How many people still believe this Coronavirus is a "hoax"?

[kentuck]

Obviously, there are many that are not taking it very seriously.

Do they think it is "fake news"? Do they think it is a Democrat "hoax" to bring down Donald Trump? Why do they think that?

Is it because they have been lied to by the propagandists of the Republican Party? They never believed that Russia interfered in our election in any way. They never believed that the Ukraine scandal was a big deal. It was all a "hoax" created by the Democrats.

Why did they believe that? Because they were brainwashed and propagandized by FOX News and many in the Republican Party.

And now, we will all pay a price for their lies and deceptions. They never took anything seriously if it reflected poorly on Donald Trump or the Republicans. It didn't matter if it was true or not.

Many have now come around to believing that this coronavirus is real and very dangerous. But the damage has been done. There are many ill-informed people that still believe it is all a "hoax".

What will it take to change their minds?

[PJMcK]

1. What will it take to change their minds?

What minds?

Seriously, who doubts the dangers of COVID-19 except fools and idiots?

[blueinredohio]

2. When they or a loved catches the virus and they see how bad it can really be. Maybe.

[durablend]

4. Wishful thinking nt

[spanone]

3. They believed the 'president' who immediately politicized it, calling it a 'Democrat Hoax'

The 'president' is directly responsible. So is fox 'news'.

[Amishman]

5. The skeptics I know have switched to saying we are better off letting it run wild

That the economic cost of the shutdown is worse than the virus

[thucythucy]

31. So they don't believe all that stuff about "flattening the curce"

so that our health care system isn't overwhelmed?

I guess they all figure they won't be sick in any way, and will have absolutely no accident or condition requiring medical attention while we let it "run wild."

Also, no friends and relatives at greater risk?

Must be nice, living lives in such a carefree free oblivious bubble.

[meadowlander]

35. They just don't care if old people die.

They'd rather try to save the economy than 10 million people over 70 or with pre-existing medical conditions.

It's called sociopathy.

[thucythucy]

38. I understand your point but

what these folks are missing is that--assuming things get as bad as I think they will--younger people and (presently) healthy people will also suffer.

Without the needed protective gear our nurses, physicians, PTs, OTs, ambulance drivers, EMTs will all be at risk.

What happens when one of these younger, more healthy narcissists gets into a car wreck, and there aren't enough EMTs around to respond in time? What happens if, assuming they get to the ER, there aren't enough qualified trauma nurses or physicians to give them appropriate treatment? What happens if they make it through the ER but all the ICU beds are taken? What happens if they make it through the ICU but there aren't enough physical therapists around to help them recover? Or if they need a period of rehab and all the rehab facilities--already short-staffed as it is--can't take new patients because too many of their staff are infected?

And let's not even go into regional shortages of plasma, medicines, sterile gear that may arise if our transportation system breaks down as the virus "runs its course" through truckers, train engineers, pilots and airport personnel etc. etc.

Besides which--it seems people under 70 are at risk as well.

Sorry to rant, but the smugness of these folks gets to me. I've worked in the disability community most of my adult life, and I fear the worst is about to happen, thanks to folks who do not or will not understand that a society rises or falls depending on how well we watch out for one another.

Best wishes to you and yours--thucy

[GusBob]

6. I figured out why one person at least

They were worried about their 401k and claimed the threat was overhyped

[Thomas Hurt]

7. There are many who think it is just another flu...

The hoax is the over reaction, a conspiracy of course to get the amoral pig. The media, the Chinese, Democrats, all to blame...as usual.

[SamKnause]

8. Half of my family.

My sister, her husband, 2 of their daughters, my nieces, (both practicing registered nurses), and 1 great nephew.

One of those nieces, even told my 96 year old mother it was safe to go out to eat.

Thank goodness my mother listens to me and my brother.

We are all in self quarantine in separate locations.

They have gone insane since Trump was elected.

I no longer recognize any of them.

[Iggo]

36. Half of my neighborhood. (n/t)

[Windy City Charlie]

9. That's why

That's why they've gone from calling it a hoax to now blaming it on China. Nothing but deflection.

[maryellen99]

10. They also make a big deal out of "underlying heath issues" nt

[spinbaby]

13. Yes, I've heard that

I have a couple of former coworkers on Facebook who are still convinced it’s no worse than the flu and that Italy was just full of sick old people. They keep pointing to the very low death rate in Germany without taking into account that Germany was hit later, so the deaths will come later.

What gives me nightmares is thinking of what will happen when this outbreak hits slums in places like India and Brazil.

[txwhitedove]

37. Check Worldometers updates. Already 18 deaths in Brazil and 7 in India.

[safeinOhio]

11. Seems pretty strange to me, as

they are the same ones buy up all of the TP.

[panader0]

12. Hey kentuck, do you know the date of the rally

where trump called CV-19 a Democratic hoax?
Anyone know where I can get the video?

[d_r]

14. Youtube

https://m.youtube.com/results?search_query=Trump+democrat+hoax

[kentuck]

15. Thanks d_r!

I think that was in SC the day before, or the day of, the Democratic primary in SC?

[d_r]

18. Sorry not sure

I uit keeping up a good while ago tbh

[JHB]

23. Just be aware of their counter talking point

Last edited Sun Mar 22, 2020, 06:15 PM - Edit history (1)

The pushback is that Trump didn't call the virus a hoax, he called the calls for him to take action "the Democrats' new hoax" and brushed off such calls as "politicizing" and "hysteria" from the "fake news media".

And, removed from context, it's technically true that he didn't call the virus itself a hoax.

That rally was on Feb. 28. Over the next few days various fact check sites rated the characterization as "false" or "mixed"


Mar. 2: Snopes: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/trump-coronavirus-rally-remark/
Mar. 3, FactCheck.org: https://www.factcheck.org/2020/03/trump-and-the-new-hoax/

But there's no separating it from context: Trump has called the Mueller investigation a hoax. At this very same rally he called impeachment a hoax (attributing the comment to an unnamed spontaneously-fawning underling, as he is wont to do).

Now the Democrats are politicizing the coronavirus. You know that, right? Coronavirus. They’re politicizing it. We did one of the great jobs. You say, ‘How’s President Trump doing?’ They go, ‘Oh, not good, not good.’ They have no clue. They don’t have any clue. They can’t even count their votes in Iowa, they can’t even count. No they can’t. They can’t count their votes.

One of my people came up to me and said, ‘Mr. President, they tried to beat you on Russia, Russia, Russia. That didn’t work out too well. They couldn’t do it. They tried the impeachment hoax. That was on a perfect conversation. They tried anything, they tried it over and over, they’ve been doing it since you got in. It’s all turning, they lost, it’s all turning. Think of it. Think of it. And this is their new hoax. But you know, we did something that’s been pretty amazing. We’re 15 people [cases of coronavirus infection] in this massive country. And because of the fact that we went early, we went early, we could have had a lot more than that.

"Hoax", translated from Trumpspeak, means: Thing that is as true as sunrise but I desperately want to portray as a baseless attack.

Please note, the people who will fight tooth and nail over the fine distinction over what Trump called a hoax will be the same people who were all outraged at "You didn't build that" when it was clearly referring to publicly-built infrastructure. No, they separated it from context, brewed it up and triple distilled it, hooked it up to their outrage taps, and binge-drank.

Old Soviet propagandists could only wish for an audience so easily malleable. Small wonder how Vlad played them so easily.

[malaise]

26. February 28

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/28/trump-says-the-coronavirus-is-the-democrats-new-hoax.html

[procon]

16. Every single one of my local relatives, all Faux Noise

defenders who think there is a corona virus, but it's nothing more than a bad cold. All of my siblings, the many nieces and nephews and their spouses thunk it's a scam, another baseless attack on their glorious leader perpetrated by those traitorous Dems... People like me.

They parrot the same propaganda messaging, faithfully recite rightwing talking points and do not practice any of the health and safety protocols to reduce their risks of exposure. I cannot be in contact with any of them due to my own health issues.


I worry about them, my brother just had heart surgery and is on CO2 because he can't breathe. He decided to fly across country to attend a huge trade show where he got sick and came home with pneumonia. He's not hospitalized and he isn't concerned about getting the virus, didn't ask even ask his doc about a test.

[stopbush]

17. The problem with RW ideology is that it's all a lie, regardless of how fervently one believes it.

You can believe:

Tariff wars are easy to win/the Chinese pay the tariffs - it’s not true

Supply side economics works - it doesn’t

tRump had the largest inauguration crowds in history - uh, no

Corona virus is just another flu - nope. It comes from animals, not humans.

And on and on it goes. All lies. The positive results that will supposedly rise from following RW ideology will never rise because they can never rise as they are all based on lies and fantasies.

[d_r]

19. I think

Not an expert or even a little, but I think that flu comes from proximity of people, pigs and chickens

[stopbush]

21. Yea, that's not what the experts say.

[d_r]

40. Links though

https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/qa/where-do-influenza-viruses-originate-and-how-do-they-mutate

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/ColdandFluQuestions/flu-susceptible-flu-year/story?id=5677533

[clutterbox1830]

20. There are so many people that still believe that this is fake and an overreaction.

I know many non Trump supporters believe in this as well.
I know many people in my neighbor who are blaming the governor for shutting down my state.

People are not taking it seriously or don't care.
Unless it affects them, they will only look for new sources that support there argument.

[peggysue2]

22. Have a cousin in Jersey who still thinks this is a hoax

She posts on FB and although I don't do facebook my husband can access her posts and pictures. There are a number of photos from her local food store, shelves crammed with goods. Should be noted she lives in a rather rural section of Jersey. She insists if we close down the media for 30 days, all problems will disappear. She attended my sister's funeral for which I was deeply appreciative; we all grew up together. But obviously, we did not talk politics then nor would I start a conversation now. If I did I would tell her she's fortunate at the moment and she should hope that people fleeing virus infection do not arrive en masse in her community.

I've been reading stories of this happening elsewhere, well-heeled urbanites driving to remote areas, and then overwhelming local communities and resources. NY Post had an article yesterday about wealthy Manhattanites swarming to the Hamptons, offering anywhere from $300,000-$1,000,000 for seasonal rentals. The locals are going berserk, certain that these early arrivals have brought the virus with them and beyond annoyed that they've ravaged their limited supply of goods. Someone posted on DU just yesterday that a similar phenomenon had started on the West Coast.

For some, including a vast number of Trumpers, they will not believe the seriousness of our situation until they or family members become ill. That's the end product of all the gaslighting, propaganda and cult-like mentality. Don't trust your lying eyes and ears. Trust only Trump and his wink-wink proclamations. Let's face it, people who believe in Q can believe anything.

Next up will be aliens (the outer space kind).

[malaise]

24. Ask Rand Paul?

Seriously

[tenderfoot]

25. Conservatives seemed to still think it's a laugh riot

until someone they deem worthy gets it.

[Brainfodder]

27. Needing a ventilator to survive?

They should have woken up if they were capable by now?

[redstatebluegirl]

28. The 45 cult.

[SWBTATTReg]

29. The answer to your question...

How many people still believe this Coronavirus is a "hoax"?

IS EVERY SINGLE MAGA out there. Pathetic, I know. At least like one DU posting I saw just a few seconds ago, allowing the MAGA to believe that CV was a hoax, allowed the rest of us that could do so, to stock up/prepare in what way we could.

Be safe.

[uponit7771]

30. +1,

[Wellstone ruled]

32. Number one Son

over heard that saying Yesterday in his Store while he was trying to restock. As he said this morning,cannot believe how Ignorant some People are.

The best was,how these same people were yelling at him because they were out of so many things. Duh!!!

[beachbumbob]

33. I hope every cpnservative gets it

fuck them all

[HotTeaBag]

34. I honestly think the only thing that will completely change their minds is if

Trump gets it and dies.

They will no longer believe it's a hoax, but they will still blame it on being made in a lab somewhere by Soros, or that it was a bioweapon made in China.

[thucythucy]

39. Or that the "deep state"

had it in for him.