Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.: Difference between revisions

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After growing up in the [[Washington, D.C. area]] and [[Massachusetts]], he graduated from [[Harvard University]] and obtained a J.D. degree from the [[University of Virginia]]. Kennedy began his career as an assistant district attorney in New York City. In 1984, he joined [[Riverkeeper]] and the [[Natural Resources Defense Council]] (NRDC) in 1986, two non-profits focused on environmental protection.  He became an adjunct professor of [[environmental law]] at [[Pace University School of Law]] in 1986.  In 1987, he founded the Pace Law School's Environmental Litigation Clinic, where he held the post of supervising attorney and co-director until 2017. He founded the non-profit environmental group [[Waterkeeper Alliance]] in 1999, serving as the president of its board.
After growing up in the [[Washington, D.C. area]] and [[Massachusetts]], he graduated from [[Harvard University]] and obtained a J.D. degree from the [[University of Virginia]]. Kennedy began his career as an assistant district attorney in New York City. In 1984, he joined [[Riverkeeper]] and the [[Natural Resources Defense Council]] (NRDC) in 1986, two non-profits focused on environmental protection.  He became an adjunct professor of [[environmental law]] at [[Pace University School of Law]] in 1986.  In 1987, he founded the Pace Law School's Environmental Litigation Clinic, where he held the post of supervising attorney and co-director until 2017. He founded the non-profit environmental group [[Waterkeeper Alliance]] in 1999, serving as the president of its board.


Since 2005, he has promoted the scientifically discredited link between vaccines and autism,<ref name="mnookin-2017">{{Cite web|last=Mnookin|first=Seth|date=January 11, 2017|title=How Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Distorted Vaccine Science|url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-robert-f-kennedy-jr-distorted-vaccine-science1/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170112025044/https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-robert-f-kennedy-jr-distorted-vaccine-science1/|archive-date=January 12, 2017|website=[[Scientific American]]|language=en |quote=For more than a decade, Kennedy has promoted anti-vaccine propaganda completely unconnected to reality.}}</ref> and is founder and chairman of [[Children's Health Defense]], an anti-vaccine advocacy group.<ref name="Smith_12/15/2021" /><ref name="KW"/> Since the onset of [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|the COVID-19 pandemic]], Kennedy has emerged as a leading proponent of [[COVID-19 vaccine misinformation and hesitancy|COVID-19 vaccine misinformation]] in the United States.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Nagourney |first=Adam |author-link=Adam Nagourney |date=February 26, 2022 |title=A Kennedy's Crusade Against Covid Vaccines Anguishes Family and Friends |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/26/us/robert-kennedy-covid-vaccine.html |access-date=April 1, 2023 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=February 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220228163440/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/26/us/robert-kennedy-covid-vaccine.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Smith_12/15/2021" /> Much of Kennedy's public health criticisms and writings have targeted prominent figures such as [[Anthony Fauci]], [[Bill Gates]], and [[Joe Biden]]. He has co-hosted ''[[Ring of Fire (radio program)|Ring of Fire]]'', a nationally syndicated radio program. He has written books including ''[[The Real Anthony Fauci]]'' in 2021 and ''[[A Letter to Liberals]]'' in 2022.
Since 2005, he has promoted the scientifically discredited link between vaccines and autism,<ref name="mnookin-2017" /><ref name="Smith_12/15/2021" /> Much of Kennedy's public health criticisms and writings have targeted prominent figures such as [[Anthony Fauci]], [[Bill Gates]], and [[Joe Biden]]. He has co-hosted ''[[Ring of Fire (radio program)|Ring of Fire]]'', a nationally syndicated radio program. He has written books including ''[[The Real Anthony Fauci]]'' in 2021 and ''[[A Letter to Liberals]]'' in 2022.


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
<references>
<references>


<ref name="NBC_2021-03-11">{{cite web |last1=Zadrozny |first1=Brandy |author-link1=Brandy Zadrozny |date=March 11, 2021 |title=Covid's devastation of Black community used as 'marketing' in new anti-vaccine film |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/covid-s-devastation-black-community-used-marketing-new-anti-vaxxer-n1260724 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318224620/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/covid-s-devastation-black-community-used-marketing-new-anti-vaxxer-n1260724 |archive-date=March 18, 2021 |access-date=March 15, 2021 |publisher=NBC News |quote=The video{{snd}}the newest in a series of anti-vaccine propaganda films produced or promoted by Kennedy{{snd}}was distributed through Kennedy's organization, Children's Health Defense,}}</ref>
<ref name="mnookin-2017">{{Cite web|last=Mnookin|first=Seth|date=January 11, 2017|title=How Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Distorted Vaccine Science|url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-robert-f-kennedy-jr-distorted-vaccine-science1/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170112025044/https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-robert-f-kennedy-jr-distorted-vaccine-science1/|archive-date=January 12, 2017|website=[[Scientific American]]|language=en |quote=For more than a decade, Kennedy has promoted anti-vaccine propaganda completely unconnected to reality.}}</ref>


<ref name="Smith_12/15/2021">{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Michelle R. |date=December 15, 2021 |title=How a Kennedy built an anti-vaccine juggernaut amid COVID-19 |url=https://apnews.com/article/how-rfk-jr-built-anti-vaccine-juggernaut-amid-covid-4997be1bcf591fe8b7f1f90d16c9321e |access-date=April 1, 2023 |publisher=Associated Press |language=en |quote=Dr. Richard Allen Williams, a cardiologist, professor of medicine at UCLA and founder of the Minority Health Institute, said Kennedy is leading 'a propaganda movement'|archive-date=December 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211218203449/https://apnews.com/article/how-rfk-jr-built-anti-vaccine-juggernaut-amid-covid-4997be1bcf591fe8b7f1f90d16c9321e |url-status=live}}</ref> The group alleges a large proportion of American children are suffering from conditions as diverse as [[autism]], [[attention deficit hyperactivity disorder]], [[Food allergy|food allergies]], cancer, and [[autoimmune disease]]s due to exposure to certain chemicals and radiation. Children's Health Defense has blamed and campaigned against [[vaccines]], [[Water fluoridation|fluoridation of drinking water]], [[paracetamol]] (acetaminophen), aluminum, [[Wireless device radiation and health|wireless communications]], among others. Kennedy's group has been identified as one of two major buyers of anti-vaccine [[Facebook]] advertising in late 2018 and early 2019.<ref name=journ>{{Cite journal |last1=Jamison |first1=A.M. |last2=Broniatowski |first2=D. A. |last3=Dredze |first3=M. |date=November 13, 2019 |title=Vaccine-related advertising in the Facebook Ad Archive |journal=Vaccine |volume=38|issue=3|pages=512–520|doi=10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.10.066|pmid=31732327|pmc=6954281}}</ref>
<ref name="NBC_2021-03-11">
{{cite web |last1=Zadrozny |first1=Brandy |author-link1=Brandy Zadrozny |date=March 11, 2021 |title=Covid's devastation of Black community used as 'marketing' in new anti-vaccine film |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/covid-s-devastation-black-community-used-marketing-new-anti-vaxxer-n1260724 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318224620/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/covid-s-devastation-black-community-used-marketing-new-anti-vaxxer-n1260724 |archive-date=March 18, 2021 |access-date=March 15, 2021 |publisher=NBC News |quote=The video{{snd}}the newest in a series of anti-vaccine propaganda films produced or promoted by Kennedy{{snd}}was distributed through Kennedy's organization, Children's Health Defense,}}
</ref>
 
<ref name="Smith_12/15/2021">
{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Michelle R. |date=December 15, 2021 |title=How a Kennedy built an anti-vaccine juggernaut amid COVID-19 |url=https://apnews.com/article/how-rfk-jr-built-anti-vaccine-juggernaut-amid-covid-4997be1bcf591fe8b7f1f90d16c9321e |access-date=April 1, 2023 |publisher=Associated Press |language=en |quote=Dr. Richard Allen Williams, a cardiologist, professor of medicine at UCLA and founder of the Minority Health Institute, said Kennedy is leading 'a propaganda movement'|archive-date=December 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211218203449/https://apnews.com/article/how-rfk-jr-built-anti-vaccine-juggernaut-amid-covid-4997be1bcf591fe8b7f1f90d16c9321e |url-status=live}}</ref>


</references>
</references>

Revision as of 09:44, 17 July 2023

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (1954 - ?), also known by his initials RFK Jr., is an American environmental lawyer and author who is known for promoting anti-vaccine propaganda,[1][2] Kennedy is a son of U.S. attorney general and senator Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of U.S. president John F. Kennedy. Kennedy's own family has tried to disassociate themselves from him due to his pushing of various unfounded conspiracy theories.

After growing up in the Washington, D.C. area and Massachusetts, he graduated from Harvard University and obtained a J.D. degree from the University of Virginia. Kennedy began his career as an assistant district attorney in New York City. In 1984, he joined Riverkeeper and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in 1986, two non-profits focused on environmental protection. He became an adjunct professor of environmental law at Pace University School of Law in 1986. In 1987, he founded the Pace Law School's Environmental Litigation Clinic, where he held the post of supervising attorney and co-director until 2017. He founded the non-profit environmental group Waterkeeper Alliance in 1999, serving as the president of its board.

Since 2005, he has promoted the scientifically discredited link between vaccines and autism,[1][3] Much of Kennedy's public health criticisms and writings have targeted prominent figures such as Anthony Fauci, Bill Gates, and Joe Biden. He has co-hosted Ring of Fire, a nationally syndicated radio program. He has written books including The Real Anthony Fauci in 2021 and A Letter to Liberals in 2022.

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 Mnookin, Seth (January 11, 2017). How Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Distorted Vaccine Science (en). “For more than a decade, Kennedy has promoted anti-vaccine propaganda completely unconnected to reality.”
  2. Covid's devastation of Black community used as 'marketing' in new anti-vaccine film. NBC News (March 11, 2021). “The videoTemplate:Sndthe newest in a series of anti-vaccine propaganda films produced or promoted by KennedyTemplate:Sndwas distributed through Kennedy's organization, Children's Health Defense,”
  3. Smith, Michelle R.. How a Kennedy built an anti-vaccine juggernaut amid COVID-19, Associated Press, December 15, 2021. (in en) “Dr. Richard Allen Williams, a cardiologist, professor of medicine at UCLA and founder of the Minority Health Institute, said Kennedy is leading 'a propaganda movement'”