Not yet peaked. 2,846 new Covid cases today, Tuesday, and 142 in hospital.
 |
| Dr Guy Hatchard |
They were all by or about Guy Hatchard PhD who claims to have a background in statistical analysis and was once an employee of Genetic ID, a food testing laboratory. In one he was interviewed by Liz Gunn who stated Jacinda Ardern pays the scientists who report to her what she wants to hear. She called this pseudo-science and brainwashing. Damien Vento in the NZ Herald called it "The sad spiral of Liz Gunn down the conspiracy rabbit hole "
The first step in any scientific analysis concerns definitions and sources. Who is this man, Guy Hatchard, and what are his credentials to write on medical matters? He is an advocate for food safety and natural medicine with an undergraduate degree in logic and theoretical physics from the University of Sussex and a PhD in Psychology from Maharishi International University in Iowa, USA. He has no formal training in medicine, and his university doctorate raises some questions.
Maharishi International University is ranked 21st out of 31 tertiary institutions in Iowa for quality. It has 67 full-time academic staff, 1210 undergraduates and 498 full-time postgraduates, a very small roll for a university.
Wikipedia states. ' It was founded in 1973 by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and features 'a "consciousness-based education" system that includes the practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique. Its founding principles include the development of the full potential of the individual, fulfilling economic aspirations while maximizing proper use of the environment and bringing spiritual fulfilment and happiness to humanity.'
It offers degree programs in art, business, education, communications, mathematical science, literature, physiology & health, Vedic Science and sustainable living. It is said to offer an organic, vegetarian food programme.
I can see where Dr Hatchard is coming from, and respect his beliefs in natural medicine, but I do not see how he is an authority on anything other than natural medicine which has the most slender of links to traditional mainstream medicine, immunology and Covid-19.
His inferences of concealment and conspiracy with respect Jacinda Ardern, Medisafe, a number of government reports, and attacks on other scientists do him no credit.
And his failure to back up his claims with adequate references makes all of them suspect. It is not sufficient to write that something appeared in the BMJ (British Medical Journal). Dates of publication, volume and page numbers are also required. Without them, readers have no way of checking on what he claims.
Predictably, these articles appeared in his own blog, Hatchard Report.com, and Bitchute, an "alt-tech video hosting ... known for accommodating far-right individuals and conspiracy theorists, and for hosting hate speech. " - Wikipedia.
No wonder these views were circulated at the protest. Hatchard has written to Jacinda, most MPs and the mainstream media. He sees their failure to reply as further evidence of a conspiracy.
He has his supporters. One reader commented:
Thank you for sharing your well researched ideas. It has become more and more apparent that Covid-19, lockdowns, mRNA 'vaccines,' mandates, vaccine passports, removal of freedom of speech and right of choice are all part of a planned operation: Operation Totalitarianism. And this MUST be stopped at all costs.
And another:
Thank you for this well written article. Jacinda Adern and all the NZ politicians have a lot to answer for. Stop the mandate. Get rid of the vaccine passports. Educate on healthy lifestyle.
Only one reader questioned his sources. Hatchard claimed the International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities (ICMRA) "is well connected to the commercial vaccine industry," inferring collusion.
The reader who questioned this wrote:
On what basis do you make this claim? Not cynical, genuinely interested. I have searched for any such record and am coming up empty-handed. Maybe insider knowledge? If so, it needs to be more widespread."
I suspect many of his other sources were not accurately recorded. I'm sorry, Peter. I find his motives, methods and conclusions suspect.
Let Hatchard have the last word:
The scapegoating of the unvaccinated, despite the fact that the vaccinated can and do transmit covid easily, appears as a Machiavellian political plot. The wilful suppression of the large scientific uncertainty surrounding many covid ‘facts’, through selective editing or blocking of information comes straight out of the playbook of tyrants. The lack of an early and dynamic effort to understand and evaluate early intervention treatments was an error that could lead to increased fatalities. The gap between evolving scientific knowledge and government fiction has become a gaping chasm.
Now I've mislaid my source!
-- ACW
Peter made this comment....
Many thanks, Croz,
You have spent a lot of time on finding the sources and I'm grateful for your effort. It would take me far longer I'm sure.
It was fairly brief with Alp, not sure I'd say impressed - I'd say he carried a lot of baggage - was a soldier and then a mercenary for quite a period from my questioning of his background.
Interested in Paul Hunt's stance on engagement. I support that. Curiously the DomPost has several women Councillors and a couple of women letter writers backing the stand off while the male Councillors and correspondents more generally support jaw jaw. I'm surprised at that.
Anyway thanks for all your research,
Peter
