As stronger, deadlier variants of the virus that's killed over 600 thousand Americans continue to emerge, right-wing disinformation outlets remain steadfast in their peddling of anti-vaccine conspiracy theories, presenting a major barrier in the national effort to vaccinate enough of the public to end the pandemic in the U.S.
On the conservative Fox News network, primetime opinion hosts like Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham have broadcasted conspiracy theories regarding the vaccines to millions of viewers.
Much of this hysteria has focused on an effort by the Biden administration to enlist volunteers to go door-to-door in under-vaccinated communities, providing information on where and how to get a lifesaving vaccine. Right-wing media personalities have falsely presented this as an initiative for government officials to "knock down doors" and demand proof of vaccination or even to force vaccinations upon unwilling Americans.
The stagnant vaccination rates have prompted some state leaders to propose a return to certain restrictions in an effort to protect the unvaccinated. Fox and Friends cohost Brian Kilmeade railed against the possibility of more restrictions in a Monday morning broadcast.
Watch below.
Doocy: 99% of people who are dying are unvaccinated\n\nKilmeade: That's their choice!\n\nDoocy: They don't want to die. The admin and gov't says mask mandates are to protect the unvaccinated\n\nKilmeade: That's not their job, it's not their job to protect anybody!pic.twitter.com/NsP2IcMnCX— Lis Power (@Lis Power) 1626700168
Kilmeade said:
"If you didn't get a vaccination, that's your choice. ... If you wanna go cliff diving this weekend, you don't have to check with me. It seems a little dangerous, but I'm not gonna judge you. And if you go ahead and put yourself in danger, if you feel as though this is not something for you, don't do it, but don't affect my life."
When cohost Steve Doocy pointed out that the vast majority of pandemic deaths are happening among unvaccinated Americans, Kilmeade responded:
"That's their choice!"
Doocy responded:
"They don't want to die. The administration and the government is saying we need the mask mandate to protect the unvaccinated."
Kilmeade then made the claim
"That is not their job! It's not their job to protect anybody!"
Social media users begged to differ.
"...insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare..."https://twitter.com/LisPower1/status/1417109335818256387\u00a0\u2026— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@Rep. Eric Swalwell) 1626709727
If it's not the government\u2019s job to protect the people, why do we have the Military, @kilmeade?pic.twitter.com/w2MIlmnh49— David Weissman (@David Weissman) 1626702735
Per the Preamble, we adopted the Constitution "in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity."\n\n@kilmeade: Nah.https://twitter.com/LisPower1/status/1417109335818256387\u00a0\u2026— Steve Vladeck (@Steve Vladeck) 1626703990
After admitting that all three @foxandfriends hosts have been vaccinated, Brian @kilmeade says it's not the government's job to protect anybody.\n\nIt's literally the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution.\n\nThe @CDCgov, @HHSGov, and @DeptofDefense could not be reached for comment. https://twitter.com/LisPower1/status/1417109335818256387\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/jPGype81mv— Bad Fox Graphics (@Bad Fox Graphics) 1626701855
\u201c\u2026provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare\u2026\u201d - The Constitutionhttps://twitter.com/lispower1/status/1417109335818256387\u00a0\u2026— Kevin Baron (@Kevin Baron) 1626712458
"establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare"\n\nIt's literally the first paragraph, Kilmeade.https://twitter.com/LisPower1/status/1417109335818256387\u00a0\u2026— Derrick Crowe (@Derrick Crowe) 1626702286
People were enraged by Kilmeade's comments.
Fox New\u2019s Brian Kilmeade is basically telling the Fox viewers that they shouldn\u2019t worry about it & if they don\u2019t get vaccinated, that\u2019s their choice\n\nVery few choose to die, most die because of Republican misinformation on #COVID19 \n\nThey should pull Fox\u2019s broadcasting licensehttps://twitter.com/lispower1/status/1417109335818256387\u00a0\u2026— Ariana (Ari) Michaels \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Ariana (Ari) Michaels \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1626702688
With Kilmeade\u2019s logic I shouldn\u2019t have to stop at red lights.https://twitter.com/lispower1/status/1417109335818256387\u00a0\u2026— Sunshine (@Sunshine) 1626708630
Brian Kilmeade, speaking about Pentagon budget cuts eight months ago: "The impact would be reducing all sizes and capabilities...encourages adversaries, like China, like Russia, like Iran, that we would be vulnerable under a Democratic administration, which would be problematic."https://twitter.com/LisPower1/status/1417109335818256387\u00a0\u2026— Roger Sollenberger found true love, suckers (@Roger Sollenberger found true love, suckers) 1626704135
Cases continue to rise in all 50 states.
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