Updated, Sept. 22
The head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is expected to be on Martha’s Vineyard on Tuesday.
Kennedy, according to health department officials, will be on Island for an annual, weeklong meeting convened by the Secretary’s Tribal Advisory Committee, a group of tribal representatives from across the country that inform policy makers nation.
The secretary’s visit comes at a time when he’s been in the national spotlight. The 2024 presidential candidate and vaccine skeptic has come under fire recently for upending the health and human services department, which has seen widespread changes under his leadership — especially the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Kennedy’s rhetoric about vaccines, which he is largely publicly against, has led some public health groups to speak out against his appointment. His initiatives to remove ultra-processed food from public lunches has been praised by some state officials.
News that Kennedy will be on Island has already circulated, and advocacy groups are planning at least two protests throughout the day — one at Martha’s Vineyard Airport and one in Aquinnah, where Kennedy is expected to travel to for the event.
Indivisible Martha’s Vineyard is leading one protest at the Vineyard airport. “We’d like to get as many people there as possible to protest his abhorrent anti-science policies, gutting the CDC and lying to Congress about all of it,” reads a flyer from the group.
A second protest will be held up-Island in Aquinnah, near the intersection of State Road and Moshop Trail. Organizers say that the protests will criticize Kennedy’s stance on vaccines and for the changes underway within his department.
“We gotta stand up,” said Juli Vanderhoop, an Aquinnah Select Board member who is supportive of the planned protests. Vanderhoop is particularly frustrated with Kennedy’s “blatant disregard for the sciences,” noting that he doesn’t have the credentials to be the highest public health official in the country.
“We need someone who we can trust with the lives of this nation,” Vanderhoop said, adding that she is nervous for the at-risk community if there is a resurgence in COVID-19 because fewer people are receiving vaccines.
Kennedy and Indian Health Services are convening on Martha’s Vineyard as part of an annual meeting that is held in a different tribal nation once a year sponsored by an advisory group made up of tribal representatives from across the country called the Secretary’s Tribal Advisory Committee (STAC). The committee, formed in 2010, is intended to increase communication between federal agencies and tribal nations. There are a number of events planned on the Island outside of Kennedy’s Tuesday appearance, including an opportunity for tribal nations to meet with CDC officials as well as with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid; there’s also a site visit to the Aquinnah Cliffs planned.
This is the first time that the annual meeting will be held on the Island.
Cheryl Andrews-Maltais, chairwoman of the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribal Council, said that she has served on STAC for 14 years. She said that the group meets in DC regularly, and once a year the group meets within a different tribe’s homeland. The Vineyard was selected for this year’s annual meeting, which Andrews-Maltais said will be rewarding for the tribe.
Having the meeting in Aquinnah provides policy makers a look into life on the Vineyard specifically, the chairwoman said. She plans to share the unique issues that impact tribal members, including the high rate of tick-borne illnesses. She is also hoping to show the importance of reintroducing native foods back into production, which would elevate the health of tribal members overall. They are hoping to show the food that was produced on the Vineyard and what tribal members ate before colonization, like cranberries that are still farmed on the Island, venison, wild turkeys, and beach plums.
“For me, it is very rewarding to have them come to our homelands,” Andrews-Maltais said.
The discussions and meetings will be open to tribal council members.
Asked about the controversy surrounding the secretary of health, she said that Kennedy has so far been supportive of Indian Country. As an example, when the federal government began making budget cuts across the board this past spring, Andrews-Mailtais said that she and native nations approached the secretary to ensure cuts weren’t made to Indian Health Services. “He made sure that they didn’t sustain layoffs that we have seen across the board,” Andrew-Maltais said.
“Our issues are bipartisan,” she said. “We work with all administrations, and at the end of the day, if they are willing to sit down and work with us, I’m willing to work with them.”
This post was updated with comments from Cheryl Andrews-Maltais.
Begs the question: What time is his airplane due at the MV Airport?
Go ahead and protest RFK jr. Your sure to make big Pharma and the corporate medical establishment proud
Americans are getting less healthy every year, especially children
If the CDC has the job of protecting our health, they have failed miserably
If someone can list the CDC accomplishments over the past decade, please chime in
Can anyone list RFK Jr’s achievements? Go ahead……. I’ll wait.
Is the public allowed to attend this event where and what time? Not looking to protest as on balance he is doing a very favorable job and without his dedication, we wouldn’t be getting some of the poison out of our food supply.
please protest this loser.
Surprised that Cheryl Andrews can be blindsided by Kennedy’s cruel and absurd positions. Vaccinations rates in elementary schools are an immediate casualty of the misinformation that Kennedy and his board of self appointed non-scientists have spread. The Island,and the Tribe,are at risk. I’d expect more from a tribal leader. Thankfully Juli Vanderhoop is engaged and unafraid/I unpersuaded by fame.
I hope he gets the welcome he deserves.
Island Liberals to anyone they disagree with:
Stay off “our” island.
Island Liberals to 50% of country that didn’t vote for Harris:
Don’t come here we don’t want your money.
Island liberals to 20% of islanders that voted red this past presidential election:
Silence! We do not want to hear your voice.
This island might be one of the least tolerant places in the USA right now.
Bill
Bill,
It’s not “might be.” It’s unequivocally so.
I’ve not heard anyone say “stay off our island.” What I see are Americans doing what Americans have been doing since before 1776-protesting against what they believe to be wrong. One of the wonderful things about this country (although I don’t know how much longer this will be true) is that we can do just that-legally.
As for silencing the “20%,” I’ve had numerous civil conversations with 47 supporters while standing my ground in protest. If you’re getting your information from social media (or at this point, just about any media), you need to get out and actually talk to people. Come to a conversation at Stillpoint sometime. You’ll meet people who disagree, but who listen to each other.
I agree with you Dana!
“This island might be one of the least tolerant places in the USA right now.
Bill ”
” ‘20 big cities, Aspen and Martha’s Vineyard’ are what remain of Democratic Party: Former candidate”
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5122325-twenty-big-cities-aspen-and-marthas-vineyard-are-what-remain-of-democratic-party-former-candidate/
Outdated?
I’m trusting the meeting will benefit the tribe in all respects. RFK Jr. isn’t all bad.
RFK Jr. has spent decades in public service and environmental protection. He founded the Waterkeeper Alliance, a global network of over 300 groups defending waterways, and as an attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, he fought to reduce industrial pollution. He played a key role in stopping a salt project in Baja California that threatened gray whale breeding grounds, worked with indigenous communities to protect their lands, and helped secure New York City’s watershed through a landmark agreement recognized worldwide. TIME named him a ‘Hero for the Planet,’ and he has received multiple awards for environmental justice. He has also raised concerns about vaccine safety, transparency, and rising childhood diseases. While some of his positions are debated, his record shows a consistent focus on protecting communities, health, and the environment.
RFK Jr. is responsible for deaths, suffering and crimes against humanity. His falsehoods, lies and stupid conspiracy theories are damaging. He’s running HHS and damaging us all, especially children.
As an “island liberal” the faster he gets off our island, our home the better.
Where can we protest the protest with “Ouchi Fauci” signs?
The man is completely unqualified. A danger to all. Vaccines save lives!
Anyone that does not welcome an open dialogue exhibits censorship. Are they taking him for pierogis ? Perhaps a swim in Katama or lodging at an attorney friend’s home ? When you visit your pharmacy to witness all the prescriptions awaiting pick up you see who he is actually fighting. God bless you Mr Kennedy.
Dear Bill and John,
I don’t know where you live or who you talk to on MVY, but I find people to be courteous, and willing to listen everywhere I go. And I’m what you’d describe as a social democrat, opposed big-time to RFK crap about vaccines and Tylenol. His own family thinks he’s crazy and disowns him.
Sorry that neither of you are having a good experience here.
We have a free country–( for now) . Anyone is free to travel anywhere they want, including people who cut the heads off of whales, put baby bear carcasses in central park with the intent to blame bicyclist, and have half of their brains eaten by some sort of worm. We also have the right to peacefully protest against people who we disagree with– or agree with. .People that support him–are welcome to go to the airport and welcome him — When Obama came here people applauded him– so if you think RFK is a wonderful person, with great policies, go out there and show your support. if you think he is a nut case who’s policies will result in the early deaths of millions of people, go out and protest . For now, we have those rights —
We can still voice our opinions. So to those criticizing an “unwelcome” “vibe” for this person, quit your whining and show your support. And perhaps, if you want to do it on this site, you could show some factual evidence to support some of his policies– by the way, I think it’s great he is trying to get artificial dyes out of cereals targeting children.
Sane dialogue is the goal.
But “never argue with a crazy person.” Having never met him, I have no sense of sanity in RFK Jr. from everything I can gather. Instead, I sense many needless US citizen death, and beyond, specifically because of this man. Meet him and you decide.
There’s a point where action is required to stop a catastrophe caused by inhumane people.
There are liberal people commenting here who have ended years and even decades of a cordial friendship with me because they are unwilling to listen to anything that is not part of the liberal left narrative. It is simply untrue that MV liberals are good listeners who do not espouse hate and intolerance. It’s obvious even in this thread. I am unable to recognize the so-called ideals from a political party I once stood shoulder to shoulder with.
It is a matter of medical fact that Tylenol carries dangers and warnings. These are even written on the bottle. It is not a benign drug. Speak to your doctor to make medical decisions about what you put in your body, including risks from vaccines and especially if you are pregnant or in need pain management from any condition. How do people give themselves permission to wag this special brand of ridicule and lack of listening ability to what’s actually being said?
Wild times, I remember in the 80’s all the people protesting were not vaccinating their kids and always questioned the government. Now they protest a man that wants to question the vaccine and big pharma industry and remove the poison from our food. Wild Times man, wild freaking times
RFK not only questions the vaccines that should be questioned—and those that should have been questioned, such as the inadequately tested mRNA Covid-19 “vaccines” that were not actually vaccines—but also by extension defends our right to decide what to put into our and our children’s bodies. Times readers need to understand that the “m” in mRNA stands for “modified,” not “messenger.”
No American should be punished or be forced to shutter their businesses because of government diktats designed to force them to take medications that they do not want. It blows my mind that liberals think this was OK and defended these diktats. We need to return to “first, do no harm,” also when it comes to vaccines.
When was Tylenol, acetaminophen introduced?
Acetaminophen dates to the 1890s, according to the National Institutes of Health, and became freely available as a painkiller in the 1950s.
Tylenol was first introduced in 1955 by McNeil Laboratories. That company was purchased by Johnson & Johnson in 1959. Tylenol was available over the counter one year later. Tylenol is now made by Kenvue, a company spun off from Johnson & Johnson in 2023.
The first person to be diagnosed with autism was Donald Triplett in 1943. He was diagnosed by Dr. Leo Kanner, a psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins University, who described Triplett’s case in a landmark paper titled “Autistic Disturbances of Affective Contact.”
Triplett was born in 1933 in Forest, Mississippi. He exhibited unique behaviors, including a lack of eye contact, difficulty with social interaction, and an intense interest in certain objects. Kanner’s paper established autism as a distinct condition and laid the foundation for further research and understanding.
Michael–5 corners is a good place to protest whoever or whatever you want. It seems Beetlebung corner is also a popular spot. Even in Aquinnah it seems. But you can organize your own protest pretty much anywhere you want. It doesn’t have to be one that hundreds of people turn out for– Just a few weeks ago 2 people– count ’em-two– showed up to protest political violence in America after the murder of Charlie Kirk at Boch park. Good for them– I applaud them. They believed in something and exercised their constitutional right to peacefully protest. It’s easy( for now) — it’s America– just make a sign ( “ouchi Fauci” is pretty catchy– it rhymes- go with it. ) and get as many people as you can to hold up signs protesting against a guy who retired from public service 3 years ago. I’m sure your protest will be as effective as the numerous ones against people who are still in positions of power, or policies that are currently in effect that draw hundreds of people But you can stand there and do your version of “virtue signaling” just like the rest of us. The idea is to step up and be seen.
Cocaine was once used to flavor Coca Cola. My grandmother applied a prescribed opium derivative to aching gums of teething babies.That quieted them down! Aspirin can cause brain bleeds. Lots of meds once believed to be miracle drugs come with dangerous side effects we did not formerly know about. What’s causing the increases in numbers of autism spectrum cases? Something is. Question everything you put in your body and into the precious bodies of your babies.
Some of the accusations against RFK jr, like the ‘crimes against humanity’ charge, are utterly hysterical and false.