An independent researcher. We encourage readers to verify information.
Kennedy Debunked | Vol. 1
Kennedy Debunked
Explore Debunks
Explore Debunks
Reality: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ate a goat in Patagonia while news sources claim he ate a dog in Korea. RFK Jr. put these rumors to bed.
The Source of the Story
In early July, Vanity Fair posted an article claiming that RFK Jr. ate a dog and that a veterinarian had confirmed that. Other news sources quickly picked up the story, like the New York Post, and spread this misinformation.
What RFK Jr. Had to Say:
“You know they did this story that I ate a dog and they have a picture of me supposedly eating a dog. I, of course, it’s not a dog and they said I was eating a dog in Korea and that they had checked with experts , meta data experts, and identified it as Korea and checked with veterinarians who who validated that it was a dog. It’s a goat and it’s in Patagonia.”
RFK Jr also posted a humerous video about the situation to his social media: https://x.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/1810106227101519960
Conclusion
Once again the main stream media has broken the trust of the people by running stories that are full of information. That is why we try to keep you informed here at Kennedy Debunked and we always tell you to independently verify information.
Reality: The decline in vaccination rates in Samoa began years before Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s 2019 visit and was influenced by various factors, including a tragic vaccine mix-up in 2018. The measles outbreak in Samoa was part of a global surge in cases, and attributing it solely to Kennedy ignores the broader context and complexities involved.
Mother Jones, one Democrat funded tabloid source that blames Kennedy for the measles cases, concluded that Kennedy must be to blame because he visited the island a few months before the outbreak. However, we know that correlation does not equal causation. In this article we dive into the specifics of the events that unfolded.
Declining Vaccination Rates in Samoa Since 2014
The decline in vaccination rates in Samoa is a complex issue that began long before Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s visit to the island nation in 2019. According to World Health Organization (WHO) data, Samoa experienced a significant dip in vaccination coverage since 2014. By 2017, vaccination rates had fallen to 67% for one-year-old children. This decline was further exacerbated in 2018 after a tragic incident that shook public confidence in vaccines.
The Tragic Vaccine Mix-Up in 2018
In July 2018, two infants in Samoa tragically died within minutes of being administered the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine. The deaths were caused by a nurse mistakenly mixing the vaccine with a muscle relaxant. This human error led to widespread fear and mistrust of vaccines among the Samoan population. In response, the Samoan government paused the MMR vaccination program for nearly a year, leading to a further drop in vaccination rates.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s 2019 Visit to Samoa
In the summer of 2019, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. traveled to Samoa to attend the 57th Independence Celebrations. By this time, the MMR vaccination rates in Samoa were already low, a situation that had developed over several years and was compounded by the 2018 vaccine mix-up. Despite claims that Kennedy’s visit contributed to the decline in vaccination rates, the evidence shows that the downward trend began well before his arrival.
Kennedy’s visit was later used as a focal point in efforts to blame him for the subsequent measles outbreak, but this ignores the broader context of declining vaccination rates and other factors of the spread of measles.
The Global Measles Outbreak in 2019
The measles outbreak in Samoa was part of a much larger global trend. In 2019, measles cases worldwide surged to 869,770 the highest number in over two decades, according to WHO data. Notably, while the outbreak in Samoa has been unfairly attributed to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., similar outbreaks occurred around the world without any connection to him. The attempt to single out Kennedy as the cause of the outbreak in Samoa is not only misleading but also ignores the broader global context.
Misleading Statistics on Vaccination Status
Statistics that claim the majority of measles patients are unvaccinated can be misleading. In many cases, individuals are categorized as unvaccinated if their vaccination status is unknown or uncertain. Furthermore, vaccinated individuals who contract measles may be underreported or not tested due to fears of false positives, leading to an overrepresentation of unvaccinated cases in official statistics as previously reported.
Kennedy Responds to The Allegations
When talking with Brian Cohen, RFK Jr says:
“The best evidence shows that the deaths that occurred from measles that year were a result of a defective vaccination of the people who died were people who got the vaccine while they had measles, which you should never do. In Tonga which is next door, which also had a measles outbreak and where they were not given the vaccine, there were no deaths.
Of course the vaccine cartel and the public health cartel that likes a propaganda on this issue points this and say oh ‘the deaths occurred because of a because lower vaccination rate.’ But there is no data that shows that. There’s no paper that shows that. There’s no science that shows that. There’s just propaganda.
The best science indicates that the actual reasons for those deaths in Samoa were a defective vaccine that was brought in from Australia and then was pulled when the Public Health authorities realized that it was killing people.”
Kennedy’s Advocacy for Better Nutrition and Vaccine Choice
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has long advocated for better nutrition, recognizing its critical role in building immunity and preventing disease. NIH research supports this, stating, “Vitamin A deficiency is a recognized risk factor for severe measles infections.” Additionally, studies have shown that more than half of the sampled population in Samoa were not meeting the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for calcium (59.0%), 44.6% were not meeting the RDA for potassium, and intake of vitamin A and E was inadequate among 25.9% and 25.6% of the population, respectively.
These nutritional deficiencies were contributing factors to the severity of the measles outbreak. Kennedy’s platform is not about taking vaccines away from those who want them; rather, he advocates for informed choice and improved safety standards. His focus on nutrition aligns with his broader commitment to enhancing public health through holistic approaches.
Conclusion
The claim that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is responsible for the measles outbreak in Samoa and the deaths of 83 people is a gross oversimplification of a complex situation. The decline in vaccination rates in Samoa began years before his visit and was influenced by a range of factors, including the 2018 vaccine mix-up. The outbreak in Samoa was part of a global surge in measles cases in 2019, a phenomenon not unique to Samoa or related to Kennedy’s actions. It is essential to approach public health issues with a nuanced understanding, recognizing the multifactorial causes of outbreaks and deaths rather than resorting to simplistic blame.
In discussions surrounding mental health and violence, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been misrepresented as claiming that antidepressants cause school shootings. In reality, he has pointed out the black box warning of antidepressants and called for additional studies.
RFK Jr.’s Statements on Antidepressants
During a recent interview with Dr. Phil, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressed concerns about the potential link between antidepressants, specifically SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) and benzodiazepines, and violent behavior. Here is what he said:
“You mentioned the school shootings. When the Columbine shooting happened, I think five families brought lawsuits against the maker of Prozac, which had just been released. But there have been many, many articles since then and a lot of evidence that some of these mass shootings that we’re seeing in this country may be related to this new class of drugs—SSRIs and benzos. Those drugs have a black box warning on them that says they cause homicidal and suicidal behavior.”
It is essential to understand that Kennedy is not making a definitive claim that antidepressants cause school shootings. Instead, he is advocating for further research into the potential side effects of these medications, particularly given the FDA’s black box warning.
The Scientific Perspective
The scientific community has long debated the relationship between antidepressants and violent behavior. The FDA issued a black box warning concerning the risk of suicidality associated with the use of antidepressants in children and adolescents in 2004. However, this warning is not a conclusive statement that these medications cause violence. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) states:
“The FDA has issued a black box warning concerning the risk of suicidality associated with the use of antidepressants in children and adolescents from 2004. Despite this fact, whether or not antidepressants truly increase suicidality is up for debate because depression itself is associated with an increased risk of suicide.”
This underscores the complexity of the issue. Depression, the condition being treated by these medications, is itself linked to an increased risk of suicide. The black box warning serves as a precaution, not a definitive causal link.
The Need for Further Research
RFK Jr.’s call for more research is both reasonable and necessary. Understanding the full range of effects of antidepressants, especially in vulnerable populations like children and adolescents, is crucial for developing safe and effective treatment protocols.
RFK Jr has said repeatedly that he will change his views if new data is presented to him. All he is asking for is credible research free from big-pharma’s influence.
Conclusion
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. does not claim that antidepressants cause school shootings. He advocates for more research into the potential side effects of these medications, especially given the FDA’s black box warning. Understanding the complex relationship between mental health treatment and behavior requires careful study and balanced discussion. It is crucial to approach this topic with the nuance and sensitivity it deserves, avoiding the pitfalls of oversimplification and misrepresentation.
We all agree that every school shooting is a tragedy and we should join together to find the cause to them to prevent further harm.
Mainstream media, including CNN, has portrayed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as a proponent of vaccine misinformation and accused him of making antisemitic remarks regarding Covid-19. However, the media refuses to report the context of his statement and the fact that he was talking about an NIH funded study.
Claim 1: Kennedy’s Remarks About Covid-19 Were Antisemitic
What CNN Reported:
CNN and other media outlets reported that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made antisemitic remarks by suggesting that Covid-19 was engineered to spare Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people. During a congressional hearing, Congresswoman Schultz echoed this sentiment, accusing Kennedy of spreading a baseless conspiracy theory.
Kennedy’s Response:
Kennedy clarified under oath that he was referencing a study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and was not promoting a conspiracy theory. He stated that his remarks were taken out of context and misrepresented by the media.
The Study in Question:
The study Kennedy referred to can be found here. The research indicates that a specific genetic variant, ACE2-K26R, which is more frequent in the Ashkenazi Jewish population, may decrease the electrostatic attraction between SARS-CoV-2 and the ACE2 receptor. This scientific finding was discussed in a private setting where Kennedy was assured that no recording devices were allowed. He later told CNN that he would have never said those remarks knowing they were going to be taken out of context like they were. Kennedy told CNN, “I wish I hadn’t said them, you know. What I said was true, the only reason I wouldn’t talk publicly about this … is that I know that there’s people out there who are antisemitic and can misuse any information.”
Context and Misrepresentation:
The media’s portrayal of Kennedy’s remarks as antisemitic neglects the context in which they were made. He was discussing a legitimate scientific study and not endorsing any conspiracy theory. The selective reporting by outlets like CNN has contributed to a misunderstanding of Kennedy’s intentions and statements and, in bad faith, interfered in the election process.
Claim 2: Kennedy is a Leading Proponent of Vaccine Misinformation
What CNN Reported:
CNN and other media sources have labeled Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as a leading proponent of vaccine misinformation. This characterization has been used to discredit his views and public statements on vaccines and public health.
Kennedy’s Advocacy:
Kennedy has been a vocal advocate for vaccine safety and transparency. He has raised concerns about vaccine ingredients, the regulatory processes, and potential conflicts of interest between pharmaceutical companies and regulatory agencies. Kennedy’s stance is often misrepresented as being entirely anti-vaccine, whereas he emphasizes the need for safer vaccines and informed consent. It is important to note that Kennedy has stated that he will not take anyone’s vaccines away.
The Broader Issue:
The label of “vaccine misinformation” is frequently used to dismiss legitimate concerns and criticisms of the pharmaceutical industry and regulatory practices. Kennedy’s advocacy for vaccine safety should be seen in the context of promoting public health and ensuring that vaccines are safe and effective for all individuals. This is no different from his public health stance on other medicines and even getting rid of harmful chemicals in our food and water.
Conclusion
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been unfairly characterized by mainstream media as promoting antisemitic ideas and spreading vaccine misinformation. By examining the context of his statements and the scientific research he referenced, it becomes clear that these claims are based on selective reporting and misrepresentation. Kennedy’s commitment to vaccine safety and transparency reflects a broader concern for public health, and his efforts should be understood in this light.
Reality: Kennedy has repeatedly emphasized that he does not plan to confiscate firearms or restrict Second Amendment rights. The data shows gun ownership levels have remained the same while mental health issues have drastically increased. He stresses the need for a comprehensive approach that includes better mental health care and understanding the underlying factors contributing to violence, rather than simply imposing gun restrictions.
RFK Jr.’s Position on Gun Ownership
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been profoundly impacted by gun violence with the tragic assassinations of his father, Robert F. Kennedy, in 1968, and his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, in 1963. However, in various interviews Kennedy has reiterated his commitment to protecting Second Amendment rights while seeking to address the complex factors contributing to gun violence. In response to a question about banning assault weapons, RFK Jr. stated:
“I am not going to take people’s guns away. If there was consensus where Republicans and Democrats voted a majority to do that, I would sign the bill.”
He acknowledges that significant changes to gun laws would require bipartisan support, which is currently very unlikely given the strong opposition to gun restrictions among Republicans. However, the data shows that guns are not causing the increase in mass shootings.
Gun Ownership and Violence Data
Contrary to the notion that reducing gun ownership would decrease violence, data shows a different trend. According to the Violence Policy Center, gun ownership rates have remained relatively stable since the early 2000s, with only slight fluctuations.
Active Shooting Incidents
Data from the Pew Research Center indicates a rise in active shooting incidents over the years, despite stable gun ownership rates. This suggests that other factors are contributing to the increase in violence.
The Role of Mental Health
Rising violence, particularly among younger individuals, correlates more closely with increasing mental health issues than gun ownership. Research by the American Psychological Association highlights a significant increase in mental health disorders among young Americans over the past decade:
- Major depression in adolescents increased by 52% from 2005 to 2017.
- Serious psychological distress in young adults increased by 71% from 2008 to 2017.
- Suicidal thoughts and attempts among young adults increased by 47% from 2008 to 2017.
Kennedy continually emphasizes that studies should be done to find out why this is happening.
RFK Jr.’s Policy on Addressing Gun Violence
In a NewsNation Townhall, Kennedy elaborated on his approach to addressing gun violence:
Audience Question: I want to know how are you going to use federal resources to slow and or end the epidemic of gun violence in America.
RFK Jr.: Thank you for that question. For me, it’s a very tough question. You know, I lost my father to gun violence. I lost my uncle to gun violence, and many friends. So, I’m aware and sensitive to the injuries that that can cause to generations.
We have a gun problem in this country. We have a Supreme Court now that has given a very expansive view of the Second Amendment. I believe in the Constitution, including the Second Amendment. Practically, I do not believe that there is, within that Second Amendment, that there is anything we can meaningfully do to reduce the trade and ownership of guns and I’m not going to take people’s guns away.
Because telling the people that I’m gonna take their guns away is not practical. Anybody who tells you that they’re going to have a reduced gun violence through gun control at this point, I don’t think is being realistic. I think we have to figure out other ways to do that. I think we have to figure out other ways to reduce that violence.
Ultimately, my hope is that we can bring Americans together, get them to trust each other, get them to trust their government again, and then we can work out. You know, every American, whether their a Republican gun carrier a Democrat who is, you know, who believes that nobody should own guns, we all want the same thing. We want to keep our children safe and want to keep our neighborhoods safe.
I think we have to look at what the alternatives are for doing that. Some of the things I’ve talked about are that we need to look at some of the other causes of violence. One is the division among Americans, and the hatred, we need to reduce that. The distrust of government, need to reduce that. We also need to look at the contribution, you know, particularly with the school shootings of some of these psychiatric drugs. I’m not saying they’re causing it, I’m saying there is evidence they are and that evidence…
Interviewer: What’s that evidence?
RFK Jr.: Well, part of the evidence includes the fact that for SSRIs, almost all of them have on their manufacturers inserts, among the listed side effects, are homicidal and suicidal behavior.
Interviewer: That doesn’t mean antidepressants caused any of these people to commit mass shootings.
RFK Jr.: Of course it doesn’t. But we ought to be looking at it, shouldn’t we? Should we be looking at video games, and cell phones, and some of the social media stuff. We should be looking at all these things, including the SSRI’s. By the way, there are studies out there that indicate a higher percentage of the people who committed the school violence were on SSRIs.
Interviewer: Yeah, but they’re also like ten’s and ten’s of millions of Americans on antidepressants who don’t commit mass shooting.
RFK Jr.: Of course. There are people who smoke cigarettes and don’t get cancer. Shouldn’t we be looking at those things? Something happened in this country. Something happened that we can’t really explain and that we need to explain. NIH really ought to be explaining it to us, but it doesn’t do these studies. It will not do the studies where there may be a big shot as the culprit.
You know when I was a kid, many of the schools that my friends attended had gun clubs in them. The kids brought their rifles to school every day and nobody was shooting children. In all of human history, all of the nations in the world, there’s never been a time when people randomly went into a group of children and start shooting them. Why did this suddenly start? Why is it not happening in Switzerland, which has, you a comparable number of guns per capita that we have?
Interviewer: No, we have far more guns per capita.
RFK Jr.: We have far more, but they have a lot of guns, but their last school shooting was 21 years ago. We’re having them every 21 hours.
Interviewer: We have few more questions we want to get to. But very quickly in ten…
RFK Jr.: But do you believe we shouldn’t even look at that issue?
Conclusion
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., someone affected by the gun violence himself, is committed to finding balanced, effective solutions to reduce violence. He respects the cultural significance of gun ownership for many Americans and supports democratic processes in determining gun policy. Given the current political landscape, significant gun restrictions are unlikely to gain bipartisan support, making the claim that Kennedy will take away guns both misleading and unfounded.
Kennedy’s focus is on evidence-based measures that starts with good scientific studies, not on infringing on the rights of responsible gun owners. It is crucial to understand the full context of his statements and to understand the data on gun ownership, as well as mental health throughout the years.
Reality: Kennedy’s focus is on the potential endocrine-disrupting effects of chemicals like atrazine, which the CDC themselves have issued a Public Health Statement saying, “atrazine is commonly found in the water collected from drinking water,” and “atrazine can affect your health is by altering the way that the reproductive system works.” He did not say it is causing kids to turn transgender, he simply repeated what the CDC, NIH, and others have noted in the scientific literature.
The Origin of the Claim
The assertion that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. believes water is turning children transgender stems from comments he made during an interview with Jordan Peterson. In the interview, Kennedy discussed the impact of environmental chemicals on children’s health, particularly the role of endocrine disruptors like atrazine. Watch the interview on Rumble Here or listen on Spotify Here. The frog study Kennedy refers to is an NIH published study here.
“I see these huge levels of depression and despair, loneliness in kids. I don’t think there’s a single cause to it. I think blaming it on depression about climate is probably over simplistic. In fact, I think a lot of the problems we see in kids, and particularly in boys, it is probably underappreciated how much of that is coming from chemical exposures. Including a lot of the sexual dysphoria that we’re seeing. These kids are being overwhelmed by a tsunami, I mean they’re swimming through a soup of toxic chemicals today, and many of those are endocrine disruptors. There is atrazine throughout our water supply. Atrazine, by the way, if you put atrazine in a tank full of frogs, it will chemically castrate and forcibly feminize every frog in there. 10% of the male frogs will turn into fully viable females able to produce viable eggs. If it’s doing that to frogs, there is a lot of other evidence that it is doing it to human beings as well.”
The Propaganda
This is what media outlets like CNN and The New York Times had to say:
“Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has a history of repeatedly sharing unfounded conspiracies that man-made chemicals in the environment could be making children gay or transgender and causing the feminization of boys and masculinization of girls.” – CNN
“But no evidence exists to indicate that the chemical, typically used on farms to kill weeds, causes the same effects in humans, let alone gender dysphoria.” – The New York Times
Now let’s look at what the CDC and NIH have to say.
What the CDC and NIH have to say:
Kennedy’s statements were focused on the potential health effects of environmental pollutants like atrazine, a widely used herbicide known to be an endocrine disruptor. The CDC acknowledges that atrazine can persist in water sources and has been linked to reproductive system alterations in animals. The CDC also notes:
“Any atrazine that is washed from the soil into streams and other bodies of water will stay there for a long time, because breakdown of the chemical is slow in rivers and lakes. It will also persist for a long time in groundwater. This is one reason why atrazine is commonly found in the water collected from drinking water wells in some agricultural regions.”
“One of the primary ways that atrazine can affect your health is by altering the way that the reproductive system works. Studies of couples living on farms that use atrazine for weed control found an increase in the risk of pre-term delivery. These studies are difficult to interpret because most of the farmers were men who may have been exposed to several types of pesticides. Atrazine has been shown to cause changes in blood hormone levels in animals that affected the ability to reproduce. Some of the specific effects observed in animals are not likely to occur in occur in humans because of biological differences between humans and these types of animals. However, atrazine may affect the reproductive system in humans by a different mechanism. Atrazine also caused liver, kidney, and heart damage in animals; it is possible that atrazine could cause these effects in humans, although this has not been examined.”
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIH) confirms that endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) like atrazine can interfere with hormonal functions, leading to a variety of health issues. According to the NIH:
“Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are natural or human-made chemicals that may mimic, block, or interfere with the body’s hormones, which are part of the endocrine system. These chemicals are associated with a wide array of health issues.”
Forever Chemicals and Their Effects
Atrazine is not the only concern. Other chemicals, such as antidepressants, are also persistent in the environment and have been found in water sources. According to the NIH, antidepressants are considered PFAS or commonly known as “forever chemicals.” This study says, “high concentration of antidepressants was detected in the raw and treated wastewater.” The NIH notes an adverse effect; “SSRIs are well-known to impair sexual function while they are being taken.”
RFK Jr. Wants to do the Science
To summarize the findings, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is correct that Atrazine is found in water and that it has potential harmful health effects. Not only that, many other forever chemicals, such as SSRI’s, are also known to cause sexual dysfunction among other side effects. These chemicals have either not been studied in humans or studied very little. They certainly have not been studied to see how they react together in the human body over time.
Kennedy consistently advocates for thorough, independent scientific studies on the effects of environmental pollutants, free from corporate influence.
Kennedy/Shanahan Policy on These Chemicals
The claim that RFK Jr. says our water is turning kids transgender is a gross misrepresentation of his actual stance. Kennedy is focused on the potential endocrine-disrupting effects of chemicals like atrazine and advocates for thorough scientific research to understand their impact on human health. His focus is on ending the chronic disease epidemic which starts with good science. This also goes hand in hand with his environmental policy since he wants to clean up these forever chemicals up from our water and food supply.
As always, it is crucial to look beyond sensational headlines and consider the full context and scientific evidence before forming conclusions.
Reality: Official records from the Federal Election Commission (FEC) show no donations from AIPAC to Kennedy’s campaign or any PAC supporting him.
Understanding the FEC Website
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is an independent regulatory agency that oversees the financing of federal elections in the United States. The FEC provides public access to a comprehensive database of campaign contributions, including details of all donations made to political candidates and committees. This database allows anyone to search for and verify contributions by specific organizations or individuals to various campaigns.
The Evidence
A review of the FEC’s official records clearly shows that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and any PACs supporting him have not received any contributions from AIPAC. The screenshot from the FEC website displays the filtered results for campaign contributions for the 2023-2024 election cycle, specifically looking for donations from AIPAC to Kennedy-related entities. As illustrated, there is no data available, confirming that no such contributions exist.
Conclusion
The claim that RFK Jr. is funded by AIPAC is false. According to the official FEC records, neither Robert F. Kennedy Jr. nor any associated PAC has received money from AIPAC. This debunks the narrative that AIPAC is financially supporting Kennedy’s campaign. Always verify such claims against reliable sources like the FEC to avoid misinformation.
Reality: The CDC data shows that measles has never been entirely eradicated in the United States. Although there was a rise in measles cases following the easing of lockdowns and travel restrictions in 2020, this was to be expected. The majority of measles cases in the U.S. are imported, meaning they are brought in by travelers who contract the disease abroad and then bring it into the country. With the lifting of travel bans, the number of imported cases naturally increased. However, it is important to note that the overall number of measles cases has dropped significantly since 2019.
Measles Never Went Away
Contrary to popular belief, measles has never been completely eliminated from the United States. Measles cases have been recorded every year. Nearly all measles cases were imported cases, meaning a traveler was exposed abroad and brought it into the U.S.
Below is a breakdown of measles cases by year from the CDC, highlighting the fluctuation in case numbers and the presence of measles in the U.S. even before the recent debates over vaccination:
2019 Measles Outbreak
The 2019 measles outbreak in the United States saw a significant rise in cases, from 381 in 2018 to 1,274 in 2019. This increase is often cited as evidence of a resurgence linked to anti-vaccine rhetoric. However, the details of the outbreak reveal a different story. According to a New England Journal of Medicine analysis, the outbreak began when one unvaccinated child returned home from abroad with measles, triggering a localized outbreak in New York City.
This was not a widespread outbreak across the entire U.S. but rather a concentrated incident in the Williamsburg area. 72.9% of cases between September 30, 2018, and July 15, 2019 were from this area.
Understanding Vaccination and Reporting Bias
The New England Journal of Medicine study reports that “85.8% of the patients with a known vaccination history were unvaccinated.” This statistic is often used to argue that unvaccinated individuals are primarily responsible for measles outbreaks. However, it’s important to note potential biases in reporting vaccinated cases. The study highlights that:
“Because of the potential for a false positive IgM assay, patients who lacked clinical information and had only a positive IgM assay were included only if they were confirmed to be unvaccinated, since the likelihood of a true infection would increase in the absence of vaccination.”
This suggests that vaccinated cases may have been underreported due to the exclusion of cases that could not be confirmed through clinical information. The bias towards reporting unvaccinated cases can skew the perception of the role of vaccination in measles outbreaks.
Mumps Outbreak Among Vaccinated
Interestingly, Brooklyn also experienced a mumps outbreak in 2009. The analysis of the 2009 mumps outbreak provides critical insights:
“Transmission was focused within… schools for boys, where students spend many hours daily in intense, face-to-face interaction… The epidemiologic features of this outbreak suggest that intense exposures, particularly among boys in schools, facilitated transmission and overcame vaccine-induced protection in these patients.”
The mumps outbreak, which occurred among a highly vaccinated population, was driven by the high-density, close-contact environment of the schools, which facilitated the spread of the virus despite vaccination. This context is crucial for understanding the dynamics of infectious diseases. Vaccination is never 100% effective and other factors can contribute to an outbreak.
Data Insights from CDC Reports and Studies
According to a CDC analysis, “During January 1, 2020–March 28, 2024, CDC was notified of 338 confirmed measles cases; 97 (29%) of these cases occurred during the first quarter of 2024, representing a more than seventeenfold increase over the mean number of cases reported during the first quarter of 2020–2023. However, this is expected as travel restrictions and lockdowns were in place in 2020. As we learned, most cases are imported. Travel restrictions being lifted are the primary reason for the increase in cases since 2020. It is notable to point out that the U.S. still has less cases so far in 2024 (151 measles cases) than in 2019, 2018. 2015, 2014, 2013, 2011, and more.
As you can see below, the highest vaccination year was also the year of the 2019 measles outbreak. According to the CDC, the vaccination rate for kindergarteners was 95.2%. Once again, this suggests that outbreaks are more nuanced than vaccination rates.
Who’s to Blame?
The claim that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is responsible for the resurgence of measles is baseless and misleading. Data shows that measles has never been fully eradicated in the U.S., and recent outbreaks are primarily due to imported cases, not domestic anti-vaccine sentiment. The 2019 outbreak was localized in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and caused by international travel, not a widespread anti-vaccine movement. High vaccination rates in 2019 and a similar mumps outbreak in 2009 in the same community illustrate that other factors, like close-contact environments, contribute to disease spread.
Blaming Kennedy is misleading and ignores the true causes of these outbreaks. It also ignores the fact that vaccination is never 100% effective and that while you may have a reduced risk of measles, mumps, and rubella, you can also have other side effects. “I think some of the live virus vaccines are probably averting more problems than they’re causing,” Kennedy told Lex Fridman. The CDC says, “There are risks in taking any medicine, vitamin or other supplement.” A person should have the bodily autonomy to weigh the risks and benefits for themselves to make an informed decision. Read more about his vaccine stance here. Kennedy is also running to end the chronic disease epidemic. We are paying more for healthcare than anywhere in the world but have the worst health outcomes. Read more about his policies here.
Reality: His comments on prosecuting climate deniers have been taken out of context and are false. The comments were targeted specifically to the Koch brothers who knowingly spread misinformation about climate change for profit.
The Source of the Climate Denier Claim
The video that is being taken out of context is from September 21, 2014. On this day, hundreds of thousands of people gathered to demand action on climate change, marking the largest environmental protest in history. RFK Jr. was also protesting when reporters asked him questions.
During RFK Jr.’s environmental work, he became very familiar with the Koch brothers and their schemes. Rolling Stone posted an article in 2014 about the brothers:
“According to the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Political Economy Research Institute, only three companies rank among the top 30 polluters of America’s air, water and climate: ExxonMobil, American Electric Power and Koch Industries. Thanks in part to its 2005 purchase of paper-mill giant Georgia-Pacific, Koch Industries dumps more pollutants into the nation’s waterways than General Electric and International Paper combined. The company ranks 13th in the nation for toxic air pollution. Koch’s climate pollution, meanwhile, outpaces oil giants including Valero, Chevron and Shell. Across its businesses, Koch generates 24 million metric tons of greenhouse gases a year.
For Koch, this license to pollute amounts to a perverse, hidden subsidy. The cost is borne by communities in cities like Port Arthur, Texas, where a Koch-owned facility produces as much as 2 billion pounds of petrochemicals every year.”
Quote Taken out of Context
Reporter: “What about politicians? People who deny, who express skepticism?”
RFK Jr.: “I think they are selling out the public trust and, you know, I think those guys who are doing the Koch brothers bidding and who against all the evidence of the rational mind, are saying that global warming doesn’t exist. That they are contemptible human beings and that, you know, I wish there was a law you can punish them under.”
View the entire clip below:
Key Takeaways:
Nick Gillespie and Zach Weissmueller on ReasonTV confronted Kennedy on this. Here is a summary of what he had to say:
Kennedy’s remarks were focused on the harmful actions of specific corporate entities, not on individuals who personally doubt climate change. He expressed frustration with corporations like the Koch brothers who were knowingly contributing to pollution and spreading misinformation for profit.
He advocates for legal accountability for corporations that engage in deceptive practices harmful to the public and the environment. He draws parallels to the tobacco industry, which was prosecuted for misleading the public about the dangers of smoking.
Kennedy acknowledges that his views have evolved and that he would approach the issue differently today, recognizing the complexity of the discourse around climate change and free speech.
Conclusion
The claim that RFK Jr. wants to jail climate deniers misrepresents his actual position. His statement targeted the corporate disinformation campaigns that the Koch brothers engaged in. It is also important to note that while Kennedy is an environmental activist, his policies do not align with the Green New Deal. Read more about that here.
Kennedy has been in the public eye his entire life, making him a target for intense scrutiny. The DNC has hired individuals to sift through every statement and action from his past, aiming to spin them into a smear campaign. For readers, a piece of advice: always get the context. Imagine someone dissecting your life, picking apart old posts and taking them out of context. It’s crucial to consider the full picture before forming an opinion.
For additional context at the time, view this Tedx Talk from RFK Jr. It goes over his position at the time more in depth.
