OPINION:
From a baby’s first cry to our deaths, we carry an ego. Most can control their egos, protecting themselves and others from harm.
Give it free rein, however, and the fallout is substantial.
History is full of people who let their egos get the best of them. Dr. Anthony Fauci, who rose to international fame during the COVID-19 pandemic emergency, fed his ego, causing great harm to others.
Thanks to Sen. Rand Paul, Kentucky Republican, we can now read the diary that Dr. Fauci compiled during that stressful and deadly period.
Over more than 1,000 pages, Dr. Fauci, who then headed the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, reveals a high regard for himself. Recall that he once said, “I represent science. I am science.”
That testimony of self-importance is also reflected in his claim to be an “international celebrity.” He loved having his picture taken with stars, such as Barbra Streisand. He claimed to have appeared before Congress on more occasions than anyone else. He said his favorite TV show was Rachel Maddow’s on the left-wing MSNBC (rebranded MS NOW).
What stressed so many during the pandemic emergency was the contradictory statements from Dr. Fauci and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We were first told that masks would keep us safe, then that they would not. Vaccination would prevent everyone from becoming infected with the virus, but it did not.
President Biden was vaccinated in front of cameras to encourage everyone to get the shot.
My wife and I got in line behind dozens of cars to get vaccinated — three times, including a booster. The first time we stayed in the car, rolled down our windows, and National Guardsmen administered the Pfizer drug. Some months later, I tested positive for COVID-19 but quickly took Paxlovid, and the symptoms went away.
In retrospect, we have seen the errors of many shutdowns, including in schools (many students fell behind and have yet to fully catch up) and churches. People were arrested for attending church and for participating in other public gatherings.
We can now conclude that much of this was unnecessary. Dr. Fauci said he never advocated for shutdowns, but videos show him saying the opposite to then-New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and others.
Dr. Fauci and the CDC contradicted themselves, leading to a credibility crisis for both. Meanwhile, the doctor was photographed relaxing without a mask in a backyard chair for the cover of InStyle magazine.
Dr. Fauci repeatedly said the scientific evidence strongly pointed to a natural, zoonotic spillover wherein the virus jumped from an animal to humans. However, his diary reveals that he privately jotted down that a Wuhan market served as an “amplifier” rather than the original source.
In congressional testimony, he said he had always kept an open mind about a lab leak and claimed the COVID-19 virus likely originated in an animal, though we were never sure which one. He also claimed the laboratory in Wuhan, China, may have been the source of the virus because of “gain-of-function” research, which allegedly produced the virus that escaped and threatened the world.
Before leaving office, Mr. Biden pardoned Dr. Fauci, raising the question, “For what?” Pardons are typically associated with people who have been convicted of or charged with a crime. Mr. Biden’s pardon of Dr. Fauci appears intended as protection from the incoming president, Donald Trump.
Anyone who strokes his own ego might recall the old adage that fame is fleeting. Fame rarely benefits an egotist.
• Readers may email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com. Look for Cal Thomas’ latest book, “A Watchman in the Night: What I’ve Seen Over 50 Years Reporting on America” (Humanix Books).
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