Alert: Non-photography-related Post: Trusting Dr. Fauci « Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Alert: Non-photography-related Post: Trusting Dr. Fauci

Trusting Dr. Fauci

In the blog post here, Tilo Samter asked thiat in a comment regarding flu and virus vaccines, Why don’t you trust Dr. Fauci?

Here’s why:

May 12, Testifying before members of Congress on Capitol Hill, Fauci said: “What I’ve expressed then, and again, is my concern, is that if some areas, cities, states or what have you, jump over checkpoints, and prematurely open up, without having the capability of being able to respond effectively and efficiently, my concern is that we would start to see little spikes that might turn into outbreaks.”

May 13: Fauci said, “Some sort of mask-like facial covering, I think, for the time being, should be a very regular part of how we prevent the spread of infections. And in fact, the more and more you go outside, like here where I am sitting in Washington, DC, you see many people out there with masks on. This gives me some degree of comfort that people are taking this very seriously.”

March 8: Fauci said, “Right now, in the United States, people should not be walking around with masks. Pointless. There’s no reason people should be walking around with a mask. When you’re in the middle of an outbreak, wearing a mask might make people feel a little bit better, and it might even block a droplet, but it’s not providing the perfect protection that people think that it is.”

January 21: Fauci said, “This (COVID-19) is not a major threat to the people in the United States, not something that the citizens of the United States, right now, should be worried about.

April 7. Fauci said, “I don’t think we should ever shake hands again, to be honest with you, Not only would it be good to prevent coronavirus, it probably would decrease instances of influenza in this country.

Do you trust Dr. Fauci? Is this the person that you would like to see charting the future of the country? (Can you say “total lockdown, massive unemployment, economic collapse, and all schools closed for another 1 1/2 years.”?)

76 comments to Alert: Non-photography-related Post: Trusting Dr. Fauci

  • avatar Sandy Rathborne

    Personally, I am intrigued by this ongoing topic of conversation. It is bringing some things to think about to the surface. I like the debate and I can take away what I choose to take away from it. Artie, you have always thrown in your personal thoughts on health and I admire you for your alternative way of thinking. That is one thing I like about your blog….your personal thoughts and experiences about life thrown in with an endless sharing of your photography experience and knowledge for free. Nothing has changed in that regard. So you lose the closed minded followers who don’t want to read about anything other than free bif instructions. Just because you question information we are confronted with on a daily basis through the news media and statements made by the politicians and health authorities on this subject which are not in line with their thinking? They have a choice to read or not especially now that you are including the alert at the top of the blog. It’s always a pleasure to read your blog.

  • Artie,

    Thanks for the first paragraph of your reply to me (way above). The second paragraph has no relevance for me.

    John

  • avatar Craig M.

    I opened the post to see if there was any useful, factual or science based issues being discussed on you Blog. Sadly there is not, but I am better informed for having looked.

    “A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer.”
    Bruce Lee

    Cheers.

  • avatar Glen

    Greetings AM,

    Interesting polemic going on here and I have a few thoughts to share.

    Re: Masks- Most masks available to the general public do not meet the specifications, NIOSH95, that offer some protection against COVID-19. They are more of a placebo device. Even an authentic N95 mask is not 100% effective against this virus. So, I only wear one when mandatory.

    Re: Freedom of speech & blogs- A constitutional right that should be fought for to protect. Those that attempt to block or impede it should be dealt with fairly but only be given the consideration that they deserve. It’s your blog, so you should write whatever you want. If someone doesn’t like it, they are not being forced to read it and it costs them nothing.

    Re: Dr. Fauchi- A top of his class Med. Student who has a long and illustrious career in science who has become a player in a political imbroglio pandemic. Do I trust him? No! I don’t trust anybody with my life!

    Re: Politics- “This is a public health crisis and it’s not about politics!” Yeah right, who was it that said, “Never let a crisis go to waste.”* Just an FYI- everything is about politics, especially in an election year! Don’t be surprised by anything you read or hear.

    Keep stirring the pot and pressing the shutter release button AM. Stay well!

    *Rahm Emanuel

    • avatar Mike Cristina

      The mask is for everyone else’s protection. If you unfortunately are infected and you cough or sneeze with a mask on it is less likely that your covid-19 will spread to us.
      Mike

      • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

        Hi Mike, That is 100% true in indoor situations only.

        a

        • avatar Roger Keen

          Hello, why would that be any different outside? Cheers

          • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

            Hi Roger, Check out the article here. In part, it says Successful Infection = Exposure to Virus x Time.. When you are outdoors, you simply do not get enough time to “spend” with the virus. The article does a good job of trying to explain how the virus spreads indoors at home and in crowded places. Read it for yourself. The guy is a doctor.

  • avatar Steve Dickson

    Hi Artie, It’s your blog. Write whatever you want. It’s easy for a viewer to skip to a different topic should they wish to. It’s also easy for a viewer not to read something they don’t want to or are not interested in.
    We do this all the time in our lives especially on social media. I don’t know what all the fuss is about.

  • avatar Tomas Radinsky

    Dear all,

    I’ve been reading this blog for years. Can’t tell you how let down I am by the fact that Artie is into all those conspiracy theories. Please hold on to your photo expertise, don’t make a fool of yourself anymore. There is a saying, when 10 people tell you to go to sleep you should act as such.

    Tom

    • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      Thanks for leaving a comment Tomas. I am including this in today’s blog post:

      Blog posts — never more than one every other day — that deal with the current situation in the US (and the world), will include the words Alert: Non-photography-related Post in the title. If you do not wish to read about or discuss the current issues, simply do not open such blog posts. Nobody is forcing you to read the blog. I have lots more to say and to share. Those who wish to paint me as some sort of conspiracy theorist can keep their heads in the sand, ignore solid information from many knowledgeable folks (including doctors), obey all government orders, wait for a COVID-19 vaccine (that is never coming), and line up to have their chips implanted. For those who state that they will never again come to the BIRDS AS ART Blog for the free photography instruction that I have provided for I don’t know how many years (3044 posts to date), I wish them only the best.

      with love, artie

  • Artie,

    I respect you greatly. But please lead this subject alone.

    John

    • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      Hi John,

      Sorry, that is not gonna happen:

      Blog posts — never more than one every other day — that deal with the current situation in the US (and the world), will include the words Alert: Non-photography-related Post in the title. If you do not wish to read about or discuss the current issues, simply do not open such blog posts. Nobody is forcing you to read the blog. I have lots more important stuff to share and lots more questions to ask. As for those who are disappointed in me or have lost respect for me that is about them. Only I can disrespect myself.

      Those who wish to paint me as some sort of conspiracy theorist can keep their heads buried in the sand, ignore solid information from many knowledgeable folks (including doctors), obey all government orders, wait for the COVID-19 vaccine (that is never coming), and line up to have their chips implanted. For those who state that they will never again come to the BIRDS AS ART Blog for the free photography instruction that I have provided for I don’t know how many years — 3044 posts before this one — I wish them only the best.

  • avatar Adam

    All I can say is I have first hand experience, and you are wise to be a skeptic. The lock down was prudent, albeit too late for an unknown virus with unknown modes of transmission, mortality, etc. The whole intent was to minimize the number of casualties and prevent an overwhelming surge on existing resources. It turns out the virus on first pass targets certain demographic groups, is less deadly than originally projected, and therapies are few and far between. Hydroxy/Azith are still unproven, Resdes has yet to demonstrate efficacy other than shortening the course – no effect on viral load or mortality, and convalescent serum is an unknown.

    For those who want to join the crazed pols who want to shut the country down until a vaccine is developed, you may as well kiss your arse goodbye.

    Well said Doc.

    This virus attaches to the ace2 receptors which are found on nearly every human cell (strike one) and uses the Furin cleavage site to facilitate uptake like HIV and Ebola (strike 2). Unless we can identify novel areas of the glycoprotein spike which are unique to this virus and not found in human cells (very unlikely), the chance of an effective vaccine is low. Though one could develop an anti-sense molecule to the Virus’ RNA which functions like mRNA in the cell to trick it into producing more virons, there is no way to deliver it into the cells or against the virus itself. It will be a long haul ahead.

    • avatar Mike Cristina

      I think your most important point here is that “The lock down was prudent, albeit too late”. But this was not Dr. Fauci’s fault. The blame is squarely on Donald Trump’s effort to get re-elected.
      Mike

  • avatar Bob DeCroce

    Artie,

    It’s been a while since I have seen you. You are so good at what you do best; photography, and teaching us photography. I have followed you for years, and continue to read your blog each day, and will continue to read it. Hopefully I will attend an IPT again in the near future. Please get off this subject! Get back to what you do best! Your are better than all this wrestling in the mud!

    Bob

    • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      Hi Bob, Me too. The will be more such posts as I have a lot to share and to say. Each such post will have an alert in the title. If you do not want to read them don’t open them. There will be a bird photography post at least every other day.

      with love, and see you in Homer 🙂

      a

  • avatar Mike Cristina

    Boy, we all have lots of time on our hands, don’t we?
    I say:
    Scientists want to treat, cure, prevent covid-19.
    Politicians want to get re-elected.
    Photographers want to take a memorable photos.
    We all have a right to our opinions on the categories above, but have to be careful not to stray too far from our area of expertise.
    That being said, I believe Dr. Fauci.
    I think Donald Trump is a dumbass.
    I think Artie Morris takes better photos than any of us.
    Mike

    • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      If you believe Dr. Fauci, you just might wind up in the dumbass category that you mentioned :). Did you read the blog post that spelled out his role in making sure that the viruses they were invented could infect humans? Maybe you should send him a thank you card.

      a

    • avatar Esther Corley

      This is so “spot-on”

  • avatar Terry

    To bill and anyone who is on Mr. Morris’s case. I would like to know how many of you have taken the time to watch the documentaries on the 1918 Pandemic? Here is a link:: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MHT5xTkL2g :: that everyone should watch and pay attention to, as this country, our politicians and big business only care about one thing, MONEY!!
    Here is another link :: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDY5COg2P2c :: that everyone wants to open all these businesses and go back to NORMAL?? What you all can’t see and understand, because that is what they want, there will never be a return to what we knew as NORMAL! Mr. Morris, I applaud you for standing up and being counted. If I am in a store and you don’t have a mask on, you will hear from me, and I don’t give a d** if you like it or not. The problem we face today, is the apathy of the general public towards one another. I don’t feel anyone has a RIGHT to put my or my wife’s life in danger because YOU want things YOUR Way. If I have offended you Mr. Morris by anything I have said I am sorry, but I am tired of the BS and spin the govt. has put on all of this!!

  • avatar Kapil K

    I don’t think it’s ever wrong to ask questions, but I think you’re conflating the context of Fauci’s quotes. At the outset, I also agree with you that some folks are taking his comments as gospel, and personally I don’t think he knows any more than any of the other top experts in other countries. That being said, I think you are mixing comments that were made in an official capacity as an advisor (using the best knowledge we had at the time), and comments that were made in a casual off-the-cuff manner in an interview/podcast. I do not think Fauci is maliciously trying to fraud the public into believing something that he knows isn’t true. I just don’t see what he stands to gain from doing so.

    As to him “calling the shots”, he is not part of any executive branch of government. All he can do is give his advice (on public health) based on his experience and knowledge. Its up to the government to take into account the advice (from him and others) and formulate a policy for reopening. So for e.g., I don’t believe Fauci has personally insisted that Walmart be prioritized over other establishments.

  • Even Newsweek (what’s left of it) gives us reason never to trust Fauci:

    https://www.newsweek.com/dr-fauci-backed-controversial-wuhan-lab-millions-us-dollars-risky-coronavirus-research-1500741

    In short, Fauci was funding gain-of-function research with dangerous bat viruses, just as he did earlier with bird flu. Newsweek helpfully explains that “gain-of-function” means making the virus more dangerous, more able to infect other species, maybe especially humans. Why? Because all major militaries work on such things as potential biowarfare weapons (and of course they all claim the work is only done for defensive purposes). But there’s much more, in that Fauci, like Gates, is part of an interlocking international network promoting top-down control of populations–all the same people keep popping up in organization after organization. To say he isn’t political is just wrong. To say no one could have predicted a pandemic in January is also wrong. Gates and Fauci have been predicting such a pandemic for many years. All the major players participated in Gates’ Event 201, an exercise simulating a coronavirus pandemic, last October, just as the real outbreak was getting started. Think it didn’t start that soon? See:

    https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/11565077/fears-coronavirus-europe-october-french-athletes-military-games-wuhan/

    If you wanted a worldwide pandemic, what would be a better place than the World Military Games, held in Wuhan in the second half of October, with 10,000 athletes from 100 countries. Could be coincidence, of course. But ABC News has published a report that intelligence officials at the Pentagon know about the outbreak in November.

    If you want to see what can happen from all the vaccine ingredients Artie mentioned earlier, see Vaxxed II, “the movie they can’t let you see” (trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=133&v=vH6qQWnnWF0&feature=emb_title). Even one case like those shown in the film would make the words “safe and effective” a lie.

    Finally, as to “why is Arthur doing this, I don’t want to see it.” Has anyone considered the possibility that he cares about you and your future? And the concern that he’s not a doctor? Science is open to all, and mainstream science has often been wrong. The mainstream long opposed the idea that doctors should wash their hands before performing surgeries (https://www.history.com/news/hand-washing-disease-infection). Much more recently, former editors of at least two of the most prestigious medical journals (journals that live or die by pharmaceutical ads) have stated that you can’t rely on what’s published there (https://ethicalnag.org/2009/11/09/nejm-editor).

  • avatar Stanley L Sizeler

    Artie,

    You are being reasonable in asking questions. As a physician and someone with more than a little epidemiologic experience, no one really can answer most of them. We know virus is unusually communicable and has varying effects on different people. On a statistical basis older people and those with some underlying diseases are more severely affected. From that point on we are learning about this disease every day, hence predicting the future is impossible. Dr. Fauci recently admitted that even someone with his knowledge and experience can only make an educated guess as to what covid19 will do. His advice about social distancing, masks, handwashing, and avoiding crowds makes perfect sense for personal protection with this virus.

    Covid19 Vaccines are possibly in the future( polio vaccine took more than 20 years to develop)and specific therapeutic agents for it ( except for IV medication for those severely ill)do not yet exist.

    The questions about lockdown, school closings, and the economic effects are, to me, best directed at economists and politicians, not scientists.

    My opinion is that all of the USA governmental ( Federal, State, local, etc.) agencies have been poorly organized and coordinated because no one really knew what to do. The success in Germany is primarily due to the small size of the country, and the German demographics. Covid19 there has been more prevalent in the German refugee( i.e., Middle East) population than the underlying German citizens. The Northern Italy problem occurred because of the populace’s actions before the Italian government locked things down, but by then the “horse was out of the barn.”

    It is very easy to criticize, since hindsight is always 20/20.

    Keep questioning and commenting, even if there are currently no real answers. There might be, eventually.

    Stan

  • avatar Dr. Jerry Turner

    To put this in photography terms, Art has always said, if something happens, push the shutter button. That’s what happened earlier this tear. They absolutely had no choice but to push the shutter button. Now we’re reviewing the images and finding out a lot of things were out of focus, poorly composed, over-exposed, etc. Time to delete those and move on. Unfortunately, we all hate to delete our handiwork and a lot of people in charge are spending a lot of time trying to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. It rarely works well.

  • avatar Len

    If you want to stimulate informed discussion about the pandemic, you should present both sides. Here is a video that refutes the claims in Plandemic: https://youtu.be/TWpjc1QZg84

  • avatar Len

    Given a choice between following the advice of medical and scientific experts on pandemics or politicians, I choose the experts.

    Our nation is drowning in conspiracy theories. Now, our nation’s leading expert in bird photography has taken to promulgating these crazy ideas. We are becoming a culture of “alternate realities.”

    • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      Len. Please go back and re-read what I have written over the past week. All I have done is ask questions. I am not promulgating anything. Do I think that we should have more selective re-openings and that the current lockdowns are in many cases, excessive? Yes. Would you call that crazy?

      a

  • avatar Joel Eade

    With respect Artie, I don’t believe Fauci “calling all the shots”.

    I would humbly disagree. He has been put on a God-likee pedestal since day one.

    He is acting as a leading consultant on a team offering their best advice at any point in time. I agree the level to which the shut down was taken is a serious and damaging over-reaction

    I agree 100%

    but I don’t think they could have known it at the time it was decided.

    Now I think they should move a little more quickly to re-open.

    I agree again; but leet’s keep schools closed for another 1 1/2 years and all small businesses locked up.

    For example, my county has only had 9 cases and no deaths. Two adjoining counties to the east and west have had 1 case each. One county to the south had a bad outbreak in a nursing home but very few cases otherwise.

    Lock em all up.

    I am sure there are similar scenarios all over the nation …. they should flip the on switch in these places and just have people use their common sense to mitigate contaminating each other.

    I agree again. That is one of the reasons I asked today’s question.

  • avatar E K Baldwin

    The problem is not Dr. Fauci. The problem is that there has been no coherent, unified response/plan presented from one source: the federal government. Instead, the White House has been a reliable source of lies, conspiracy theories, obfuscation, shunning of responsibility,and dangerous anti-science advice (Wash your hands with boiling water, cleanse your insides with clorox or lysol…) The lockdowns had two goals: to slow the spread of the virus so that our health care system was not overwhelmed, and to buy us time to get a handle on this thing. The first was accomplished, to an acceptable extent. However, we’ve not even made a dent in the second. Trump and the GOP have been so busy lying, whining, patting themselves on the back (for nothing), denying science and trying to assure Trump’s reelection (in a pandemic!!!) that the government has put no united effort at all into testing, contact tracing, quarantining, developing effective treatments or developing a vaccine–the things it will take to manage this virus in a way that won’t shut down the economy every time there’s a resurgence. In fact, Trump’s plan has been to discourage testing and reporting of death statistics because it makes him look bad.

    For the foreseeable future, we can expect a cycle of virus resurgence-lockdown-protest (probably at some point becoming armed conflict)-re-opening-virus resurgence, etc. etc. ad infinitum. UNLESS we concentrate on a nationwide campaign of test/trace/quarantine/treatment/vaccine. I don’t see that happening with Trump and his poisonous GOP calling the shots, do you?

    This virus is no respecter of persons. It doesn’t just happen in big cities and it doesn’t just kill off people you don’t like. I guess we’ll have to let it get so out of control that it’s rampant and fatal EVERYWHERE before our hateful, divided, “if it doesn’t affect me it’s not my problem” society GETS it. Is that what we all want to see?

    • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      Please try to limit your electioneering 🙂 As. far as I know, there are currently zero over-taxed medical systems. I do foresee that an effective mega-testing/tracking program will ever be in place no matter who is in the White House … After reading your last comments I need to ask, “Do you write for MSNBC?”

      a

      • avatar E K Baldwin

        That’s right, Art. There may be zero over-taxed medical systems…but we haven’t yet reached the high point of this COVID surge. And we can attribute the fact that medical systems have NOT been overtaxed to the lockdown/stay-at-home orders. Everyone knows lockdown can’t go on forever. But what we’re NOT doing is spending a lot of time, energy and $$$ on figuring out how to go forward safely. Instead, we’re kicking the virus and our response to it back and forth like a political football. We’re re-opening sections of the country based on political pressure, not on good science or even concern for our neighbors, first responders, or health care personnel. We’re publicly second-guessing and shaming experts like Dr. Fauci, who has to walk a very fine line between scientific fact and what the government will let him say and keep his position.

        I’m a small business owner whose business has been negatively impacted to near extinction by this disaster. I’m not sure how life is going to play out in the months/years to come. But I do know that I won’t be able to recover economically if I’m dead. Protect lives first. Dead people can’t contribute to economic recovery.

  • avatar Barry

    Fauci is a scientist and the founding principle of science is not to try prove your hypothesis is right but to take a hypothesis and try to prove it wrong. If that endeavour fails one can be more certain of it being right. That said, there are few absolute ‘rights’; just findings that stand up to ever more rigorous scrutiny.
    Because advice changes in the light of new data doesn’t make the advisor a villain, it just makes him an intelligent human being acting in good faith.
    At the beginning, this virus was unknown and in the light of other recent viruses not considered a huge threat. That view changed in the light of new evidence.
    Masks have always been of limited use with regard to airborne viral transmission and that remains true. However, limited use does not mean no use – and every little helps, so why not?
    Shaking hands has always been a dirty habit responsible for the transmission of many diseases. It’s one habit we can do without.
    Fauci is not a politician, nor should he be. If politicians choose to override medical advice and protect corporate interests rather than their constituents’ health, then shame on them.
    Reopening America is a dangerous gamble (already being shown to be foolish in a number of countries) and is likely to bring untold grief to thousands of families.
    We were already headed for an economic catastrophe before this (caused by 20 years of financial criminality) so we should think twice before adding human tragedy to an already dark economic future.

    • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      I ask, again, if reopening will kill many, many more, why not so many Walmart’s deaths???

      And try answering this one: if Fauci is so big on masks, why was he standing two feet from the president and the members of the Coronavirus Task Force? Now Trump has definitely been exposed and Fauci is in quarantine.

      a

  • avatar David Policansky

    Artie: thanks for identifying this blog post in the headline as not photography related. Please keep doing that so i can delete those posts without opening them. Why? Because there’s no special expertise or knowledge about Covid-19 or epidemiology here, and I already get lot of information from sources that do have such expertise. But there sure is special photography expertise here!

    • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      Please explain why you opened this one. I do not claim to be an expert. If you go back and read each post you will see that all I have done is ask questions.

      a

      • avatar David Policansky

        Artie: I wanted to see what it was about, and when I did, I wanted to thank you for identifying it as such and let you know that has a faithful reader of your blog and sometimes active participant that I wouldn’t participate in this topic. I also figured there was a significant risk of my getting in an argument, maybe with you and more likely with another reader, and I really would hate for that to happen.

        Stay well and stay safe. David

        • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

          Thanks, David. Obviously, I have no problem disagreeing with friends. In addition, I found the link on your FB page to be informative.

          a

  • avatar paul reinstein

    Good comments above, but they neglect the 3rd axis of the problem, human psychology, both individually and as crowds. How many, how completely, and how long will people comply with any guidelines? I would suggest that from the medical perspective, Fauci is the right man at the right time, but he is not the expert on the economy nor psychology. He is but 1 input to the equation, and there is, and never could or will be 1 message or approach that 100% of the people will agree with; he presently has about a 80% trust of the US (pretty damned good for this place). A well-intentioned and smart president would have experts working from all 3 perspectives; that leaves out 45.

  • avatar Bill

    So, you discount all the expertise from a leading epidemiologist because he changed his opinion based on additional information? Isn’t that precisely what we want policymakers to do? If your approach was the rule, why would we trust you as an expert in bird photography now? I assume you did not know everything about bird photography when you first became a professional. You changed your opinions and refined your approach over the years based on more information, right? Shouldn’t that make you more trustworthy, not less?

    • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      See my comments to DHM and others.

      a

      • avatar bill

        That’s not a response to the question in any way. And your response to William Dix concedes that he and I are correct. People aren’t dying due to exposure in WalMarts because severe precautions have been imposed in those stores, and people aren’t exposing themselves to others in public like they would in the normal course of their lives. In other words, the curve has been flattened due to social distancing–just like the “experts” recommended.

        Please explain why smaller stores in low-COVID areas cannot re-open despite the fact that they could do a better job of protecting folks than the big box stores.

        And you aren’t “just asking questions.” You’re taking the position over and over again that the federal government’s guidance is incorrect.

        I have never once mentioned the federal gov’t.

        By the way, the federal government’s guidance is nothing more than that. The feds (and Fauci) aren’t the ones imposing the shutdown. States are. The federal government doesn’t have that power; only states do.

        Agree. It is many of the governors and mayors who are preaching insanity.

        In the spirit of asking questions, where is your evidence or even logic that shows COVID-19 wouldn’t take over every metro area in the country (at least) if we reopened?

        Please read what I have written. I do believe that major metro areas need to proceed with extreme caution.

        All the evidence is to the contrary, see, e.g., China, Italy, NYC, Washington state, etc. Indeed, the infection and death rates haven’t even plateaued nationally outside of NY, NJ, and Connecticut. The infection and death rates are still rising if you exclude those states. So, second question, how many lives are you willing to bet on your proposed plan?

        Understood. But that has nothing to do with keeping low-COVID areas locked down. As far as risking lives, that is personal decision. If I get the virus it will be the first case of immaculate infection.

        • avatar bill

          Please explain why smaller stores in low-COVID areas cannot re-open despite the fact that they could do a better job of protecting folks than the big box stores.

          Easy, they can if they implement social distancing precautions. But I am a little confused at what you’re driving at here. I have seen no policy forcing stores of a certain size to remain closed. I have only seen policies allowing stores of a certain type to remain open, namely businesses that support life. If there is a small, locally-owned grocery store that has been forced to close so that WalMart can remain open, that would not be constitutional. But that does not seem to be your point. It seems like you’re suggesting that business of all types should be allowed to open in places that aren’t overly populated? What exactly are you proposing and criticizing?

          As for the federal gov., I’ll admit that it is difficult to follow your train of thought. For days, you railed against social media companies, under the mistaken assumption that they were subject to the First Amendment. They aren’t. Today, you’re describing why you don’t trust Fauci and the policies that been put in place all across the country based on Fauci’s recommendations. So, I assumed most of your ire was aimed at the fed. gov.

          • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

            Bill, Please turn on your TV and watch the news. Many states still have complete lockdowns on small businesses while Walmarts thrives.

            a

          • avatar bill

            Artie, trust me. I am very aware of the news. You ignored the questions–

            Please identify a single example where a state shut down a business due to its SIZE. That would not withstand constitutional scrutiny. The size of a business has nothing to do with it being forced to stay closed. The TYPE of business is what’s been regulated. If a business offers a service that supports human life, it can remain open everywhere in the country, regardless of size. Why do you refuse to acknowledge that? Move beyond straw man arguments.

            You are correct above. I misspoke.

            Again, what are you advocating? That businesses of all TYPES be allowed to open in less populated areas?

            Exactly yes.

            What’s your threshold for population density?

            Any place other than the major metropolitan areas.

            What safety precautions should remain in place?

            The same ones that I (and presumably you) are following right now when we go shopping for food. See the stuff on the guy in Belmar, NJ who is opening his gym. He has made major changes so that folks who want to work out can do so safely.

            Why not answer questions others are asking?

            I’m trying 🙂

        • avatar E K Baldwin

          And let’s not forget that many “low-COVID areas” are tourist attractions in the summer. Sure, Montana and Wyoming may be low-COVID now, but open up tourist attractions like Yellowstone and Glacier, and the virus will be brought in by tourists from all over the country. Say they want to re-open businesses just for their local populations. Okay. But the unfortunate fact is that many businesses in those areas depend upon the tourist trade to stay afloat. The locals might be able to go get a haircut or go to their local gyms, but the economy of the area is still going to be negatively impacted in a huge way.

          • avatar bill

            Good point. One other one is that the health systems in those locations are certainly not set up to handle any sort of onslaught of critically-ill patients. Additionally, it would almost certainly be unconstitutional to open the areas only to the locals because the right to interstate travel is protected by the constitution.

  • avatar William Dix

    A famous bird photographer once told me that Canon was the right choice for bird photography. He subsequently changed that to Nikon. Then Sony. Things change. In the rapidly changing field of camera design I will listen to the famous bird photographer. In the rapidly changing field of a never-before-seen novel coronavirus I will trust the highly renowned epidemiologist over the conspiracy theorist.

    • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      Yes, things change. But I am not setting the course for the US for lockdowns and economic disaster.

      In the original The Art of Bird Photography, I wrote, “If you see me in the field doing something different it is just because I am getting smarter.” Or something like that.

      with love, artie

  • avatar dhm

    Trust science. Trust the experts – Fauci is one. Anyone who doesn’t buy that is promoting needless deaths (and reactionary thinking). End of story.

    Yes, Shut up. Be scared. Lock down. Do what we say even if it makes zero sense. And don’t ask any questions. Way to go dhm.

    a

    • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      Please explain why everyone who shops in Walmart is not dying, causing outbreaks, if you would. Kudos to the gym guy in Belmar, NJ who is opening on Monday despite the governor’s orders.

      a

  • avatar byron prinzmetal

    So whom do you trust from a medical perspective that has national stature that people listen to?

    Nobody. I do trust the advice I get from Dr. Cliff Oliver of San Diego.

    Seems there are two very legitimate sides of the same coin…those hurt or about to be hurt or scared to be hurt medically and on the other side those already hurt economically and/or scared for their and their family’s future economically AND probably a lot of people who are scared for both sides of the coin and many not worried by either side.

    Agree.

    I have not found a political voice of reason that represents both sides of the coin that a majority of Americans listen to.

    Neither have I.

    Seems like most politics people have already picked a side of the coin. And, which side of the coin they picked a lot depends where they live.

    So, if not Fauci, then whom from a medical perspective. Whom do you trust economically…

    Folks who want to get things re-opened. How can we allow WalMart and the big supermarkets and other big box stores to be open while forcing smaller outfits to stay closed while it is much easier for smaller places to keep folks safe. The total lockdowns are insanity.

    Powell? And, how about a balanced point of view??????

    It is much easier to shoot arrows at those who have to make and implement policy than those who just get to stand back and critique policy especially when the subject matter is brand new and what we know is little and a matter of life and death.

    I am not shooting arrows, just asking questions.

  • avatar JEANCLAUDE EBRARD

    No hurry,don’t react with your nerves.There’s a lot to come yet.As French people say “when the mark is over then you can count the cow pats”.
    Take care of yourself,i do.
    with love jean claude.

  • avatar Joel Eade

    Agreed, he has become a political pawn and he is somewhat out of realm in that regard.

    I would concur that (since he has been at the top level of medical professionals in the world for a long time) he may well be accustomed to “the spotlight”. Not sure he is enjoying it this time.

    His resume is impressive. He’s been involved in ground breaking research, authored many studies and textbooks which are considered to be the “gold” standard. He is sought after to provide lectures at top Universities and research gatherings around the globe. As a scientist and physician he has been vetted by peers in the scientific community for decades.

    As a Physician and researcher his primary approach has been weighted more toward the application of data to the health issues with little regard to economic consequences. He has openly said this and admitted he does not have expertise in economics.

    Despite all this he did not predict how this would play out but he wasn’t alone. Most of the other leading scientists, politicians and models have been wrong too.

    I say, no one is perfect, cut the guy a little slack 🙂

    • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      Hi Joel,

      Yes, many have been wrong. Very wrong. My problem is that he had been advising too many presidents for two many years and really does not have a clue. Kudos to Senator Paul for pointing out that he is not God. (Or something very close to that.)

      Let him go back to being a doctor and a researcher and I will never mention him again.

      a

      • avatar Barry

        Fauci is not advising the President on his own. He is just the mouthpiece for a number of eminent research groups working hard to gather and analyse data and carry out research into an effective drug therapy or vaccine. He is merely expressing a consensus opinion from the scientific community. To pin all this vitriol on him is unfair and unjust.
        America and the UK have done so badly because unlike S.Korea, Greece and others, they failed to take aggressive action fast and early, failed to test, isolate and trace and failed to prepare in advance (in spite of being warned 2 years ago). Complacency, incompetence and bad faith are the killers here.
        Reopening before efficient and widespread measures to test, trace and isolate are in place is recipe for disaster. And guess what? Both the USA and UK are hell-bent on doing just that. Sadly, had the right measures been implemented in good time, reopening of the kind you advocate could have been done relatively safely. Too late.

  • The thing about science that I love is that it is data driven. Unfortunately early on there was no data – we had never seen this particular virus before. You can argue from analogy to related viruses but this one has different properties. Yes, we do not wear masks to halt the spread of many diseases (e.g. flu). Yes, this one spreads much more efficiently that flu (and the related SARS). Yes as data emerges a good scientist revises their hypotheses. From a scientific standpoint lets prevent the spread of the disease. From a financial standpoint get everyone back to work. How many severe cases can the hospitals handle?

  • avatar David Neilson

    Spot on and tack sharp Artie. Thank you. Wisconsin is open today thanks to the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

    Take care, Dave

    • avatar Barry

      ….And there will be a price to pay.

      • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

        Or not. See my comments about Walmarts above.

        a

      • avatar David Neilson

        And that price is the cost of Freedom.

        • avatar E K Raminiak

          And you are willing to spread a disease from which you might have been protected (against your will) or sacrifice your parent, child, spouse, sibling, or neighbor to it in the name of “freedom”? Freedoms are regulated every day. You can’t smoke in public places. You can’t drink and drive. These regulations are in place in order to protect citizens from other citizens’ bad choices and lack of consideration for others. The “cost of freedom” is the responsibility that comes with it. Freedom is NOT doing anything you want no matter who it hurts or who it might hurt. That is not freedom. That is anarchy.

          • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

            E K Raminak.

            I think that you are delusional. Let’s see if I understand you correctly; lock everything down until there are zero new cases in the US and everyone is vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine (not to mind that there has never been a vaccine (safe or deadly) that combatted any previous coronavirus.

            Is that your stance?

            a

          • avatar E K Raminiak

            No, Art. That is not my stance. Go back and read my posts carefully. What I have said is that little to no time, energy or $$$ have been put into planning how to reopen safely. People are just saying, “Screw all this! It’s all a hoax! Let’s go back to normal!!!” Is that YOUR stance? No…it isn’t. You clearly stated that large metro areas need to take precautions in reopening. So why are YOU deliberately misinterpreting MY comments?

            The popular cries are “MY freedom! MY freedom!” and “It should be a choice!”. Okay…freedom. Choice. If I would choose to wait until there are clear plans to gradually open safely, why would another person’s choice to open everything and throw caution to the wind take precedence?

            It won’t be practical to delay relaxing restrictions until there’s a vaccine; no one knows how long that will take. But that isn’t what Fauci and other experts are advocating. What they ARE saying is that if the country is opened too quickly with no safety protocols in place, more people will die needlessly. I’ll go with the experts on this one, thanks.

          • avatar E K (Baldwin) Raminiak

            When you have people who refuse to wear masks or comply with the efforts of stores and/or restaurants to protect their patrons NOW, while restrictions are still in place; spitting at, mocking, or bullying people who DO choose to wear masks and attempt social distancing in public, you have a large, loud group of overgrown toddlers

            EK, I agree with everything above.

            clearly demonstrating WHY restrictions should not yet be relaxed.

            But it has zero to do with relaxing restrictions or not. The dickheads are gonna be dickheads either way.

            a

  • avatar Joel Eade

    Not that I am a total Fauci fan but perhaps the question should be “Do you trust Dr. Fauci’s ability to predict the future?”

    In January when we had very cases in the U.S. he said “right now” this is not a big threat. He was not alone as several major political leaders from both parties as well as The WHO made similar statements.

    Also with regard to masks: Remember China had published the base pair sequence of the virus RNA but they withheld information on the disease and how contagious it was as they continued to let people freely travel from Wuhan to the rest of the world. So no one here (including Fauci) really had any data early on to recommend masks or to suspect the extent of the pandemic that was coming.

    As things evolved, of course, recommendations have changed as you outlined. This is mostly because information was learned and data collected that warranted changes.

    I do agree that the extent of the “shutdown” and our reaction to this has been too extreme but even if Fauci recommended some of it the final decision certainly wasn’t his.

    So Fauci along with many other experts, model makers and leaders did not predict the course of this pandemic very well and we were certainly caught off guard.

    I would suggest a bit of caution when using hindsight to be critical …. it’s too easy.

    Truth is, even now, no one really knows which way this thing will go….it’s a new disease and there are many critically important unanswered questions that will be resolved in time.

    Fauci only has his training, life long experience in studying infectious disease and current data to use as resources for formulating his opinions. He is a good scientist but that doesn’t make him Nostradamus.

    So, yes, bad predictions were made and advice had to be altered but if anyone knew what was going to happen (other than the Chinese scientists) the certainly didn’t speak up at the time.

    I am going to agree that I wouldn’t trust Fauci to predict the future but I can’t either.

  • avatar Jondoe

    Yes trust the doctor 100% Whom else would you recommend to trust. ?

    Maybe a politician or a photographer.?

    I read this site for photography NOT political reasons.

    • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      Johndoe,

      Please explain why you opened the post after reading the title with the alert in it.

      a

      ps: brave of you to post using your real name.

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