‘Absolutely Depraved Moral Logic’: Keith Olbermann Dragged for Suggesting Texans Don’t Deserve Vaccine
Former sports-news-sports-news-sports-news commentator Keith Olbermann once again reaped the online whirlwind for his latest hot take, this one involving his definitely-not-an-epidemiologist’s suggestion of who deserves to be vaccinated against a global pandemic.
Olbermann latest bromide landed on Twitter in a response to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s announcement that he was ending all mask mandates in the state and that all other Covid-derived restrictions would expire next week. With Texas still suffering from elevated cases and deaths from the pandemic, Abbott’s decision sparked immediate backlash from public health experts.
But for Olbermann, it seems, those critiques didn’t go far enough. Instead, he suggested it could be wasteful to continue to inoculate the state’s residents because “Texas has decided to join the side of the virus.”
Why are we wasting vaccinations on Texas if Texas has decided to join the side of the virus? https://t.co/Yn2i7zT8KL
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) March 3, 2021
Perhaps not surprisingly, consigning tens of millions of Americans to possible sickness, hospitalization, and perhaps even death — based solely on the decision of its Republican governor — prompted furious blowback.
Gee I don’t know Keith, probably because human lives are worth protecting unless you’re a fucking psychopath
— Cam (@cameron_kasky) March 3, 2021
I’m so fucking tired of this kind of rhetoric. It’s disgusting. https://t.co/wrotirdp31
— Saeed Jones (@theferocity) March 3, 2021
Because Texas is one of these United States. And viruses don’t respect state lines. And Texans have every right to have access to the same protections afforded to the rest of us. https://t.co/Ltq2GvWig5
— G O L D I E. (@goldietaylor) March 3, 2021
“People who live in states with political leadership I oppose deserve to die lonely deaths on ventilators” is absolutely depraved moral logic, even before you get to the tabletop-smooth brained understanding of how disease works. https://t.co/EoH67NuEzZ
— Adam Serwer ? (@AdamSerwer) March 3, 2021
Stick to sports https://t.co/wt6qnRWKXq
— Isaac Chotiner (@IChotiner) March 3, 2021
important reminder that keith has always been this terrible https://t.co/SJxO94Iok4
— Jerry Dunleavy (@JerryDunleavy) March 3, 2021
Just a colossally monstrous thought to have, and an even more monstrous thing to post https://t.co/yaQ5clVyqo
— Ed Zitron (@edzitron) March 3, 2021
Because we are all Americans.
And by the way, millions of Texans vote for Democrats, science, and vaccines. https://t.co/HzuTgKlpss
— Christine Pelosi (@sfpelosi) March 3, 2021
Because the Governor of Texas, and even the Government of Texas, are not the same thing as the people of Texas. https://t.co/8MjZKu0FU7
— Max Kennerly (@MaxKennerly) March 3, 2021
Because people shouldn’t be punished for the decisions of their political leaders and if we want to end this pandemic we have to vaccinate as many people as possible. https://t.co/dLTopjMlZw
— Yashar Ali ? (@yashar) March 3, 2021
Texas didn’t decide to join the side of the virus. A cowardly Governor did. https://t.co/AB9O6FwSQn
— Sawyer Hackett (@SawyerHackett) March 3, 2021
I understand your frustration, but this is a garbage take. That’s my family you’re talking about. My friends. Everyone I grew up with. Human beings with human rights. They should not be denied a life-saving vaccine because their governor is an idiot.
Delete this & apologize.
— David Slack (@slack2thefuture) March 3, 2021
Keith, this is a wrong take man. Take it from a former Republican they vote crappy leadership for different reasons, but they are still human beings. They have families, children. I get it, you are angry, but this is not the right message. https://t.co/ieZoDM0VD9
— David Weissman (@davidmweissman) March 3, 2021
More people in Texas voted for Biden than the populations of 28 whole-ass states but go ahead and cook I guess. https://t.co/2SUyPlQ8tF
— Russ Bengtson (@russbengtson) March 3, 2021
Shut the fuck up https://t.co/rQtK228mr9
— Carey O’Donnell (@ecareyo) March 3, 2021
Good reminder that the “red state/blue state” mentality we inherited from the 00s is totally morally bankrupt and ridiculous https://t.co/S5nSIRzYJo
— Noah Smith ? (@Noahpinion) March 3, 2021
Why do people tweet things like this? Seriously. It goes both ways and happens anytime something happens in a <red/blue> state. Just stop. https://t.co/PXueV7wIIf
— Matt Lanza (@mattlanza) March 3, 2021
how is anyone still doing this genre of tweet?! every few days some freak comes up with a gruesome new way to insist that people who live in red states deserve misery and death https://t.co/TncZr1pVBw
— Natalie Shure (@nataliesurely) March 3, 2021
It’s truly unreal how many liberals have decided that “it’s OK for people who live in red states to die” is a respectable take to share with the world. https://t.co/jURrbd374Y
— Louis Peitzman (@LouisPeitzman) March 3, 2021
i am routinely shocked at how stupid and cruel some mainstream liberals can get while thinking they have the moral high ground. https://t.co/yG2xP7gUk6
— hasanabi (@hasanthehun) March 3, 2021
Because human beings fucking live here. What is wrong with these kinds of liberals? https://t.co/8kWuMC5OhM
— Emily M. Farris (@emayfarris) March 3, 2021
Because those people’s lives still have value even if their governor is doing awful things.
— Miranda Yaver, PhD (@mirandayaver) March 3, 2021
Not that it should matter, I didn’t vote for Abbot. F#ck you Keith. You really do need help. I can recommend some good people.
— Brian Cuban (@bcuban) March 3, 2021
The millions of Texans that hate that idiot and care about people don’t need to be punished.
— Alyson Footer (@alysonfooter) March 3, 2021
Many people in Texas do not support this and would prefer not to die because their governor is an asshole. Why would you want to take their only protection?
— Jessica Ellis (@baddestmamajama) March 3, 2021
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