“I think they’re revealing everything now.”
-Vincent Racaniello referring to China’s openness about the Wuhan Coronavirus, on TWIV podcast
“They are doing the best they can and being as transparent as they can, within the limitations of their political and cultural associations…and we have to account for the fact that every country is different, and every country constantly has its flaws.”
-Alan Dove on China being just like any other country, on TWIV podcast
“Oh, that’s a little, a little bigoted, to say we cannot trust the Chinese.”
-Alan Dove on TWIV podcast
These quotes are from prominent, experienced, accomplished virologists and professors on This Week in Virology podcast, TWIV episode 586, Feb. 9, 2020. Their words demonstrate how scientists can let political correctness blind them to the way politics affects policy, science, and disinformation. This naivete reflects on their veracity. I don’t trust scientists who refuse to acknowledge the way communism and the Chinese Communist Party warps truth and thus warps science to serve harmful propaganda.
The Party Over the People
China and its Chinese Communist Party (CCP) didn’t just mishandle science information or bungle a health emergency; it created a global threat with draconian measures to control, silence, and suppress medical staff, news outlets, and all its citizens. Protecting the Party at all costs remains a priority over the health of its people.
China is not just a country with “differences” and “flaws.”
The Epoch Times and Ties to Falun Gong Practitioners
TWIV scientists called The Epoch Times an unreliable news source, even though it was one of the first publications to reveal the actual circumstances of the pandemic, because Wikipedia says it was founded by Falun Gong members. Falun Gong is a spiritual group seeking inner peace through meditation and qigong. The CCP persecutes Falun Gong practitioners, at one time numbering 70 million, by putting them in concentration camps, torturing and brainwashing them, and harvesting their organs.
If the Chinese government is threatened by a bunch of peaceful folk doing tai chi in the park (qigong looks like tai chi to outsiders), its hold on the country must be weaker than it lets on. Its response–mass arrests and brutal condemnation–was overkill, revealing deep rot, and only temporarily suppressing freedom.
Dismissing a newspaper because some of its originators are associated with Falun Gong is like saying The New York Times is no good because some of its owners practice yoga or vegetarianism. These activities don’t get in the way of telling the truth or going after a story.
Despite attempts to debunk and discredit it, The Epoch Times will continue doing old-fashioned, on-the-ground journalism providing a more complete picture to readers around the world.
Regarding the China remarks by the usually brilliant TWIV minds, scientists are people too. They can be misinformed, pressured, and duped.
Question, always question.
References
Griffiths, James. “Report: China still harvesting organs from prisoners at a massive scale.” CNN. 24 June 2016. https://www.cnn.com/2016/06/23/asia/china-organ-harvesting/index.html.
Smith, Saphora. “China forcefully harvests organs from detainees, tribunal concludes.” NBC News. 18 June 2019. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/china-forcefully-harvests-organs-detainees-tribunal-concludes-n1018646.
Featured image by Internet Archive Book Images on flickr.
Thought Ripples by Wendi 
Odd that I can leave a comment but not like it.
LikeLike