Republican Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio has embraced the Republican dismissal of any and all safety guidelines to prevent the spread of the pandemic that's killed over 650 thousand Americans.
Jordan has said that "real America" is "done" with COVID-19 despite the deadlier, more contagious Delta Variant wreaking havoc across the nation, especially in red states. He's said vaccine mandates are "un-American" despite a centuries-long history of mandatory inoculations, beginning with George Washington himself.
Now, Jordan is yet again invoking superficial patriotism in order to further politicize the pandemic.
On Monday, Jordan claimed there were "two Americas": one dominated by pandemic "hysteria" and another that goes to church, school, and restaurants, while "loving freedom".
There are two Americas:\n\nOne is dominated by #COVID19 hysteria. \n\nThe other?\n\n-Goes to church\n-Goes to work \n-Goes to school \n-Goes to restaurants\n-Goes to football games\n-And loves freedom— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Rep. Jim Jordan) 1632164862
In reality, many of the very states whose COVID policies Republicans have slammed, such as New York, have largely reopened with some guidelines—like vaccine passports—and been able to keep their positivity rates under five percent.
What's more, an unignorable number of the people living in "hysteria" that Jordan described are immunocompromised or have limited access to affordable healthcare. Even so, Republicans have repeatedly emphasized "personal responsibility" amid the pandemic. Jordan's characterization of those still staying home seems at odds with the belief that Americans can make individual choices regarding their own safety.
Social media users and even Jordan's own colleagues called him out on the tweet.
My GOP colleague wants to divide us. I believe in one America.\n\nAlso, it turns out that if you are vaccinated, you have a higher chance of living. Which means you get to:\n\n-Go to church\n-Go to work \n-Go to school \n-Go to restaurants\n-Go to football games\n-And love freedomhttps://twitter.com/jim_jordan/status/1440029920973889540\u00a0\u2026— Ted Lieu (@Ted Lieu) 1632165571
Your party\u2019s followers are dying at roughly 5x the rate of other parties\u2019 voters. \n\nCan\u2019t imagine why that could be\u2026https://twitter.com/jim_jordan/status/1440029920973889540\u00a0\u2026— Ryan Chapline (@Ryan Chapline) 1632171645
Published an hour ago https://twitter.com/jim_jordan/status/1440029920973889540\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/3ureoE2IGh— Robyn Patterson (@Robyn Patterson) 1632165459
There are two states of humanity... Above ground and below ground. Those above ground, and wish to stay that way, respect the virus. Those below ground don't care anymore.https://twitter.com/Jim_Jordan/status/1440029920973889540\u00a0\u2026— Bonrat (@Bonrat) 1632168380
S-s-s-s-h!\nJordan thinks it\u2019s hysteria to want to prevent needless deaths from Covid\u2026pass it on. https://twitter.com/jim_jordan/status/1440029920973889540\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/JkwmyOZ1s2— Susan.. (@Susan..) 1632166207
Some said Jordan was causing irreparable harm with his rhetoric.
If you are vaccinated, you have a higher chance of living. Which means you get to:\n\n-Go to church\n-Go to work \n-Go to school \n-Go to restaurants\n-Go to football games\n-And love freedomhttps://twitter.com/Jim_Jordan/status/1440029920973889540\u00a0\u2026— Biden_Squadron (@Biden_Squadron) 1632166993
QAnon senator utilizing the word "hysteria" in midst of a pandemic that has killed 674K Americans.\n\nMeanwhile the Science deniers among us infect ppl via all those hot spots. \n\nHang up your Prolife b.s. taglines.\nYou are killing your constituents.https://twitter.com/Jim_Jordan/status/1440029920973889540\u00a0\u2026— InkBetweenFreckles (@InkBetweenFreckles) 1632166431
There are two Americas:\n \nOne are the Patriots who take #COVID19 seriously. \n\nThe other are the Traitors like @Jim_Jordan who don\u2019t and are thereby killing their neighbors with their selfishness. \n\n#GQPTalibanhttps://twitter.com/jim_jordan/status/1440029920973889540\u00a0\u2026— David Petr, MDiv #ExGOP \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@David Petr, MDiv #ExGOP \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1632165923
Sadly, that doesn't seem to bother him.
