“You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”
This famous line from the movie The Dark Knight could well describe the reputation of Dr. Anthony Fauci after his tense exchange today with Sen. Rand Paul on the Senate health committee. Fauci and Paul have previously battled over the origins of COVID-19, gain-of-function research funding by the National Institute of Health, the efficacy of masks, and the chances of coronavirus reinfection.
This time, Fauci angrily accused Paul of inciting hatred and harassment against him. He offered examples of criticism published by Paul’s office that called for his firing and an incident in Iowa last month when the police pulled over a California man who said he was going to Washington, D.C., to kill Fauci and some others in government.
Obviously, there’s no place for that sort of nuttery. But for Fauci to pin the blame on Paul for this is extremely arrogant and nonsensical. Paul eloquently pointed this out, referencing his own brush with harassment, threats, and death.
“Dr. Fauci, it’s disappointing for you to suggest people who dare to question you are responsible somehow for violent threats,” Paul said. “Realize that by attacking me, you’re attacking the one member who actually has suffered from violent attacks. I was at the ball field the day [Rep. Steve] Scalise almost died. I was 10 feet away from a staffer who was shot in the leg. We had over 160 rounds of semi-automatic weapons fired at us. So for you to somehow suggest that somehow I or people who dare to oppose you are responsible for threats, that’s insulting. The person who shot at us and almost killed Steve Scalise was a rabid supporter of Bernie Sanders. But the one thing you’ll find if you look at the record is that not one of us accused Bernie Sanders of being responsible for that. This is the kind of ignorant, sort of personal attacks that you’ve engaged in.”
Indeed, the anger at Fauci is not attributable to Paul. It exists because Paul exposed contradictory Fauci statements about funding by the NIH and gain-of-function research at China’s Wuhan lab.
Fauci was the darling of the media in the early days of the pandemic. Yet, as time passed, the truth about his past caught up with him. Moreover, his present didn’t do him any favors either. His habitual contradictions on COVID-19 precautions were never helpful. He was also quick to criticize certain people but not others for failing to follow safety recommendations.
Fauci has drawn the ire of the public because of himself. Lest we forget, his infamous “I am science” moment, wherein he publicly stated that those who questioned his recommendations were discrediting science — even if they questioned them based on scientific grounds.
Some dislike Fauci for the same reason others adore him: his statements during the pandemic. While he started with what appeared to be noble intentions, he used a tragic pandemic to increase his celebrity. From providing updates on former President Donald Trump’s coronavirus task force to being featured in Fauci, a National Geographic documentary, to numerous other celebrity-fueled activities, his advice has affected the lives of millions — often not in positive ways.
If he is looking for someone to blame for people being angry at him, Fauci should start with the man in the mirror.
