I believe in your fight Dr Kheriaty! Keep it up . My son chose to get vaccinated to attend classes at ucla and now he’s faced with a booster mandate ? We actually think he recovered from covid in February 2020 but he didn’t want to fight it with an exemption . My son who is 20 yo and very healthy with almost no risk of complications or death from covid needs to take a booster which does not even prevent infection or transmission. I am mad and feel so helpless but see glimmers of hope with your ongoing battle. May God help all of us.
To clarify, the UC system has not (yet) mandated the booster for students, but only for healthcare workers at the UC hospitals. Hopefully they won't mandate it for students, but I'm not holding my breath.
My nephew is in a PhD program at UCLA. Higher risk for young males to have heart complications than a problem with covid. Especially since there are legitimate treatments being denied.
Great article, and yes, you do need to work on your tv smile. It does scream college professor. 😂🤷♀️ I’m having flashbacks to undergrad right now.
It’s ok to at least laugh at the absurdity of the time we are living in. Think about what will be said in 30 years in high school biology when discussing this time.
“The already naturally immune were told they weren’t immune ‘enough.’ Politicians and people called ‘woke’ at the time demanded numerous doses of these drugs even for the already naturally immune. This was pushed even after it became clear nearly all effectiveness was gone within 9 months of the 1st shot. The public health community insisted these people with natural immunity were ‘less immune’ than those who got the 2 shots and later 3 shots, all in the first 12 months of the ‘mass vaccination’ campaign. It didn’t appear to sway anyone in public health at the time that those who were ‘vaccinated’ but not naturally immune continued catching and spreading the virus. Within 12 months, the ‘vaccinated’ were spreading the virus at far higher per capita rates than the unvaccinated.
The public health response to the news the shots prevented neither infection or spread was to tell people to get more shots, despite the terrible side effect profile, and regardless of their natural immunity or health related risk level from the actual virus, which was mild for most and negligible in children. Many were needlessly injured by the shots as nearly everyone had recovered from some variant of the virus by two years from the first poorly conceived economic shutdowns.
This is why, a decade later, big pharma funding was finally removed from public health, and high legal standards put in place to remove any real, or even perceived, conflict of financial interest between those in public health and the big pharmaceutical companies who stand to profit handsomely from the recommendations of public health.”
Ok, so the last part is clearly just wishful thinking at this point, but should be a longer term goal for all of us.
You should write a letter for your kids to get published 3 decades from the anniversary of your firing - and get a big grin knowing how ridiculous this whole societal response will seem by that time.
As a mom of a young daughter, and the proud mother of two kids who (along with their dad and my husband) have blood relatives still trapped in Cuba, I’ve learned to laugh at the absurdity of statements made these days. It’s ridiculous to claim men can believe their way to being “real” women. It ridiculous to claim judging in skin tone and/ or re-segregation will ever result in an “anti-racist” society. The absurdity of all of it is completely ridiculous, not withstanding the seriousness of the very real harm all this insanity is causing.
Still, I hope one can be both completely serious and still step back and laugh at the absurdity of it all. Only having sadness and frustration in life, even if justified, is no way to live. Plus, humor may end up being our key to escape……….
The booster mandates encourage people who haven't yet had shot #1 to do everything they can to decline it, and does public health care at all (no, of course they don't). Plenty of people out there who might consent to #1 and #2, but they certainly aren't going to agree to #5 right now. If I say yes to #1, am I also effectively signing myself up for #5? Then I'd better say no to #1.
Michigan State University, just two blocks away from us, has also mandated boosters for everyone, in a letter that ended with the president's pronouns (is that really necessary at the end of every letter?), and which also claimed that a booster mandate was necessary to keep the university safe and open, which is obviously false. There are plenty of colleges in Michigan with no mandates whatsoever that have been running just fine. Politicians and HR departments should not be ordering medication for people, that is insanity.
And isn’t “keeping us ‘safe’” with vaccines and booster shots a living impossibility besides being theoretically and empirically unsupported and rejected. (I’m not saying “stupid” but one could).
Is there any such thing as “safe” in this world of risk and the varieties of unknown and uncontrolled/uncontrollable variables and challenges? Simple answer (that seemingly escapes those who claim they can and will keep us safe from all harm): No. Beware of those who claim they can and will at all costs. Indeed.
"Safe" is indeed one of those delightful words that can mean whatever you need it to mean in the moment. Nigh every human activity you can imagine is safe and unsafe for some levels of risk tolerance.
It is crazy to observe. I keep thinking about an "all the dysfunctions that led to the present crisis" Substack post, but it would be 500 pages long. Certainly two of those dysfunctions are:
1. Monoculture in the administrative class. There is nobody around these guys to say "but that isn't true" or "but that isn't right" or "but you shouldn't say that". Everybody thinks the same, everybody lives by the same rules, and everybody protects everybody else.
2. Complete and total abdication by the US media. Perhaps 90% of our pandemic would have fallen apart under serious media questioning, but it never happens. Journalists simply do not care.
Congrats on both the major media appearance and your excellent presentation. For those of us who might need a brief humor break in the midst of all this mandated madness, please allow me to recommend the singer (& satirist) Lena Belle: It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Fascism (a Christmas Carol) @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4G-19QB1Us&t=86s and I’m Dreaming of a Dead Christmas (Brandon’s Sweet Christmas Message) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JOaUpUkD5w Warning: NOT for the humor-impaired.
City of Cleburne, Tex. v. Cleburne Living Center, 473 U.S. 432, 436 (1985).
The Court rejected the argument that people with developmental disabilities were a ‘suspect class’, subjecting the City’s actions to “strict scrutiny.” Nonetheless, the Court held, the Equal Protection Clause demands that whenever legislation classifies a group of citizens differently from other citizens, the government must establish at least a “rational relationship” between the reason for the unequal treatment and the means used to address whatever the problem was the government was trying to address.
"mere negative attitudes, or fear, unsubstantiated by factors which are properly cognizable in a zoning proceeding, are not permissible bases for treating a home for the mentally retarded differently from apartment houses, multiple dwellings, and the like."
“requiring the permit in this case appears to us to rest on an irrational prejudice against the mentally retarded.”
I just read the 12-08-2021 Order Regarding Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings. The system, as is, is against individual liberties. Rational basis in your case is IRRATIONAL! I'm going to continue fighting Tomas J. Aragon's 11 August, 2021 order for Vaccine Verification for Workers in Schools. "Asymptomatic unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated workers are required to undergo diagnostic screening testing."" Previous history of COVID-19 from which the individual recovered more than 90 days earlier, or a previous positive antibody test for COVID-19, do not waive this requirement for testing." https://gofund.me/566c755e
I believe in your fight Dr Kheriaty! Keep it up . My son chose to get vaccinated to attend classes at ucla and now he’s faced with a booster mandate ? We actually think he recovered from covid in February 2020 but he didn’t want to fight it with an exemption . My son who is 20 yo and very healthy with almost no risk of complications or death from covid needs to take a booster which does not even prevent infection or transmission. I am mad and feel so helpless but see glimmers of hope with your ongoing battle. May God help all of us.
Would he consider going elsewhere so he doesn’t have to take these dangerous jabs?
To clarify, the UC system has not (yet) mandated the booster for students, but only for healthcare workers at the UC hospitals. Hopefully they won't mandate it for students, but I'm not holding my breath.
I work for UCLA, they sent an email yesterday mandating boosters for both employees and students unfortunately
Yes my son confirms this .🤬
My nephew is in a PhD program at UCLA. Higher risk for young males to have heart complications than a problem with covid. Especially since there are legitimate treatments being denied.
Unfortunately no. He’s almost done .
Great article, and yes, you do need to work on your tv smile. It does scream college professor. 😂🤷♀️ I’m having flashbacks to undergrad right now.
It’s ok to at least laugh at the absurdity of the time we are living in. Think about what will be said in 30 years in high school biology when discussing this time.
“The already naturally immune were told they weren’t immune ‘enough.’ Politicians and people called ‘woke’ at the time demanded numerous doses of these drugs even for the already naturally immune. This was pushed even after it became clear nearly all effectiveness was gone within 9 months of the 1st shot. The public health community insisted these people with natural immunity were ‘less immune’ than those who got the 2 shots and later 3 shots, all in the first 12 months of the ‘mass vaccination’ campaign. It didn’t appear to sway anyone in public health at the time that those who were ‘vaccinated’ but not naturally immune continued catching and spreading the virus. Within 12 months, the ‘vaccinated’ were spreading the virus at far higher per capita rates than the unvaccinated.
The public health response to the news the shots prevented neither infection or spread was to tell people to get more shots, despite the terrible side effect profile, and regardless of their natural immunity or health related risk level from the actual virus, which was mild for most and negligible in children. Many were needlessly injured by the shots as nearly everyone had recovered from some variant of the virus by two years from the first poorly conceived economic shutdowns.
This is why, a decade later, big pharma funding was finally removed from public health, and high legal standards put in place to remove any real, or even perceived, conflict of financial interest between those in public health and the big pharmaceutical companies who stand to profit handsomely from the recommendations of public health.”
Ok, so the last part is clearly just wishful thinking at this point, but should be a longer term goal for all of us.
You should write a letter for your kids to get published 3 decades from the anniversary of your firing - and get a big grin knowing how ridiculous this whole societal response will seem by that time.
As a mom of a young daughter, and the proud mother of two kids who (along with their dad and my husband) have blood relatives still trapped in Cuba, I’ve learned to laugh at the absurdity of statements made these days. It’s ridiculous to claim men can believe their way to being “real” women. It ridiculous to claim judging in skin tone and/ or re-segregation will ever result in an “anti-racist” society. The absurdity of all of it is completely ridiculous, not withstanding the seriousness of the very real harm all this insanity is causing.
Still, I hope one can be both completely serious and still step back and laugh at the absurdity of it all. Only having sadness and frustration in life, even if justified, is no way to live. Plus, humor may end up being our key to escape……….
Love this!
The booster mandates encourage people who haven't yet had shot #1 to do everything they can to decline it, and does public health care at all (no, of course they don't). Plenty of people out there who might consent to #1 and #2, but they certainly aren't going to agree to #5 right now. If I say yes to #1, am I also effectively signing myself up for #5? Then I'd better say no to #1.
Michigan State University, just two blocks away from us, has also mandated boosters for everyone, in a letter that ended with the president's pronouns (is that really necessary at the end of every letter?), and which also claimed that a booster mandate was necessary to keep the university safe and open, which is obviously false. There are plenty of colleges in Michigan with no mandates whatsoever that have been running just fine. Politicians and HR departments should not be ordering medication for people, that is insanity.
And isn’t “keeping us ‘safe’” with vaccines and booster shots a living impossibility besides being theoretically and empirically unsupported and rejected. (I’m not saying “stupid” but one could).
Is there any such thing as “safe” in this world of risk and the varieties of unknown and uncontrolled/uncontrollable variables and challenges? Simple answer (that seemingly escapes those who claim they can and will keep us safe from all harm): No. Beware of those who claim they can and will at all costs. Indeed.
"Safe" is indeed one of those delightful words that can mean whatever you need it to mean in the moment. Nigh every human activity you can imagine is safe and unsafe for some levels of risk tolerance.
This is the part that really gets to me. How can people in authority just keep casually asserting medically false information?
It is crazy to observe. I keep thinking about an "all the dysfunctions that led to the present crisis" Substack post, but it would be 500 pages long. Certainly two of those dysfunctions are:
1. Monoculture in the administrative class. There is nobody around these guys to say "but that isn't true" or "but that isn't right" or "but you shouldn't say that". Everybody thinks the same, everybody lives by the same rules, and everybody protects everybody else.
2. Complete and total abdication by the US media. Perhaps 90% of our pandemic would have fallen apart under serious media questioning, but it never happens. Journalists simply do not care.
The whole thing is so ironic to me. Director of Bioethics getting fired for his ethics. But that’s communism for you! Doesn’t make any sense!
Congrats on both the major media appearance and your excellent presentation. For those of us who might need a brief humor break in the midst of all this mandated madness, please allow me to recommend the singer (& satirist) Lena Belle: It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Fascism (a Christmas Carol) @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4G-19QB1Us&t=86s and I’m Dreaming of a Dead Christmas (Brandon’s Sweet Christmas Message) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JOaUpUkD5w Warning: NOT for the humor-impaired.
Clever, thanks!
Is there any timeline on your legal challenge and when you might see a victory from the courts? All court rulings seem to be in your favor.
Glad to see you're getting some press I hope that the case progresses soon to trial.
Thank you. A most helpful summary and powerful defense - as well as offense - against “political science “
Congratulations on your recent notoriety! Just curious ~ is "Human Flourishing" a tip of the hat to Seligman's Flourish?
I mean this truly and sincerely: Let's go UCI!!!
Pleased explain. ?
Same exact sentiment as "Let's go Brandon."
City of Cleburne, Tex. v. Cleburne Living Center, 473 U.S. 432, 436 (1985).
The Court rejected the argument that people with developmental disabilities were a ‘suspect class’, subjecting the City’s actions to “strict scrutiny.” Nonetheless, the Court held, the Equal Protection Clause demands that whenever legislation classifies a group of citizens differently from other citizens, the government must establish at least a “rational relationship” between the reason for the unequal treatment and the means used to address whatever the problem was the government was trying to address.
"mere negative attitudes, or fear, unsubstantiated by factors which are properly cognizable in a zoning proceeding, are not permissible bases for treating a home for the mentally retarded differently from apartment houses, multiple dwellings, and the like."
“requiring the permit in this case appears to us to rest on an irrational prejudice against the mentally retarded.”
I just read the 12-08-2021 Order Regarding Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings. The system, as is, is against individual liberties. Rational basis in your case is IRRATIONAL! I'm going to continue fighting Tomas J. Aragon's 11 August, 2021 order for Vaccine Verification for Workers in Schools. "Asymptomatic unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated workers are required to undergo diagnostic screening testing."" Previous history of COVID-19 from which the individual recovered more than 90 days earlier, or a previous positive antibody test for COVID-19, do not waive this requirement for testing." https://gofund.me/566c755e