I have always sought to be a critical thinker, a rationalist, and a free thinker. I look at both sides of every argument. Often I don’t pick sides publicly and I never force my opinions on others. I make my own choice based on scientific data when it applies and rational argument. This is just how I was brought up both by my parents and the school system as it was when I grew up. You analyze without emotion and look at both sides of an argument and you don’t really have to declare a winner, you let the debate, the evidence and the questions it raises resonate with people. If you have ever been in a debate club you will know you often take either side of the argument at random and debate. This gives you a broader perspective; from this perspective, here’s what I came up with for an analysis of the freedom 2022 convoy.
Pros
- Freedom of speech.
- Voice of a minority being heard. (Truckers and those opposed to vaccine mandates)
- Voices lack of confidence in current government of Canada leadership.
Cons
- Poorly organized.
- Misplaced protest . (Should have started at the provincial level and gone national if the message wasn’t heard)
- Morphed into an Anti Justin Trudeau Protest
- Showed ignorance to established peaceful protest methods
- Showed ignorance to those that agree with vaccine mandates and the needs of the many
- Showed an overall ignorance in the writing of demands
- Disrupted the lives and livelihood of others that are not involved
- Disrupted an organization that only seeks to ease suffering (Shepherds of good hope)
- Allowed the spread of a message of hate and allowed other elements of white supremacy to show their ignorance.
- Showed disrespect to nationally established monuments and ideals that all Canadians hold to be self evident.
I’ve tried to be as fair as I believe possible here and I completely get the point of rebellion. I have often voiced my disdain for the current liberal government and Justin Trudeau many times as well as illiberalist movements and I definitely didn’t vote liberal in the last election. I lean a little left of centre typically, but truthfully my political beliefs don’t fall on the current political spectrum of any one party but incorporates parts of each.
I wouldn’t classify this as a movement or a protest though, I would say it was more of a rebellion or perhaps an insurrection. It certainly wasn’t something that was put forth with peace and good will toward humankind.
I have many friends who are vaccinated and unvaccinated and some vaccinated by mandate only so they could keep their jobs. So far they are all still healthy and surviving and able to pay their bills as far as I know. Some are struggling more than others. They all made their own choices too, because when given a set of rules, you always have the choice. When you make a choice you are responsible for the outcome, no one else. You are the one in control of your own life (Stephen Covey)
I had one friend that worked for the company I work for that chose not to vaccinate. Our company policies regarding covid are in place to protect all that work for our company and state you must be at least double vaccinated. My friends employment was terminated with a very generous severance pay. He wasn’t punished, just given a choice. After he made that choice, the company made sure he would have time to find another job and not suffer any loss of income during his search. I’m sure I may take a lot of criticism from many people I know regarding this analysis, I may even lose some FB friends I really enjoy talking with. That’s their choice, and also the choice I’m making by writing this. …and I am ok taking that responsibility for my choice.
I don’t feel it’s my place to judge personally. That doesn’t mean I can’t have my own opinion. Do things always go the way I want them to?…nope. Do I live with that and enjoy life anyway?…yep.
Be excellent to one another!
Wil
