Betsy Thomason

No wonder we are a sick, frightened nation

Vida King perpetuates the myth that masking prevents the spread of virus and other unseen pathogens.

Viruses, smaller than bacteria, are by definition microbes and not visible to the naked eye or under an ordinary microscope. Viruses are only visible under an electron microscope.

I'm wondering how writer Vida King expects a mere mask to prevent the spread of viruses.

Ms. King also seems to think that individuals have the power to keep their neighbor's body healthy. In reality, your immune system only works to protect you. But your immune system, which mostly resides in your gut, requires care. Drugs (legal or illegal), alcohol, and standard American diet/lifestyle destroy one's immune response.

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A different sort of fascism

Elayne Clift compares current culture in the United States with that of Germany during the Nazi takeover, specifically related to a woman's reproductive rights and the right to think independently and to read freely without censorship. I would like add to Clift's thoughts the fact that we Americans -

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When Aunt Stelle changed history

The court’s decision in Griswold v. the State of Connecticut not only legalized the dissemination of birth control of all forms in all 50 states, but also established a new Constitutional right — the right to privacy. With this month’s Supreme Court rulings, that precedent is now in peril.

Without a doubt, Connecticut has been the leader of reproductive rights legislation. In 1879, Fairfield County Rep. Phineas Taylor (P.T.) Barnum sponsored a law prohibiting use of “any drug, medical article, or instrument for the purpose of preventing conception” by anyone in the state. If the name Barnum sounds...

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Which conditions are more pernicious?

Finally, thanks to Covid, everyone knows about the work of respiratory therapists. We're now recognized as the profession that manages folks connected to mechanical ventilation. Nurses and doctors rely on respiratory therapists' knowledge and experience to help patients return to breathing on their own. Now that I am retired, the best use of my 25 years of experience in respiratory therapy work is to publicly share my knowledge and point of view. Let's start with masks. There are two types:

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Someone’s vaccine status is what’s best for that person

To vaccinate or not to vaccinate: That is not the question. The unasked question is this: How am I caring for my immune system? We all stew in this pandemic brew together - vaccinated folks in the research group, those without the vaccine in the control group. So when someone reveals their vaccine status, rest assured it is what's best for that person. When there is risk related to your body, choice is an essential aspect of the democratic process...

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Critical caring

As of Jan. 6, 2021, the United States of America is certifiably insane and in a coma in need of critical care. There is no quick remedy; no drug will do the trick. Maybe surgery is the best option. But surgery by itself is not the answer. Therapy, centuries of therapy, might dig us out of the diagnosis hole of insanity and bring us back to the real world of democracy as expressed in our hallowed Constitution. As it is...

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