Bill Maher slams government for shutting down 'dissenting opinions' about Covid that were 'right ones'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: In a recent episode of HBO's 'Real Time', host Bill Maher didn't hold back in his criticism of various authorities' handling of Covid-19 discourse.

Maher aimed at government agencies, medical bodies, and social media platforms, accusing them of stifling "dissenting opinions" that, in hindsight, turned out to be correct, 

During a conversation with his guest, journalist Kara Swisher, Maher referenced the Supreme Court case Murthy v. Missouri. This case emerged from allegations that government officials collaborated with social media giants to censor posts, particularly those discussing Covid-19 and other contentious topics such as Hunter Biden's laptop.

Bill Maher advocates for open debate

Maher expressed frustration over the suppression of differing viewpoints during the pandemic, emphasizing the importance of open debate, particularly concerning medical matters, according to Fox News.

"As the years roll by now, we see that the dissenting opinions on a lot of these things were quite the right ones," Maher declared to Swisher.

"One of the things that has annoyed me most during the pandemic is that they shouldn't be shutting down debate about medical matters," Maher emphasized.

He highlighted instances where discussions on crucial topics like the origins of the virus or the efficacy of natural immunity were discouraged or shut down.

"OK, but we should have been able to argue about whether it came from a lab, which we weren’t. Things like that," he said. "Natural immunity — whether it was better to go to the beach and get sun and fresh air, as I would have said, as opposed to sitting home and day-drinking and putting on weight."

"They never mentioned that obesity was the biggest factor," Maher continued. "They have a lot to answer for."

Kara Swisher acknowledges complexity but emphasizes need for open dialogue

Swisher offered some pushback, acknowledging the complexity of the situation but agreeing that open debate should have been encouraged, especially given the uncertainties surrounding the pandemic. Swisher said: "They do, but you’re in the middle of a plague and a debate that people don’t know, and so you’re going to… "

Maher interrupted her and said: "Yes, so you should be able to debate it — this is medicine."

"Yes you should," Swisher responded. "This is not ­— the moment was not — people make mistakes, and science says it makes mistakes."

Bill Maher criticizes suppression of dissenting voices

Maher reiterated the importance of allowing diverse voices to be heard, mentioning doctors like Jay Bhattacharya and Martin Kulldorff, who raised valid concerns about excessive measures like school closures.

"There were two doctors, Jay Bhattacharya and Martin Kulldorff. They’re from Stanford and Harvard, and they said, ‘We were shut down. Not always fully, but there are ways to do that'. And they’re not radicals," Maher explained.

"They were saying that we’re going too far with school closures — again, I think, has been proved right. My question was always, ‘Why are your doctors more important than my doctors, the ones I want to listen to?'" Maher emphasized.

The conversation underscored Maher's belief that robust discourse is essential, even in times of crisis. He criticized the suppression of dissenting voices, urging a reevaluation of how information is managed and disseminated during public health emergencies.