A philanthropist and businessman accused of spreading misinformation about COVID-19 was ridiculed on social media on Friday after a smug post about an alleged incident on a plane.
Steve Kirsch, founder of an anti-vaccine group called the Vaccine Safety Research Foundation and a former HuffPost contributor, took to Twitter to recount an experience he shared with a fellow passenger who, unlike him, was wearing a mask.
“I’m on a Delta flight right now. The guy sitting next to me in first class refused $100,000 to remove the mask for the entire flight,” he said. write share a selfie from the plane. “He works for a pharmaceutical company.”
In the thread, Kirsch detailed how he had offered the woman money and what he did – he did not seem to realize that he came across as a seatmate from hell, full of self-righteousness but little self-awareness.
The tweet appears to be a sequel one that was sent on Tuesdaywhen he said he offered $10,000 to other people on the plane if they would remove their masks during the flight.
He said he refused, and he wondered if increasing the number would “count the amount of brainwashing.”
Kirsch did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
While Kirsch may think of himself as a truth-seeker just trying to help people find their way in a weary world, other Twitter users have different ideas.
Some suggested that, just maybe, he should have left his fellow Delta passengers.
Others felt there was a good reason for the woman not to accept Kirsch’s offer.
Some felt Kirsch was making assumptions about people without knowing the full story.
Others see potential business opportunities.
But one man found a solution that would please everyone.