Far-right commentator Candace Owens has branded herself as one of the most outrageous right-wing media personalities, embracing conspiracy theories and making wildly false statements that have ingratiated her with conservative circles across the country.
In keeping with that, Owens vowed that neither her nor anyone in her family would be taking a vaccine against the virus that's killed over 600 thousand Americans, despite the proven safety of these vaccines against the virus and their demonstrated effectiveness at slowing the spread of the pandemic.
Though no one is being forced to take the vaccine, Owens emphasized that "[m]edical freedom is an individual right" that should never be violated.
Not one person in my family will ever touch the Covid-19 vaccine. \nThat is the decision that we have made, unabashedly, as a family. \nMedical freedom is an individual right that should NEVER be infringed upon and any person who thinks otherwise has no place in our government.— Candace Owens (@Candace Owens) 1625692360
While most would agree, it's a curious argument coming from Owens, who believes the government should mandate people to carry out their pregnancies to term.
I want young women to know this: \nIf you\u2019ve ever had an abortion\u2014you don\u2019t have to protect Planned Parenthood. \n\nIf on some level you feel that what you did was wrong\u2014 that you made an expedient choice to correct a problem\u2014you don\u2019t have to hide. \n\nForgiveness and change is real.— Candace Owens (@Candace Owens) 1545534381
What if our govt funded an organization that conducted assisted suicides? What if the education system began teaching students that it was \u201ctheir body, their choice\u201d & it was the \u201cresponsible decision to make\u201d if they were impoverished? \nThis is the liberal argument for abortion.pic.twitter.com/ROpxmPraEx— Candace Owens (@Candace Owens) 1557939468
In response to her tweet regarding vaccines, people wondered if she'd suddenly become pro-choice.
So this means you are for a woman's right to choose, correct?https://twitter.com/RealCandaceO/status/1412882282491305999\u00a0\u2026— Titty Roux (@Titty Roux) 1625759120
Bold move by Candace to come out as pro-choicehttps://twitter.com/realcandaceo/status/1412882282491305999\u00a0\u2026— Michael Harriot (@Michael Harriot) 1625706906
Thrilled you\u2019re pro-choice now!https://twitter.com/realcandaceo/status/1412882282491305999\u00a0\u2026— Alessandra Biaggi (@Alessandra Biaggi) 1625747672
Nice to see you\u2019ve joined the pro-choice movement. \n\nI agree we need to remove anti-choice officials from power. Let\u2019s start with Mitch McConnell.https://twitter.com/realcandaceo/status/1412882282491305999\u00a0\u2026— Chris Hahn (@Chris Hahn) 1625750454
So you\u2019re pro-choice.https://twitter.com/RealCandaceO/status/1412882282491305999\u00a0\u2026— a boy has no name. (@a boy has no name.) 1625709320
Same rules apply for women and their reproductive rights, right?https://twitter.com/RealCandaceO/status/1412882282491305999\u00a0\u2026— Peter Darker (@Peter Darker) 1625709730
For her part, Owens dismissed the idea that the two issues were comparable.
I have always been pro medical-choice and anti-the murder of infants. \nNot sure why this seems to have startled some on the Left who wish to conflate the two ideologies.https://twitter.com/michaelharriot/status/1412943290496868354\u00a0\u2026— Candace Owens (@Candace Owens) 1625719248
It's a familiar argument from conservatives who believe that abortion is murder: that bodily autonomy is lost because a fetus is relying on the body to develop. Pro-choice advocates note that these same arguments are practically never deployed to force people to donate blood or organs to those who would die without them.
People disputed Owens' attempted rebuttal.
Not sure how she conflates a fetus with an actual infant, but then, we watched the far right tell their base that doctors were murdering babies after they'd been born, so, I guess anything goes when you belong to the party of pathological liars.https://twitter.com/RealCandaceO/status/1412995057725153284\u00a0\u2026— David (@David) 1625759962
Hey @RealCandaceO you do know that an abortion doesn't entail terminating a birthed infant right? RIGHT??!??!https://twitter.com/realcandaceo/status/1412995057725153284\u00a0\u2026— Harsha Krovi (@Harsha Krovi) 1625757127
Have some sense please. You think you\u2019ve made a solid point? Look up the word \u2018infants\u2019 first! Ode!https://twitter.com/realcandaceo/status/1412995057725153284\u00a0\u2026— Izzie (@Izzie) 1625752263
Contradictions abound.
