As Twitchy reported Monday, the New York Times had an article — actually, a hit piece — on parents whose politics changed over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sheera Frenkel wrote:
While they once described themselves as Republicans or Democrats, they now identify as independents who plan to vote based solely on vaccine policies.
Their transformation injects an unpredictable element into November’s midterm elections. Fueled by a sense of righteousness after Covid vaccine and mask mandates ended, many of these parents have become increasingly dogmatic, convinced that unless they act, new mandates will be passed after the midterms.
To back up their beliefs, some have organized rallies and disrupted local school board meetings. Others are raising money for anti-mask and anti-vaccine candidates….
Frenkel added that worried parents shared notes and online articles — “many of them misleading” — about the reopening of schools and the efficacy of vaccines and masks. Those crazy parents, showing up at school board meetings like domestic terrorists.
Sarah Beth Burwick has some pitches for stories on moms and COVID-19 that don’t treat the mothers as being “radicalized.”
🧵
Every few months, a mainstream media outlet publishes a tropey hit piece attacking moms (only moms) who’ve been “radicalized” by the covid policies that harmed & continue to harm our families.It’s stale.
Here are some pitches for anyone into actual journalism-ing:
— Sarah Beth Burwick (@sarahbeth345) August 2, 2022
💡 What happened to the careers of all the parents who were sidelined from their jobs due to lengthy school closures? Have they returned to work? Have their career trajectories changed, and how?
— Sarah Beth Burwick (@sarahbeth345) August 2, 2022
💡 Why are the vast majority of American parents now ignoring CDC guidance regarding pediatric covid shots and boosters? (Spoiler: It’s not because of “misinformation.”) How do doctors feel about it? Can trust be restored?
— Sarah Beth Burwick (@sarahbeth345) August 2, 2022
💡 Why are parents still relying on covid social media influencers like Jessica Malaty Rivera for medical advice? Is it ethical or appropriate for an Instagram epidemiologist to give medical advice online? Why should parents trust extremists who still mask their max-vaxxed kids?
— Sarah Beth Burwick (@sarahbeth345) August 2, 2022
💡 Has the US government been paying influencers and celebrities to further a specific narrative and/or market vaccines without disclosures, and why does the Federal Trade Commission not care about these potential conflicts of interest that violate federal guidelines?
— Sarah Beth Burwick (@sarahbeth345) August 2, 2022
💡 How covid paved the way for unchecked executive powers under “state of emergency” statutes and how this played out differently at the federal, state, and local levels.
— Sarah Beth Burwick (@sarahbeth345) August 2, 2022
Do any journalists want to follow up?
Drop more ideas in the comments! 💡 💡 💡
— Sarah Beth Burwick (@sarahbeth345) August 2, 2022
I would like to see something on the effect of masking on developmentally disabled children. Children in a critical stage of development who are being forcibly masked in schools, therapies and other social settings.
— Nitya (@TranquilVolcano) August 2, 2022
What happened to kids in the class of 2020, 2021 and 2022 who changed their plans to go to college during the school closures. What are they doing now? How has their relationship with education changed? How do they see their lives going forward?
— Kelly (@Kelly88123191) August 2, 2022
Why are pediatrician’s offices STILL requiring masks for children 2+ when there is limited to zero data supporting their use?
— Leanne (@LeanGetsMean) August 2, 2022
Why are some universities holding onto vax and booster mandates when there are other universities that never mandated? Do they even look at the results of those communities? Are there any studies?
— East Drink Coaster (@shorefresh01) August 2, 2022
Why does the CDC’s guidance often conflict with that of health agencies in peer countries (UK, Europe, etc)? If there’s a good reason for the conflicting advice, why is it never explained?
— Salty (@SaltyScorpio1) August 2, 2022
Why is natural immunity irrelevant? If the body cleared the infection at first exposure without the need for medical intervention, why mandate repeated injection of the spike protein to "educate" the immune system. It proved smart enough.
— Coco Nabors (@NaborsCoco) August 2, 2022
What is the state of mental health and career prospects for the COVID collge kids-who had the most onerous mitigations for a group at low risk. And how about comparing that to the other end of the bell curve-how have the elderly fared in homes where they lost almost all contact
— Toxchick (@toxchick42) August 2, 2022
I think you made an amazing point! WHAT ABOUT THE DADS???!
— Whatiminto (@Whatiminto65) August 2, 2022
Definitely it is always an attack on moms. Even though Dads are involved in some of this advocacy, strangely somehow the knives never come out for us. Part of what used to call a War on Women, before the term itself became forbidden fruit.
— David B. Affler (@OffRampSeeker) August 2, 2022
The moms seem more unhinged to the journalist class because they’re often closer to their children and speak up on their behalf.
Related:
New York Times notes that many parents have become ‘increasingly dogmatic’ during the pandemic https://t.co/Ff9kewbLCA
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) August 1, 2022
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