Robert Francis Kennedy Jr. has sold his soul for a powerful position in the Trump administration. Thanks to his allegiance with Trump, he is now the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services. His father, who was a man of integrity, would be ashamed of his son's conduct. RFK Jr., born January 17, 1954, was just 14 when his dad was slain in Los Angeles by an assassin's bullet. The late Bobby Kennedy fought for civil rights and social justice. Sadly, his namesake has made a Faustian deal with a wanna-be dictator.
RFK Jr. is a big proponent of eating healthy foods, as a health secretary should be. He laments that Americans are too obese. To his credit, he has been very vocal about that. Not so long ago, Michelle Obama did the same thing. When she was First Lady, she launched her "Let's Move" campaign, which tried to combat childhood obesity by promoting healthier eating and physical activity among kids.
The former First Lady's campaign had mixed results. Combatting obesity is a daunting task, especially when both children and adults are glued to their computers and cell phones. Furthermore, it is difficult for lower income families to afford healthy foods. Fast foods are far less expensive. Maybe if the Trump administration would stop making cuts to programs that help struggling families, low income earners would be able to afford healthier foods.
RFK Jr. deserves credit for promoting healthy diets, except that he has aligned himself with Donald Trump, a man who is not exactly known for eating healthy foods. Trump has made no secret of the fact that his favourite foods are steak, meatloaf and burgers. Although he avoids coffee, alcohol and the dough in a slice of pizza, he enjoys consuming fast foods and sipping diet cola. It is not surprising that he is overweight and unfit. I wonder why RFK Jr. doesn't tell his boss to pursue a more healthy diet and to exercise, although that wouldn't make any difference to Trump. Trump would never give up fast food or exercise. He won't even walk on the golf course. He rides a golf cart all the time.
How can RFK Jr. promote healthy eating when the president is setting such a poor example? How can he tell people to avoid McDonald's when his boss delights in eating cheese burgers and sipping soft drinks? It's a monumental task, like circling a square.
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| Trump feasting on McDonald's food. |
RFK Jr. is an environmental lawyer. Yet, he has supported a man who thinks climate change is hoax. How can he reconcile his concern for the environment with Trumps promotion of fossil fuels such as coal, his "Drill baby drill!" slogan, his removal of environmental regulations, his statements that wind turbines, which he calls "windmills," cause cancer? How can someone who truly cares about climate change work for a man who shows no concern for the environment?
Then there is RFK Jr.'s anti-vaxxer beliefs. He is also a proponent of conspiracy theories. This is a man who has talked about worms eating his brain. This is a man who has spread false claims for years. For example, he has promoted the theory that the preservative thimerosal, which has mostly been phased out of modern vaccine formulas, seems to be instrumental in a rise in autism cases.. In 2006, Kennedy wrote in Rolling Stone and Salon magazines that the government was aware, but "knowingly allowed the pharmaceutical industry to poison an entire generation of American children." Certified health organizations, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and others, have debunked RFK's Jr.'s claim. They were unable to find any credible link between vaccines and autism.
Is it any wonder that there has been a sudden outbreak of measles in the United States and Canada when it was once thought that the childhood disease was a thing of the past? Some parents have been avoiding the vaccine for fear of their children becoming autistic.
On April 6, 2025,, RFK Jr. attended the funeral of the second child who died from the West Texas measles outbreak. The child was an unvaccinated 8-year-od girl. Kennedy wrote on social media that he was in Texas to team up with the state's heath officials with the goal of preventing the spread of the highly contagious respiratory virus. He noted that "the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine" However, just a few hours later, Kennedy praised "extraordinary healers" Dr. Ben Edwards and Richard Bartlett, "who have treated and healed some 300 measles-stricken Mennonite children with aerosolized budesonide and clarithromycin."
Edwards and Bartlett are controversial figures. Both have reportedly promoted alternatives to vaccines to treat disease. The truth is that if the Mennonite children had been vaccinated in the first place, they wouldn't have contracted measles, and they wouldn't have needed healing from the likes of Edwards and Bartlett.
Kennedy Jr. has also been taking aim at fluoride in public drinking water, much to the dismay of scientists and dental health organizations. They have warned that such a move would be disastrous. It would prove detrimental to public health.
Kennedy disagrees with the opinion of experts. He thinks he knows better. He has supported claims that fluoride contributes to several physical and mental health issues, including ADHD, hypothyroidism and lowering of IQ. Dentists and epidemiologists have argued that his claims are scientifically unproven. They contend that removing fluoride from water systems could have an adverse affect on public health. In fact, Brett Kessler, president of the American Dental Association described Kennedy's claims that fluoride is harmful and unwarranted as a "myth." "When government officials, like Secretary Kennedy, stand behind the commentary of misinformation and distrust peer-reviewed research, it is injurious to public health," he said.
During a recent visit to Salt Lake City, RFK Jr. declared that fluoride "should not be in our water." He praised the state of Utah for passing a first-ever ban on fluoride in public water. The ban takes effect next month. "I'm very, very proud of this state for being the first state to ban it, and I hope many more will come," he stated.
The health secretary didn't stop there. After the news conference, he informed the Associated Press that he will tell the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to cease recommending that cities and states add fluoride to public water systems. Fluoridation is not mandatory by law. How many will have to suffer tooth decay and cavities due to the removal of fluoride before the madness of RFK Jr. ends? How man children will die form measles?
SOURCES: Independent, "RFK Jr. praises anti-vaxxer hours after attending funeral for 8-year-old who died from measles," by Julia Musto, April 7, 2025; USA Today, "RFK Jr. to go after fluoride in tap water as dentists warn of disastrous health impacts," by Cybele Mayes-Osterman, April 19, 2025; Wikipedia
- Joanne
