Richard Hanania Criticizes Anti-Vaccine and Anti-Immigration Stances as a Return to "Dark Ages"

Prominent right-wing commentator Richard Hanania recently took to social media, asserting that certain prevailing sentiments are attempting to "return us to the dark ages." His pointed critique, shared via a tweet, specifically targets anti-vaccine and anti-immigration positions, which he argues reflect a fundamental failure in logic and information processing. Hanania's statement underscores a growing divide within conservative discourse regarding scientific consensus and nationalistic tendencies.

In an accompanying article titled "Vaccines and the Tightrope of Progress," Hanania elaborated on his views, expressing deep concern over the anti-vaccine movement. He categorized vaccine skepticism into three strands: outright deniers, those questioning narrow cost-benefit analyses, and anti-mandate proponents. While acknowledging some validity in the latter two, he contends that they ultimately contribute negatively to public policy by relying on the flawed premises of pure deniers.

Hanania introduced his "99% Good Principle," arguing that when something is overwhelmingly beneficial, focusing on its minor flaws stems from "stupidity, bad faith, tribalism, or some other unsympathetic or unhealthy motive." He applied this principle directly to vaccines, asserting that their development was a "great thing that saved countless lives," and that critics often misinterpret or ignore robust scientific data. He specifically dismissed reliance on unverified sources like the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) as misleading.

The political scientist lamented the adoption of anti-vaccine stances by significant portions of the right-wing, suggesting it demonstrates a "problem of Low Human Capital" and that "dumb people are now overwhelmingly on one side of the spectrum." He criticized conservative politicians for shying away from celebrating achievements like Operation Warp Speed, instead pandering to anti-vaccine sentiments.

Hanania's broader argument posits that societal progress is a "tightrope," requiring avoidance of both "risk-aversion and safetyism elites seem prone to" and "populist stupidity, with its distrust of anything new or different." He concluded that those who prioritize narrow concerns over the proven benefits of vaccines are "misinformed or have their priorities screwed up, and should be opposed on that basis." His remarks highlight a contentious ideological battle over the role of science and reason in contemporary political movements.