On Agency & Protests
- TheRoadLessTraveled
- Jun 10, 2021
- 2 min read
I’ve been absolutely bingeing on THIS podcast the past few days:
In episode 19, Rick and Chris pose the question - what are some of the motives of the protesters? Is it for their own selfish rights, or the good of the people?
This is my response:
To shed some light on the protestors, whose motives you seemed to be genuinely curious about - we've been to a few protests, and by and large, they (we) are definitely protesting for what we believe is the greater good. Seeing what's happening as being reminiscent of early stages of authoritarian regimes who take away all choice and agency, we desire to not be the silent majority who allow respect and freedom to disappear from the world of our children's future. As you said when discussing equality, if we all take small steps and make small sacrifices according to our beliefs, the tide can turn, or at the very least, the seesaw can balance.
What WE are fighting for, we wholeheartedly believe, is the greater good: a society where personal choice remains.
To tie the two episodes together, ep 18 & 19, choice and agency is God's way, and when government mandates threaten the ability to choose, I believe there needs to be a counter opposition to even have the possibility of landing on a middle ground.
There are different ways to interpret the science, and that whole conversation is fascinating. Some studies show that asymptomatic spread isn't even a real thing, rendering masks utterly useless. Other analogies and studies perhaps say something else.
Additionally, everyone I know who has suffered from the pandemic has suffered financially, relationally, losing their businesses, some (kids!) even becoming suicidal. We at the protests are, imperfectly, trying to draw attention to the *other* harms of the government’s reactions: unemployment, domestic abuse and suicide, small businesses destroyed. We are trying to bring awareness to the idea that perhaps shutting everything down causes more (or at least a similar amount?) of harm than the virus itself.
When I go without a mask, it's to utilize and inspire courage to stand firm and preserve agency. To remind myself and others to hold tight to a world where each person (vaccinated or not) is treated equally. To be authentic in my beliefs, which are well-researched.
Let’s extend the same grace and consideration to those whose approach we don’t understand or agree with that we would desire from others.
For us (and the people at the protests that I've gotten to know), it's not about vaccines or masks at all, it's about preserving choice, FOR the people around us.
Thank you for listening ❤️
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