In the midst of a pandemic, we are forced to cover our noses and mouths with masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19 particles that could get someone sick. Advancing forward, scientists have put an immense amount of precise work and testing into their vaccine from companies like Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson in order to return our world to a somewhat normal life.
And that is simply it. No catch. No incentives. Nothing.
Yet people have somehow turned this virus into one of the main identifying political statements between parties there has ever been. Oh, you wish you didn’t have to wear a mask indoors, so you must associate with this political party? Or, you wear your mask when walking outside because you forgot to take it off, so you must associate with this political party? This misleading connection has stemmed from such minuscule happening as stated above, to real violence and hate spread across our nation due to the virus.
In RCL, we have talked about the different types of fallacies often found in rhetoric that people use in both positive and negative ways to sway someone or a group of peoples’ opinions. The fallacy present at hand, along with a handful of others for a later discussion, is the red herring fallacy. A red herring is something that is distracting us from the real issue at hand–the COVID-19 pandemic.
People have become so blinded and distracted by what Fox News or CNN has to say about the virus that they do not realize we should be in this together, regardless of political association. The only way for this pandemic to end is for those to remove themselves from this red herring and understand that this virus has not a single thing to do with the name you checked on your presidential ballot.
In order to do this, it’s time for our nation to separate politics from science, and trust that these doctors and scientists are not producing vaccines or creating mandates to restrict our liberties, yet to bring them back to full swing.
Jennifer Miller
October 7, 2021 — 4:15 pm
I agree with your ideas. There are so many problems within our country that need to be solved, like Covid-19, and the fact that our country is so divided by political party is not helping, There are many problems that are bigger than political parties, and we cannot solve problems without being united. We need to recognize that everyone has their own ideas, beliefs, and opinions and respect that. We need to move past our differences and instead look toward making solutions and working together. If we can put aside what we disagree on, so much can be done, and there is so much that we need to improve on.
prh5154
October 7, 2021 — 4:19 pm
It’s true. It is disturbing to see how people will make anything political nowadays. Science should not be political. A disease that has killed many doesn’t care about who you voted for so why should we? I also found the picture you inserted amusing as well and it perfectly fit the topic.
Avi Shende
October 7, 2021 — 4:58 pm
A lot of this has to do with politicization, which you point out very well in your blog. Everybody views everything someone does as an association to their political party. I feel like this has really degraded the quality of our society over the last few years.
Excellent and scintillating work Lucas!