> Second, this is not a strong argument in favor unless you happen to be an anti-vaxxer or simply lack empathy.
He spoke out against vaccines on Facebook, and suggested using papaya leaves and/or vitamin C instead. You don't have to be an anti-vaxxer or lack empathy to disagree with his being arrested for this.
>He spoke out against vaccines on Facebook, and suggested using papaya leaves and/or vitamin C instead.
In other words, he suggested people in the midst of an outbreak of a deadly, contagious but treatable disease avoid that treatment in favor of homeopathic bullshit that will only result in more deaths and further contagion.
Believing he should be allowed to do so without consequence shows a complete lack of empathy for his victims.
Sure, I totally disagree with him, but I'd like the bar for freedom of speech to be a bit higher that. He didn't specifically threaten anyone, and he's not dispensing advice in a professional capacity. He's just some guy with a different opinion, on that bastion of obvious truth known as Facebook posts. That opinion might lead someone who reads it to not get vaccinated, which might cause real problems, but just putting his opinion out there shouldn't be cause for arrest. In my, obviously unpopular, opinion.
> He's just some guy with a different opinion, on that bastion of obvious truth known as Facebook posts.
Not really, though. I searched his name and found an interview with Stuff magazine[0] which describes him as a "Samoan traditional healer and well known anti-vaxxer." It also describes his social media efforts as being far more active than "just putting his opinion out there" would imply. This isn't some random guy the government decided to harass for "wrongthink", He's an activist trying to undermine and hinder his government's attempt to vaccinate people in the midst of a medical emergency, as part of a greater anti-vaccination movement.
He spoke out against vaccines on Facebook, and suggested using papaya leaves and/or vitamin C instead. You don't have to be an anti-vaxxer or lack empathy to disagree with his being arrested for this.