#CDC CONSPIRACY

[therealajayny]

America Loves Fancy Fascism

Y’all mofos love fancy fascism. Nothing like a well spoken fascist. Cheers to the Democratic Party 🥂🍻

[dailiadelc]

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Oliver Willis at Daily Kos:

President Donald Trump has withdrawn his nomination of David Weldon to head the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Weldon’s nomination was reportedly pulled after the administration determined he did not have enough votes to make it through the Senate confirmation process. Weldon told The New York Times he was informed of the decision on Wednesday night. The former nominee represented Florida in the House of Representatives from 1995 to 2009. During this tenure, he promoted anti-vaccine conspiracy theories and anti-abortion zealotry. At any time, his debunked views would have raised eyebrows, but they are of particular note now, as the country handles a major measles outbreak brought on by opposition to vaccines. Weldon proposed several pieces of anti-vaccine legislation during his time in Congress, including a bill purportedly addressing the false link between vaccines and autism. There is no link between vaccination and autism, but the fringe belief has been a keystone fear promoted by the anti-vaccine community, most notably Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Weldon is also a strident opponent of abortion rights. He advanced legislation named after himself—the Weldon Amendment—that allows health care providers like hospitals to deny care to patients seeking abortion care. Weldon’s views on this issue would have meshed those endorsed by Trump, who created the Supreme Court majority that overruled Roe v. Wade in 2022 and eliminated the federal right to abortion. Weldon joins the ranks of former Rep. Matt Gaetz, whose bid to become U.S. attorney general failed spectacularly, and law enforcement officer Chad Chronister, who was pulled from consideration as Trump’s pick to run the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The nomination of anti-vaxxer and anti-abortion extremist David Weldon to head the CDC got pulled, likely because his anti-vaxxer views would be a liability with the measles outbreak ongoing.

See Also:

The Guardian: White House pulls nomination for head of CDC on day of confirmation hearing

[dosesofcommonsense]

Here’s the proof on the Death Sticks. The Conspiracy Realists are crushing it the past 3 years. It’s got to be at least 18-0.

https://expose-news.com/2023/10/30/24-year-lifespan-reduction-c19-vaccination/

[tomorrowusa]

The latest far right fad is raw milk. Perhaps they regard Louis Pasteur as a woke socialist. Seriously, government health advisories about raw milk only make it more attractive to the conspiracy theory fringe.

Commentators on sites like Infowars, Gab and Rumble have grown increasingly vocal about raw milk in recent weeks. They see the government’s heightened concerns about the dangers as overreach. “They say: ‘Bird flu in milk! Bird flu in milk! Oh, it’s the scariest thing!’” Owen Shroyer said on the April 29 episode of his “War Room” podcast from Infowars. He added: “They’ll just make raw milk illegal. That’s what this is all about.” Public health officials have long warned Americans of the severe health risks that can come with drinking raw milk instead of pasteurized milk, which is heated to kill bacteria, viruses and other germs. Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found more than 200 disease outbreaks linked to unpasteurized milk from 1998 to 2018, leading to 2,645 illnesses, 228 hospitalizations and three deaths.

The far right, including anti-vaxxers, seems to have an affinity for pathogens. Either that or they feel that pathogens don't really exist and perhaps were made up by Hillary Clinton and George Soros. Whatever they think, don't expect them to make sense.

Contrary to claims, there’s little or no evidence that drinking raw milk provides health benefits, including protection from certain infectious diseases, said Dr. Megin Nichols, the deputy director of the Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases at the C.D.C. The Food and Drug Administration says pasteurizing milk kills the virus. The F.D.A. said in a statement that there are no scientifically proven benefits to drinking raw milk and that “the health risks are clear.”

Epidemics get rightwingers agitated. The latest bird flu outbreak has them acting like mad cows.

Matt Gertz, a senior fellow at Media Matters, a left-leaning watchdog that looked at the trend this month, said raw milk promotion had been intensifying on the right since the start of the bird flu outbreak. “What you have is a bunch of right-wing influencers who know that they can build substantial audiences and retain their audiences and excite their audiences by telling them that what medical authorities are saying about raw milk, about bird flu, is not credible,” Mr. Gertz said.

Basically the wingnuts are telling people: Don't trust science, trust Infowars instead! Paranoia is good for clicks.

As for bird flu, there is clear evidence of it being easily transmissible between mammals.

After mice drink raw H5N1 milk, bird flu virus riddles their organs

Despite the delusions of the raw milk crowd, drinking unpasteurized milk brimming with infectious avian H5N1 influenza virus is a very bad idea, according to freshly squeezed data published Friday in the New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison squirted raw H5N1-containing milk from infected cows into the throats of anesthetized laboratory mice, finding that the virus caused systemic infections after the mice were observed swallowing the dose. The illnesses began quickly, with symptoms of lethargy and ruffled fur starting on day 1. [ ... ] Before the mouse data, numerous reports have noted carnivores falling ill with H5N1 after eating infected wild birds. And a study from March in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases reported that over half of the 24 or so cats on an H5N1-infected dairy farm in Texas died after drinking raw milk from the sick cows. Before their deaths, the cats displayed distressing neurological symptoms, and studies found the virus had invaded their lungs, brains, hearts, and eyes.

So we have bovines, rodents, and felines all being infected by H5N1. Several primates (i.e. humans) have also been infected. But generally, humans whose health practices are influenced by the germ theory of infection stand a darn good chance of avoiding it.

Fortunately, for the bulk of Americans who heed germ theory, pasteurization appears completely effective at deactivating the virus in milk, according to thorough testing by the FDA. Pasteurized milk is considered safe during the outbreak.

As with 17th century patriarchy and religious practices, the fringe right seems eager to return to the medical dark ages before germ theory and vaccination. In the century between 1870 and 1970 life expectancy almost doubled because of related discoveries. The far right seems to have some sort of death wish.

Vote for pro-science candidates. Support groups like 314 Action which are dedicated to electing candidates with a science background.

About Us - 3.14 Action

[affixjoy]

I am continuing to feel insane about life in a pandemic with a toddler. It’s hard and it sucks, and this winter has been particularly brutal for all of it.

I try to be very gentle when talking to my irl people about covid stuff, because they already think I’m overreacting to everything. So a lot of it is just casual mentions of things I do, bringing them masks, linking articles in the family chat…

It usually gets ignored but I figure I have to try, and maybe it will pay off one day.

Well today might be one of those payoff days. I think I finally convinced my pregnant sister to get a hepa filter for her classroom which will hopefully reduce risk to her, her unborn baby, and all her students. She’s already had it three times, once during this pregnancy, and I’m terrified for her and my future niece/nephew. Here’s hoping she follows through 🤞🤞

[inkskinned]

my brother got covid because he's a college professor and there's not much he can do to mitigate exposure when he has 200+ students per lecture. he's got a baby at home, so he does his best, but.

the governmental website for covid information is now propaganda. not a joke, not hyperbole, not an exaggeration: it's genuinely the definition of propaganda. this is biased misinformation determined to push a political stance. it is being hosted on a government server. it looks like something you'd find in a "top 10 weird internet conspiracy stories (and their origins)" youtube video.

my brother called me when he saw it. he had me type it into google. for a second i legitimately thought that i had typed something wrong. we have both taught college: we have both said "a .gov site is usually a reliable resource." i just stared at my phone for a long, long time.

i thought about how when i was a kid, conspiracy theories were mostly fun and a little spooky. unserious. i remember reading some long, complicated website about how avril lavigne is dead. how bigfoot is real. it used to be funny-and-a-joke.

over seven million people (globally) have died from covid. america has the highest death rate with over 1.2 million people.

the thing is - every time a person dies from something like a mass shooting or poverty or treatable illness - we are told don't make it political. we are told it's just something that can happen. we are told it's sad but what can you do!

the president of the united states is using a government website to try to erase the very-real deaths that he personally caused due to a complete mismanagement of the pandemic. the president of the united states is using a government server to host propaganda, undermine science and medicine, and encourage distrust amongst his followers.

nothing is going to happen. nobody's gonna, like, do anything about it. it's a thursday today, and we are just going to move on from this like we have been moving on from everything else.

yesterday my brother was outside walking his dog, mask included. a guy in a truck pulls up and shouts something about covid and whatever the fuck else. my brother has a good sense of humor, described it to me as enthusiastic! i hadn't ever been catcalled before, this was new and therefore thrilling! i do see why you hate it, though. like. i have actual covid, does he want me to cough on him?

my brother doesn't get extra time off work anymore, because the cdc practically doesn't exist. my brother said i'm not exposing 200 students to covid. his boss shrugged and said: who cares? they're going to get it eventually anyway. like it isn't a pandemic.

like it's just a fucking thursday, and who cares about it.

[dailiadelc]

[wat3rm370n]

Lots of people get health misinformation from Joe Rogan.

I didn’t even know who Suzanne Humphries was and I wish I still didn’t, and I’ve never listened to Joe Rogan, other than via clips typically by someone debunking bonkers crap that guy or his guests are saying. But Dr. Wilson of Debunk The Funk listened to the interview with Suzanne Humphries and oh my is there a lot to debunk. I couldn’t even believe some of the outrageous stuff that people are being fed via a podcast that’s absolutely not based in reality, not true, and even dangerously wrong.

I watched Joe Rogan talk to Suzanne Humphries so you don’t have to – Debunk the Funk with Dr. Wilson Apr 2, 2025

Joe Rogan even brought up the absolutely not true right-wing conspiracy theory from early in the pandemic that people who smoked were supposedly protected from covid by nicotine. Like ivermectin or colloidal silver, and other qanon or right-wing misinformation quack cures, this is also one that made the jump from right-wing misinformation to left misinformation, or to people with Long Covid being enticed into trying experimentally or self-experimentally, and with seemingly no awareness of the origins of the “idea” they’ve newly discovered. At the time when prominent Long Covid twitter influencers started announcing they were trying nicotine, I had trouble pointing this out to even some otherwise sensible people, because the silos are such that if you’re not in the right-wing milieu you won’t know about all these things unless you are exposed to it through Right Wing Watch media coverage, Knowledge Fight podcast, Debunk the Funk videos, or other outlets covering these things. The nature of the algorithms keeps us blind to so much, that progressives often don’t recognize right-wing concepts, and even anti-vax talking points sneak into pro-vax spaces many times. Just a couple months ago I found the “childhood milestone” pandemic conspiracy theory which started out as right-wing anti public health disinformation claiming the CDC had foreknowledge of childhood development issues supposedly caused by mitigation measures the right wing opposed like masks, vaccines, and remote learning, and it was being repurposed just recently into viral social media content that claimed it’s evidence of a conspiracy that CDC had foreknowledge about effects of long covid on childhood development. In either case the supposed conspiracy is easily refuted by the timelines, but it’s an excellent example of the jump and the misinformation zombies that just keep circulating because they have some hook to make them get traction. Though usually there are products involved and stuff based in anti-vax disinformation and wellness product sales are repurposed from being sold as bogus covid cures, and presented as hopeful long covid cures to the desperate.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Morgan Stephens at Daily Kos:

As a measles case hits the Washington, D.C., area, public health agencies led by anti-vaccine activist Robert F Kennedy Jr. are ignoring it and instead wasting resources on testing vaccines for a false and long-debunked association with autism. A measles outbreak in West Texas began in January, but on Sunday, a case was confirmed in Maryland, with the possibility of further exposure to people at Dulles International Airport and the Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center. (The two outbreaks are not believed to be connected.) And officials are still trying to identify who has been exposed, according to The Washington Post. However, it’s clear we’re not in the safest of hands, at least federally. During President Donald Trump’s Cabinet meeting on Feb. 26, Kennedy claimed the outbreak in Texas and New Mexico was “not unusual”—despite that it has led to the first two deaths from the preventable disease in a decade. Additionally, there have been more than 200 reported cases and 23 hospitalizations due to largely unvaccinated populations, as of March 7. “There’ve been four measles outbreaks this year. In this country last year, there were 16,” Kennedy said, pushing a false narrative of public health normalcy. “So it’s not unusual. We have measles outbreaks every year.” Instead of focusing on the growing outbreak, Kennedy, a rabid anti-vaxxer and conspiracy theorist, is using taxpayer dollars to direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct needless trials on a disproven link between vaccines and autism. To the chagrin of “crunchy” pseudoscience advocates, numerous studies found no link between vaccines leading to autism. That hasn’t stopped Trump’s public health goons from continuing to parrot junk-science talking points. “As President Trump said in his Joint Address to Congress, the rate of autism in American children has skyrocketed. CDC will leave no stone unturned in its mission to figure out what exactly is happening,” a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement to ABC News. 

The CDC, with the blessing of anti-vaxxer whacko Robert F. Kennedy Jr., will launch a meritless study about the connections between vaccines and autism, despite research showing no connection between vaccination and autism.

See Also:

The New Republic: RFK Jr.’s CDC Launches Study on Vaccines and Autism Conspiracy

Washington Post: CDC plans study on vaccines and autism despite research showing no link

The Guardian: CDC to study potential links between vaccines and autism despite research showing no connection

[dosesofcommonsense]

Let’s piece this together.

Everyone should take the Vaccine. They tried the everyone will take the vaccine or else.

Now consider this: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/19TxZ5Q8Ce/?mibextid=Ls6BEq

“Everyone will vote for Biden/Kamala because we say he/she’s great.”

“We’ll force you to accept our narrative.” And people just accept the narrative that Joe…Kamala’s great and has a plan.

Question: do the symptoms worsen with the more shots you got?

Answer: if your life expectancy drops 7% with every c19 shot, wouldn’t your memory and this conscience change also worsen with every shot you got?

If you took the shot, you were an experiment. They lied to us all; you believed the lie. You should read the Nuremberg codes. You should be angry. You should want accountability. You should, but you might also just keep going along thinking Big Pharma helped you. Depends on how bad that shot’s impacting you.

Scary, right?

[jcmarchi]

Tackling Misinformation: How AI Chatbots Are Helping Debunk Conspiracy Theories

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/tackling-misinformation-how-ai-chatbots-are-helping-debunk-conspiracy-theories/

Tackling Misinformation: How AI Chatbots Are Helping Debunk Conspiracy Theories

Misinformation and conspiracy theories are major challenges in the digital age. While the Internet is a powerful tool for information exchange, it has also become a hotbed for false information. Conspiracy theories, once limited to small groups, now have the power to influence global events and threaten public safety. These theories, often spread through social media, contribute to political polarization, public health risks, and mistrust in established institutions.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the severe consequences of misinformation. The World Health Organization (WHO) called this an “infodemic,” where false information about the virus, treatments, vaccines, and origins spread faster than the virus itself. Traditional fact-checking methods, like human fact-checkers and media literacy programs, needed to catch up with the volume and speed of misinformation. This urgent need for a scalable solution led to the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbots as essential tools in combating misinformation.

AI chatbots are not just a technological novelty. They represent a new approach to fact-checking and information dissemination. These bots engage users in real-time conversations, identify and respond to false information, provide evidence-based corrections, and help create a more informed public.

The Rise of Conspiracy Theories

Conspiracy theories have been around for centuries. They often emerge during uncertainty and change, offering simple, sensationalist explanations for complex events. These narratives have always fascinated people, from rumors about secret societies to government cover-ups. In the past, their spread was limited by slower information channels like printed pamphlets, word-of-mouth, and small community gatherings.

The digital age has changed this dramatically. The Internet and social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok have become echo chambers where misinformation booms. Algorithms designed to keep users engaged often prioritize sensational content, allowing false claims to spread quickly. For example, a report by the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) found that just twelve individuals and organizations, known as the “disinformation dozen,” were responsible for nearly 65% of anti-vaccine misinformation on social media in 2023. This shows how a small group can have a huge impact online.

The consequences of this unchecked spread of misinformation are serious. Conspiracy theories weaken trust in science, media, and democratic institutions. They can lead to public health crises, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, where false information about vaccines and treatments hindered efforts to control the virus. In politics, misinformation fuels division and makes it harder to have rational, fact-based discussions. A 2023 study by the Harvard Kennedy School’s Misinformation Review found that many Americans reported encountering false political information online, highlighting the widespread nature of the problem. As these trends continue, the need for effective tools to combat misinformation is more urgent than ever.

How AI Chatbots Are Equipped to Combat Misinformation

AI chatbots are emerging as powerful tools to fight misinformation. They use AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP) to interact with users in a human-like way. Unlike traditional fact-checking websites or apps, AI chatbots can have dynamic conversations. They provide personalized responses to users’ questions and concerns, making them particularly effective in dealing with conspiracy theories’ complex and emotional nature.

These chatbots use advanced NLP algorithms to understand and interpret human language. They analyze the intent and context behind a user’s query. When a user submits a statement or question, the chatbot looks for keywords and patterns that match known misinformation or conspiracy theories. For example, suppose a user mentions a claim about vaccine safety. In that case, the chatbot cross-references this claim with a database of verified information from reputable sources like the WHO and CDC or independent fact-checkers like Snopes.

One of AI chatbots’ biggest strengths is real-time fact-checking. They can instantly access vast databases of verified information, allowing them to present users with evidence-based responses tailored to the specific misinformation in question. They offer direct corrections and provide explanations, sources, and follow-up information to help users understand the broader context. These bots operate 24/7 and can handle thousands of interactions simultaneously, offering scalability far beyond what human fact-checkers can provide.

Several case studies show the effectiveness of AI chatbots in combating misinformation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations like the WHO used AI chatbots to address widespread myths about the virus and vaccines. These chatbots provided accurate information, corrected misconceptions, and guided users to additional resources.

AI Chatbots Case Studies from MIT and UNICEF

Research has shown that AI chatbots can significantly reduce belief in conspiracy theories and misinformation. For example, MIT Sloan Research shows that AI chatbots, like GPT-4 Turbo, can dramatically reduce belief in conspiracy theories. The study engaged over 2,000 participants in personalized, evidence-based dialogues with the AI, leading to an average 20% reduction in belief in various conspiracy theories. Remarkably, about one-quarter of participants who initially believed in a conspiracy shifted to uncertainty after their interaction. These effects were durable, lasting for at least two months post-conversation.

Likewise, UNICEF’s U-Report chatbot was important in combating misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in regions with limited access to reliable information. The chatbot provided real-time health information to millions of young people across Africa and other areas, directly addressing COVID-19 and vaccine safety

concerns.

The chatbot played a vital role in enhancing trust in verified health sources by allowing users to ask questions and receive credible answers. It was especially effective in communities where misinformation was extensive, and literacy levels were low, helping to reduce the spread of false claims. This engagement with young users proved vital in promoting accurate information and debunking myths during the health crisis.

Challenges, Limitations, and Future Prospects of AI Chatbots in Tackling Misinformation

Despite their effectiveness, AI chatbots face several challenges. They are only as effective as the data they are trained on, and incomplete or biased datasets can limit their ability to address all forms of misinformation. Additionally, conspiracy theories are constantly evolving, requiring regular updates to the chatbots.

Bias and fairness are also among the concerns. Chatbots may reflect the biases in their training data, potentially skewing responses. For example, a chatbot trained in Western media might not fully understand non-Western misinformation. Diversifying training data and ongoing monitoring can help ensure balanced responses.

User engagement is another hurdle. It cannot be easy to convince individuals deeply ingrained in their beliefs to interact with AI chatbots. Transparency about data sources and offering verification options can build trust. Using a non-confrontational, empathetic tone can also make interactions more constructive.

The future of AI chatbots in combating misinformation looks promising. Advancements in AI technology, such as deep learning and AI-driven moderation systems, will enhance chatbots’ capabilities. Moreover, collaboration between AI chatbots and human fact-checkers can provide a robust approach to misinformation.

Beyond health and political misinformation, AI chatbots can promote media literacy and critical thinking in educational settings and serve as automated advisors in workplaces. Policymakers can support the effective and responsible use of AI through regulations encouraging transparency, data privacy, and ethical use.

The Bottom Line

In conclusion, AI chatbots have emerged as powerful tools in fighting misinformation and conspiracy theories. They offer scalable, real-time solutions that surpass the capacity of human fact-checkers. Delivering personalized, evidence-based responses helps build trust in credible information and promotes informed decision-making.

While data bias and user engagement persist, advancements in AI and collaboration with human fact-checkers hold promise for an even stronger impact. With responsible deployment, AI chatbots can play a vital role in developing a more informed and truthful society.

[235uranium]

also ik i'm talking about covid in the past tense in those tags (partially bc i live in an area that has an extremely low infection rate) but there is a difference between now and 2020 in how people felt. at this point, the average person IS numb to covid bc it feels inevitable in the same way the flu is

i'm not arguing that's correct, it's just the unfortunate state of society

[see-arcane]

RFK Jr. off to a great fucking start!

Going to just leave this here as a refresher:

Also, in case it needs saying: Add this topic to your rep/senator phone call scripts and general protest points. I know, the list of Are You Kidding Me with This Shit topics grows longer every day, but this one matters due to

More demonizing of autism as an eeeevil condition worth risking children's actual lives over

Opening the door to blaming medicine on/trying to invent 'cures' for ~unwanted conditions~ like autism. Or being trans. Or not being straight. Or being female and uppity. 'IF [CONCOCTION/CHEMICAL/MEDICINE/PRACTICE] CAN CAUSE X ICKY THING THAT IS INCONVENIENT OR MORALLY WRONG (ACCORDING TO ME), THIS NEW ONE CAN CURE IT!' logic cannot get any foothold. None.

Buddy. Buddy. Measles and tuberculosis outbreaks are happening right now. Bird flu is happening right now. COVID mutations (including the many many Long COVID victims you're actively ignoring) exist right now. I think you can shelve the debunked conspiracy theory horseshit until the active medical threats against the population get the attention and funding they deserve.

[puru2]

well at least on the bright side i think the guy who's stood outside the cdc offices spinning signs about how vaccines kill people every day for the past 15 years is probably having the best year of his life

idk im sure this is happening in other places but bc i live in cdc world there are a million yard signs everywhere now that are like "we love you cdc employees" "save the cdc" and they're kind of pissing me off but also i saw a sign yesterday that said "thank you feds". thank you feds. thank you feds. THANK YOU FEDS???????????????????

[mariacallous]

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sent a flood of texts to Bill Nye trying to convince the beloved “Science Guy” of his anti-vax claims.

The old text chain, sent before Kennedy became Donald Trump’s health secretary, was revealed by Nye during a Men’s Health profile of the children’s television presenter.

The barrage of messages from the prominent vaccine skeptic, which the magazine described as “miles and miles of texts,” contained numerous links to articles and websites peddling vaccine-autism conspiracies that Nye said he paid no real attention to.

“Just no self-awareness,” Nye said. “And if you read these articles he sent, they’re all this speculation about autism and just cause-and-effect, and mercury in vaccines, that maybe there’s a connection. I wrote him back and said, ‘Okay, I’ll read your book. I think you’ve confused causation with correlation. Your friend, Bill.’”

The stream of messages did not end there, Nye said, even after he told Kennedy, “Okay, no more texts.”

“He started again! So I cut him off,” Nye said. “He does not have good judgment. He is not suited for this job.”

A Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson disagreed, telling the Daily Beast that Kennedy is “leading one of the most ambitious public health reform efforts in modern history, grounded in evidence, radical transparency, and a true commitment to the American people.”

Kennedy has led a full-blown assault on vaccines as part of the Trump administration’s campaign to restore public “trust” in the lifesaving shots.

That includes the shock move to fire all 17 members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), an expert panel that evaluates vaccine safety and efficacy. All had been appointed under the Biden administration.

In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, Kennedy said vaccines had become a “divisive issue in American politics” and that public confidence in the health agencies that provide them is ”waning.”

Nye said the increase in vaccine skepticism, which soared amid the COVID-19 pandemic, is having real life negative consequences on people’s lives.

That includes the reaction to a measles outbreak in Texas that primarily hit unvaccinated individuals in the Mennonite community.

“It was a religious sect with historically low vaccination rates. And the argument from the other side is: They have rights not to get vaccinated. No, you don’t,” a frustrated Nye said. “Unvaccinated people can, and usually do, spread a disease. And that’s why we have these rules, for public health! It’s not arbitrary. It’s not about your rights. It’s about my rights, people.”

Nye didn’t hold back on Kennedy’s bizarre public stunts either—like chugging raw milk with health influencer Dr. Paul Saladino to promote the Trump administration’s initially error-riddledMake America Healthy Again report on childhood illness.

“And then this thing where people want to drink raw milk. No, you don’t,” Nye said. “This is very well understood! Louis Pasteur! You guyyys! What is happening?”