I get so worked up over this mandatory vaccination thing that is going on at the moment. I see it creating such a terrible division amongst people in the community on all levels. Especially as there is such vitriol expressed by people who think that getting vaccinated is the only ‘right’ and ‘best’ thing to do at this point in time.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my short 45 years on this planet, is that people believe a lot of things and do a lot of things that are harmful to themselves and this planet without so much as batting an eyelid. Yet they are more than willing to roll up their sleeves and receive a vaccination that hasn’t been through a complete trial process and the long-term effects of it are unknown. In effect, the government is forcing us to be experimental subjects in the largest clinical trial ever. Now, I’m not saying that the vaccine is outright harmful. I’m simply saying that as individuals we should have the power to make a choice and not be bullied into it, which is precisely what is happening at this point in time!
Now, I know all the people who believe getting vaccinated is the right thing to do will be saying we should be doing this to support the most vulnerable people in our community, to stop the spread, to protect the weak and immune compromised and reduce the number of deaths. And that’s a fair point. As I’ve said before, people in those categories have the most to gain from getting vaccinated. Yet, I’m still not convinced that all people, especially young people who are in good health, need to be vaccinated. We know vaccination doesn’t make you 100% immune (even though I’ve heard this being stated several times by the chief health officer). You can still get the virus if you are vaccinated, suffer symptoms and pass it onto others. The facts relating to vaccination, as far as I understand it, are that it does help reduce the speed of spreading and also the severity of symptoms, which are positives.
However, if you’re going to use the argument that it is for the benefit of the community that we all get vaccinated, then I’d like to counter with this: What about the people who choose, on a daily basis, to poison themselves with substances that make their bodies sick and weak, therefore putting their health in jeopardy? How is it fair that someone who eats an unhealthy diet, or someone who drinks excessive amounts of alcohol or coffee, or someone who doesn’t exercise regularly, has the power tell me what I must do with my body to participate freely in society and shun me if I don’t do as I’m told? If I told you what I do to keep my body strong and healthy and disease free, you’d probably think I was crazy but I take that responsibility very seriously, probably more seriously than most and that’s something I’m passionate about.
What frustrates me is that we live in a society where ‘poor health’ is considered normal. Where going to the doctor and taking prescription drugs is a perfectly normal way to treat a symptom rather than investigating the cause of the problem and taking responsibility for dealing with it. Our health system is already overridden with people suffering from preventable health conditions. People are dying from all sorts of things that are the result of their own lifestyle choices, yet the government isn’t banning the selling of substances that make people unwell or putting a stop to the industries that are contributing to the problem.
It drives me mad that the government and business owners have the power to tell people they must be vaccinated or they can’t show up to do their job or participate in society. Yet the government stands by and gives businesses the opportunity to sell us poison, pollute and destroy the environment and contribute to the health care crisis that we find ourselves in. How does this even begin to make sense?
From my perspective, I see people who have been in lock down and want to get back on with their lives. They are so beaten down from being locked up that they will do whatever it takes to get back to ‘normal’, to feel safe and protected, for their jobs and incomes to be restored. But it’s coming at a cost to society on a broader scale – the cost of disunity, segregation and loss of freedom. Where will they draw the line? If it’s mandatory vaccination today, what will it be in a year from now?
I know this is a very divisive issue in our global community at the moment. There are many sides to this situation and I don’t believe to know them all. But I think we need a safe space to have these discussions, to share our concerns and be open to other opinions and points of view. The shunning and segregation that is taking place is upsetting on many levels. I would love to know what you think.
