Editor’s note: The following is based on stories from people in the community.
Can you imagine just being discharged from the hospital, having been there for five weeks?
You finally got to a point in your COVID experience where you could go home to try to recoup your strength from having this horrible virus.
You still can’t smell anything and your food all tastes the same.
You hope you will not be a long hauler and have to suffer for months with exhaustion.
You can’t go back to work just yet, either. Your throat is still sore from being intubated.
A friend has picked you up from the hospital, and as you drive down hospital hill, you see the group of COVID-denying people, holding up signs that say ‘Freedom’ and ‘Nuremberg.’
This group is denying your experience and the worried-you-might-die feelings you lived with for weeks.
You burst into tears at the cruelty of it all.
One of the staff told you that there was an anti-everything person just down the hall from the room you were in while in the hospital with COVID.
The person apparently continued to deny that it was COVID.
You get home and then see on the news the convoy of trucks driving across Canada with ‘Freedom’ painted on their trucks.
You see people in support of the fact that these truckers refuse to get the vaccine.
They would rather demonstrate about their ‘rights’ than take responsibility for helping the world to overcome COVID.
They say the government has removed their “freedom” because they would have to isolate when returning from the States if they are not vaccinated.
If they refuse to take the vaccine and they lose their jobs, that is their choice.
Key word – choice. Not removal of freedom.
I’m not sure they know the meaning of the word freedom.
We would have to worry about our freedom if we lived in China, Russia, North Korea and many other countries where freedom really is an issue.
Remember the two Michaels? Tossed into a Chinese prison for no reason. That is lack of freedom.
Freedom is not the issue.
Freedom was the issue for the residential school children.
Freedom is the issue for anyone who lives with abuse of any kind.
Why do people choose to believe everything they read on the Internet?
I’ve had people send me the most ridiculous articles.
I start to read them and then shake my head in disbelief that people would even consider believing in such absolute nonsense.
Perhaps not politically correct to say, but I am well past even trying to understand the naysayers anymore.
They are not concerned if they spread COVID to those who may be immuno-compromised. ‘It doesn’t exist don’t cha’ know? It’s only the flu – right?’ But that is what the ‘it’s-all-about-me’ group seems to be about.
As Isaac Asimov wrote: “The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.”
My thoughts go out to anyone who has suffered with COVID and that includes any medical staff personnel who have had to work 14-16 hour days.
Thank you for your hard work and level of care.
Carole Fawcett is a counsellor, clinical hypnotherapist and freelance writer.
www.wordaffair.ca
READ MORE: Local ‘freedom convoys’ cropping up in the North Okanagan
READ MORE: Ottawa police call in reinforcements as convoy takes up positions around Parliament
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