There is a happy post-script to this story. It was clear that Mayor Melham was not popular with NJ.com journalists or even readers of the Fox News web page back in May 2020. However, I did read that Mayor Melham won re-election in a landslide. So apparently the people who know him best in his town (population 39,000) either admire him for saying what he believes or don't care one way or the other.
I was happy to see he won as I admire anyone who says what they think and can cite reasons for their opinions. Mayor Melham did this because he thought it could help others. That is, he doesn't think he was the only local resident who had Covid. These people should be getting medical attention and follow-up care as well, the Mayor believes.
Mayor Melham wasn't worried about being politically correct, he seems to be interested in finding the truth in the cause of real science. And he has never wavered in his conviction. He's not putting his finger into the air to check the wind currents like many other politicians.
And he quickly answered several of my emailed questions. So I'm a fan. Those juvenile columns attacking him didn't seem to affect him at all. I also bet a lot more people now believe him.
In the headline, NJ.com labels the mayor’s claim as “unfounded” which means: “having no foundation or basis in fact.”
The “foundation” of Mayor Melham’s claim would be that he had definite symptoms in November 2019 and then got not one but two positive antibody test results. Also, I don’t think NJ.com ever reported the fact that Mayor Melham later got another positive antibody result. I broke that news from my computer in Troy, Alabama (by simply emailing a question to the mayor), questions he quickly answered - unlike NJ public health officials and people in the governor’s office who don't answer legit questions.
But journalist Jennings actually did find a quote from one expert, who actually completely contradicted the “unfounded” headline:
From the story: “Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, told USA Today in March that “we will probably find that this disease was here earlier than we thought.”
My comment: So - per Mayor Melham’s claim and evidence - we just found what that expert said we would probably find.
“Benjamin also said, though, that it is “plausible but not likely” that the coronavirus arrived as early as November and December ..”
My comment: The expert you quoted said it was “plausible” that someone could have Covid in November. But still you and your colleague attack Mayor Melham for telling a giant fib. Please look up the definition of the word “plausible” - it is is not the same as “unfounded.”
Continuing with the expert's quote: “.. And even then, early cases would have likely been linked to travel to China and not widespread, he said.
My comment: This sounds like another “expert” protecting the narrative or just regurgitating whatever groupthink line he’d been fed - i.e. This virus came from China and it didn’t leave China until January 2020. That expert looks like a dumb ass today. Read my stories about all the Americans who got Covid in November and December who’d never been out of the country. I guess another journalist could quote my stories ... or maybe my journalism doesn't count.
The journalist, Mr. Jennings, actually included some very important information in his article. He at least interviewed the mayor and gave some details on his symptoms, etc.
But here’s the most important sentence (and he of course doesn’t get how important this is):
“Asked about the mayor’s statements, the state health department declined comment. A spokesperson for Gov. Phil Murphy did not immediately respond to a message.”
Red Flag! Warning! Smoking Gun! “Danger, Will Robinson!” Why won’t these officials answer your questions? Why won’t they question the Mayor, a man who would be the fist known Covid case in the ENTIRE WORLD?
My personal comment: I’ve now emailed Mr. Jennings three times asking him if he ever followed up with state health officials and/or the governor’s office and asked these officials why they didn’t follow up with the mayor. Mr. Jennings declines to respond to my emails.
Somehow, I don’t think he’s a real journalist. If he did follow up with these officials, he might have to write something critical or skeptical of experts and authority figures, and one assumes is bosses will not let him do this.
The officials won’t investigate a likely case of early spread for the same reason NJ.com won’t: It would harpoon the official narrative.
Public scorn and ridicule is so very powerful and is being well-played by many on the left. When/how do we turn the tide? When/how does the groupthink crumble?
Nov 10, 2022·edited Nov 10, 2022Liked by Bill Rice, Jr.
Very true. We really can't blame the average person for having no desire to fall on their sword. Regarding journalists, readers may want to look into Operation Mockingbird as an explanation about why some journalists do what they do and the impact it has on suppressing and distorting information.
They, or their ruling egregores, know what they do. Luke 23:34 is deliberately mistranslated. Did people in newsrooms switch from smoking cigars to blunts?
I end my article by writing that these ("useful idiots") "known not what they do." This is no doubt true. These people simply lack critical-thinking ability and are being used by the rulers behind the curtain to advance various nefarious agendas.
However, a more sinister take-away is also a possibility. Some of these authorities and journalists no doubt DO KNOW exactly what they are doing. They know that the policies they are pushing will result in misery and deaths for many people ... and they push and protect these narratives anyway. That's about as evil as you can get IMO.
From Mr. Jennings’ article: “… And though there has been widespread speculation that coronavirus might have arrived in the United States sooner, those theories are not backed by any scientific study or available data.”
My comment: "Widespread speculation" must mean a lot of people have wondered if they might have had Covid. Well, why would they think this? “Widespread speculation” or a ton of anecdotes all sharing the same predicate should be a tell.
Back to story “... but those theories are not backed by any scientific study or available data.”
Re: “No scientific study” - Mayor Melham got his first positive antibody tests in late April 2020. The lockdowns didn’t take place until mid-March. There hadn’t been time to do any early spread studies yet. Those came much later. Read my recent pieces at this Substack site - all of these articles and later studies strongly support the hypothesis of early spread. In fact, once the Red Cross antibody study was finally published, this journalist should have gone back and done a follow-up story, apologizing for his first story. He could also look at the results of antibody studies in France and Italy that showed evidence of people being infected in September and November 2019. When those studies did come out, they supported what the Mayor said.
From article: “theories are (also) not backed by … available data.”
What type of "available data" could “back” a claim of early spread in early May 2020? There weren’t any PCR tests being given back in November 2019. Officials didn’t start administering antibody tests in most place until very late April 2020. The only “data” that might back such a claim would be a positive antibody test result - and the mayor got one of these almost as soon as anyone in New Jersey could take such a test.
Plus, this specific result IS the “available data.” He got a positive antibody result. That “backs” his claim.
BTW, New Jersey reporters need to find out how many other people in the state got antibody tests that suggested early spread? Were doctors offices and labs reporting these positive results to the state health department? Was Mayor Melham the only person in NJ who got a positive antibody result in late April? Somehow I doubt this.
In my intro Substack post, I said that one of my main goals was to call out “awful journalism.” I might as well use the Michael Melham coverage in NJ.com as an example of which I speak. I’ll use a couple of Reader Comment text boxes. Here goes …
From the lede sentence: “The mayor of Belleville is making a startling yet uncorroborated claim that he contracted the coronavirus in New Jersey in November, two months before the first confirmed U.S. case in Washington State.”
My Comment: How would he “corroborate” his claim? The positive antibody results seem to “corroborate” it.
Maybe some expert could have examined him and re-tested him - maybe this would ‘corroborate” his story - but no expert ever talked to the man. Which is actually the real story here.
From article’s third paragraph:
“The claim seems highly unlikely to be accurate. The first case of the coronavirus in the United States was announced January 21 …And though there has been widespread speculation that coronavirus might have arrived in the United States sooner, those theories are not backed by any scientific study or available data.”
My comment: “Seems highly unlikely to be accurate,” says the expert journalist who wrote the story. This journalist should read the stories written by journalists at The Seattle Times and The Palm Beach Post, which also documented people who got positive antibody tests after experiencing definite Covid symptoms in November or December. Those reporters didn’t write that these people’s claims were “highly unlikely to be accurate.” They took the claims very seriously.
The real issue is not people refusing to tell their stories. The problem is the agencies refusing to do any investigation into those claims years ago. If a simple blood test can tell whether or not a person has been exposed to the virus or had Covid-19, why weren't they immediately offering the test to those who tried to bring their stories to the medical profession?Almost 3 years later, it's still not being done. Why put yourself in an indefensible position when health agencies won't even look at evidence that would either prove or disprove your theory? Useless pain.
There is a happy post-script to this story. It was clear that Mayor Melham was not popular with NJ.com journalists or even readers of the Fox News web page back in May 2020. However, I did read that Mayor Melham won re-election in a landslide. So apparently the people who know him best in his town (population 39,000) either admire him for saying what he believes or don't care one way or the other.
I was happy to see he won as I admire anyone who says what they think and can cite reasons for their opinions. Mayor Melham did this because he thought it could help others. That is, he doesn't think he was the only local resident who had Covid. These people should be getting medical attention and follow-up care as well, the Mayor believes.
Mayor Melham wasn't worried about being politically correct, he seems to be interested in finding the truth in the cause of real science. And he has never wavered in his conviction. He's not putting his finger into the air to check the wind currents like many other politicians.
And he quickly answered several of my emailed questions. So I'm a fan. Those juvenile columns attacking him didn't seem to affect him at all. I also bet a lot more people now believe him.
In the headline, NJ.com labels the mayor’s claim as “unfounded” which means: “having no foundation or basis in fact.”
The “foundation” of Mayor Melham’s claim would be that he had definite symptoms in November 2019 and then got not one but two positive antibody test results. Also, I don’t think NJ.com ever reported the fact that Mayor Melham later got another positive antibody result. I broke that news from my computer in Troy, Alabama (by simply emailing a question to the mayor), questions he quickly answered - unlike NJ public health officials and people in the governor’s office who don't answer legit questions.
But journalist Jennings actually did find a quote from one expert, who actually completely contradicted the “unfounded” headline:
From the story: “Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, told USA Today in March that “we will probably find that this disease was here earlier than we thought.”
My comment: So - per Mayor Melham’s claim and evidence - we just found what that expert said we would probably find.
“Benjamin also said, though, that it is “plausible but not likely” that the coronavirus arrived as early as November and December ..”
My comment: The expert you quoted said it was “plausible” that someone could have Covid in November. But still you and your colleague attack Mayor Melham for telling a giant fib. Please look up the definition of the word “plausible” - it is is not the same as “unfounded.”
Continuing with the expert's quote: “.. And even then, early cases would have likely been linked to travel to China and not widespread, he said.
My comment: This sounds like another “expert” protecting the narrative or just regurgitating whatever groupthink line he’d been fed - i.e. This virus came from China and it didn’t leave China until January 2020. That expert looks like a dumb ass today. Read my stories about all the Americans who got Covid in November and December who’d never been out of the country. I guess another journalist could quote my stories ... or maybe my journalism doesn't count.
The journalist, Mr. Jennings, actually included some very important information in his article. He at least interviewed the mayor and gave some details on his symptoms, etc.
But here’s the most important sentence (and he of course doesn’t get how important this is):
“Asked about the mayor’s statements, the state health department declined comment. A spokesperson for Gov. Phil Murphy did not immediately respond to a message.”
Red Flag! Warning! Smoking Gun! “Danger, Will Robinson!” Why won’t these officials answer your questions? Why won’t they question the Mayor, a man who would be the fist known Covid case in the ENTIRE WORLD?
My personal comment: I’ve now emailed Mr. Jennings three times asking him if he ever followed up with state health officials and/or the governor’s office and asked these officials why they didn’t follow up with the mayor. Mr. Jennings declines to respond to my emails.
Somehow, I don’t think he’s a real journalist. If he did follow up with these officials, he might have to write something critical or skeptical of experts and authority figures, and one assumes is bosses will not let him do this.
The officials won’t investigate a likely case of early spread for the same reason NJ.com won’t: It would harpoon the official narrative.
Public scorn and ridicule is so very powerful and is being well-played by many on the left. When/how do we turn the tide? When/how does the groupthink crumble?
Great article. So true. Without a real free press we are in trouble.
Very true. We really can't blame the average person for having no desire to fall on their sword. Regarding journalists, readers may want to look into Operation Mockingbird as an explanation about why some journalists do what they do and the impact it has on suppressing and distorting information.
https://allthatsinteresting.com/operation-mockingbird
They, or their ruling egregores, know what they do. Luke 23:34 is deliberately mistranslated. Did people in newsrooms switch from smoking cigars to blunts?
I end my article by writing that these ("useful idiots") "known not what they do." This is no doubt true. These people simply lack critical-thinking ability and are being used by the rulers behind the curtain to advance various nefarious agendas.
However, a more sinister take-away is also a possibility. Some of these authorities and journalists no doubt DO KNOW exactly what they are doing. They know that the policies they are pushing will result in misery and deaths for many people ... and they push and protect these narratives anyway. That's about as evil as you can get IMO.
Comment 2 (Continuing journalism critique) ...
From Mr. Jennings’ article: “… And though there has been widespread speculation that coronavirus might have arrived in the United States sooner, those theories are not backed by any scientific study or available data.”
My comment: "Widespread speculation" must mean a lot of people have wondered if they might have had Covid. Well, why would they think this? “Widespread speculation” or a ton of anecdotes all sharing the same predicate should be a tell.
Back to story “... but those theories are not backed by any scientific study or available data.”
Re: “No scientific study” - Mayor Melham got his first positive antibody tests in late April 2020. The lockdowns didn’t take place until mid-March. There hadn’t been time to do any early spread studies yet. Those came much later. Read my recent pieces at this Substack site - all of these articles and later studies strongly support the hypothesis of early spread. In fact, once the Red Cross antibody study was finally published, this journalist should have gone back and done a follow-up story, apologizing for his first story. He could also look at the results of antibody studies in France and Italy that showed evidence of people being infected in September and November 2019. When those studies did come out, they supported what the Mayor said.
From article: “theories are (also) not backed by … available data.”
What type of "available data" could “back” a claim of early spread in early May 2020? There weren’t any PCR tests being given back in November 2019. Officials didn’t start administering antibody tests in most place until very late April 2020. The only “data” that might back such a claim would be a positive antibody test result - and the mayor got one of these almost as soon as anyone in New Jersey could take such a test.
Plus, this specific result IS the “available data.” He got a positive antibody result. That “backs” his claim.
BTW, New Jersey reporters need to find out how many other people in the state got antibody tests that suggested early spread? Were doctors offices and labs reporting these positive results to the state health department? Was Mayor Melham the only person in NJ who got a positive antibody result in late April? Somehow I doubt this.
In my intro Substack post, I said that one of my main goals was to call out “awful journalism.” I might as well use the Michael Melham coverage in NJ.com as an example of which I speak. I’ll use a couple of Reader Comment text boxes. Here goes …
From the lede sentence: “The mayor of Belleville is making a startling yet uncorroborated claim that he contracted the coronavirus in New Jersey in November, two months before the first confirmed U.S. case in Washington State.”
My Comment: How would he “corroborate” his claim? The positive antibody results seem to “corroborate” it.
Maybe some expert could have examined him and re-tested him - maybe this would ‘corroborate” his story - but no expert ever talked to the man. Which is actually the real story here.
From article’s third paragraph:
“The claim seems highly unlikely to be accurate. The first case of the coronavirus in the United States was announced January 21 …And though there has been widespread speculation that coronavirus might have arrived in the United States sooner, those theories are not backed by any scientific study or available data.”
My comment: “Seems highly unlikely to be accurate,” says the expert journalist who wrote the story. This journalist should read the stories written by journalists at The Seattle Times and The Palm Beach Post, which also documented people who got positive antibody tests after experiencing definite Covid symptoms in November or December. Those reporters didn’t write that these people’s claims were “highly unlikely to be accurate.” They took the claims very seriously.
The real issue is not people refusing to tell their stories. The problem is the agencies refusing to do any investigation into those claims years ago. If a simple blood test can tell whether or not a person has been exposed to the virus or had Covid-19, why weren't they immediately offering the test to those who tried to bring their stories to the medical profession?Almost 3 years later, it's still not being done. Why put yourself in an indefensible position when health agencies won't even look at evidence that would either prove or disprove your theory? Useless pain.
Speaking of early virus spread, see this recent report.
Unexpected detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the prepandemic period in Italy
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0300891620974755?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Another good one, Bill. Will be linking it tomorrow @https://nothingnewunderthesun2016.com/