Are we participating in the politicization of COVID-19?

[LAS14]

If we are, that's a good thing. But are we? Why is it that virtually no one on DU is expressing doubts about masks or fears of vaccines? It could be 100%. Is it because Democrats are just generally smarter? Or is it partly, for some small percentage, because Republicans are forcing a choice?

tia
las

[ProfessorGAC]

1. Lost Me

What choice are the Rs forcing?
How does that choice affect what we think around here?
Confused.

[LAS14]

3. Well, the Republicans have made it a statement of their political affiliation not to wear...

... masks, as an example. Not that all Republicans won't wear masks, but perhaps you get my point?

[ProfessorGAC]

5. The Overarching Point Yes

I think everybody here agrees it was the cult that politicized this situation.
At the same time, I think most here realized that by wearing a mask, we were making a political statement, but only because the environment was already set.
But, I didn't wear a mask to make republics & people who didn't wear them look bad. I wore them because there's a pandemic. I didn't care what they thought.
I'm not sure how liberals could politicize it, even if we wanted to. That ship left port months ago.

[greymattermom]

2. It's becoming the Republican disease.

If they want it so much, let them have it. I'll get the vaccine on the first or second day. Whenever that is.

[LuvNewcastle]

4. I've seen anti-vaxx posts on DU in the past,

but I haven't seen any saying that masks are ineffective against Covid. DUers are generally knowledgeable about science, or at least they respect scientific knowledge. If you want to see people debate, say that chiropractors are charlatans or that circumcision is good for your baby.

[ProfessorGAC]

6. There's The Occasional Posts...

...still insisting masks don't protect the wearer.
But, the studies that show how much they do are certainly not given enough attention. So, someone not hearing about those studies, but wearing a mask to protect others can't really be criticized. They are trying to protect others.
To their credit. Then, to their own benefit, they actually are protecting themselves.

[progree]

7. I wore a mask once and died from carbon dioxide poisoning. But that's just me I guess

[Ms. Toad]

8. Tht's a bad thing. Science doesn't have a political party -

The moment we pretend it does, we've lost to COVID with no chance of recovery.

EVERYONE needs to mask up, socially distance, and stay away from those they aren't living with in indoor settengs. It's NOT a political issue. It is a matter of public health and safety - which is based on scientific facts, not political affiliation.

[abqtommy]

9. The reason fewer democrats die from covid is because we don't take tRUMP's pronouncements

as gospel. reTHUGS and magats are dropping like flies in a DDT warehouse because they follow
every nonsensical thing that tRUMP proposes.

I don't know if Dems are smarter but we have a pro-survival focus that reTHUGS don't have.
Besides that, I haven't seen a reTHUG do one smart thing yet!

[BlueSpot]

10. I've seen a lot of posts about not trusting the vaccine...

About not wanting to be the guinea pigs (pro tip: the guinea pigs were the people in the trials). About wanting to wait until they see what happens with the early vaccines (same thing in my book as the guinea pig worriers). Don't downplay this and pretend it didn't happen here because it sure as hell did.

Meanwhile, everybody that feels that way, just get out of the way. It only means I will get mine sooner.

[cwydro]

11. Oh we've got posters against (or at least doubtful) about the vaccine.

Seen those threads almost daily.