Vaxx vs Unvaxxed

The push for allowing ‘freedoms’ for fully vaccinated people and denying ‘freedoms’ to those who are unvaccinated is one of the hot topics currently in Australia. It is being promoted by our political class and media, and as with anything to do with the virus it is creating a divide within society and within segments of our political class.

Without mincing words this is segregation pure and simple regardless of how any care to describe it. Anything that creates different standards within a society dependent on differences, regardless of those differences, is segregation. Apartheid in South Africa was segregation based on skin colour, Hitler’s Germany experienced the most perverse form of segregation against Jews as it resulted in a determined attempt at genocide. These two examples are perhaps the best-known examples in modern times with Hitler’s actions being the one most used in arguments currently.

Once more the political push is fracturing society and creating divides, and that alone is reprehensible. To segregate people on a health basis is currently illegal under Australian and international laws. Therefore, to make such a thing legal and enforceable would logically mean that the laws would need to be changed to allow this. What is horrible is how supporters of a vaccine passport are becoming absolutely rabid in their mindset and really want to go over the top to ‘protect’ themselves from the unvaccinated. That mindset is seriously flawed to say the least.

The thought that comes to my mind is that if this segregation is enacted and does result in changes to discrimination laws then what else would be allowed once that has happened?

I hold a view on this as anyone would and my opinion is that any form of segregation and discrimination is to be avoided given the history of humanity. Human history has a long and dark record of what happens when things like this are allowed to prosper and it never ends well.

I could rabbit on about the legal and moral reasons on this subject while quoting moments in history where humanity has divided people based on prejudice’s but have decided that such a path in this essay is most likely pointless. What is worth pointing out is the absurd freedoms presented by our political leaders and how opening this Pandora’s Box could very well lead us down one of those dark path’s we humans travel.

Right now the freedoms for the vaccinated to ‘enjoy’ are apparently going to be that they can go to the pub and have a few beers, go to sporting events and entertainment venues, restaurants, and get a haircut. That seems a somewhat pathetic carrot to dangle in front of a population so it takes little to see that if people still decide to not get vaccinated for whatever reason then the freedoms given to the vaccinated and denied to the unvaccinated will have to be increased to force people to do something that they either don’t want or cannot have due to health reasons.

Another consideration is that if society is segregated on the basis of one thing then it makes it easier for society to be further segregated on other things. This is particularly so when segregation has the enthusiastic support of people. Once segregation has become part of the identity of a country, as history illustrates, then the application of that segregation takes on a life of its own and always in negative ways.

Now for some simple facts that are becoming apparent from other countries over the course of 2021, particularly over the past few months.

The vaccine does not stop anyone from getting or transmitting this virus. All it does is reduce the severity of the virus, that has never been disputed yet it has been downplayed at times to push a point. The virus is mutating, and it is yet to be decided if the new class of vaccines are part of the problem regards mutations as only time will answer that question. The vaccine is not the wonder cure that it was initially promoted as, hence the need for booster shots. The unknown question with the current vaccines is will populations need to have booster shots at regular time intervals and for how long. This is the first time in modern history that a vaccine has been rushed into distribution without the standard testing regimes applied to the best of my knowledge.

One other thing to consider when something is rabidly promoted as safe for use is a medication widely used in the late 1950’s and into the 1960’s. Thalidomide was prescribed for pregnant women as a sedative and treatment for morning sickness and promoted as completely safe for this use, except it simply wasn’t so. If you want to know about the impacts of thalidomide on babies do a simple web search to find out more. Here is a link if you wish to read about it; https://www.thalidomidetrust.org/about-us/about-thalidomide/

Other countries have already rebelled against vaccine passports which is interesting as this means that populations have decided that segregation is a bad thing, and that political influence can be changed to reflect the wishes of the people as opinion changes.

Australia is most likely going to go down the vaccine passport path with carrots being dangled to make it palatable. Just as with lockdowns nothing remains popular forever as the impacts to society become unpalatable. Sadly for Australia we have politicians drunk on power who will do and say anything to hold and extend that power. Australia will see more repression courtesy of our leaders, and as evidenced with the lockdowns we are still experiencing they will drag their feet on doing the right thing in the hope that they can hold their power.

I’m closer to the end than the beginning of my time on this planet and consider that to be a blessing given the way the world has changed and become a less pleasant place to live. I worry for the young and the generation yet to come as they will inherit the mess we have created in just a few short years.

I wonder how future generations will view the actions of the past few years. I doubt it will be viewed as one of those golden times for humanity. I feel that future generations will judge us harshly before this moment in human history is largely forgotten, just as other moments in history are forgotten.