner such as this” or questions like “Is there a stench of corruption rising?” seem chosen to shut-down inquiry and propagate fear.

    This morning I read about a Renfrew County paramedic who is hoping to receive his COVID-19 vaccination soon so he can be protected and therefore better protect his patients and his family. I also hear that there are workers in nursing homes and hospitals who are willing to put their patients at risk because they refuse to be vaccinated. That is alarming.

    I encourage readers of The Madawaska Valley Current to see Falling prey to deception for what it is: propaganda that undermines the work being done to preserve our community’s health.

  2. The Current

    In reply to Monica Bratley:

    Thank you for reading The Current and for commenting. On the subject of “free speech,” it must be recognized that there is a significant portion of the population that fall into the category of being “anti-maskers” and “anti-vaxxers.” Our intent in publishing the article in question was to provoke open debate on a critical subject. This, as you say, helps to inform the public during a time of crisis, which we believe to be a responsible newspaper’s role. In this objective, we have succeeded as demonstrated by the responses we have so far published.

  3. Monica Bratley

    This is just terrific. An anti-masker, anti-Vaxer, anti-science article masking as free speech but really dubious facts and outlier opinion. This really helps to inform in a time of crisis.

  4. Jason Derouin

    Brenda, I don’t know whether the Bulgarian Pathology Association is aware that the article you referenced originates from Off Guardian, a website of spectacular disrepute, but I’m glad I do. I acknowledge your opinion, and this piece was an interesting read, but I am not persuaded by it.

  5. Mel Lindsay

    Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but before anyone posts things having to do with Covid-19, vaccinations and how things work when it comes to testing and the decisions the government has to make should be fact checked. False information and social media is ruining society. CDC and the WHO are both reputable organizations to take information from that is true and proven by doctors and science. I get it sucks for small businesses and I don’t necessarily agree with them being shut down but prime examples even in our small community that when small businesses opened back in the late spring and were limited to 3-4 people at a time, those rules weren’t being followed and in a smaller space that can spread the virus a lot faster than 50 people in a Walmart that’s 18,000 sq feet

    • Brenda Strack

      I agree fully with your comment.
      Rest assured that the information is based on facts found on the CDC website relating to flu vaccines.
      cdc.gov>flu>vaccines-work>effectiveness-stu…
      Information regarding “PCR” can be found at bpa-pathology.com/COVID19 PCR Tests are Scientifically Meaningless

  6. Dan Olshen

    Kudos to Brenda Strack for highlighting and bringing forth elucidation on one of the most important topics/health challenges of the 3rd decade of the 21st Century: COVID-19 and its mutant variants. It is refreshing to see such illumination in “The Current” vis a vis some other comments which advocate reading Jane Austin genre novels during the lockdown.
    I for one wish one could believe the veracity of Dr. Fauxci (CDC) and Dr. Tam (Health Canada) on this subject, but both have been debunked as not having a grasp on the evolving Covid scenarios as their prognostications change weekly by 180 degrees.
    One should also question the authenticity of our so-called leaders and their acolytes in the media. For example, the CNN Covid Case/death metric reader was promptly removed after Jan. 22, 2021, and in Canada we are allowing flites from epicenters like the UK & South Africa (homes of the Covid mutant variant) and other epicenters such as Haiti where a flite arrived in Pearson last week with 300 positive cases on board (crickets from Dr. Tam). The leader of the House of Representatives (Congress) had a contingent of the National Guard protect the Inauguration but immediately after the event they were shuffled off to a Parking Garage as sleeping/living quarters in the Capitol and 24 hours later over 400 contacted the virus.
    What Brenda postulates (and I agree) – Science is not absolute and is in a process of evolution as evidenced by Quantum Mechanics vs Newtonian Mechanics: but the immediate trauma/effects of the Covid crisis is reinforced by the morbid statistics such as depression, suicide and job losses (such as 1 million in NYC alone). It is fine for one to take the high road if one is supported by a huge pension or tenured employment in some beauocratic agency or NGO – but 50% of the residents of the MV do not fall into that category, and an extended lockdown will further exacerbate this reality. Hopefully, the Pfizer vaccine will be a salvo – but this is no guarantee.
    BTW: It is encouraging that “The Current” is a forum for these vs. solely milquetoast topics, that have little resonance with the enlightened/thinking and concerned population of the MV.
    Brenda et al:
    For further elucidation of some of the ancillary details related to the Covid crisis refer to the link blow by John Robson of the NP:
    The detractors can be illuminated by this op-ed from the National Post just published today in one of Canada’s most esteemed publications for those who wish to be truly informed.
    https://nationalpost.com/opinion/john-robson-a-year-of-covid-cluelessness-from-our-esteemed-health-experts

  7. Jason Derouin

    Readers of this opinion piece should check the validity of its content. For one thing, Brenda Strack’s quote-unquote statement attributed to Kary Mullis has been classified by credible news agencies as misleading.

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