Conservatives wonder why they're dying of covid

[ZiprHead]

Actor Kirk Cameron Throws Another Maskless Event on New Year’s Eve

Former child actor Kirk Cameron held yet another maskless event despite surging COVID-19 cases in California—this time gathering people on a beach on New Year’s Eve to “pray for our country.” The ’80s sitcom star, who has been outspoken about his anti-mask beliefs, hosted a crowd in Malibu on Thursday despite warnings from local officials to stay home amid the pandemic. “Happy New Year to everyone. I am going into 2021 with a plan and a purpose, and full of hope,” Cameron posted on his Instagram, along with a four-minute video of himself speaking to the crowd at Point Mugu. At one point in the speech, Cameron said: “We’re hoping that we’re going to have hundreds of people here. Please come and join us by candlelight as we sing and as we pray for our country.” Footage of the event posted on Cameron’s Instagram and taken by local TV shows residents without masks, huddled together on the beach with candles. In the last few weeks, the Growing Pains actor has hosted two caroling events in Thousand Oaks to protest the lockdown in California.

 

[Keith&Co.]

Conservatives are Wondering Why They’re the Only Ones Getting COVID, ‘Crazy How Only Republicans Get Covid-19!’

Simpletons. Movie after movie, right after someone ssys, 'no such thing as werewolves' they get their lungs ripped out. By a werewolf.
Right after saying, 'there's no such thing as ghosts' they walk right thru a woman in Victorian clothing.
Right after saying "Rodents Of Unusual Size? I don't think they exist," they're attacked by a ROUS.
Right after they say, 'unsinkable,' Rod Serling points out they're passengers on the Titanic.
Right after they say, "I feel good about our chances," zombies eat their face.

And we scoff. We all scoff. No one ever comes out of the movie saying, "Well, the dumb son of a bitch did have a good point about werewolves, up until they ripped his lungs out." No, we scoff for the fact they wasted the hero's time.

So. Spend months saying, 'we don't need to follow CDC guidelines to keep us safe from teh Covud,' because
a) hoax
b) freedom
c) herd immunity
d) other
e) combinations of the above

....they get their lungs ripped out. By werecovid. And are confused about why THEY aren't the hero in this feature...

 

[ZiprHead]

ORGANIZED GROUP STORMS L.A. GROCERY STORE ...
More Stampedes Planned

Despite COVID-19 cases surging in Los Angeles, hospitals overrun and a rising death count, there's a sick group of people storming grocery stores without masks ... and it appears they are part of a group that is targeting stores to wreak havoc.

30-50 members of this group stampeded the Erewhon Market near The Grove shopping center a few days ago, demanding to be allowed to shop without their masks.

The anti-maskers were seen forcing their way in and harassing workers while flouting the city's face-covering safety guidelines. Some even tried to get the employees to join them ... encouraging them to remove their masks and "live their lives."

Their stupidity and recklessness cannot be overstated ... they are screaming, defying and pulling penal code sections out of their asses, none of which makes any sense. Watch how they confront cops ... the police exercise remarkable restraint.

They took their stampede to other stores in the area, including a Trader Joe's.

The demonstration seems to be linked to a Facebook group that describes itself like this -- "So here we are, shopping around LA maskless, witnessing the unraveling of hijacked minds right before our very eyes."

 

[Angry Floof]

Whatever these dipshits traded their humanity for, I hope it's worth it. But trade their humanity they did, conscience, empathy, nothing spared except tribalism, bigotry, and stupidity.

 

[Elixir]

....they get their lungs ripped out. By werecovid. And are confused about why THEY aren't the hero in this feature...

View attachment 31069

You keep sticking googly eyes on McCoy's tricorder and that's what you get!

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

ORGANIZED GROUP STORMS L.A. GROCERY STORE ...
More Stampedes Planned

Despite COVID-19 cases surging in Los Angeles, hospitals overrun and a rising death count, there's a sick group of people storming grocery stores without masks ... and it appears they are part of a group that is targeting stores to wreak havoc.

30-50 members of this group stampeded the Erewhon Market near The Grove shopping center a few days ago, demanding to be allowed to shop without their masks.

The anti-maskers were seen forcing their way in and harassing workers while flouting the city's face-covering safety guidelines. Some even tried to get the employees to join them ... encouraging them to remove their masks and "live their lives."

Their stupidity and recklessness cannot be overstated ... they are screaming, defying and pulling penal code sections out of their asses, none of which makes any sense. Watch how they confront cops ... the police exercise remarkable restraint.

They took their stampede to other stores in the area, including a Trader Joe's.

The demonstration seems to be linked to a Facebook group that describes itself like this -- "So here we are, shopping around LA maskless, witnessing the unraveling of hijacked minds right before our very eyes."

I wonder where I would stand legally if I were in a store shopping and these clowns came at me maskless and I cuffed one. Would I be acting in self defense? Here in PA that would probably be the case because all the establishments require masks, particularly places like Trader Joes as opposed to Walmart.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

Thank-you for keeping me honest. A quick google search yields this one, 2014 material.

Conspiracy theories aren’t just for conservatives

I just googled "conspiracy thinking left and right politics." Lots more possible reads. Let me know your thoughts.

I wonder if there is any research on how people respond to new evidence contradicting those beliefs. In other words, how long do people hang on to beliefs and why, in the face of evidence. And I mean evidence, not just contradiction and argumentation. (We know that doesn't sway people and even makes some people dig in deeper.) I mean actually seeing that your information is not true.

People are not conservative or liberal just because that's what they were brought up to be, though that is a strong factor, but how people think and perceive the world will attract them to certain ideologies. As the word liberal means "open, free," people who think and perceive more openly tend to be more liberal. Are you more open to change, new ideas, new experiences, other cultures? Most likely liberal ideologies will appeal to you.

That's why I'd like to see research on changing one's mind where the rubber meets the road. More open to change and new ideas means more open changing one's mind about something. I know I've certainly changed my mind on a great many things over the last 10-15 years, that's for sure. Politics, religion, my whole mental framework really.

I consider myself a scientific naturalist. That means that I make observations and then come to conclusions. I think most people have it the other way around. I am hugely skeptical of outlandish claims because I have caught myself being ignorant. It doesn't seem possible that dipshits who proclaim their maskless freedom are scientific naturalists, regardless whatever else they may also be. A claim is a claim whether I can personally and directly verify its veracity or can only indirectly do so, but my feelings are only a bias.

Changing one's mind and changing one's feelings are not the same thing. Someone with an emotional bias is of a certain "mind" and it's difficult to change. That's one observation I have been able to make, even of myself over the years, and experiments along the lines of Dunning Kruger have proven as much. It's also been my observation over the years that people who are buzzed on stimulants, legally or otherwise, exercise poor judgement. I mean, how profoundly stupid does one need to be to crash a store to proclaim your maskless freedom? That's about as juvenile as wearing underwear on your head.

 

[thebeave]

Actor Kirk Cameron Throws Another Maskless Event on New Year’s Eve

Former child actor Kirk Cameron held yet another maskless event despite surging COVID-19 cases in California—this time gathering people on a beach on New Year’s Eve to “pray for our country.” The ’80s sitcom star, who has been outspoken about his anti-mask beliefs, hosted a crowd in Malibu on Thursday despite warnings from local officials to stay home amid the pandemic. “Happy New Year to everyone. I am going into 2021 with a plan and a purpose, and full of hope,” Cameron posted on his Instagram, along with a four-minute video of himself speaking to the crowd at Point Mugu. At one point in the speech, Cameron said: “We’re hoping that we’re going to have hundreds of people here. Please come and join us by candlelight as we sing and as we pray for our country.” Footage of the event posted on Cameron’s Instagram and taken by local TV shows residents without masks, huddled together on the beach with candles. In the last few weeks, the Growing Pains actor has hosted two caroling events in Thousand Oaks to protest the lockdown in California.

Maybe Kirk figured what he was doing would be classifield as a protest. Which is permitted, as our Governor declared protests and church attendance to be exempt from the lockdown. Because, apparently the science showed protests and church attendance don't spread the virus. I love science!

 

[Angry Floof]

Thank-you for keeping me honest. A quick google search yields this one, 2014 material.

Conspiracy theories aren’t just for conservatives

I just googled "conspiracy thinking left and right politics." Lots more possible reads. Let me know your thoughts.

I wonder if there is any research on how people respond to new evidence contradicting those beliefs. In other words, how long do people hang on to beliefs and why, in the face of evidence. And I mean evidence, not just contradiction and argumentation. (We know that doesn't sway people and even makes some people dig in deeper.) I mean actually seeing that your information is not true.

People are not conservative or liberal just because that's what they were brought up to be, though that is a strong factor, but how people think and perceive the world will attract them to certain ideologies. As the word liberal means "open, free," people who think and perceive more openly tend to be more liberal. Are you more open to change, new ideas, new experiences, other cultures? Most likely liberal ideologies will appeal to you.

That's why I'd like to see research on changing one's mind where the rubber meets the road. More open to change and new ideas means more open changing one's mind about something. I know I've certainly changed my mind on a great many things over the last 10-15 years, that's for sure. Politics, religion, my whole mental framework really.

I consider myself a scientific naturalist. That means that I make observations and then come to conclusions. I think most people have it the other way around. I am hugely skeptical of outlandish claims because I have caught myself being ignorant. It doesn't seem possible that dipshits who proclaim their maskless freedom are scientific naturalists, regardless whatever else they may also be. A claim is a claim whether I can personally and directly verify its veracity or can only indirectly do so, but my feelings are only a bias.

Changing one's mind and changing one's feelings are not the same thing. Someone with an emotional bias is of a certain "mind" and it's difficult to change. That's one observation I have been able to make, even of myself over the years, and experiments along the lines of Dunning Kruger have proven as much. It's also been my observation over the years that people who are buzzed on stimulants, legally or otherwise, exercise poor judgement. I mean, how profoundly stupid does one need to be to crash a store to proclaim your maskless freedom? That's about as juvenile as wearing underwear on your head.

Whatever the case may be in the details, both sides are not the same.

 

[fromderinside]

What help would you suggest?

Why don't you go help them and show us how it's done?

Been doing it for years. Ran a food bank for five years. Nobody died.

Coached deprived children in baseball and basketball for about a decade. Kids stayed in school.

Proper pairing of expectations with tasks helps.

Sometimes it's tough. Coached a kid who had AIDS. Parents only paid attention to him neglected his uninfected brother. Got kid with AIDS to invite his brother to play with our team. Parents didn't learn but normal neglected kid did. Other parents finally accepted the AIDS child and we had two great seasons.

I fail to see how any of that would affect the delusion in right wing heads. Are you suggesting that giving them hot food or coaching their kids will break the trumpy dipshit spell they are under?

Pretty obvious what works. They aren't actually delusional just constructing walls to support their behaviors. I didn't convince the parents of the child to change true. But the parents were left with two sons who worked together so maybe later on .... I never found out.

I'm saying sharing life lived differently will eventually change behavior. Those in position to influence others should demonstrate what they think that means when position to do so. It did with the AIDS fearing parents and with the two brothers. I believe sharing feelings in the food bank clients changed lives as well. Many clients became providers.

Just saying doing what one can where one can has life changing effects.

I'm not going to dwell on the characters of others I'm just going to share what I consider good characteristics when I'm around them.

Community?

 

[Worldtraveller]

This particular bit of right wing delusion might be a few people today, but conspiracy theories grow like Monsanto weeds among Trump cultists. There is no reasoning or discernment going on there.

I agree.


But it isn't just right wingers. I see it happening all over the place.
Tom

Ah, ok. "Both sides are the same." Thanks for letting me know you can be ignored now.

Yeah, fuck that both sides noise.
If you look here, there's a list of candidates at the federal and state level that have been elected, then dies due to covid.

You have to click on each one individually to determine party, though.

Let's see if can find a trend, shall we?
Luke Letlow (Republican Party) Note that he was criticized several times for flaunting CDC guidelines, although it's likely he didn't catch it during the campaign.
Stephen Fain Williams - no party affiliation listed, but he was appointed by Reagan.
Roy Edwards (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the Wyoming House of Representatives to represent District 53. He died on November 2, 2020, before the general election scheduled for November 3, 2020. His name still appeared on the ballot.
Dick Hinch (Republican Party) was a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives, representing Hillsborough 21. He assumed office in 2008. He left office on December 9, 2020. Hinch (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the New Hampshire House of Representatives to represent Hillsborough 21. He won in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Jerry Relph (Republican Party) was a member of the Minnesota State Senate, representing District 14. He assumed office in 2017. He left office on December 18, 2020.
Reggie Bagala (Republican Party) was a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, representing District 54. He assumed office on January 13, 2020.
Bob Glanzer (Republican Party) was a member of the South Dakota House of Representatives, representing District 22. Glanzer assumed office on January 10, 2017.
Benny Napoleon (Democratic Party) was the Wayne County Sheriff in Michigan. Napoleon left office on December 17, 2020.

The few others didn't have a party listed.

 

[Swammerdami]

Newsweek headline: "GOP Congressman-Elect to Oppose Biden Win Certification, Says 'No Question' Trump Won."

How many Democratic Congressmen refused to certify Trump's win in 2016?

One of the most insidious memes in post-rational American politics is the idea that "Both sides are the same."

Most Trumpists with a 100+ IQ will admit that their man and his team produce a lot of lies, but it doesn't matter because "the libtards do it too." It is human nature to impute one's failings to others: If they would happily lie in support of Trump they assume libtards are happy to lie also.

Birtherism was led by the soon-to-be President of the United States, and he was joined by many top GOP Congresscritters who "weren't sure" where Obama was born. Top GOPsters led the claims that Obama was a Muslim or a terrorist, and many other top GOPsters "weren't sure" what Obama's religion was. Top GOP and FoxNews people including Mike Flynn's son promulgated Pizza-gate.

How many top Demcrats endorsed the Truther bugaboo? What did CNN and MSNBC have to say about it?

Many Democrats are suspicious of the banking sector and the FedRes, but which Senator was it who thinks that gold is missing from Fort Knox, perhaps replaced with tungsten? Hint: He's named after Ayn Rand. And don't make me Search the TFT archives: Surely it's well known here that Cheney and his cabal were fully aware that they were pushing lies and conspiracy theories about Iraq in the prelude to that disastrous misadvanture.

It will be very hard to agree on objective measures of lunacy or gullibility. I vote Democratic and I don't think Hamlet was written by the man from Stratford: Trumpists will claim that as a point for them.

Or consider this scenario: A 3rd-grade teacher tells his pupils to sit on one side of the room if they think 2+2=4 and the other side if 2+2=3. (The class splits evenly.) Teacher asks pupils to raise their hands if they feel the other side is victim to a hoax. (Pupils on both sides raise their hands.) Is this evidence for "Same same"?

It is true that persons both left and right politically are equally affected by conspiracy thinking. At least I've read enough on the subject and seen the results of enough studies to feel sufficiently informed. Some of those studies asked specifically about election results and for belief if there was cheating. Unsurprisingly the losers, whether democratic or conservative, were equally likely to claim there was cheating. But those were basically academic studies with some questions concerning election results.

Links, please.

Thank-you for keeping me honest. A quick google search yields this one, 2014 material.

Conspiracy theories aren’t just for conservatives

I just googled "conspiracy thinking left and right politics." Lots more possible reads. Let me know your thoughts.

My thoughts are that both you and the washingtonpost opinion focus on the fact that Ds think Rs cheat in elections and vice versa. Same-same. Yawn.

This is why I introduced the "2+2=4" thought experiment. To imagine that Rs cheat in elections is not "conspiracy thinking" — it's factual.

D precincts in some states had multi-hour delays to get to a voting booth, while R precincts in the same state were quick. Coincidence?

Trump and his postmaster-general tried to subvert vote-by-mail. This isn't conspiracy theory — they openly bragged about it! I suppose "cheating" is ambiguous — If you twist the law to suppress black votes but don't get arrested for it does that mean it wasn't cheating? — but any objective observer would agree that R cheating is rampant and certainly more severe than any D cheating. Yet Ds are accused of "conspiracy theory" if they think Rs cheat? Give us a break!

The list goes on and on. Your own cite starts this way:

Who doesn’t love a good conspiracy theory? Liberals, that’s who. Take Princeton economist Paul Krugman who ominously warns that:

Unlike the crazy conspiracy theories of the left—which do exist, but are supported only by a tiny fringe—the crazy conspiracy theories of the right are supported by important people: powerful politicians, television personalities with large audiences.

Krugman makes a fair point: in moderation conspiracy theories may show healthy skepticism, but in excess they can erode the trust needed for states to fulfill their basic functions and warp the respect for evidence necessary for sound decision making.

The WPO moron should have stopped typing there. Instead he goes with "But the 2+2=4 people think the 2+2=3 have also been hoaxed. Same-same." What a joke.

 

[Elixir]

Pointing out the reality of modern American society causes you to put members on ignore?

No, it's more about your "both sides" bullshit.
Did you manage to come up with your list of favorite left wing conspiracy theories?

Once more, here are some of my right winger favs:
RIGHT WING CONSPIRACY THEORIES

 

[TomC]

Pointing out the reality of modern American society causes you to put members on ignore?

No, it's more about your "both sides" bullshit.
Did you manage to come up with your list of favorite left wing conspiracy theories?

Once more, here are some of my right winger favs:
RIGHT WING CONSPIRACY THEORIES

I didn't say both sides are the same. That was Angry Floof.

No, I'm not interested in wading in the muck at the bottom of social media looking for idiocy.
Tom

 

[Elixir]

I didn't say both sides are the same. That was Angry Floof

Oh? You're saying that a moderator posted under your handle?
You should definitely let Zipr know about that - it is a heinous thing that you allege.

it isn't just right wingers. I see it happening all over the place

You didn't post that, Angry Floof did?
Please provide some examples of your fav left wing conspiracy theories.
I am calling bullshit on your bullshit, Tom. Put up or shut up. Take responsibility for your statements and stop pointing fingers at others.

 

[Keith&Co.]

Pointing out the reality of modern American society causes you to put members on ignore?

No, it's more about your "both sides" bullshit.
Did you manage to come up with your list of favorite left wing conspiracy theories?

Once more, here are some of my right winger favs:
RIGHT WING CONSPIRACY THEORIES

I didn't say both sides are the same. That was Angry Floof.

Well, that was a lot of posters here who have a tendency to bring up "the other side" in any discussion. Makes one side less toxic if they can claim the other is just as bad.
If that was not your intent, though, why did you bring it up?

 

[Toni]

So, do you have any evidence whatsoever that "conservatives" or "Republicans" are the only ones getting/dying from COVID?

There is a difference, albeit a very subtle one, between saying that "Republicans are the only ones dying from Covid" and laughing at dumbcunt Trumpsuckers who are convinced that "Republicans are the only ones dying from Covid".

Very nuanced, I know. I totally understand how the distinction flew past you. But to answer your question, no I don't have any evidence and to be frank I believe anyone who promotes such asinine conspiracies are completely full of shit. Simply put you are asking the wrong crowd as the people who are promoting such an idiotic claim are on Parler and I suspect/hope, not members of this forum. I'm afraid that I can't help you in challenging stupid fuckwits who believe such crap as to be a member you need a US social security number, apparently.

OMG: Parler is asking for Social Security numbers? I knew those who joined were idiots but I didn't think they were that stupid....

 

[TomC]

I didn't say both sides are the same. That was Angry Floof

Oh? You're saying that a moderator posted under your handle?
You should definitely let Zipr know about that - it is a heinous thing that you allege.

it isn't just right wingers. I see it happening all over the place

You didn't post that, Angry Floof did?
Please provide some examples of your fav left wing conspiracy theories.
I am calling bullshit on your bullshit, Tom. Put up or shut up. Take responsibility for your statements and stop pointing fingers at others.

No.
I'm saying that AF changed what I said into "both sides are the same". I didn't say that. I don't mean that.

It's a problem I'm finding here on TFT. Straw man arguments. Nuanced opinions, firmly held, get turned into the black and white thinking. If I don't agree with a member about everything, I seem like a Trump supporter.
Tom

 

[thebeave]

Oh? You're saying that a moderator posted under your handle?
You should definitely let Zipr know about that - it is a heinous thing that you allege.



You didn't post that, Angry Floof did?
Please provide some examples of your fav left wing conspiracy theories.
I am calling bullshit on your bullshit, Tom. Put up or shut up. Take responsibility for your statements and stop pointing fingers at others.

No.
I'm saying that AF changed what I said into "both sides are the same". I didn't say. I don't mean that.

It's a problem I'm finding here on TFT. Straw man arguments. Nuanced opinions, firmly held, get turned into the black and white thinking. If I don't agree with a member about everything, I seem like a Trump supporter.
Tom

Not a Trump supporter. You'd be known as a Trumpsucker. You could say you agree with Trump that the the sky is blue, and you will be forever known as a Trumpsucker here.

 

[TomC]

Oh? You're saying that a moderator posted under your handle?
You should definitely let Zipr know about that - it is a heinous thing that you allege.



You didn't post that, Angry Floof did?
Please provide some examples of your fav left wing conspiracy theories.
I am calling bullshit on your bullshit, Tom. Put up or shut up. Take responsibility for your statements and stop pointing fingers at others.

No.
I'm saying that AF changed what I said into "both sides are the same". I didn't say. I don't mean that.

It's a problem I'm finding here on TFT. Straw man arguments. Nuanced opinions, firmly held, get turned into the black and white thinking. If I don't agree with a member about everything, I seem like a Trump supporter.
Tom

Not a Trump supporter. You'd be known as a Trumpsucker. You could say you agree with Trump that the the sky is blue, and you will be forever known as a Trumpsucker here.

"Trump supporter" was the term used. Apparently, some staff members cannot distinguish between a straight ticket Democrat voter and a Trump supporter.
Even when I ask, specifically, why xe posted that.
Tom