Brevard County, Florida, home to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, typically makes headlines for sending people into space. Recently, however, it’s drawn attention for a different reason: the number of residents that stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6. huffpost.com/entry/brevard-…
Federal authorities have charged seven locals for taking part in the historic attack on the Capitol, giving Brevard County the dubious distinction of having the fourth-highest number of arrested rioters in the country. Image
Why do so many of the rioters hail from this coastal region east of Orlando? In the year since the Capitol riot, academics have studied data to divine why places like Brevard County were such hotspots. Image
One study by Professor Robert Pape, an expert in political violence at the University of Chicago, found that “insurgents were much more likely to come from a county where the white share of the population was in decline.” Image
The findings were further evidence that the Capitol attack was fueled by white nationalist fears over the “great replacement” — the conspiracy theory that one day minorities will not only overtake whites as the majority population in America, but will have more rights, said Pape.
But some people in Brevard County have another theory: These people were inspired in part by the rhetoric and actions of their local elected lawmakers.

The aggressive style of politics here predated the Capitol riot, local residents told HuffPost, and has only escalated since.
“F U.”

That was the message, burned onto the front lawn with weed killer, that greeted Brevard County School Board member Jennifer Jenkins outside her home on the morning of Sept. 1, 2021. Image
The day before, about 20 right-wing anti-mask protesters had gathered outside her young family’s house in Satellite Beach to protest a mask mandate in schools that she supported. huffpost.com/entry/brevard-…
“Be careful, your mommy hurts little kids!” Jenkins remembers one of the protesters screaming. “You’re going to jail!” said another. One protester even went out of the way to cough in Jenkins’ face. “Give her COVID!” someone screamed. huffpost.com/entry/brevard-…
Read more about the experiences of Brevard County residents and why they think this should be a warning to the rest of the country: huffpost.com/entry/brevard-…

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More from @HuffPost

8 Jan
Earlier in the pandemic, scientists published research that found people infected with COVID-19 were protected from getting the virus for at least six months. But the highly contagious omicron variant has raised questions about COVID reinfection. huffpost.com/entry/covid-re…
Can you be infected with a new form of the virus if you’ve already recovered? How long will your increased immunity last? Here’s what experts know now. huffpost.com/entry/covid-re…
Experts believe reinfection is possible with omicron. It has more mutations than delta and it’s more transmissible. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease doctor, has said that omicron is “very different” from previous strains. huffpost.com/entry/covid-re… Image
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7 Jan
The latest pandemic term grabbing international headlines is “flurona,” which describes people who are infected with both the coronavirus and influenza at the same time.

The term “flurona” may be new and catchy, but the phenomenon isn’t. huffpost.com/entry/flurona-…
There have been documented (or suspected) cases of COVID/flu co-infection since 2020. News reports that make it sound like a “nightmare” are blowing the situation out of proportion — and missing that it’s happened before, Dr. Raghu Adiga wrote in a Scientific American explainer. Image
When a pandemic with millions of new cases daily collides with seasonal influenza “among a world population largely unvaccinated against either COVID-19 or flu, it is reasonable to find patients who may catch both viruses around the same time,” Adiga continued. Image
Read 7 tweets
7 Jan
More people are testing positive for COVID-19 after using a rapid test to swab their throats. The trend recently took off on Twitter, and unlike most of the medical advice shared across social media, this tactic appears to be scientifically sound. huffpost.com/entry/covid-ra…
Why swab your throat, too? Although the nose and throat are both part of the upper respiratory system and closely connected, there may be some differences in the amount of virus in the nose versus the throat. huffpost.com/entry/covid-ra… Image
Some scientists suspect saliva (throat) swabs may be more useful for detecting omicron since the variant replicates more efficiently in the upper respiratory tract. huffpost.com/entry/covid-ra… Image
Read 8 tweets
6 Jan
The COVID-19 omicron variant that is currently circulating is highly contagious, and although the CDC says getting vaccinated is the best way to prevent severe illness, hospitalizations and death, you should still mask up. huffpost.com/entry/where-to…
Physician Jen Caudle told HuffPost that she recommends people upgrade their masks due to the high transmission rate of the omicron variant. huffpost.com/entry/where-to… Image
You can do so by double masking (the correct way) or by wearing an approved N95 or KN95 mask. KN95 and N95 masks also fit more snugly on your face than cloth or surgical masks, preventing gaps that further expose your mouth and nose to airborne droplets. huffpost.com/entry/where-to…
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3 Jan
Betty White chalked up her happy life to kindness ... and hot dogs. Here are a few other ideas to consider trying as we begin 2022. huffpost.com/entry/happy-li…
Be curious about the world and the people around you. Never stop learning or asking questions. Be willing to admit you might not have all — or any — of the answers and that the answers might be different depending on who you are or where you’re at in your life.
Say you’re sorry whenever it’s required, even if (especially if) it’s hard. Recognize you probably could (and should) say it more often than you do. huffpost.com/entry/happy-li…
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21 Dec 21
Omicron has raced ahead of other variants and is now the dominant version of COVID in the U.S., accounting for 73% of new infections last week, federal health officials said Monday. huffpost.com/entry/omicron-…
Researchers around the world are working tirelessly to learn everything they can about this newest iteration of the virus, which boasts a “Frankenstein mix” of mutations, including more than 30 on the all-important spike protein. huffpost.com/entry/omicron-…
Right now, there are still more questions than answers about the variant. We do know that there has been a surge of cases in recent days, and experts believe the variant is more transmissible. huffpost.com/entry/omicron-…
Read 9 tweets

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