Nov 7, 2022·edited Nov 7, 2022Liked by Leighton Woodhouse
It isn't just a matter of partisanship in Congress. The Chinese government wasn't cooperative when WHO tried to investigate, and unless that changes, it's unlikely we'll really be able to reach a definite answer.
I agree that Congressional partisanship and culture war nonsense plays a role in all this, but it's secondary. If the Chinese government really wanted to uncover the truth, they could. But they don't want to, either because they already know it was a lab leak, or because they're worried it might have been, or at least because they're afraid that the truth, whatever it turned out to be, would be embarrassing for them.
It's not just a matter of historical justice, either. Stunningly, virologists CONTINUE to do the dangerous Gain-of-Function research that most likely led to the creation (and accidental release) of Covid-19. This research doesn't even have real scientific or medical value; its' real utility is in keeping virologists employed. Another example of how the professional-managerial class's financial objectives are an irrational driver of public policy, in this case with stunningly tragic results.
It is regrettable that so many commenters are as stubborn as the NIH position: they firmly believe Covid leaked from a lab but have no more evidence than the NIH and some scientists have to support their hypothesis that the Covid virus originated in an animal. Both NIH and commenters here have faith, not evidence, that the virus came from a lab leak. At this time no hard evidence or proof exists to substantiate either hypothesis, even though circumstantial evidence and politics are strongly in favor of a lab accident or contamination. People believe what concurs with their own biases or personal interest. All possible sources for a lab leak or accident need to be considered and pursued and we need to reserve judgment rather than aligning ourselves with opinions that have no substantiating evidence. In any case it is clear that GOF research involves serious potential risks and should probably be abandoned indefinitely.
"Julie Germany of White Coat Waste PAC praised the House members for breaking from their Democratic “party bosses” who have done nothing but “foot dragging” on the issue. “The Wuhan animal lab was taxpayer-funded, and voters in both parties deserve to know if gain-of-function animal experiments caused a lab leak and pandemic,” she said."
I'm confused on this point. There are several things that would need to be proved here:
1) The leak came from a lab (seems likely);
2) The leaked pathogen was a result of gain-of-function research;
3) Gain-of-function research itself was somehow responsible for the leak, rather than poor safety protocols (and it just happened to be a gain-of-function pathogen that escaped). I assume medical labs relatively routinely deal in virulent and contagious pathogens. Why did this one get out?
It seems like some, at least, at trying to assume items 2 and 3 from item 1.
It really is NOT a significant policy issue. The CCP has acted very badly what ever their motivation and degree of competence. But essentially nothing that the US did or did not do in response to the pandemic is affected by knowing whether it was a natural crossover and accidental leak of a natural virus from the lab, a lead of a gain-of function virus from a lab or even an non-accidental release of the virus.
We should still have developed vaccines (faster than in fact we did) promoted them better (more messaging of how "good" they are instead of how "safe" they are) without letting them get contaminated by politics and adopted NPI according to sound cost-benefit analysis. Hopefully next pandemic, however it arises, we will.
No, it won't be a bipartisan effort. It won't even be an effort that lasts longer than a heartbeat. Too many members of both parties--currently or previously in power--have tainted hands, directly or indirectly; profited from the pandemic, directly or indirectly; have business interests in China, directly or indirectly.
We may hope for justice, but until both political parties are broken, it's not going to come.
This is an informative take. I do take issue with the SARS example as having provided a clear pathway with evidence. Those destructive scientists who consider themselves above the law [against gain of function bio-warfare] have been generously rewarded for breaking those laws, for decades truly.
In this case, it doesn't help to coach the mad scientists on how to cover their tracks better, and which delivery "routes" we, the public targets, will consider legitimate.
No, I don't know for sure whether "this time" was an intentional release of bio-warfare, or it was just another "accidental one" and they went with it. Given the incredibly close match of all details to their practice run-through, I'm inclined to say it was all exactly on schedule. Time will tell.
Either way, I hope we have our collective antennae "up" for global organizations and their billionaire influencers who openly proclaim there are too many people on the planet and also--notably-- want coerced public health surveillance to be a type of global government beyond any borders or voting rights, with total economic control, currency control, and concentration camps waiting. THAT's a pattern worth noticing.
Transparency and truth aren’t partisan issues. Hopefully, both parties join in/start/continue the digging around COVID-19’s origins. We need lots of help, and there are people in the US who likely know more than they are saying. Kudos to White Coat Waste for getting these commitments to dig for the truth!
It isn't just a matter of partisanship in Congress. The Chinese government wasn't cooperative when WHO tried to investigate, and unless that changes, it's unlikely we'll really be able to reach a definite answer.
I agree that Congressional partisanship and culture war nonsense plays a role in all this, but it's secondary. If the Chinese government really wanted to uncover the truth, they could. But they don't want to, either because they already know it was a lab leak, or because they're worried it might have been, or at least because they're afraid that the truth, whatever it turned out to be, would be embarrassing for them.
It's not just a matter of historical justice, either. Stunningly, virologists CONTINUE to do the dangerous Gain-of-Function research that most likely led to the creation (and accidental release) of Covid-19. This research doesn't even have real scientific or medical value; its' real utility is in keeping virologists employed. Another example of how the professional-managerial class's financial objectives are an irrational driver of public policy, in this case with stunningly tragic results.
It is regrettable that so many commenters are as stubborn as the NIH position: they firmly believe Covid leaked from a lab but have no more evidence than the NIH and some scientists have to support their hypothesis that the Covid virus originated in an animal. Both NIH and commenters here have faith, not evidence, that the virus came from a lab leak. At this time no hard evidence or proof exists to substantiate either hypothesis, even though circumstantial evidence and politics are strongly in favor of a lab accident or contamination. People believe what concurs with their own biases or personal interest. All possible sources for a lab leak or accident need to be considered and pursued and we need to reserve judgment rather than aligning ourselves with opinions that have no substantiating evidence. In any case it is clear that GOF research involves serious potential risks and should probably be abandoned indefinitely.
"Julie Germany of White Coat Waste PAC praised the House members for breaking from their Democratic “party bosses” who have done nothing but “foot dragging” on the issue. “The Wuhan animal lab was taxpayer-funded, and voters in both parties deserve to know if gain-of-function animal experiments caused a lab leak and pandemic,” she said."
I'm confused on this point. There are several things that would need to be proved here:
1) The leak came from a lab (seems likely);
2) The leaked pathogen was a result of gain-of-function research;
3) Gain-of-function research itself was somehow responsible for the leak, rather than poor safety protocols (and it just happened to be a gain-of-function pathogen that escaped). I assume medical labs relatively routinely deal in virulent and contagious pathogens. Why did this one get out?
It seems like some, at least, at trying to assume items 2 and 3 from item 1.
It really is NOT a significant policy issue. The CCP has acted very badly what ever their motivation and degree of competence. But essentially nothing that the US did or did not do in response to the pandemic is affected by knowing whether it was a natural crossover and accidental leak of a natural virus from the lab, a lead of a gain-of function virus from a lab or even an non-accidental release of the virus.
We should still have developed vaccines (faster than in fact we did) promoted them better (more messaging of how "good" they are instead of how "safe" they are) without letting them get contaminated by politics and adopted NPI according to sound cost-benefit analysis. Hopefully next pandemic, however it arises, we will.
Collins and Fauci have orchestrated the entire "conspiracy" theory of the lab leak. Fauci flat out lied to Congress and he should be held accountable. This interview with Redfield also lends credence to this article https://disinformationchronicle.substack.com/p/former-cdc-director-robert-redfield
Often Only Through the lens of history do we decide the "Straw" that broke the power of the arrogant "To big to fail"
Peace and prosperity Through responsibilities
No, it won't be a bipartisan effort. It won't even be an effort that lasts longer than a heartbeat. Too many members of both parties--currently or previously in power--have tainted hands, directly or indirectly; profited from the pandemic, directly or indirectly; have business interests in China, directly or indirectly.
We may hope for justice, but until both political parties are broken, it's not going to come.
My low-volume substack blog "Random Thoughts"
has a couple of posts on the woeful lag of regulation
of gain of function research. It's overwhelming likely that
COVID originated at WIV. We know they planned to make a COVID-like virus
with an introduced Furin cleavage site in Wuhan. What's the chance that this is
a coincidence? Then the New York Times spins the recent Republican report as
"no new evidence". We don't need new evidence -- the old evidence is quite enough.
This is an informative take. I do take issue with the SARS example as having provided a clear pathway with evidence. Those destructive scientists who consider themselves above the law [against gain of function bio-warfare] have been generously rewarded for breaking those laws, for decades truly.
In this case, it doesn't help to coach the mad scientists on how to cover their tracks better, and which delivery "routes" we, the public targets, will consider legitimate.
No, I don't know for sure whether "this time" was an intentional release of bio-warfare, or it was just another "accidental one" and they went with it. Given the incredibly close match of all details to their practice run-through, I'm inclined to say it was all exactly on schedule. Time will tell.
Either way, I hope we have our collective antennae "up" for global organizations and their billionaire influencers who openly proclaim there are too many people on the planet and also--notably-- want coerced public health surveillance to be a type of global government beyond any borders or voting rights, with total economic control, currency control, and concentration camps waiting. THAT's a pattern worth noticing.
Transparency and truth aren’t partisan issues. Hopefully, both parties join in/start/continue the digging around COVID-19’s origins. We need lots of help, and there are people in the US who likely know more than they are saying. Kudos to White Coat Waste for getting these commitments to dig for the truth!
Thanks for sharing this news, Leighton.