I never imagined Forbes magazine would become so corrupted by Big Pharma money that they turned anti-Muslim, anti-Semitic, anti-Christian, and anti-conscience.
Let me be completely clear about my economic views. I am a fire-breathing capitalist. I believe the free enterprise system has been the greatest wealth-creator in human history and an undeniable force for good.
However, power does not mean principle, and as I ask others to examine their conscience regarding troubling issues, I cannot stay quiet when a publication I once revered has become so corrupt that it threatens human freedom. Powerful forces in society need guardians. The press used to be one of them. It appears Forbes has become nothing more than a reckless pharma cheerleader.
I am speaking of the article from Forbes magazine entitled “Trump Administration to Turn Religious ‘Liberty’ Into Medical Bigotry and Death,” by Erik Sherman, January 18, 2108. I understand that Forbes claims “Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own,” but I don’t know how this once great magazine can abide by such ugliness and inhumanity.
An explanation and apology for this vile article is desperately required.
In the fascist utopia envisioned by Erik Sherman, Muslims and Orthodox Jews would be injected with pork-containing vaccines even though it is against their religious beliefs.
Good Christians who believe life begins at conception would be forced to be injected with vaccines grown in aborted fetal tissue, something they consider to be an abomination.
And even if one is “pro-choice”, how many of you want a vaccine grown in aborted human fetal tissue? Tell me that doesn’t creep you out, at least a little bit.
Vegans, who have come to their beliefs through study and moral consideration, would be force-injected with vaccines grown in animal tissues.
Is Erik Sherman’s authoritarian world the one any of you wish to live in? Let me tell you what hospitality means to me. I would use the word “tolerance” but to me it does not fully describe my appreciation of people who are different than me. I like the word “hospitality” better because it calls to mind the image of a feast in which many different types of people enjoy conversation and fellowship.
If I invited one of my Muslim friends to breakfast, I wouldn’t cook up some bacon. I am not a vegan (although I might someday become one), but if one of my vegan friends came over for dinner I wouldn’t cook up an eight ounce New York steak. That hospitality and “tolerance” as you might call it, is what makes for a peaceful society and fulfilling relationships.
What is it that so draws Erik Sherman’s ire? It is the recent creation by President Trump of the Conscience and Religious Freedom Division at the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Here are the two statements by officials upon the inauguration of this new program which set off Erik Sherman’s authoritarian rampage.
The first is from the official website for Health and Human Services, announcing the new division.
“The Conscience and Religious Freedom Division has been established to restore federal enforcement of our nation’s laws that protect the fundamental and unalienable rights of conscience and religious freedom. OCR is the law enforcement agency within HHS that enforces federal laws protecting civil rights and conscience in health and human services, and the security and privacy of people’s health information. The creation of this new division will provide HHS with the focus it needs to more vigorously and effectively enforce existing laws protecting the rights of conscience and religious freedom, the first freedom protected in the Bill of Rights.”
Pretty radical stuff, there, right Erik? Did you ever take an American civics class, Erik? Most people agree it was the First Amendment, because they believed ALL OTHERS RIGHT FLOWED FROM FREE SPEECH, CONSCIENCE, and FREE EXERCISE OF RELIGION.
This comment from OCR Director, Roger Severino also seemed to so trigger Erik that only a Gestapo-like crackdown could quell the imminent chaos.
“Laws protecting religious freedom and conscience rights are just empty words on paper if they aren’t enforced. No one should be forced to choose between helping sick people and living by one’s deepest moral or religious convictions, and the new division will help guarantee that victims of unlawful discrimination find justice. For too long, governments big and small have treated conscience claims with hostility instead of protection, but change is coming and it begins here and now.”
How much is pharma paying Erik Sherman to write this garbage? His work is so remarkably fact-free that I am willing to work pro bono for pharma if they want to get their money back from this guy. (Just kidding. If I did work for pharma my fee would be $3.8 billion dollars, which is the amount the US Vaccine Court has paid out in claims since it’s creation!)
But seriously. This has to stop. Use your free speech to end this nonsense. Please feel free to complain to Forbes at:
Forbes Media 499 Washington Blvd
Jersey City, NJ 07310
Phone (800) 295-0893
Or if you want to, simply use the hashtag #ForbesFullFascist and see if we can create a media campaign which would have made our Founding Fathers proud.
Kent’s book PLAGUE was released by Skyhorse Publishing, in 2014 and is now available in paperback with NEW material.
The book is co-authored with Judy Mikovits PhD. It is an indictment of the “Fake Science” we find so prevalent in the US.
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“Conscience” definition – The awareness of a moral or ethical aspect to one’s conduct together with the urge to prefer right over wrong: Let your conscience be your guide.
This last federal election defined a clear battle for control of the US between Good and Evil. On the one hand we had Hillary Clinton, a true representative of an “anything goes” life style. On the other hand we had those she called the “deplorables” – those that operate by the rules defining right and wrong.
I think it is time to Criminally Prosecute those that would abridge our religious freedoms in any way.
We could use those convicted to work on “The Wall.”
Tim Bolen
If that woman in the ad is Muslim, I’ll eat my hijab….
Hi Ken,
I really admire all the work that you and others have done to stop mandated harmful vaccines.
Of worthy note, Forbes failed to mention the vaccine issue — most likely because it doesn’t fit in the theme of the article that Forbes is concerned of civil rights.
With that said, this new HHS Department also raises red flags for me, and could pose a real danger to the civil rights and safety of many — based on others claiming freedom to practice their religions beliefs in discrimination of others.
This sentence is scary: “No one should be forced to choose between helping sick people and living by one’s deepest moral or religious convictions..”
Actually, if the job is to help sick people; then yes, they should be forced to help sick people, regardless of their religious beliefs. No choice about it.
This new HSS department has the problem backwards. It’s not about protecting religious freedom by allowing people to violate civil rights via refusing to provide services to others.
It’s about protecting people’s religious freedom and their civil rights by allowing them to refuse the services provided by others. (Exp: No one can mandate that one must have an abortion, just because the service exists, etc.)
Do you really care if physicians promote vaccines — if you’re not forced to use them? No.
With vaccines, it’s not that the service is required to be provided that is the problem. The problem is that the service is forced to be accepted.
There’s a huge difference between two. One is a slippery slope of turning back the clock to white supremacy, Christian America — and all others experience discrimination by refusal of service.
The other is the freedom to not partake in services that go against one’s moral compass.
I would say the author of that Forbes piece was blissfully ignorant of the other side of the coin! He did not even address or acknowledge an issue on the side of recipients of care having rights! And if he did, his own arguments would nullify any arguments against it! While we are thinking religious freedom and vaccines he is thinking translating baking a cake for gays to medical care! He talks about the lack of care making people 2nd class citizens due to prejudice while refusal of forced care is making us 2nd class citizens when children can be denied an education! The author is touching the tail of the elephant and describing a snake while blind to the ears, trunk, skin, legs, and torso of the elephant! I would not disagree with much of what he said if that was truly the only issue…but his myopic tunnel vision left out 80% of the equation!
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Sherman seems to be saying, (through clenched teeth) that the worst sides of religious freedom will reemerge if this HSS department is set up to receive complaints and presumably to act and defend the complainants. By his analogy, if someone complains that their right to invoke biblical lore to discriminate racially against, say, mixed school classes has been compromised, then the HSS will leap into action on their behalf. It is easy to see that this is not what is required or intended and rather than being and astute insight, it betrays Sherman’s bleak and negative view of society.
I often wonder how mankind survived for at least 12,000+ years WITHOUT vaccinations? I am sure that many vaccines proponents would point to the past plagues but my response, as one who has lived during the 1950-60’s and, being close to my grandparents (a lost age of obtaining wisdom) that I and the generations before me, were NEVER vaccinated and had ALL of the diseases that the doctors VACCINATE FOR; but I’ve yet to see a Black Plague Vaccine!
We learned the benefits of our daily diet and nutrition from plant life. As well, the benefits of childhood illness that included FEVER, a necessary response. “Bottle feeding” was considered an option only when a mother was not able to, and breast feeding was an infants first self defense against illness (the best vaccine!)
I was never allowed to take “fever reducers” and was forced into a bathtub when necessary. My mother’s medicine cabinet consisted of Witch Hazel, Epsom Salts, Iodine (burned like crazy) and oatmeal; along with many other holistic plant life remedies.
I have generations of non-vaccinated family members and my family tree reveals most lived to a 100. I do believe now, mortality is decreasing (NO MATTER WHAT THEY SAY)!
As I now watch the children of today, I see kids with constant runny noses and amazingly, “a-typical flu symptoms” after the flu vaccine. Yet my non-vaccinated middle school grandchildren have a perfect attendance record because they seldom get sick and when they have, it’s a head cold that immediate high doses of vitamin C and Oranges eliminate in just a couple of days.
My entire family and lineage has had Chicken pox, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Scarlet fever (and one member had “Polio” who fortunately recovered remarkably well). And aside from the life-long benefits that these “so-called deadly” diseases actually do provide to the human immune system, children enjoy the extra attention and ice cream!
A state of fear has been created by fear mongering politicians, big pharma and the medical “professionals”. The proponents viciously attack anti-vaccers as if they need to “fight to survive” against an enemy. Their emotions have blinded them from facts and the inability to have a discussion where they LISTEN.
WE all want to protect our children so wouldn’t it be great if we could reach a consensus? After all, history proves the benefits of these common illnesses for 1000’s of years. And for those viruses that wiped out entire populations? As I said above: I’ve yet to see a vaccine for those!