To the editor,
Re: Island holds its own truck convoy, Feb. 2.
I was woken from a sound sleep by the so-called ‘Freedom Convoy’ as it blew directly past my apartment building, honking horns and terrifying my cat. It was a minor wrinkle in my day. But I can only imagine what the residents of Ottawa are going through with the non-stop cacophony of big-rig air horns they’ve been enduring.
The right to peaceful protest is a cornerstone of Canadian democracy, and I will defend that right to the moon and back. However, what is happening in this country has gone well beyond peaceful.
Like many Canadians, I am tired of the pandemic. If I never had to hear the word ‘COVID’ again, I could die a happy woman. And, with much of the country vaccinated, perhaps there is room in this conversation to begin discussing whether lockdowns and mask mandates are still efficacious. But the people in that convoy are not persuading me and will never get me on their side.
Initially, I was puzzled by anti-vaxxers and interested in their reasons. I was born in 1958 and grew up in an era when vaccines were considered a medical miracle. Children and parents today no longer have to worry about relatively benign childhood illnesses, not to mention killers like diphtheria. Perhaps with safety comes complacency.
But I no longer care about anti-vaxxers’ motives. The primary reason we’re in year three of the pandemic is due to those who refuse to get vaccinated because they’d rather listen to Facebook vaccine experts instead of scientists. Further, many truckers are stating that the people in these convoys don’t represent their views at all. Apparently, the easily manipulated aren’t seeing that their movement has been co-opted by right-wing extremists and agitators.
No. Instead, I care about my friend who can’t have crucial surgery because so many hospital beds in B.C. are occupied by unvaccinated COVID patients. It’s time to shut down the protest in Ottawa. It’s time for informed, law-abiding Canadians to stand up for our rights. This movement says they’re against tyranny? From where I stand, they are the tyrants.
Nora Cserny, Nanaimo
READ ALSO: Nanaimo residents donated $19,000 to convoy blockades, hacked data reveals
To the editor,
Re: Convoy isn’t helping us get through pandemic, Letters, Feb. 2.
The convoy is not about anti-vax. If you listen to the organizers and participants, you will find out that it is about all mandates that have been imposed. It is about freedom of choice for all Canadians. It is about respect and inclusion for all. In other words, if you chose to vaccinate yourself, please do. But please know the science before you write and instill blame.
The letter writer writes that her friend is triple-vaxxed and covered in PPE and still got COVID. Somehow, this is the fault of the unvaxxed, with no proof, just somehow.
I know COVID-19 is a scary thing, but knowing the facts might just alleviate some of that fear. There is no reason to be afraid of people who choose not to vaccinate.
Deb DeRose, Nanaimo
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Convoy isn’t helping us get through pandemic
To the editor,
In watching the opening ceremony of the Olympics I was reminded of our flag being such a symbol of Canadian pride. It now seems to have morphed into a symbol for ill-informed protest against necessary public health measures by our government to combat the spread of COVID-19. So sad.
Laura Nield, Nanaimo
The views and opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the writer and do not reflect the views of Black Press or the Nanaimo News Bulletin.
Letters policy: Letters should be no longer than 250 words and will be edited. Preference is given to letters expressing an opinion on issues of local relevance or responding to items published in the News Bulletin. Include your address (it won’t be published) and a first name or two initials, and a surname. Unsigned letters will not be published.
Mail: Letters, Nanaimo News Bulletin, 777 Poplar St., Nanaimo, B.C. V9S 2H7
Fax: 250-753-0788
E-mail: editor@nanaimobulletin.com