Dear Editor:
RE: Use all resources, Aug. 19.
In publishing this vitriolic letter, in which all unvaccinated Canadians were called “idiots” who “should be jailed” and who are “killing people” the Advertiser gave voice to hate and racism.
Research shows that certain Canadians are more likely to be vaccine hesitant. These include Black Canadians, Indigenous Peoples and those in lower income households.
A primary reason for this hesitancy is government mistrust. How will jailing these members of our community help in any way? Haven’t our fellow Indigenous Peoples suffered enough already at the hands of the federal government?
The Australian record on treatment of Indigenous Peoples looks to be about as unconscionable as Canada’s. Someday historians will look back on this and lament that our country even contemplated mob rule and doing what previous totalitarian regimes did to people they deemed “idiots.” This is how it starts.
During the past few weeks, the argument has been going on about the question of coercion, with mRNA vaccine advocates denying that anyone is being coerced, and that everyone has the right to make an “informed choice.”
Recently our democratically elected prime minister threatened and sternly decreed that “there will be consequences” for any federal employee (regardless of race, ethnicity, or economic status) who does not get vaccinated. That debate is now settled.
While the prime minister tries to imitate his father by being a tough guy, he appears unaware that there’s a difference between being a tough guy and being a despot. Bullying people who work for you isn’t being a tough guy. If he was truly a tough guy, he wouldn’t have meekly surrendered 14.2 million women and girls in Afghanistan to the Taliban despots who intend to subject them to Sharia law.
It’s easy to be a hero and use other people’s money to send token aid to refugees; it requires courage, principle and sacrifice to save them. Lester Pearson knew this, as do the 158 Canadian families who have lost loved ones in our now-abandoned attempt to protect innocent women and girls in Afghanistan.
Terence Rothwell,
Wellington North
*Editor’s note: The “Use all resources” letter was not racist and did not call all unvaccinated people idiots. As always, the publication of a letter does not mean the newspaper (or any of its staff) endorses the views contained therein. No one is being forced to be vaccinated and anyone concerned about vaccines should speak to their physician.