Boiling Point
There is a dangerous polarization that's reaching the boiling point. It's not racial either. It's over Covid-19. The regulations, fear, and self-righteousness have people at each other's throats over an opinion.
Much like the American Civil War, it's brother against brother.
https://fortune.com/2022/01/06/france-italy-covid-vaccine-mandates-unvaccinated-piss-off/
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trudeau-protest-canada-emergency-powers-freedom-convoy/
Less Than Human
There's a term I learned from Rory Miller called Othering. It's where you look at a group as not part of you, but them. They are not like us, so they are less than us.
It's tribalism and a way to dehumanize people. We can kill a mosquito with zero guilt. It's not human.
The more you dehumanize someone, the easier it is to harm them. Chattel slavery in the United States. Victims of human trafficking, the modern-day equivalent. The extermination of the Jews and Gypsies by Hitler.
Are the unvaccinated next on the list? Unfortunately, in places, they are becoming persona non grata. You can lose your livelihood if unvaccinated.
In The Beginning
At the pandemic's start, there was a virus rapidly spreading worldwide. Unfortunately, the public had very little information, only that it was highly contagious and stressing our medical infrastructure to the limits.
Before the world shut down in response, I played Pandemic with some of my best friends while we discussed it.
We willingly shut down the world and assessed the situation. We were in it together, though we didn't like it. Nevertheless, it was a sacrifice we were willing to make.
With time comes information. The scientific method is at work. Except, anything humans are involved in becomes corrupted. Politics are involved, and we have to ask, cui bono?
Who benefits?
Taking A Step Back
Questions are being asked, and the more people are silenced, the less people trust the authorities. Rightfully so, at that.
People lost their jobs with unpopular opinions that are now being admitted as true. Has anyone apologized or offered them their jobs back?
I wish my conspiracy theorist friends would quit getting proved right on this.
I recently enjoyed two articles, one a relatively short read, and the other quite longer.
How To Save Science from Covid Politics
https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/science/articles/needle-points-vaccinations-chapter-one
Or you can listen to the author read it here at https://www.jordanbpeterson.com/podcast/s4e79/
Straight Talk
Listen, we can't have a conversation if we're shouting each other down. I'm vaccinated, as is my wife. I don't think we should be forced to get the vaccination. According to the new definition of anti-vax, it makes me anti-vax.
My children know nothing but the pandemic. My son mimics putting on hand sanitizer after watching his mom do it. It's cute that he copies us, and, sadly, he's seen it that much where he does.
Christians, look at me, vaccinated and unvaccinated Christians are all together under Christ. They are not the enemy.
Calm down. Ask questions, get answers, even the ones you don't like. Then take a measured action rather than an emotional reaction.
Say something when others are getting stepped on.
"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me."
Martin Niemöller https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/martin-niemoeller-first-they-came-for-the-socialists