She begs to differ
I just read the editor’s response to the letter from Dominic Francese that was published in the April 8 issue of the Voice, and can’t in good conscience let some obvious problems with that response slide without comment.
The editor claims only one error was made in his March 18 editorial. In fact, there were at least four.
1. There is no “Imperial War College,” as stated —except in Star Trek’s Romulan empire.
2. The report the editor claimed projected “hundreds of millions” of deaths from COVID-19 did not. It gave a worst case scenario death count of 2.2 million deaths among other projections. Not only did the editorial misstate the total, the rather significant difference between establishing a worst case level of deaths and making a prediction was ignored. One wonders whether the editor even understood the purpose of the report, which was to offer simulations of numerous scenarios.
3. Ferguson resigned not, as was stated, because of a problem with his predictions, but because he violated the very social distancing protocols he said were essential to follow. Claims that Ferguson’s methods were erroneous are false. https://theferret.scot/fact-check-neil-ferguson-covid-19-predictions/ If, as claimed in the response to Mr. Francese’s letter that a “quick search” would show otherwise, why were no links included? Not to provide reputable, fact-checked sources is journalism-by-claimed-authority, which has feet of clay standing in quicksand.
4. The editorial refers to Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel as a “crackpot” with no supporting facts. Doing a search for this claim generates a fact check on a single issue about which many false claims have been made. Dr. Emanuel is not a crackpot. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/11/25/fact-check-article-misconstrues-biden-covid-advisers-vaccine-stance/6424401002/
The editor’s response to Mr. Francese’s letter continues this record of misstatements. On the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine, I could find only observational studies (likely flawed) in the record in favor. Overview of study results here: https://www.drugs.com/medical-answers/hydroxychloroquine-effective-covid-19-3536024/.
The claim that “no government should decide who is essential and who is not” flies in the face of history and common sense. Essential workers are identified in all national emergencies, in strikes, and natural disasters, as well as during pandemics.
Taken together, these multiple false statements and un-researched claims are unhelpful in any town’s “paper of record.” Everyone should have a healthy skepticism about “expert opinion,” but the appropriate response is dogged research and analysis, not hot air and bluster. West Haven deserves better.
Shouldn’t a paper that can’t catch obvious errors such as referring to “Waste Haven” as “Waist Haven” pay more attention to cleaning up its own act than to smearing the records of others without any basis in fact?
Robin Parsons
Ed Note: We never said Ferguson left because of his predications. We did say his methodology came under fire, and cited the London press. As far as the rest, more liberal claptrap. We cited our sources and did research. As far as missing errors. We try to get all of them as they come in, but what does that have to do with the issues at hand? Nothing. This comes down to the essence of the editorial, the power granted so-called experts. They should be heard and respected, but they should not be allowed to curb people’s liberties. Some people, however, are more than willing to hand off their God-given rights. We are not.