State lawmaker addresses controversy over Fauci tweet

LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ) – An Eastern Kentucky legislator who chairs the House

State Rep. Regina Huff

Education Committee says a tweet she posted and then took down Tuesday was about control of people’s lives and not comparing requiring masks to mass suicides.

State Rep. Regina Huff, a Republican who represents the 82nd District covering Whitley and part of Laurel County, posted the tweet Tuesday morning and took it down a short time later.

Olivia Krauth, a reporter with the Courier-Journal in Louisville, noted the meme before Huff, a teacher who has been in the Legislature since 2012, took it down.

The meme shows a character who appears to be Jim Jones, the cult leader at Jonestown, Guyana who led the mass murder and suicide of some 900 people at a camp in November 1978, along side Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top COVID health expert who has been the target of many conservatives during the pandemic.

The meme has Fauci calling Jones an “amateur” because he only controlled 900 people.

Krauth suggested Huff was comparing requiring masks and other restrictions to mass suicide. In a response sent to an inquiry from WTVQ ABC 36 News, Huff denies the link. The inquiry was sent early Tuesday afternoon and Huff’s response came via e-mail shortly after 2 a.m. Wednesday.

Her response:

“Thank you for inquiring and not presenting a false narrative or interpretation. I sincerely appreciate your integrity. However, the Tweet had absolutely nothing to do with vaccinations, that was Olivia’s interpretation.

The Tweet was a reference to the detriment that can follow when fear is used to conform or control individuals. The photo could have been of any two individuals that have a narrative to control the lives of others. It has been shared with me the past few days that teachers in the Louisville area are fearful of a return to the classroom. Their concern stems from the increase in variant numbers, feeling it could result in endangering the lives of students and teachers. I rarely Tweet at all, however, I knew that was the platform most widely used of the audience expressing concerns. I don’t think there is any reason for conversations of being fearful of a return to the classroom. Teachers received priority vaccines and should have adequate protection from the variant. Therefore, there shouldn’t be this narrative of fear, mandating mask, or denying our students the opportunity to a return to as near normalcy as possible.

It is my opinion that Olivia purposeful in her interpretation regarding the tweet speaking to the vaccine. I wholeheartedly believe that all that want the vaccine should absolutely get vaccinated. Everyone should do what they feel is best for their well being. I would never speak against any vaccinations or health benefit. The vaccine was not part of what I was referencing. My purpose was to reinforce that we can’t be led by fear, and allow government or individuals to control or manipulate our actions, without it being for the greater good. Our students need to return to the classroom without a mandated mask, with our focus and every effort on recouping the loss of instruction from the past school year.

Moreover, I deleted the Tweet, not because there were many disagreeing with me. I can respectfully agree to disagree with anyone. However, the language that was used to convey disagreement was unacceptable, on the initial Tweet as well as my share of Olivia’s tweet, and I refuse to give a platform for such vulgarity. There is absolutely no justification for the use of such explicit language.

Again, I appreciate you inquiring. In summary, the only purpose was to provoke thought regarding the dangers of being controlled by fear, and the concerns of conforming to mandates and control. There is a danger when government, or anyone, uses power to unnecessarily manipulate or restrict individuals.
Therefore, it is concerning to me, that before school even begins, there are rumblings that we do not need to return to the classroom. In my opinion, a failure to return to the classroom is much more concerning and damaging to our students than the virus. There are so many conflicting opinions regarding the virus, the effectiveness of mask, the the health concerns associated with the vaccines, particularly, Johnson and Johnson, etc. There is a plethora of conflicting opinions. I have read numerous articles citing that younger students aren’t considered spreaders. I am not dismissing it as a health concern, particularly for the older population. However, our students have suffered adverse effects as a result of not being in the classroom. I know that the teachers did their best to instruct virtually, but students need to be actively engaged and interacting for their social and emotional well being. Sadly, we have too many precious children that depend on attending school to escape a troubled home life, and …. again sadly, for their well being.

I received a couple of emails adamantly disagreeing with the tweet, both were Louisville residents. It appears there is a rural/ urban divide regarding the issue of returning to the classroom. Also, it appears that the opinion of most within our rural areas is that parents should be free to make the decision if their child requires a mask. If they feel their child needs the protection of a mask, then they should be masked.

I have quickly created this response at this late hour because I wanted to answer you promptly upon reading your email. I haven’t proofed it, but hope you get the jest of my objective. It is frustrating when an individual feels the need to misconstrue a tweet or statement in an effort to get the most traction. The vaccinations were not relevant whatsoever to the tweet. My entire family has been vaccinated. Further, I don’t even associate Fauci with promoting the vaccine, but with the mask mandate. The photo could have been of any two individuals that have an agenda to control and manipulate individuals actions, through fear or other means. The vaccine hasn’t been a mandate, but an individual decision. Therefore, it isn’t applicable to the context of the Tweet, but the agenda of the CJ to mislead.”
Best,
Regina