[Oe List ...] "stoking fear and misinformation"

[W. J.]

Dr. Ryan Cole (whose video before Idaho lawmakers was posted by David Yost) has been accused of stoking "fear and misinformation." Not by me but by his medical colleagues. And reported on by our trusty local TV news. In Idaho, no less.Plus factcheck.com has a more substantive article refuting Dr. Cole's claims, as Tim reported.So this post is just a footnote that I hope stays within the bounds delineated by our trusty moderator who has declared the subject of "vaccine efficacy" off-topic.
That's my intent, even if I'm skating on the edge.I did watch the Cole video. Carefully. And what I'd add to what you can read elsewhere about the medical facts is simply this: Dr. Cole was visibly and audibly angry. At somebody and/or about something.So I would invite you to take into account this BIG CLUE:He seems to be both reflecting and stoking fear of the coronavirus and distrust of the federal government's response. And since he's a professional communicator of medical facts, he can't be unaware that he's intentionally spreading disinformation.My conclusion: we should all be aware of the emotional context of this type of interpersonal communication. And raise the question of why Dr. Cole needs to say these things. And why people need to believe what he says, based on his medical credentials. Or at least to be receptive to his distorted messages by turning off their built-in filter of skepticism about his unsubstantiated medical claims.Why any former Order member would be susceptible to a loss of his or her rational/scientific perception of the universe is frankly beyond my ability to offer an explanation. Unless it is that our capacity for rational analysis is being overwhelmed by fear, uncertainty, and distrust.Which can add up to a need to construct or adopt an alternative theory to fit our subjective perception of reality.And that's how conspiracy theories get to grow in fertile soil.Awareness and discussion of the process of how intentional disinformation is infecting the body politic can't be irrelevant or "off-topic." IMHO.So I would not encourage any type of censorship of what can be said here.Censorship didn't work too well for guys like Martin Luther 500 years ago. Even after the pope brought the hammer down on Luther's head.So I would encourage us all to be both bold and careful in our reporting. We can get sloppy when we throw together or repeat a toxic mix of facts, fear, and biased opinion that ignores or distorts facts.For me being accountable means living our lives before the gaze of our neighbor, who hopefully does not share our blind spots and will probably call us on them. Even if it has to happen by email.Marshall
 St. Luke's chief medical officer fact checks a doctor's anti-vax claims
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