Vaccinations

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: John Ames Birch <amesbirch403@gmail.com> Date: Thu., Sep. 9, 2021, 7:38 p.m. Subject: Vaccinations (Opinion) To: <justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca>, <chrystia.freeland@parl.gc.ca>, <dujarric@un.org>, <antonio.ferrari@un.org>, <anthony.rota.c1@parl.gc.ca>, <assistance@liberal.ca>, <aclupreferences@aclu.org>, <actso@naacpnet.org>, <carolyn.bennett@parl.gc.ca>, <calgary@globalnews.ca>, <chinaembpress_us@mfa.gov.cn>, <cnn.feedback@cnn.com>, <cbcpr@cbc.ca>, <dir_enq@cso.gov.hk>, <edmonton@globalnews.ca>, <eonline@bellmedia.ca>, <editor@japantoday.com>, <egypt@ad.gov.eg>, <Francois-Philippe.Champagne@parl.gc.ca>, <gladcanada.info@gmail.com>, <GlobalBarrie@globalnews.ca>, <haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk>, <haqf@un.org>, <info@ccla.org>, <jagmeet.singh@parl.gc.ca>, <media@aclu.com>, <msnbctvinfo@nbcuni.com>, <newstips@globaltv.com>, <newsonline@ctv.ca>, <newschannel@ctv.ca>, <premier@gov.ab.ca>, <ppcd@gov.ab.ca>, <premier@gov.bc.ca>, <tips@thetexan.news>, <tonews@cbc.ca>, <washingtonbureau@naacpnet.org>, <w5@ctv.ca>, <weekend@cbsnews.com>

Hello Everyone, I want to start by stating that I believe vaccinations are important especially to help resolve the current pandemic. That being said, ive noticed a trend lately of segregation and discrimination based on peoples vaccination status. This is wrong. We are creating a second class society based on status and like history has shown this act is an atrocity. People are being barred from establishments, jobs, sporting events among other places. They are being denied the basic rights that we have built our entire society around. Each time you discriminate based on vaccination status you are undermining the values you built your nation upon. There are a multitude of reasons people cannot get vaccinations, some have underlying medical issues like myself that need to be resolved prior to getting the vaccine. There are others who for religious reasons cannot take vaccines and then there are some who simply do not trust what's in the vaccine. I understand everyone's need to resolve this pandemic but they do not simply go away even after a vaccine. We must be patient, especially with one another. I have heard arguments that unvaccinated people are spreading the virus so others are beginning to hate them and discriminate against them. From my understanding, even people who have been vaccinated can catch the virus and spread it to others. Therefore, it's not just unvaccinated individuals spreading the virus as vaccinated people become asymptomatic from my understanding. Therefore claiming otherwise is dangerous and discriminatory and could possibly lead to violence against unvaccinated individuals. Given that vaccinated people can both carry and transmit the virus, vaccinations alone will not solve this crisis. In my humble opinion we should still be wearing masks and socially distancing ourselves until there are no more active cases in hospital. Furthermore, there are legal and constitutional arguments in play indicating that it's both illegal and immoral to force someone into a vaccine. As such there will be cases in the coming days that will highlight the concerns therein. Discrimination on any ground is wrong and we have confirmed this with precident after precident. If it's wrong to discriminate against someone for the color of their skin, why do people think it's right based on vaccination status? I continue to see a wave of discrimination sweeping across the globe by good people because they are afraid. Fear is natural, especially with everything in transition but we cannot let fear control us. We cannot lose focus on how far we have come to unify our people over the last year. The hope, the help and the humanity we have displayed is legendary and we cannot regress into discrimination and diatribes. We have come so far together down this road of unification and we cannot go back into the divisive mindset that kept us apart. I understand your fears but you are good people and you cannot discriminate against others when they may have valid reasons for being unvaccinated. We have to take a deep breath and step back from the ledge and find better solutions than discrimination and segregation. We are nearing the end of this pandemic but only together will we see each other to a healthier future. We cannot disregard all the wonderful work and the achievements we have made over this last year. The connections and the humanity we have displayed cannot be so easily forgotten or you do yourselves a disservice. Please help each other through this time, don't turn on one another when the end is near. Rise together no matter your status and continue cooperation, sustain selflessness and promote people. Hope will always be stronger than fear.. Stay Safe, Stay Sanitized and Stay Supportive, John Ames Birch @johnames2