![]() ![]() But they had a meeting – a “roundtable,” which sadly, suggests politicians circling, round and round, not acting.Īt the meeting, they were “Examining Covid Policy Decisions,” according to the title, but why didn’t government officials follow policy or health decisions decided upon long ago, such as following established steps to test the safety of a vaccine, which usually takes years? Why did government and disease bureaucrats ignore natural immunity and, instead, force vaccines and mandates? “ Preparing for the Future While Learning From the Past: Examining COVID Policy Decisions” has the kind of vapid tone, with its canned phrases and requisite well-placed colon, that makes our eyes glaze over as we have a sinking sense that those responsible will say almost nothing and will do even less. Why would it be a “subcommittee” rather than a main committee when governments unleashed destruction upon the US and the world, including job loss businesses destroyed deaths of despair suicides starvation from supply chain disruptions increased addictions community breakdowns shattered trust in institutions? We then smile and nod and remain confused and unsure of what governments or dictators are actually doing before it’s too late.Įven the title of the “roundtable” of the “House Select Subcommittee on the Corona Virus Pandemic” makes me cringe after reading Orwell. When reading or listening to such speech, we find ourselves mired in the muck of sloppy language that confuses, disorients, and depresses, and in the extreme, such language gets people killed, because if we don’t question it, and allow it to frustrate and anger us, it lulls and numbs our minds. ![]() Orwell argues that these language patterns destroy truth and beauty and clarity they cloud thinking and collapse culture with their obfuscations. Patterns include cliches, meaningless words, ready-made phrases, passive voice constructions, vague pronoun references, platitudes, and government jargon. Most of the witnesses criticized the overall public health response to Covid, which Kulldorff described as one of “the worst public health mistakes in history.” And yet, language from some on this committee falls into patterns Orwell warns about in his essay. Benjamin, M.D., M.A.C.P., executive director of the American Public Health Association. M.P.H, chief of islet and transplant surgery and professor of surgery at Johns Hopkins University and George C. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio), the group heard testimony from Jay Bhattacharya, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine at Stanford University Martin Kulldorff, Ph.D., professor of medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital Marty Makary, M.D. ![]() Now, I couldn’t help but do this assignment myself.Ĭhaired by Rep. I am teaching the essay now to AP high school English students and assigned them to write an essay in which they examine and critique a piece of writing – government mandate, report, policy, speech, meeting transcript, or other text with Orwell’s points as a guide. The House Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic convened recently for the first time and held a roundtable, “Preparing for the Future by Learning from the Past: Examining Covid Policy Decisions.” When reading politicians and bureaucrats’ words, George Orwell’s 1946 essay, “ Politics and the English Language” comes to mind. ![]()
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