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CNN anchor Don Lemon slammed for saying unvaxxed 'idiots' don't belong in 'polite society'

Lemon, 55, made the remarks during an appearance on 'New Day' with hosts Kasie Hunt and John Berman on January 18

CNN's star anchor Don Lemon sparked outrage on social media after he argued that unvaccinated Americans should not be considered as part of "polite society" and that decisions must be made for "the greater good" and not "idiots".

Lemon, 55, made the remarks during an appearance on the January 18 (Tuesday) episode of 'New Day' with hosts Kasie Hunt and John Berman. The trio began the discussion with a clip of a Mexican news anchor going off on anti-vaxxers. MEAWW had previously reported how the CNN host was called 'racist' and mocked after his drunken NYE rant during the network's live celebration broadcast. 

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Berman kicked off the segment with a clip of Telediario Guadalajara’s Leonardo Schwebel ranting against the unvaccinated which has gone viral in the past couple of days. “That was not on Don Lemon Tonight, by the way," Berman quipped when the video ended. Hunt jokingly asked, “Could it be?” prompting Lemon to quip, “I was going to say, it could have been!” He continued, “I mean, I’ve gotten criticized for saying that we need to stop listening to the people and they should not be part of polite society, so to speak. He’s right. He’s right.”

Citing statistics from the CDC, Lemon said, “The unvaccinated people in the US, they’re key to the reason that coronavirus, the variants are emerging. And that is the reason – I’m looking at the stats from the CDC – and the reason why it’s replicating and mutating. It’s because of unvaccinated people, who are doing their own research online!” He went on, “I can’t do my own research better than experts who do have devoted their lives to medical and scientific research," adding that if you don’t “believe in science” you shouldn’t take flights. The controversial host argued that diseases such as polio and smallpox wouldn’t have been eradicated without vaccines. “Because your parents had the wherewithal and the sense to get you vaccinated as a child," he added.

“They were told that they had to,” Hunt interjected

“That you had to! Because what?” Lemon affirmed. “Because we have to start doing things for the greater good of society and not for idiots who think that they can do their own research, or that they are above the law and they can break the rules.” The host then lauded the recent ouster of tennis star Novak Djokovic from the Australian Open, saying the nation told everyone, "No, no, no, no, no. We’re going to look at the greater good of everyone in our society, and you’re not part of that. We don’t care that you’re the number one tennis player in the world.” Lemon added, “And good on them because they are keeping their population and their citizens – people who want to be good citizens – they’re keeping them healthy and safe and alive."

The CNN star sparked considerable backlash on social media with his comments.

"It’s about control. Don Lemon is just mad people like me are free thinkers and resist their demands. They don’t own us and no amount of coercion will change that," Fox News contributor Lisa Boothe tweeted.

"Yes, Don Lemon just denounced 'idiots who think they can do their own research.' He has people who do research for him," columnist Tim Graham noted.

"Is anyone more smug than Don Lemon?" asked Federalist editor Carmine Sabia.

"The only thing dumber than Don Lemon are the people that watch and listen to him," one Twitter user wrote.

"Don Lemon believes that the unvaxxed think they “are above the law.” Does he mean like Hillary Clinton, Hunter Biden, Joe Biden, etc?" another asked.
 
"What a tool bag. It's like they don't read all the studies that show the vaccinated are not only getting it but spreading it," someone else added.

"Who gets to decide what the greater good is? People that keep referring to “the science” but ignore data, renowned scientists, international studies? What a joke," another chimed in.