Unvaccinated West Point Cadets Reportedly in 'Solitary Confinement' Like Conditions
Last month, New York Times writer Ben Smith texted Fox News’ Tucker Carlson to ask him a question that had been on his mind. “Did you get vaccinated?”
Carlson’s reply? “When was the last time you had sex with your wife and in what position? We can trade intimate details.”
Who could possibly blame Carlson for his response? Since when did it become okay to ask people questions about their personal medical decisions and/or status and expect an answer?
Last week, several parents of unvaccinated West Point cadets joined Fox News’ Sean Hannity to discuss the military academy’s disrespectful and draconian treatment of their sons and daughters.
Of the academy’s 4,500 cadets, approximately three dozen remain unvaccinated, according to a Fox News report. Most of those choosing not to take the vaccine have previously contracted the virus and therefore have a natural immunity to COVID-19.
One cadet, who spoke with Fox News on the condition of anonymity, told the outlet, “It’s like solitary confinement — for a disease we don’t have.”
Hannity began his segment last week with an overview of just how far West Point’s leadership has been willing to go to isolate the unvaccinated cadets. These young men and women have been subjected to pressure, bullying and coercion, he told viewers, “even from their fellow cadets.”
“They have repeatedly been called names like ‘dirty’ and treated as ‘the other,'” Hannity noted.
They will be separated into their own platoon during summer Cadet Field Training, he said. “Other cadets have allegedly been instructed not to socialize with them.” And they face stricter mask requirements than those enforced even at the height of the pandemic.
“Several cadets this month were formally disciplined with what’s called a ‘negative counseling report’ for sitting outside on bleachers while not wearing a mask,” he said.
“A spreadsheet was disseminated around campus divulging personal medical information of those who were and were not vaccinated. West Point tells us they’re evaluating the scope of the dissemination.”
“Perhaps the most explosive allegations surround the behavior and the conduct of medical officer and COVID coordinators on campus,” Hannity continued. “Her name is Col. Laura Dawson, who is accused of berating multiple cadets, allegedly threatening them, calling them selfish, even suggesting that they may have to get the shot or get out and leave the academy entirely.”
West Point reportedly confirmed to “Hannity” that its official position is that vaccinations are optional. The academy sure could have fooled us.
Brian McDonald currently has a daughter at the academy and told Hannity, “I don’t understand what the leadership at West Point is doing right now. So, quick thing on my daughter, she loves the Lord, she loves her country. And all she wants to do, her dream, is just to serve both at West Point right now.”
“She’s in a position where she’s had COVID, she recovered from COVID, she has the antibodies for COVID and West Point is putting a ridiculous amount of pressure on her to take the vaccine for COVID,” McDonald said. “It’s clearly not about the science anymore, Sean. I don’t know what it’s about … As an American citizen, I’m deeply concerned about what’s happening in the military academies right now.”
One mother, Elita Perusek — who is herself a 1994 West Point graduate — described her son’s experience. The rising senior had to return to the academy seven days early to self-quarantine. Perusek said, “They say it’s a quarantine, but I called it — it was isolation. He had to be in his room for 23 hours. He was allowed to leave for an hour to exercise, but he wasn’t allowed to talk with anyone, to interact with anyone for those seven days.”
Mathias Sampson, who served for 20 years in the U.S. Army, currently has a daughter at West Point. She has not had COVID, but she is understandably concerned about the longer-term effects of the vaccine.
Hannity noted that “she’s been called names like ‘diseased’ and ‘dirty’ by other cadets.”
Sampson said, “My daughter has valid concerns about this vaccination — concerns pertaining to fertility, long term effects. The Centers for Disease Control, nor West Point, have answers to these concerns.”
For whatever their own reasons, these cadets have the right to decline the COVID vaccination and should not be subjected to this coercion campaign. This should remain a personal decision.
Those cadets who are concerned about the possibility of contracting COVID have the option of taking the vaccine, a course that 99.2 percent of them chose.
If the allegations against Col. Laura Dawson are proven to be true, she should be dismissed.
These cadets represent the best of their generation. My son is a West Point graduate. Living an hour away from the academy at the time, my house became a home away from home to many cadets. They are some of the smartest, most motivated, disciplined and centered individuals I’ve ever had the pleasure of spending time with. Col. Dawson’s alleged suggestion that they get the shot or leave the academy is unacceptable.
Upon graduation, these young men and women will be called upon to protect our country with their lives, if necessary. They deserve our utmost respect and our unwavering support.
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