I joined people demonstrating against the Chicago mandate that started today. It requires fitness facilities and places that serve food and drink to require proof of vaccination of all customers/members.
It’s upsetting when I consider how many people (including my own friends and family) probably hear of such protests and think we’re idiots who don’t want the country to be healthy. We’re actually demonstrating in favor of being able to make our own decisions about our own bodies. We prefer the risk of the coronavirus over that of the mRNA component of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
Considering that the Omicron variant is less serious than Delta (and FAR less severe than the original virus), it makes less sense than ever to make everyone get vaccinated.
I know vaccination is supposed to be for the common good. But the common good changes all the time. Slavery, internment camps for Japanese-Americans and women not being able to own property were for the common good, too. Because the common good is slippery, the U.S. established a democracy (sort of) so that the people who oppose the majority always have a voice.
What we were doing today was using our voices.
It was a relief to be among so many people who’ve managed to resist the narrative we’ve been fed that only Moderna and Pfizer can keep us safe. It’s baffling to me that people still think those vaccines keep us safe when everyone’s getting Omicron, vaccinated and unvaccinated alike. I look forward to the day when the “only Moderna and Pfizer can keep us safe” story is behind us (although I expect it will be years yet).
