Regular VPO readers are well aware of my feelings about Vermont exceptionalism: Too often, it’s an unmerited sense of self-regard and an unwarranted obstacle to progress.

But there are times when Vermont really is exceptional in a good way. Like Tuesday morning, when a blessedly small cohort of anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers assembled in the Statehouse for “Children’s Health Day,” an event aimed at spurring legislative action to, um, preserve “health care freedom” which means fighting vaccine and mask mandates. Thanks to Trump, people like them are now in charge of America’s public health programs. But in Vermont, they’re a tiny, ineffectual band of whiners.

Pictured above: guest of “honor” Mary Holland, head of Children’s Health Defense, the anti-vaxxer organization founded by, you guessed it, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. The local organizers included Amy Hornblas*, notorious anti-masker who is STILL sounding the alarm over mask mandates that expired more than five years ago, and Alison Despathy, purveyor of Anthony Fauci fanfic conspiracy theories.

*Hornblas, a perpetually smiling grandmotherly type, approached me** before the press conference and asked if I’d ever written about her. She introduced herself only as “Amy,” so I didn’t immediately put two and two together. Now I can say, yes indeedy, I have written about her. And I suspect she knew that.

** She was one of three women*** to approach me at the event. One woman offered me a Children’s Health Day sticker. I replied “I’m media, so no.” Then she said “It’s just to show you’re for the children.” Sure.

*** The third poked my elbow during the event and asked who I was writing for. “Myself,” I said.

The fact that I was wearing an N-95 mask and holding a notepad probably didn’t endear me to anyone else in attendance.

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