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Totally Candid Reflections on the COVID Vaccinations
Townhall.com ^ | January 14, 2022 | Michael Brown

Posted on 01/14/2022 6:09:13 AM PST by Kaslin

Although I myself have not been vaccinated (more on that shortly), I have never been remotely anti-vax, nor have I ever downplayed the lethal nature of the virus. Not for a second.

As I wrote in my very first article on COVID on March 2, 2020, “There is no denying the seriousness of the virus.

“As Bill Gates noted in the New England Journal of Medicine on February 28, ‘In the past week, Covid-19 has started behaving a lot like the once-in-a-century pathogen we’ve been worried about.’ And even at this early stage, ‘Covid-19 has already caused 10 times as many cases as SARS [severe acute respiratory syndrome] in a quarter of the time.’”

I have lost far too many friends to COVID to minimize the threat of this foul virus. And my own experience with it, finally contracting COVID on December 26 and spending a day in the hospital earlier this week, underscores to me how virulent this coronavirus is.

Accordingly, I find it abhorrent when people mock its reality – a tendency I find primarily in our conservative circles – as if it was some kind of phantom virus or creation of the media or the government or nothing more than the flu. Please.

When people make such statements, they mock the memory of the dead and ridicule the pain of the mourning.

When it comes to the vaccine, a friend and I were recently comparing notes, and of the several dozen people we know who have died of COVID, to our knowledge, not one of them was vaccinated.

This is very troubling and, in my view, cannot be lightly brushed aside.

Would some of their precious lives have been saved if they had been vaccinated?

While in the hospital this week, I had a candid conversation with a totally non-judgmental doctor. He told me that 95 percent of the COVID victims fighting for their lives in that facility were not vaccinated, while the 5 percent who were vaccinated had severe co-morbidities.

And as I write these words, another colleague is fighting for his life, now on a ventilator and needing a miracle. He was a very strong anti-vaxxer but told his wife before being sedated that he now wished he had been vaccinated. How many similar stories have we heard?

On the other hand, there remain many serious concerns with the vaccines, concerns raised by leading scientists and doctors. Do we simply dismiss them out of hand, especially when they have nothing to gain by raising their concerns?

And what are we to think when social media bans their material? Doesn’t this only underscore the warnings they are bringing?

Added to this is the draconian nature of the vaccine mandates, not to mention their apparent illegality, and everything becomes more complex still.

And what about those documented cases where otherwise healthy people have died of blood clots (or related conditions) within hours or days of getting vaccinated? Why so little reporting on this?

As to why I was not vaccinated before, I weighed the issues carefully, as did my wife Nancy. I also consulted my primary care physician and got advice from some other top doctors. And I watched how a large number of my friends and co-workers contracted COVID and were back to normal in a matter of days or weeks.

In the end, because of my 100 percent commitment to healthy living and eating, dating back to August 24, 2014 (without any deviation from that healthy routine for a single day since then), I was advised not to be vaccinated given the strength of my immune system and my overall vibrant health. (The blood tests for my annual physical can be as many as 35 pages long, so my health is very carefully analyzed.)

And, during these last two years, I have been in many crowds of multiple thousands, standing together in close quarters. It appears that my immune system had been doing quite well. Plus, my doctor had already prescribed Ivermectin for me, along with some other recommended supplements, in the event that I did contract COVID. So, I was prepared in the event of getting sick.

That being said, watching other friends die over these months and now having to recover from COVID myself, I continue to wrestle with the question of vaccination. (Thankfully, I have finally developed natural immunity.)

Yet, because many people look to me for guidance in life and death matters, when I do not feel confident that I can give a definitive answer, I refrain from doing so. Why simply venture an opinion on something so critical? That’s why I remained quiet about my personal choices until now, not wanting to influence others either way when I was not sure myself.

Yet I am terribly grieved over the divisions in the Body over the vaccines, with some accusing the vaccinated of lacking faith or branding mask-wearers as spiritual wimps. What kind of madness is this?

To those who mock, I ask, “Who appointed you God and Lord? Who anointed you the arbiter and judge of the faith of others? Who gave you the right to criticize those who feel it is important to act with extreme care and caution?”

But I am also grieved at those who pass judgment on the unvaccinated rather than recognizing that these are complex and difficult issues.

And I know pastors who felt that the Lord told them not to yield to fear but to go on with their public services, and in two years, they have not a significant COVID outbreak of any kind. Shall we tell them their own faith is not real?

Yet there are pro-vaxxers who use reports of the latest COVID death as their personal bully pulpit, with posts like, “Well, your friend wouldn’t have died if he had been vaccinated!” And they do this in Jesus’ name, at that. What a cruel game to play!

Right now, America and the nations are hurting. The death toll continues to rise. Confusion continues to dominate. And human suffering continues to increase.

Let us, at least, walk with respect and grace to those hold to different perspectives. And let us be vigilant and diligent to preserve our own health.

And rather than throwing stones at others, let’s offer a helping hand. If we ever needed to work together, it is now.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: chinavirusvaccine; michaelbrown
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I have not been vaccinated either, actually I haven't even been checked if I have the virus or not. The reason is that I am in total quarantine. Meaning I stay in my house and do not go anywhere and no one comes to my house.
1 posted on 01/14/2022 6:09:13 AM PST by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

He finds his conservative friends “abhorrent” Ok, you are a real nuanced thinker.


2 posted on 01/14/2022 6:13:39 AM PST by BRL
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To: BRL
He told me that 95 percent of the COVID victims fighting for their lives in that facility were not vaccinated

This is a lie. Too many times this has demonstrated to be bs propaganda. The medical community has pissed away all credibility. And anyone that shills for them…is no better.

3 posted on 01/14/2022 6:22:19 AM PST by Bull Man
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To: Kaslin

“Plus, my doctor had already prescribed Ivermectin for me, along with some other recommended supplements, in the event that I did contract COVID. So, I was prepared in the event of getting sick.”

Paragraph 18. This is a buried lede. He knows it I imagine

As to this, I’ve been hearing:
“ While in the hospital this week, I had a candid conversation with a totally non-judgmental doctor. He told me that 95 percent of the COVID victims fighting for their lives in that facility were not vaccinated, while the 5 percent who were vaccinated had severe co-morbidities.”

Do these unvaccinated people maintain their immune systems? Do they have home treatment plans? Do they use them? Do they avoid being in a closed room for prolonged periods with vaxxed unmasked people?

Um vaxxed and self reliant is a subset.


4 posted on 01/14/2022 6:22:34 AM PST by stanne
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To: Kaslin

“It appears that my immune system had been doing quite well. Plus, my doctor had already prescribed Ivermectin for me, along with some other recommended supplements, in the event that I did contract COVID. “

No spring-chicken, no co-morbidities, the writer was unvaxxed, used effective therapeutics, and fought off a tough flu.

If more had the blocked/banned/demonized therapeutics, like the the much maligned “Horsepaste”, maybe more would also have fought it off.

OK. I get it.


5 posted on 01/14/2022 6:23:10 AM PST by Macoozie (Handcuffs and Orange Jumpsuits)
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To: Kaslin

6 posted on 01/14/2022 6:23:38 AM PST by Magnum44 (...against all enemies, foreign and domestic...)
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To: BRL

Loser alert. So many logical fallacies so many assumptions and the putative talk with the putative doctor is the propaganda alert. Don’t believe the stats don’t believe the health care workers fired because they won’t risk being one of the vax injured/dead they have encountered in their work...and ignore those athletes dropping like overripe fruit from the tree of life in their twenties & thirties.


7 posted on 01/14/2022 6:23:48 AM PST by JayGalt (For evil men to accomplish their purpose it is only necessary that good men should do nothing.”)
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To: Kaslin

I am sorry to not agree 100% with this author.

It has become clearer and clearer that having 1 to 4+ comorbidities is a request to have one of the Covid viruses.

When I first started looking at the background of those who got deathly sick it was clear that comorbidities was an issue. In deed, when honesty prevails in these analyses it is clear those with multiple numbers of diseases will be very ill and probably die.

The very first comorbidity I look for is obesity, then diabetes, then lung and/or heart problems. Almost all of the data I could find said this.

Obesity seems to be a huge problem in this country. I don’t know this but I speculate we have the largest numbers of obese people aged 45 to 75 in the world.

Sorry I can’t give sources of this information today. I can type more or less but my vision is too poor.


8 posted on 01/14/2022 6:26:18 AM PST by Bodega (Ready to secede now before it's too late.)
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To: Kaslin
While in the hospital this week, I had a candid conversation with a totally non-judgmental doctor. He told me that 95 percent of the COVID victims fighting for their lives in that facility were not vaccinated, while the 5 percent who were vaccinated had severe co-morbidities.

How does he know it was a "totally non-judgmental doctor". I had a similar conversation with my doctor and she was totally hard-selling me to get the booster while pooh-poohing the stories of adverse reactions. Brown could as well say he asked a non-judgmental democrat about "voting rights legislation" and that he was told it was "good for the country".

9 posted on 01/14/2022 6:28:25 AM PST by Sans-Culotte (11/3-11/4/2020 - The USA became a banana republic.)
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To: Kaslin
He told me that 95 percent of the COVID victims fighting for their lives in that facility were not vaccinated

This is a LIE, even according to the CDC that says 80% of the Hospitalizations are FULLY VACCINATED, I would file a Formal Complaint to the Medical Licensing Board, demand immediate Drug Testing and License suspension for MISINFORMATION.
10 posted on 01/14/2022 6:31:19 AM PST by eyeamok (founded in cynicism, wrapped in sarcasm)
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To: Kaslin

This article says, “Shrug...Beats me. I don’t know.”

Now, that was helpful. Lol.


11 posted on 01/14/2022 6:33:56 AM PST by xzins (Retired US Army chaplain. Support our troops by praying for their victory. )
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To: Kaslin

I had 3 jabs of Moderna starting in February 2021. No issues at all from the jabs. And instead of staying in quarantine in my basement, I am participating every day in this wonderful thing called life. Already taken in 3 cruises since the pandemic arrived from China. Next cruise end of this month, and the one after that in February 2022. Life is wonderful without any restrictions to vaccinated people.


12 posted on 01/14/2022 6:36:37 AM PST by entropy12 (President Trump was the best president in my life time of 81 years and counting..)
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To: Kaslin

In humans viral pandemics are ruled by zonulin. Zonulin has made us the extremely evolved creatures that we are today, the only creatures capable of analyzing and responding to factors which reach FAR outside of our paradigms. Zonulin makes us extremely vulnerable to death from viral epidemics, and we adopted this trait on purpose. It accelerated human evolutionary changes.

That’s great for the human species, but for me and my family it’s not so great. Evolution wants to kill us for the betterment of the species. I’m not okay with that.


13 posted on 01/14/2022 6:37:27 AM PST by nagant
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To: Bull Man
The medical community has pissed away all credibility.

They certainly have. I went in for a consult with my (now former) primary care physician specifically and solely to talk about getting vaccinated or not. I have several medical issues in my personal and family medical history that cause significant concerns. Particularly when the vaccines are now linked to causing and exacerbating these exact issues - but in as yet unknown ways.

You would think, given the unknown linkage to these issues, and given my personal and family history prudence would dictate I wait until more data is in and my personal risks could be better quantified. You would think. Nope. My now former doctor is 100% on the vaccine bus. When I detailed the elements of my personal and family history and my concerns did my doctor reply with facts, figures, test data to alleviate my concerns? No, the sum total of my doctor's response, verbatim, was "Everyone has risks." Wow, what a cogent, informative, helpful reply... NOT!

A bit taken aback, I simply asked - is there anyone you would recommend not get vaccinated? The reply? "No. Unless you are allergic to one of the ingredients." I asked how I would know if I was allergic, never having had an mRNA/lipid cocktail before. "You just have to take it and see."

This is why I am never going back to that doctor. Complete, irreversible loss of confidence in judgement and character.

14 posted on 01/14/2022 6:45:10 AM PST by ThunderSleeps (Biden/Harris - illegitimate and everyone knows it.)
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To: Kaslin
“As Bill Gates noted in the New England Journal of Medicine on February 28, ‘In the past week, Covid-19 has started behaving a lot like the once-in-a-century pathogen we’ve been worried about.’ creating and planning for
15 posted on 01/14/2022 6:49:02 AM PST by Pollard (PureBlood -- https://youtube.com/watch?v=VXm0fkDituE)
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To: Kaslin

The author of a he article is a hypochondriac tyrant. I hope her fourth clot-shot takes her out.

And no, I’m not sorry


16 posted on 01/14/2022 6:50:08 AM PST by WMarshal ("Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither.")
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To: Kaslin
“As Bill Gates noted in the New England Journal of Medicine on February 28, …”

The author completely discredits his column — along with the entire community medical professionals — with this one citation.

Bill Gates is not a doctor, has no medical training, doesn’t even have a college degree, and probably couldn’t figure out how to apply a Band-Aid to a scrape without an instruction manual. What the hell is he doing writing an article in a medical publication like this?

Reading an article by Bill Gates in the New England Journal of Medicine is like listening to AOC give a lecture on quantum physics at MIT.

17 posted on 01/14/2022 6:51:41 AM PST by Alberta's Child ("All lies and jest; still, a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.")
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To: Bull Man

That is not the only misleading statement he made.

For instance: ““As Bill Gates noted in the New England Journal of Medicine on February 28, ‘In the past week, Covid-19 has started behaving a lot like the once-in-a-century pathogen we’ve been worried about.’ And even at this early stage, ‘Covid-19 has already caused 10 times as many cases as SARS [severe acute respiratory syndrome] in a quarter of the time.’”

We are now learning that the major cause of the high death rate was the non-treatment by doctors and hospitals under the instructions of the CDC and all major medical regulators.

Preventative and early treatment, which was totally ignored and ridiculed by the medical industry, would have saved a major portion of those who died.


18 posted on 01/14/2022 6:53:47 AM PST by old curmudgeon (There is no situation so bad that the federal government can not make worse.)
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To: Magnum44

Just ... right on.


19 posted on 01/14/2022 6:54:15 AM PST by gloryblaze
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To: Kaslin

Haha, conservative “anti-vaxxers” are not the ones who are judgmental - it’s the liberals who are coming down hard on anyone who doesn’t line up for the shot like a good little prole.

That being said, the lack of belief in the virus, or that the virus is potentially quite deadly and can kill you pretty quick if you’re not careful, is troubling. And of course libwads are extremely fast to point out the death of someone who publicly ranted against the vaccine and expressed doubt that the epidemic was real.

Donald Trump gave common-sense advice about hand-washing, avoiding contact with others, taking prophylactic hydroxychloroquine, etc., and was ridiculed up one side and down the other. This sensible advice was completely overridden by the media and BigPharma worshippers, and everyone had to GET POLARIZED over it. Now there is a lot of fear and we have a senile old communist in the White House.

I’m wondering what kind of crowd this guy hangs out with, in fact. He says he’s lost a lot of friends and so on. Not that I doubt him, but.... I don’t know of a single person who has died. I talked to an aunt who is in her 80s over the phone a couple of times recently and she didn’t even mention it. My mom, age 87, claimed to have been very sick with SARS-CoV2, and to have had a reaction to the vaccine, but she was well enough when I spoke with her. She started a fight with me about vaccinations, in fact. (Sorry I keep bringing this up; I had a lot of hopes that I could be able to hang out with my mom again after not speaking for almost 12 years. I feel very sad and bitter about it.)

So, condolences to Mr Brown for having lost so many friends and family, but...wow. This is really the first I’ve heard of someone claiming to have lost multiple friends and family in this epidemic. (I just looked at the article again: He says between himself and a friend, they have “lost several dozen people.”)


20 posted on 01/14/2022 6:56:57 AM PST by Scarlett156 (Don't take it personally. I just get bored really easily. )
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