Lessons from a Viral Tweet

I was locked out of Twitter for about 6 months, and in hindsight, it was a glorious time in my life. That lockout (I was never banned) led me to start this Substack and to plan a live, in person event to speak truth…the Kentucky Truth Summit.

What did I learn from this viral Tweet experience?

1. Social media brings out the worst in many people, mainly because these short snippets of our lives or very brief opinions, are easy to take out of context.

2. Teenagers should not have social media. I’m 52 years old, wise, faithful, relatively secure in my sense of self, yet some of these comments from complete strangers stung. The adolescent brain is not completely formed and is very vulnerable to this hostile online environment.

3. I have many strong, close friends and colleagues who defend me against people who want to attack me. I’m fortunate.

4. Sometimes a post or tweet that brings criticism also leads to more followers, which is helpful to get out the truth.

5. Twitter is freer now that Elon owns it. Several articles/truths I have shared recently would undoubtedly have been censored under previous ownership. Many of my physician friends who spoke at the Truth Summit are still banned from Twitter.

For anyone who desires clarification on how my covid shot opinions have evolved, you can read the entire story here (Essential x 2). Briefly, I contracted COVID in November 2020 and had a very mild illness. When the “vaccine” was released, I was not eligible for it due to recent infection and had already decided I would not provide the shot here in the office, for many reasons. In February 2021, when the shot became available for the elderly, I scheduled appointments for my parents and my mother in law to get the shot. At that time, I truly worried that COVID might kill them. Most of my patients scheduled their own appointments at the pharmacy for the shot, without consulting me. When a patient asked my opinion, I never once recommended it for someone who was covid recovered and offered antibody testing in my office to confirm prior infection. I told high risk patients that the recommendation was (from the medical establishment) for people at high risk to get the two shots to prevent hospitalization and death. By summer 2021, it was clear that the shot was not doing what was promised. I no longer recommended it for anyone and I never once recommended a booster. I NEVER recommended the shot for kids and was very vocal about this on social media (censored on Facebook and Instagram).

Why did I post the viral “apology?” I hoped it would empower other physicians who initially trusted the medical establishment and our government on this particular EUA shot to speak out against the medical tyranny we are experiencing.

Another lesson I learned is to be mindful when I comment or respond to a post on social media and to choose my words carefully, without insulting the person making the comment. Jesus commands that I love God and love others, including humans who are hard to love sometimes.

We have all learned some tough lessons since the beginning of the pandemic. I’d like to believe I will be less naive in the future, yet I don’t want to have zero trust either. I understand why people are angry. I am angry too, and I’m working through it, thankfully with some amazing people (family, friends, colleagues, patients) by my side.

“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

God Bless. Merry Christmas friends.