Today on Boston Public Radio:
We opened the show by asking listeners for their thoughts on the “Freedom Convoy” of truckers and conspiracy theorists protesting COVID-19 precautions and vaccine mandates.
Art Caplan shared his thoughts on a recent neo-Nazi demonstration outside Brigham and Women’s Hospital that targeted two physicians for their efforts to make healthcare more equitable. Caplan is the Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor and founding head of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU School of Medicine in New York City.
Juliette Kayyem discussed the “Freedom Convoy” protests against vaccine mandates, and Sen. Mitch McConnell’s pushback on the Republican National Committee labeling the Jan. 6 Capitol riots as “legitimate political discourse.” Kayyem is former assistant secretary for homeland security under President Barack Obama, and the faculty chair of the homeland-security program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.
Corby Kummer talked about the potato shortage that could hit New England, and the large restaurant chains that received federal pandemic assistance from the Small Business Administration. Kummer is the executive director of the Food and Society policy program at the Aspen Institute, a senior editor at The Atlantic and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.
Michael Curry shared his thoughts on Gov. Charlie Baker’s decision to lift a statewide school mask mandate on Feb. 28. Curry is president and CEO of the Mass. League of Community Health Centers. He’s also a Member of the National NAACP Board of Directors, where he serves as chair of the Board’s Advocacy & Policy Committee.
Abbie Richards talked about her work combating misinformation on TikTok, and how conspiracy theories run rampant on platforms with little-to-no content moderation. Richards is currently working on her master’s degree in climate studies and is a co-founder of EcoTok, an environmental TikTok collective that specializes in social media-based climate communication.
To wrap up the show, we asked listeners whether they’ve been rapid-testing before going on dates or meeting up with friends.