'Enough coddling': Columnist argues it’s a waste of time to negotiate with anti-vaxx Trump fans
The country is working diligently to convince as many people as possible that the vaccine will save them from succumbing to the coronavirus. While the dangers of the delta variant led to a slight increase in vaccinations, there is still a core group of Americans who refuse to get vaccinated.
Meanwhile, however, the far-right, QAnon, conspiracy world is still fighting against the shot. Daily Beast columnist Wajahat Ali argued in a Monday piece that some people are too far gone to even try and convince them to get the vaccine.
"Most of us in this country, who have chosen life during a pandemic, are asked to coddle the unhinged temper tantrums and violent extremism of a conservative base that continues supporting the Jan. 6 violent insurrection and attacking our voting rights, and is willing to sacrifice our children as canaries in the COVID coalmine to fuel their endless culture war during a pandemic that has killed over 600,000 Americans," Ali wrote.
He noted that the absurdity caucus in the GOP is still being allowed on television and news and commentary websites like Politico even legitimize their conspiracy theories.
"Welcome to the Upside Down," he said. "Democracy might not survive, but the ratings will be great as the GOP base has become so unhinged and radicalized on a feed bag of disinformation to the point that Crenshaw, a slavish MAGA man, got heckled for refusing to say the election was stolen."
He noted that even Trump and Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) were booed when trying to tell people to get the vaccine. "Enough coddling. It's time to say enough is enough," Ali wrote.
He explained that they are too far over the bend to be brought back into the rational world. They simply can't be won over and it's a waste of time to even attempt it. "Facts, common sense, and good-naturedness will not sway their fragile, terrified hearts," said Ali.
Democrats aren't playing ball either. When House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) attempted to place far-right Republicans on the Jan. 6 select committee, she refused two of the absurd choices that would have simply blown up the committee. So, McCarthy refused to allow any Republicans to be on the committee.
"Republicans like GOP House "leader" Kevin McCarthy have already dismissed the investigation as a political witch hunt. I mean I also would be dismissive of an investigation that would potentially incriminate myself," Ali noted.
"It's too late to convince people determined to believe otherwise that the pandemic is real, deadly, and requires them to wear masks and take vaccines," he closed. "It's been nearly two years. We could have reopened safely by now, saved thousands of lives, and protected our front-line workers if we simply followed social distancing and masking."
Ali hopes "that death and economic pain [will be] great motivators" to the rest of the country to conclude that today's Republican Party is reckless if not dangerous.
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