Cogito Ergo Non Serviam
Europeans Protest Anti-Covid Measures
Europe is in the throes of another wave of Covid-19. This has caused governments to tighten restrictions, and in some instances, return to lockdown measures. People are tired, though, and the holidays are a time of particular stress since traditional activities are banned or limited. Naturally, some have decided to protest the measures, as is their right. The right to act against one's own interests is inherent in humans, but the fact that it is foolish and stupid remains. The protests and riots against the restrictions merely aid the virus.
In that hotbed of social rest known as the Netherlands, more than 50 people spent the night in jail after a protest turned violent in Rotterdam. The Washington Post reports, "Demonstrators decried a proposed law that would ban unvaccinated people from entering businesses even if they provide a negative test. They also protested a partial lockdown that went into effect last week and will last until at least Dec. 4, which forces restaurants and other establishments to close at 8 p.m."
The news from Vienna is similar. Austria has announced new lockdowns starting Monday, and everyone has to have a vaccination by February. Tens of thousands turned out to protest Saturday.
Italy and France have also seen protests against the measures those governments have taken to contain the virus. The WaPo also says, "In Berlin, for example, only those who are vaccinated or have recovered from the virus can now go inside bars and restaurants. Greece reimposed some restrictions for unvaccinated people, the AP reported. Belgium mandated that people work from home at least four days a week."
Against this are the rates of infection, hospitalization and death. Using the data from the Netherlands, one sees an increase in new cases from 1,895 on October 6 to 23,002 yesterday forming a fourth wave. The previous high came during the second wave on December 23 last year, 10,388 cases. The Austrian data show a similar rise, although not as severe yet. Germany had 47,887 new cases yesterday topping the old record from December 23 of 33,758. Deaths are a lagging indicator, but given new cases, the uptick seen now across the EU is hardly a surprise.
The way out is clear. Everyone who can get vaccinated must get vaccinated. Until and unless that happens, the world is just fighting a war of attrition that hundreds of thousands will lose. In times of war, governments often must do things that infringe on the liberties of their people. In World War II, there were mandates for turning off lights at night, limits on what one could buy and some people were forced into uniform to fight fascism. These were inconvenient (especially if one wound up at Guadalcanal, Stalingrad or Omaha Beach), but they were necessary. When victory came, the western allies returned to their pre-war liberties.
The current unpleasantness is no less a war. A hostile species (the virus) is trying to spread across the planet using human beings as hosts, killing many of them. If the virus were two meters tall, the whole thing would look like a 1950s sci-fi movie. Because it is microscopic, though, governments have not been able to convince people that this really is a war.
In World War II, there were people who didn't play by the rules. A few avoided military service while others made money in the black market providing goods one couldn't get legitimately. The overwhelming majority, though, did their bit. The trouble Europe has now is a lot of people (a minority to be sure, but a sizable one) who simply want to give up. They are tired and grouchy. Everyone is. But the way to end this is to ramp up the resistance to the disease.
Vaccination precedes liberation.
© Copyright 2021 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Ubuntu Linux.
Kensington Review Home
|
|
|
