The “Lab-Leak Theory” Returns…as Yet Another Fake Binary

The “Lab-Leak Theory” Returns…as Yet Another Fake Binary

by Kit Knightly, OffGuardian
June 23, 2022

 

The theory that “Covid” originated in a bio-lab has been back in the headlines over the last few weeks, serving as a prime example of the type of fake binary OffG has been warning you about.

The “lab-leak theory” – which pushes the idea Sars-Cov-2 was bio-engineered in a lab as a “gain-of-function” program, and then either accidentally or deliberately released on an unsuspecting population – first came to the front pages as early as January 2020.

At the time it was deemed a “racist” “anti-china” conspiracy theory by the vast majority of the media, and it fell away from the narrative.

It had a resurgence in 2021, suddenly & inexplicably becoming not racist anymore.

In February 2021 the World Health Organization published a report finding the lab origin for Covid19 “extremely unlikely”. But WHO chief Tedro Adhanom was obviously keen not to let the idea die completely, publicly stating “more investigation was needed”.

Overall, around this time, it suddenly became much less taboo to suggest the “virus” originated in a lab.

The BBC had an explainer article titled “Covid origin: Why the Wuhan lab-leak theory is being taken seriously”, the New Yorker reported:

Scientists and political commentators are no longer dismissing the possibility that COVID-19 emerged from a Chinese laboratory.

As the Wikipedia page notes:

Since May 2021, some media organizations softened previous language that described the laboratory leak theory as “debunked” or a “conspiracy theory”

We did a brief coronavirus fact-check on “Covid is a bio-weapon” at the time.

Then, in December 2021, the Daily Mail reported that Dr Alina Chan had told the UK’s Science Select Committee that it is ‘reasonable to believe [the] virus was engineered in China’ and that “the lab origin is more likely than not”.

But after a brief furore over that, it again faded from the front pages.

Now it’s back. And gaining momentum.

In May, 18 scientists (including Chan) published an open letter in the Science journal demanding authorities properly “investigate the origins of Covid19”.

Two weeks ago the World Health Organisation released a report that they were still investigating the origins of Covid, and that no hypothesis had been completely ruled out.

On June 15th, the WHO chief told reporters at a press conference that ruling out the lab-leak theory had been “premature” and there had been a “push” to do so. He called on China to “be transparent, open and cooperate, especially on the information, raw data that we asked for at the early days of the pandemic.”

This time China responded, dismissing the lab leak theory as “lies” and “anti-China propaganda”, whilst suggesting that the real lab leak likely came from the US bioweapons lab in Fort Detrick.

Then, on June 18th, The Daily Mail reported that despite maintaining public neutrality Tedros Adhanom “privately believed” that Covid had originated in a lab.

In short, two apparently oppositional camps are springing up – the West is laying the groundwork to blame China for the pandemic, whilst China (and probably Russia, down the line) blame the USA.

This is a textbook fake binary.

What you need to notice is that both these allegedly opposing sides agree on the most important aspect of the pandemic lie – that Covid is a unique new and dangerous disease which needs be treated with masks, lockdowns and vaccines – and only disagree violently about where this “real and deadly new disease” might have come from.

You are supposed to take your cue from them.

They want you to forget  “covid” is just a meaningless new name for an old familiar cluster of “seasonal” symptoms. They want you to forget the whole thing was a scam – and to instead take a “side” in a scripted &  noisy & totally phony “origin” debate.

The minute you sign up for it they have you – because by agreeing to debate where “it” comes from you have accepted “it”  – ie a deadly new pathogen – exists & needs to be dealt with.

And that is all they want from you.

We think you should politely decline this staged “controversy”. Because however real the East-West divide actually is in other areas, when it comes to covid both sides are the same side & pushing the same story.

And it suits both East & West to encourage this fake binary  – and  “bioweapon” fear porn – at the expense of wider and more honest enquiry.

Just say no.

 

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cover image credit: Matryx / pixabay

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