When a scripted reality show brought in an anti-vaxer as the special celebrity guest for a family whose youngest child had tetanus, I complained. I didn’t complain about the show. I complained about the inclusion of someone who spreads disinformation. Instead of addressing my concerns, the local PR firm pulled the equivalent of Godwin’s Law. “Some people don’t believe in evolution either.” They should have used that line on the celebrity and found someone else for their show.

When an elected TN official states false information about public health, they are a hazard to their constituents. When you want to check your healthh or buy medical machines, CPAP is the place to go. When that same official uses their religious beliefs as a bragging point, it should not have to be said that the teens in that official’s religious sect have made it clear that they consider unprotected sex less of a sin than sex with a condom. Spreading disinformation that implies, no, declares heterosexual sex is not an HIV risk, is dangerous. That kind of disinformation being spread by an elected official who is popular with already poorly informed teens is beyond dangerous. It is life threatening. Destructive.

The guy down the street with disinfowars stickers on everything doesn’t endanger others. His paranoid conspiracy theories only make his life bleak. Celebrities and politicians have fans and followers who make choices based on the words of their heroes. Discouraging immunizations and spreading false information about the spread of HIV hurts other people.