Originally Posted by ThatsWhatSheSaid
Here's a question for the "this is internet mob outrage" posters who think all views should be given space and respect: Putting aside the actual consequences of property desecration/economic impact, if you found out it was the Taliban who organized these "protests" about "freedom," would you extend this convoy and their supporters the same grace you are advocating for? Would you be ok with your money possibly (likely) going to terrorism? Or would you raise an eyebrow at their motivations and very vocally reject any support for them?
It's difficult to remain silent when members on this board continue to push the narrative of anyone being angered by support of the convoy as being "the intolerant left." These are anarchists who have preyed on the current covid fatigue to serve their own agendas which have absolutely nothing to do with Covid or mandates. Why should this unlawful behavior and offensive rhetoric be tolerated at the expense of our economy and wellbeing of our fellow law-abiding Canadians? Outrage at this convoy is not a uniquely left-leaning CP poster characteristic. Millennial conservative here, and my disgust of their rhetoric/tactics have nothing to do with political ideology or mob mentality. I may not personally like Trudeau or the fact that he is PM, but I certainly believe in the democratic process and have no desire to see him ejected from his position by the outcries of a bunch of racist and militant insurgents.
The leaders of this convoy have long been anti-government and have deeply entrenched views about white nationalism and are underhandedly trying to garner support to 'restore order' where the color of your skin determines your standing in society. To use violence against anyone who does not share their troubling views. To overlook this in the name of "just a few bad apples" and "well I sympathize with their mandate fatigue" is a gross miscalculation of the intent of these organizers. So while not all supporters of the convoy are literal naz!s, that does not mean they are not highly irresponsible for blindly funding a cause out of pure selfishness in wanting a pandemic to disappear overnight. They don't deserve the same admonishment as the organizers, but they deserve some admonishment nonetheless. It also makes one question their principles.
Personally, if this was the 1930's and Hitler was holding a rally to collect donations and support for disarmament/banishing automatic weapons - even if I believed in the specific cause, I would find it difficult to stand with someone I knew to hold views about race purity and segregating Jewish people. Not to mention the hypocrisy in him likely funding armament for his own agenda. Directly contravening what he claims to be protesting about, because the real intent is only to gain support/funding for his true cause and create chaos and delegitimize anyone opposing him by saying they are "pro-violence." When they are in fact, only objecting to his character and methods.
Do not be fooled by this convoy, they are very much doing the same, and gaslighting anyone who opposes them as being anti-freedom while literally trying to usurp democracy. If left unchecked, they will become more aggressive/violent, and all these new supporters of theirs, over time, will be vulnerable to whatever dangerous things they spew. The first page of the cult handbook is to create chaos and frenzy your followers into mistrusting anyone except YOU. Once you do that, anything else you say, even if it doesn't feel right to them, they willingly follow you into darkness. So, it is absolutely within all of our rights and responsibilities to be as vocal and outraged as possible about what is wrong with this whole situation, much as it is the right and responsibility of family members to speak up when one of their own is being recruited by a cult. Don't conflate that with intolerance.
This is not cancel culture (something I have some issues with myself), it's being held accountable for extremist views and grotesquely selfish/destructive actions. As with recent "Trump" years, allowing "all views" to be legitimized have made closet-naz!s emboldened in a time where it's been made to seem ok to say the offensive quiet part out loud while simultaneously claiming victimhood. This is not the same as all the other protests that have been discussed on this forum, but an entirely different beast of its own when you actually look deeper.
I don't give a fata-ing fata about where you are on the political spectrum, how you feel about mandates, and what your take is on cancel culture - to side with these would-be insurrectionists, or offer them any compassion, removes any moral superiority you think you hold in this world. Even if these terrorists had actually protested peacefully, it would be sickening to stand alongside them figuratively or literally. Do NOT normalize giving voices to morally corrupt individuals and allowing them to spread their vitriol. Do NOT normalize only supporting "the issue," and therefore being willing to ignore someone's moral character and what they stand for.
It's exactly that type of selective apathy that allows 'fringe' to become more mainstream. Hate Trudeau all you want, be annoyed with mandates, heck, even go protest peacefully (and lawfully) with a different organization to your little heart's content - just don't channel those frustrations into supporting something in which you don't fully understand. Make no mistake - the true intent of this convoy (beyond the already visible consequences of taking our cities and economy hostage) is to gain notoriety, additional followers, delegitimize the very principles of our democratic process and governing bodies, with an endgame to restore white nationalism. Ultimately, the degree of success in which they will be able to accomplish that, is not the point. The point is, can you stomach supporting people that hold those values, and what that says about you.
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