It started Tuesday night when former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann responded to the news that Republican Gov. Gregg Abbott was ending his state’s mask mandate and reopening businesses “100%” with a tweet that asked, “Why are we wasting vaccinations on Texas if Texas has decided to join the side of the virus?”
Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore echoed that sentiment on Wednesday, tweeting, “Texas - we hear you. You didn’t want to be part of our electrical grid. And now you’ve removed your mask mandate & are allowing large crowds to gather. We hear you! COVID is a hoax! So u don’t need our precious vaccine. We’ll send it to ppl who are saving lives by wearing masks.”
After the inevitable blowback from those who pointed out that the millions of Texans who might disagree with their governor’s actions should not be punished with what could constitute a death sentence for the most vulnerable, Moore walked back his sarcastic tweet—somewhat.
“Yes, we must and will find a way to vaccinate the poor and people of color in Texas,” he added. “To Texans who say, hey, it’s not me - it’s the Governor! Well, then, impeach and remove him. We’re tired of this.” Given that Texas is “no longer majority white,” Moore said, “let’s do everything we can to help that majority remove the bigots and ignoramuses from office. It’s killing them, and it’s killing us.”
