We need protection from COVID-19, not CNN
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk of being exposed to the coronavirus (COVID-19) for most people is low. The CDC recommends taking simple, everyday steps to avoid catching or spreading respiratory diseases including COVID-19. These include covering your cough or sneeze and thoroughly washing or sanitizing your hands. Call your doctor and stay home if you are sick. Get more information at Cdc.gov/coronavirus or contact the Tennessee Department of Health coronavirus information line at 877-8572945 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
So, Rep. Bruce Griffey, R-paris, said he signed off on Rep. James “Micah” Van Huss’ bill condemning CNN and The Washington Post as fake news because it was “important for us to send a signal.”
It sends a signal, all right.
One that, in this time of coronavirus, could wind up hurting the same constituents whose honor Van Huss seems to think he is defending.
Van Huss, R-jonesborough, proposed the bill in January. He was apparently upset over a review of Steven Hassan’s book, “The Cult of Trump,” in The Post which questioned whether President Donald Trump was more of a cult leader than a president. He was also upset about a CNN host’s subsequent interview with Hassan.
To Van Huss, that coverage amounted to an insult of Trump-supporting Tennesseans. So, instead of taking the time to work on legislation to, say, avert the shutdown of the state’s rural hospitals, Van Huss decided to take up time to avenge what he viewed as a slight.
Even more embarrassing, Van Huss’ bill is actually making its way through committees – largely through the acquiescence of lawmakers like Griffey. That’s dumb. And dangerous.
It’s dumb because this bill, which, if passed, would result in a non-binding resolution, won’t hurt The Post or CNN.
The only “signal” it will send is that some Tennessee lawmakers are just as contemptuous of the First Amendment as their leader, Trump.
It’s dangerous because as fears of coronavirus spread, the last thing Tennesseans need is to be distrustful of major, legitimate sources of information like The Post and CNN – especially since those sources may very well be first when it comes to reporting information that may save their lives.
As of this writing, Tennessee has four confirmed cases of COVID-19, the flu strain that is coronavirus. Three cases were in Shelby, Davidson and Williamson counties, while a fourth one was in Middle Tennessee. Nationally, more than 700 cases have been reported and 26 people are believed to have died.
As of Tuesday morning, more than 116,200 have been infected worldwide, and 4,082 have died.
The pace of diagnoses is picking up, and many of the rural people that Griffey and Van Huss represent are vulnerable to contracting it.
Van Huss, for example, represents Washington County. Nearly a quarter of the 126,437 people who live there are older than 60 – and are at a higher risk for contracting COVID-19. Griffey represents Henry, Benton and Stewart counties, which have a combined population of 61,665.
Nearly 30% of the people that Griffey represents are older than 60.
So, what happens if The Post breaks a story that, for example, shows where people can buy a particular brand of hand soap that is more effective for guarding against COVID-19 than others?
What happens if CNN interviews an epidemiologist about the fight to contain COVID-19 and what rural people, who are losing their access to hospitals, can do to stave off the virus in spite of that?
Here’s what happens: If lawmakers like Van Huss are successful in codifying the notion that legitimate news sources like The Post and CNN are fake, people may disregard those news sources when it comes to information that could possibly save their lives.
And when people are urged against trusting mainstream news sources by their leaders, or people who should be responsible enough to know better – many will turn to partisan memes, Youtube videos and erroneous information.
Many will suffer.
Van Huss’ proposed resolution reeks more of political pandering than legitimate concern. But it’s the kind of political pandering that can abet ignorance – and ignorance often abets the spread of epidemics.
Devising resolutions that vilify national news organizations like The Post and CNN may score political points with those who want to own the liberals, but it also encourages people to be comfortable with their ignorance.
Even at a time when such ignorance can be fatal.