<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"><head><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml><o:OfficeDocumentSettings><o:AllowPNG/><o:PixelsPerInch>96</o:PixelsPerInch></o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--></head><body><div class="ydpaa63846fyahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:16px;"><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">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.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Plus <a href="https://www.factcheck.org/2021/04/scicheck-idaho-doctor-makes-baseless-claims-about-safety-of-covid-19-vaccines/" class="enhancr_card_0308951267">factcheck.com</a> has a more substantive article refuting Dr. Cole's claims, as Tim reported.</div><div>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.<br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">That's my intent, even if I'm skating on the edge.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">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 <b>angry</b>. At somebody and/or about something.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">So I would invite you to take into account this BIG CLUE:</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">He seems to be <b>both</b> reflecting and stoking <b>fear</b> of the coronavirus and <b>distrust</b> of the federal government's response. And since he's a professional communicator of medical facts, he can't be unaware that he's <b>intentionally spreading disinformation</b>.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">My conclusion: we should all be aware of <b>the emotional context</b> of this type of interpersonal communication. </div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">And raise the question of <b>why</b> Dr. Cole <b>needs</b> to say these things. </div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">And <b>why</b> <b>people</b> <b>need to believe</b> what he says, based on his medical credentials. </div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Or at least to be receptive to his distorted messages by turning off their built-in filter of <b>skepticism</b> about his unsubstantiated medical claims.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Why any former Order member would be <b>susceptible</b> to a loss of his or her rational/scientific perception of the universe is frankly beyond my ability to offer an explanation. </div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Unless it is that our capacity for rational analysis is being <b>overwhelmed</b> by fear, uncertainty, and distrust.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Which can add up to a need to construct or adopt an <b>alternative theory</b> to fit our subjective perception of reality.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">And that's how conspiracy theories get to grow in fertile soil.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Awareness and discussion of the process of how intentional disinformation is <b>infecting</b> the body politic can't be irrelevant or "off-topic." IMHO.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">So I would not encourage any type of <b>censorship</b> of what can be said here.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Censorship didn't work too well for guys like Martin Luther 500 years ago. </div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Even after the pope brought the hammer down on Luther's head.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">So I would encourage us all to be both <b>bold</b> and <b>careful</b> 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.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">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.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Marshall</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"> </div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><a href="https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/208/ceo-st-lukes-fact-checks-doctors-anti-vax-claims-idaho-statehouse/277-28e346f7-dd40-4dfc-9cbe-d8edbf576c34" class="ydpaa63846fenhancr_card_0200696839" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">St. Luke's chief medical officer fact checks a doctor's anti-vax claims</a></div></div><div class="enhancr-link-previews ymail-preserve-class ymail-preserve-style" style="margin-top:10px"><h3 style="font-size:14px;font-weight:400;color:#454545;font-family:YahooSans, Helvetica Neue, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;text-shadow:1px 1px 0 rgb(255, 255, 255);margin:0;padding:8px 0"><span>Links in the message <span class="link-enhancr-preview-count">(2)</span></span></h3><div id="ydpd6188380enhancr_card_0308951267" class="ydpd6188380yahoo-link-enhancr-card ydpd6188380ymail-preserve-class ydpd6188380ymail-preserve-style" style="max-width:288px;font-family:YahooSans, Helvetica Neue, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;margin:5px 5px 5px 0;display:inline-block" data-url="https://www.factcheck.org/2021/04/scicheck-idaho-doctor-makes-baseless-claims-about-safety-of-covid-19-vaccines/" data-type="YENHANCER" data-size="APPEND" contenteditable="false"><a href="https://www.factcheck.org/2021/04/scicheck-idaho-doctor-makes-baseless-claims-about-safety-of-covid-19-vaccines/" style="text-decoration:none !important;color:#000 !important" class="ydpd6188380yahoo-enhancr-cardlink" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><table border="0" class="ydpd6188380card ydpd6188380yahoo-ignore-table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="288" height="80" style="border-width:1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgb(224, 228, 233);width:288px;background-color:#fff;border-radius:2px"><tbody><tr><td width="80px" style="width:80px;background-color:#000;border-radius:2px 0 0 2px;border-right:1px solid rgb(224, 228, 233)"><img src="https://s.yimg.com/lo/api/res/1.2/90uulPQdA2YsyglwPJXHfw--~A/Zmk9ZmlsbDt3PTgwO2g9ODA7YXBwaWQ9aWV4dHJhY3Q-/https://cdn.factcheck.org/UploadedFiles/Dr.RyanCole.png.cf.jpg" width="80" height="80" style="width:80px;vertical-align:middle;border-radius:2px 0 0 2px" data-inlineimagemanipulating="true" class=""></td><td width="10px" style="width:10px"></td><td><h2 class="ydpd6188380card-title" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; color: rgb(38, 40, 42); font-family: YahooSans, Helvetica Neue, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 4px 0px; max-width: 186px; text-decoration: none !important;">Idaho Doctor Makes Baseless Claims Abou...</h2></td></tr></tbody></table></a></div><div id="ydpce5cbd28enhancr_card_0200696839" class="ydp3eb555f1yahoo-link-enhancr-card ydp3eb555f1ymail-preserve-class ydp3eb555f1ymail-preserve-style" style="max-width:288px;font-family:YahooSans, Helvetica Neue, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;margin:5px 5px 5px 0;display:inline-block" data-url="https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/208/ceo-st-lukes-fact-checks-doctors-anti-vax-claims-idaho-statehouse/277-28e346f7-dd40-4dfc-9cbe-d8edbf576c34" data-type="YENHANCER" data-size="APPEND" contenteditable="false"><a href="https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/208/ceo-st-lukes-fact-checks-doctors-anti-vax-claims-idaho-statehouse/277-28e346f7-dd40-4dfc-9cbe-d8edbf576c34" style="text-decoration:none !important;color:#000 !important" class="ydp3eb555f1yahoo-enhancr-cardlink" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><table border="0" class="ydp3eb555f1card ydp3eb555f1yahoo-ignore-table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="288" height="80" style="border-width:1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgb(224, 228, 233);width:288px;background-color:#fff;border-radius:2px"><tbody><tr><td width="80px" style="width:80px;background-color:#000;border-radius:2px 0 0 2px;border-right:1px solid rgb(224, 228, 233)"><img src="https://s.yimg.com/lo/api/res/1.2/q8RK4r74RDzjxdCiOsGPDg--~A/Zmk9ZmlsbDt3PTgwO2g9ODA7YXBwaWQ9aWV4dHJhY3Q-/https://media.ktvb.com/assets/KTVB/images/54432594-7e18-4809-a263-9a26a029b982/54432594-7e18-4809-a263-9a26a029b982_1140x641.jpg.cf.jpg" width="80" height="80" style="width:80px;vertical-align:middle;border-radius:2px 0 0 2px" data-inlineimagemanipulating="true" class=""></td><td width="10px" style="width:10px"></td><td><h2 class="ydp3eb555f1card-title" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; color: rgb(38, 40, 42); font-family: YahooSans, Helvetica Neue, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 4px 0px; max-width: 186px; text-decoration: none !important;">St. Luke's chief medical officer fact c...</h2></td></tr></tbody></table></a></div></div></body></html>