How refreshing to find a column from Kim McGahey in which we agree on a common point: A large portion of our population is indeed not receiving accurate information from their media choices. The barrage of misinformation from the present administration (and the fake news from Fox, OAN and Newsmax) has reduced the public’s trust in science and has resulted in an inability of many to discern fact from fiction. McGahey illustrates this concisely with his refusal to acknowledge facts: This real and deadly pandemic has filled our hospitals and is stressing the health care and social support systems to the breaking point. The media is indeed part of the problem.

Contrary to McGahey’s statement, the Great Barrington Declaration is not “scientific research” but a hypothesis of untested and flawed assumptions. If these hypotheses can be tested or proven scientifically, the mainstream media will report on it. Until then, policy makers will listen to the experts whose advice based on research and science is to wear masks, keep social distance, test and trace. This has worked wonders in countries that followed the advice.

McGahey claims the average Summit County resident is paralyzed by fear and locked down by their government. The seniors I know here are listening to the scientists and policy experts, avoiding unnecessary exposure and taking their health care seriously. I guess we run in different crowds.

Finally, McGahey knows better than anyone that the First Amendment doesn’t protect from “overreach by a tyrannical government” — it is the voters who do. He and his ideas were defeated by a landslide in the recent election despite the free speech and free press he enjoyed. If he paid more attention to facts and promoted sound policy alternatives, he might have found more support from an educated public.