The Daily Beast reported this morning that Iceland has 80% of their country vaccinized. That percentage, when put alongside the people that got COVID and survived – and therefore have some immunity, makes Iceland one of the first countries to have attained what specialists predict to be herd immunity. The U.S. is nowhere close and won’t be, for a long time, with a lot of suffering. We should have it by now, fairly easily.

But our GOP made it political. Not only is the Oklahoma GOP going backward, but they also insisted upon having a superspreader event at their state capitol.

Hundreds of people gathered at the state Capitol on Saturday for what they called the Oklahoma Freedom Rally, with many protesting against mandates on the COVID-19 vaccine and masks. While hundreds of people made it inside the Capitol rotunda for the rally, hundreds more were still outside as of 5 p.m., waiting to get in.

Some even held their own mini-rallies. People inside the Capitol sang “America the Beautiful,” chanted “USA!” and recited the pledge of allegiance. Many held American flags and signs that said “no vaccine mandate,” “protect our freedom” and “mandate medical freedom.”

They want to fight for their right to get sick because they’re convinced that not doing so will lead to the Democrats’ dream, “communism.” Oklahoma City’s NBC News affiliate reports:

The rally was put on by several Republican groups. “It’s only a matter of time before you won’t be able to do anything without the permission of a communist government who will require proof of vaccination,” Oklahoma GOP Chairman John Bennett said.

So not just “anyone,” but the state GOP chair. Great. That’s also the Bennett and his family in the photo above. Those God fearing Christians with their guns! And we cannot make sense of this quote:

“I don’t approve of the vaccines. I approve, I thank everyone for making them, for making them available, and for them being free, but I don’t to be forced into it, because that starts to infringe on our rights,” attendee Karen Monahan said.

And therein lies the problem. He is focused on his right to stay unvaccinated, he likely has a right to stay unvaccinated (though we stopped kids from going to school without vaccinations prior to this) and he’s not the least bit worried about him using his right to make others sick.

So these are unvaccinated, unmasked people gathering indoors in a large, tight group in the state with the 10th worst per capita infections right now? Just checking my facts. https://t.co/lhZjorIQWu

— schooley (@Rschooley) August 14, 2021

Here is what we know. If he’s not getting the vaccine due to misinformation, that is one thing that can be remedied with the correct information. If he is not getting the vaccination because he believes it to be a communist plot, there is almost nothing that can be done.

The fact that they likely just spread the delta variant among themselves doesn’t seem to bother them at all.

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