The case of Aaron Rodgers has already been discussed on the Kos. But as a brief summary for those not in the know, the star QB for the Green Bay Packers recently tested positive for Covid-19. The controversy surrounding this positive test traces back to a pre-season press conference where Rodgers was asked about his vaccination status and to which he replied “I have been immunized.” Many people took that response to mean “yes, I have been vaccinated” and Rodgers followed protocols designed for vaxxed players, such as not wearing a mask during press conferences etc. As it turns out, at the time of the presser, Rodgers was attempting to have the NFL approve a homeopathic (i.e. quack) treatment as a substitute for getting an actual vaccination, which of course the NFL denied.
Since his positive test and non-vaxxed status became public knowledge, Rodger has been caught in a firestorm of criticism. Today (November 5), he told his side of the story on the Pat McAfee Show (a podcast on Sirius XM and youtube). This show has the same general vibe as Joe Rogan’s and Rodgers let his inner Joe Rogan shine through in his interview:.
I'm not some sort of anti-vax, flat-earther. I'm somebody who's a critical thinker. You guys know me, I march to the beat of my own drum. I believe strongly in bodily autonomy, and ability to make choices for your body, not to have to acquiesce to some woke culture or crazed group of individuals who say you have to do something. Health is not a one-size-fits-all for everybody."
Yes, doctors scientists, public health officials, ya know the woke mob!!!, are out to get him for the simple act of marching to the beat of his own drum. What is that song being played? — Yes, it is that classic “Let me infect you with a potentially deadly virus” What an ear worm that one is!! And yes Aaron, when it comes to health choices, one size does not fit all; for some taking a scientifically tested vaccine fits nicely and for others, pseudo-scientific bunk known as homeopathic vaccines is just like Cinderella’s slipper; literally like it because it is a fairy tale, magical thinking bullshit. As one journalist aptly describes Aaron’s immune boosting homeopathic treatment:
Also known by the name “nosodes,” these faux-vaccines are, like all homeopathic medicines, supposedly made from a biological substance that has been heavily diluted. In the case of nosodes, this is often diseased tissue or an infectious agent; homeopathy relies on the principle of “like cures like,” the idea being that something which can sicken a person in a large amount would activate their immune response when taken in a diluted form. But that dilution, of course, means that people taking homeopathic medicines are in essence just taking meaningless, completely inert tinctures or sugar pills. This is in no way similar to receiving a vaccination -- Anna Merlan, www.vice.com/...
So drinking a can of Dr. Pepper will give you about as much immune boosting as Rodger’s homeopathic treatment.
But back to Rodgers’ interview. On the Pat McAfee show, Rodgers explained that he did not trust the vaccine (maybe it has shifty eyes); he believed he could be allergic to some its ingredients, and he also worried that it could cause sterility. I mean, ya gotta admit, those reasons are all legitimately wrong and thoroughly debunked concerns. So I will take “idiotic reasons to not get vaccinated for a 100”, Aaron.
Following his in-depth research (i.e., apparently listening to a Joe Rogan podcast), the grand poo-pah of “Title Town” jumped aboard the Joe Rogan treatment train. That is, iIvermectin—because no one could be allergic to horse dewormer!!--coupled with monoclonal antibodies, zinc and Vitamin-C and best of all, the superduper immunity by infection myth:
I’ve been doing a lot of stuff that he recommended in his podcasts and on the phone to me, and I’m going to have the best immunity possible now based on the 2.5 million-person study from Israel that the people who get COVID and recover have the most robust immunity. I’m thankful for people like Joe [Rogan] stepping up and using their voice,” Rodgers said.
And to finish with a 2-minute drive, game winning flourish, Rodgers compared himself to MLK who also had the courage and conviction to resist injustice:
As an aside, the great MLK said, you have a moral obligation to object to unjust rules and rules that make no sense,” Rodgers told McAfee.
Gosh, maybe its just me, but when I read about a high-profile, super wealthy pro athlete ignoring science in favor of new age quackery; hedging (lying) when asked a direct question about his vaccination status; and putting others in peril by recklessly ignoring mask protocols, I don’t immediately see a direct comparison to MLK’s civil rights activism. But, it takes a certain kind of intellect to make that connection I suppose.
The bigger issue is that Rodgers has a massive fan following and a significant public platform. Under very justifiable criticism, he has chosen to use that valuable resource, to not just justify his own anti-vaccination actions, but to perpetuate and legitimate the anti-vax skepticism and the ivermectin, Joe Rogan bullshit narrative. And so, Rodgers becomes an enemy of the greater good and public health under the libertarian guise of making his own choice. And let us not forget that, Joe Rogan, in a fleeting moment of clarity, called himself a “fucking moron” for espousing anti-vax views. Rodgers could have turned a negative into a positive by making a similar admission. Instead, he opted to play “the woke culture is out to cancel me” victim card. Well, I will say it for you Aaron, you are fucking moron.