Hello and welcome back to this week's edition of Laura's Links.
As usual in the Age of Corona, I have good news and bad news to share. The good news is that here in Ontario, many people are slowly reclaiming their normal lives, with slight variations on the theme. That is to say that patios and restaurants are filling up, gyms are open, and many people are going back to work in their offices. The bad news, however, is that there are still an unending number of "public health" rules and guidelines being shoved in – and on – our faces (unlike in Alberta, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, which have been liberated) and the cost of everything – all goods and services – has gone up considerably since we peasants were allowed to go about our lives, purchasing previously "non-essential" items, living our "non-essential" lives, and doing our "non-essential" jobs (or not).
Our obese, incompetent bumpkin premier, Doug Ford, has promised that he will SOON SOON SO SOON let us know about the school plans. In other words, the government is still planning to have its grubby fingers all over our children's lives. If things were expected to be normal, there would be no need for a plan: It would just be "hey, welcome back to school".
There is still a great deal of coercion being levelled against any uppity individuals who wish to decline taking the Covid vaccine for whatever reason. Despite Ontario having an 80% vaccination rate (first doses) that is apparently not a sufficient rate to just let the rest of us and our children carry on with our lives. This is a worrying theme that I am seeing all over the world. In America and Canada there are journalists and other public figures calling for mandatory vaccinations, for jailing people who do not wish to take the vaccine, and calls – within countries that have socialized medical systems – for those who do not take the vaccine and become ill with Covid to be declined medical care. Why? Murderers and rapists, among other unsavoury characters, are assured medical care in a socialized system. If you haven't been vaccinated with standard vaccinations, you can also be assured care. Even Ebola patients are assured care. So what the actual fresh hell is going on here? And why?
As Mark pointed out last week:
"A society that no longer believes in religion or its own civilizational inheritance nevertheless needs some transcendent meaning to life - hence diversity, climate change, whatever's to hand. The new religion of Public Healthism, complete with its pseudo-Islamic flourishes - face coverings, the requirement to stay indoors - is perfectly suited to an impatient present-tense society in too much of a hurry to wait for global warming to sink the Maldives."
The convergence of Big Tech with Public Healthism is truly terrifying. This collaboration is inhospitable to freedom. Period. If a government can force you to take a vaccine by basically making your life miserable if you refuse, why can't government force you to be sterilized "for your own good", take your children away from you "for your own good", and refuse you medical treatment "for your own good" because your life has been deemed not worth living? No, there are no new concentration camps and gas chambers right now, but we have heard this before.
If your economic system is purely digital, what would stop your government from limiting your ability to earn money, or to use your earned money to buy groceries, pay your bills, have a roof over your head or to even have a bank account and be able to use currency? We already saw many examples of digital/online cancellations before Covid, and now the fury and fever of Public Healthism working with Big Government and Big Tech will make it worse, with more existential threats. They are champing at the bit.
Meanwhile, Chairman Xi is laughing his head off at how profoundly unserious the West is and how soft and weak we have become. Mark used to say "when the mullahs nuke us, we will still be talking about transgendered bathrooms". The corollary could be "we will still be pretending there are more than two sexes as the Chinese take over the world".
China has won without firing a shot. All they used were a few disease-ridden bats and a few hundred international flights to destroy us. We in the West took it all lying down. So at the very least, we all need to refuse to be locked up ever again. Some thoughts on that here, via this smart gentleman. If we don't fight back however we can, then it's really game over and we will reminisce, if we are indeed allowed to speak freely at all about anything, that democracy was nice and quaint while it lasted but that we really do love Big Brother.
Over the past week, Mark was in for Tucker Carlson and you can find clips here: When Virtue-Signalling Will No Longer Suffice. There was a new live Mark Steyn Show here, and Mark also spent some quality time with Tucker Carlson discussing Joe Biden's past incarnation as a truck driver (har!). He released another lovely poetry anthology because, as he has noted previously, that's where the big bucks really can be found. He shared some brutal political musings in his essay Who Ya Gonna Believe?, and included a brutally honest description of himself that sounds like an excellent comedy bit that I would actually pay money to see in person (To wit: 'So, an "effete rootless cosmopolitan host walks into a sports bar in Alabama..."). For real and not for joking, I gotta remember to let the people at HQ give me a heads up the next time Mark is planning a live show in redneck territory. I mean I'm a pure laine redneck Jew, so I think this would be a great evening and we'd all get along fabulously. I might advise Mark to ditch the bespoke and skip the showtunes when the karaoke kicks in, but that's about it. I can vouch that Mr. Steyn is quite an agreeable, socially affable chap in person and not just on the telly and radio! He's the real deal!
Lastly, check out Mark's Monday appearance on Tucker Carlson Tonight and his Song of the Week, Hey There with Heart.
Have a good week. Fight back! Don't give up. See you in the comments.
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America:
Postpartum depression is real and devastating. I'm glad this woman reached out.
Dr. Flip Flop! Honestly, that ghoulish, sinister, child-hating gnome needs to bugger off.
The good life. Is this a superspreader event though? Asking for a friend.
"This is why China will win." Mark thinks they have already won. I am not sure that this is reversible.
"Why not just put them in camps?"
OMG this is so good. Love it.
They are not being "caught". They are showing you who is boss.
Uh oh. This might be me. Oy.
I know Mark hates the litigious and over-lawyered nature of America, but these boards of education truly and rightfully need their assess sued right into infinity.
A public Twitter thread about what used to be, until five Wuhan Minutes ago, a private matter. This struck home: "There are countless folks (like me) for whom these shots carry a greater risk than the virus. Most of us don't publicly share a private decision we made in careful consideration with our doctors."
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Israel and Jews:
Some good news in the midst of a terrible situation.
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The Formerly Great Britain:
In a civilized society, the adults protect the children.
Corona panic porn: follow the money.
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Europe:
German newspaper Bild apologizes to children.
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Down Under:
What the utter, actual, fresh hell? It just keeps getting worse.
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Africa:
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Humourless, Predatory and Kook Left, Wokestapo and Trans:
Thoughts on "white privilege". Really good. Privilege is class and money in our world. No matter what your colour, orientation or background. Good analysis.
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Human Grace:
We are proud of your scar, too, little man.
This is just a fabulous Twitter thread. Read through as much as you can. Wonderful stories. This is the good part of social media. "Please tell me one fascinating thing about one of your grandparents." Wow.
This is such a magnificent story, I can't even pick a favourite quote. The whole story is beautiful. I promise it will give you the feeeeelzzzz in a big way. Read the entire thing. Are there any coincidences?
The story behind the 10 year old homeless, refugee chess champ.
It's open thread time! Log into SteynOnline and let Laura know what you think of these stories or other happenings from week that was. Commenting privileges are among the many perks of membership in The Mark Steyn Club. While going off topic is permitted on Laura's Links, do stick to the other rules as you engage: no URLs, no profanity, and no ad hominem attacks.
