How to Win Arguments With Unvaccinated Junkies
Addiction treatment inside Delta hot-zones
I live in Springfield, MO which was recently featured in the national news for having shockingly low vaccination rates in a Delta variant hot-spot.¹ At the time of the article, Springfield’s vaccination was 30% with the state average topping out at 37%.¹
Missouri has increased its vaccination rate to 45%.² However, some counties in Missouri still report as low as 19% vaccination rate as of 09/04/21.³
Far below the national target of 70%.⁴
Springfield, Missouri
It’s not a rare occurrence to see stickers and signs to support former President Donald Trump throughout southwest Missouri.⁵
The people I work with, live with, and hang out every day with are all Trump supporters with stupid opinions on most of the things we talk about. They watch Fox News and then try to convert me to their side with talking points they saw on TV.
I have yet to hear a compelling argument.
Addiction Treatment
I help manage an addiction treatment program in Springfield called C.O.R.E.⁶ We’re an intake house for the surrounding area. Addicts stay with us for 30 days before moving to one of our other houses where they, hopefully, stay for the rest of their year long program.
Our client base ranges from homeless alcoholics, end of the line meth addicts, iv heroin users, and guys coming straight from prison.
We take everyone to vaccination centers as soon as they arrive. We want to maintain a 90% vaccination rate, but state law prohibits us from making vaccinations mandatory, so new clients can refuse to be vaccinated.
Even Junkies Fear Vaccination
We have heroin users saying they don’t trust what’s in the vaccine. Even though a week prior, they were shooting up what they hoped was heroin purchased from some dude they barely know. But with this vaccination, suddenly they want to know what’s in it before putting it in their body.
They wouldn’t even understand what’s in an apple.⁷
None of them cared that their heroin or meth could get cut with dangerous chemicals or even Fentanyl, which they know will kill them, because every single one of them has seen someone die from it.⁸
Something must have latched onto their brains and made an idiotic stand on very specific topics in the United States. I can’t think of any other possibility.
Lets Do Something About It
This would be the part where I offer advice about what to do with this information. Or I would talk about what I’m already doing to counter such ignorance.
But I’m not doing anything, and I can’t think of anything to do, other than flip ’em off and pray they don’t die.
Suggestions?
Endgame Trailer
2020 may have been shocking and uncomfortable. But at least we knew what we were up against. We had a clear and present danger that we all came together to fight.
This seems much more menacing. What even is this? Psychological warfare? Accidental brain washing? Facebook? How can we possibly move forward when so many people refuse to even acknowledge this threat anymore?
Arguments won’t sway them. Facts don’t matter to them. Even the threat of dying can’t break their stupid, stupid resolve. So join me, as I flip ’em off and pray they don’t die.
Take care, and stay safe.
References1. |USNews| Variant Blamed for Missouri Virus Increase by A.P.2. |MO.gov| Statewide Vaccination Rates3. |MO.gov| Vaccination Rates by County4. |CNBC| U.S. reaches 70% by Berkely Lovelace Jr & Nate Rattner5. |KY3| Political Sign Vandalized by Marina Silva6. |CORE| Addiction Treatment Program7. |Oxford| A Comprehensive Review of Apples by Dianne A. Hyson8. |WA.gov| Overdose Rates on Pace to Break Records by Eloise Harris
