Far-right Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio is one of a chorus of Republican elected officials who continues to spread disinformation regarding the pandemic that's killed more than 600 thousand Americans.
What's more, Jordan continues to drum up fear of vaccine mandates being implemented by private businesses and some municipalities for certain activities.
Vaccine mandates have been issued by leadership in cities like New York and New Orleans, as well as in federal government sectors like the U.S. Military, along with untold numbers of private businesses across the country.
On Monday, Jordan tweeted that these mandates were "un-American."
Vaccine mandates are un-American.— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Rep. Jim Jordan) 1630960469
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Jordan's claim was completely wrong.
Not only have mandatory vaccinations been a U.S. policy for decades, but the nation's first President, whom both sides of the aisle often hail as a blueprint for American patriotism, was in favor of these mandates.
In a 1777 letter, George Washington—then commander of the Continental Army—announced his intention to require vaccinations for his troops.
Washington wrote:
"Finding the smallpox to be spreading much and fearing that no precaution can prevent it from running through the whole of our army, I have determined that troops shall be inoculated. This expedient may be attended with some inconveniences and some disadvantages, but yet I trust in its consequences will have the most happy effects. Necessity not only authorizes but seems to require the measure, for should the disorder infect the army in the natural way and rage with its virulence we should have more to dread from it than from the sword of the enemy."
People soon pointed out this historical tidbit to Jordan.
George Washington mandated vaccinations for the Continental Army. So you\u2019re saying Washington was un-American?https://twitter.com/jim_jordan/status/1434978332513292291\u00a0\u2026— Tristan Snell (@Tristan Snell) 1630978157
i'm sure everyone on this website has already mentioned it, but george washington, america's first president and the face of america's money, literally forced smallpox inoculations during the fight for american independencehttps://twitter.com/Jim_Jordan/status/1434978332513292291\u00a0\u2026— Brandon Friedman (@Brandon Friedman) 1630983182
That is false.\n\nGeorge Washington was the first leader to require immunizations in American history: https://charlotteclymer.substack.com/p/blame-george-washington-for-vaccines-ea3\u00a0\u2026https://twitter.com/Jim_Jordan/status/1434978332513292291\u00a0\u2026— Charlotte Clymer \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Charlotte Clymer \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1630995546
George Washington mandated vaccines, so it appears the only thing un-American here is you.https://twitter.com/jim_jordan/status/1434978332513292291\u00a0\u2026— Tea Pain (@Tea Pain) 1630978780
General Washington mandated the smallpox vaccine for the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Hard to think of anything more American than vaccine mandates.https://twitter.com/Jim_Jordan/status/1434978332513292291\u00a0\u2026— What Biden Has Done (@What Biden Has Done) 1631020588
what to say if you want george washington to court martial you for insubordination at valley forge:https://twitter.com/Jim_Jordan/status/1434978332513292291\u00a0\u2026— Michael Tae Sweeney (@Michael Tae Sweeney) 1630987540
This wasn't the only reason Jordan's tweet got pushback.
Every US soldier is required to be vaccinated against chicken pox, hep A, hep B, measles, mumps, rubella, rabies, pertussis, tetanus, diphtheria, rabies, typhoid, pneumococcal pneumonia, and the flu. Is that really un-American?https://twitter.com/Jim_Jordan/status/1434978332513292291\u00a0\u2026— James Surowiecki (@James Surowiecki) 1630993050
This is simply not true. Vaccines for smallpox, later childhood vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella, Hib (vaccines discovered in USA), preserved our nation. I\u2019m aghast at the absence of intellectual curiosity or even passing interest in American history from our US Congresshttps://twitter.com/jim_jordan/status/1434978332513292291\u00a0\u2026— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD) 1630979099
In America, your child may be turned away from the ER. Your parent may not be saved from a heart attack. And if you\u2019re in a car wreck, there may be no bed for you at the hospital. Why? Because the vaccine lies from Radical Republicans are making us sicker and crowding hospitals.https://twitter.com/jim_jordan/status/1434978332513292291\u00a0\u2026— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@Rep. Eric Swalwell) 1631018266
Jordan has yet to backtrack.
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