by Gerry Silverstein
One of the great failings in Vermont, and all 50 states in truth, is that tens of millions of people communicate via sound bites, tweets, and other non-informative feel-good gibberish.
With regard to COVID the majority of the Vermont (and national) citizenry lack sufficient scientific literacy to understand what is true and what is agenda-driven communication. Politicians and social justice warrior public health officials take advantage of the public’s lack of knowledge.
Here is a statement by Taylor Small, P/D-Winooski (from VTDigger): “Look no further than the Covid-19 pandemic, Small said, to see how Vermont needs these kinds of measures: higher rates of illness, higher rates of hospitalization and a higher rate of death among people of color than the general population.”
Regarding Vermont, that is an absolutely false statement: highest COVID death numbers and rates are in white, non-Hispanic people. Yes not by much, but 96% of all deaths (from VT Department of Health dashboard) involve white, non-Hispanic individuals and since white non-Hispanic individuals represent 94% of the population, the conclusion is inescapable.
The fact that 241 of the 251 deaths for which race and ethnicity are known (1 death has no association) are in white, non-Hispanic people does not appear to matter to many elected (and sadly public health) officials who seem to be focused only on “systemic racism” and what they declare as health care disparities in POC.
Perhaps I am biased but I think the fact that 96% of all COVID deaths have been in white, non-Hispanic Vermonters should be treated as more than a footnote in the COVID epidemic in Vermont… but that is how those deaths are treated… at least in commentary by politicians and public health officials in the public domain.
The author is a retired University of Vermont professor and South Burlington resident.
Cover photo credit CDC.gov.
Categories: Commentary
Saul Alinsky wrote: “The third rule of ethics and means is that in war the end justifies almost any means”.
According to democrats, progressives and 90% of the “journalism community” facts and “science” only matter if they fit the current narrative and drive the politics in the specified direction. If it is national or global statistics that set the stage, then those will be used. If it is local data that fits, then they will be cited. “White people” are a GLOBAL MINORITY but it is non-whites that still bear the title of “racial minority” on a local level in Vermont because it invokes the most effective victimhood status, which is the badge of honor of leftist authoritarians. Facts matter more than feelings, and that’s a fact.
“Politicians and social justice warriors and public health officials take advantage of the public’s lack of knowledge” is so true and they also attempt to codify into laws similar inaccurate, generalized or vague observations. To anyone who still believes that Vermont Legislators are voting on laws based on facts not on ideology, I suggest reading all the ‘Whereas ” of the H.J.R 6 ( House Resolution ) who won preliminary approval from the House last week, expecting final approval on Wednesday and heading to the Senate next week. . https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2022/Docs/RESOLUTN/JRH006/JRH006%20As%20Introduced.pdf
WAIT A MINUTE…You mean to tell me that the Digger reported Representative Small’s statement without any back check on the information…and he was WRONG? You mean we can’t depend on our Representatives for accurate information or the Digger’s reporters for journalism???? Well…Yes, that’s what we’ve been suspecting…isn’t it?
it fits their left wing narrative, so they spew it out…simple as that. VTDigger are not journalists, they are stenographers for the demoprog party and BLM.
Here is the link to the Joint Resolution relating to racism as a public health emergency.https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2022/Docs/RESOLUTN/JRH006/JRH006%20As%20Introduced.pdf
Well, at least all the commenters can rest easy that well over 90% of Vermont residents are white. I bet that makes you all sleep a little more soundly at night.