Greetings and welcome back to another edition of Laura's Links, from the ever-joyless part of the world known as Ontario, Canada.
This is a place in the allegedly civilized world where public health officials still run every aspect of our lives. A place where children are still masked and where masks are mandated in all indoor public spaces. A place where Ontario's "top doctor" has proclaimed, in a province with 80% of its population vaccinated, that the clean and vaccinated humans should not mix with the dirty unvaccinated sub-humans. It is a place where the tyrannical noose of vaccine passports was purportedly to be phased out in January 2022, but where, conveniently, the latest (most benign) iteration of the Chairman Xi variant means our government must keep us in a state of heightened emergency with full restrictions for an indefinite period of time. They are saying it out loud: we are never going to end this. This is forever, suckers.
American lawyer and commentator Jane Coleman has some very interesting things to say about this. Her entire essay is a must read, particularly for her astute analysis of why natural immunity is public enemy number one to the worldwide, dictatorial Covid elites. And also for elucidating this point:
"Vaccine mandates are the latest manifestation of the ongoing breakdown in the rule of law and the deprivation of civil liberties. As our public health authoritarians now toy with boosters in perpetuity, there is no end in sight to the amount of power they will seize — if allowed. Vaccine mandates are the latest manifestation of the ongoing breakdown in the rule of law and the deprivation of civil liberties. As our public health authoritarians now toy with boosters in perpetuity, there is no end in sight to the amount of power they will seize — if allowed."
Though I feel discouraged, I'm trying to take solace in something that my gracious host, the great Prophet Mark Steyn mentioned last week. He reminded us of the timeline of the protests against Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu. On December 17, 1989 He (Ceaușescu, not Steyn) ordered his security forces to shoot into a crowd of demonstrators. The demonstrations spread to Bucharest and on December 22, the Romanian army defected and sided with the protesters. On December 25, Mr. and Mrs. Ceaușescu were tried by a military tribunal and shot by a firing squad shortly thereafter. What is interesting here is that it happened slowly, then quickly.
The previous month, and fifty-one years to the day after Kristallnacht, the Berlin Wall "fell overnight" on the night of November 9, 1989. Natan Sharansky has described the moment of the implosion of dictatorships as being similar to the moment when a human's hands will simply fall down after being forced to hold them up for too long. There's nothing to fight against – they will just fall because they have to fall at some point.
What does this all mean? It means we still need to force these awful people in positions of power, as Mark always reminds us, to remember Milton Friedman's words. We should not and cannot expect these sinister bastards to 'do the right thing', but we must stop them from doing the wrong thing.
We need to make their hands fall down.
It means that events happen slowly and incrementally, and then quickly. It means that as long as we are above ground, we humans always have a choice: we can choose to embrace darkness and evil or fight it.
We always have a choice. Make the right choices.
The Jewish holiday of Chanukah ended this past Sunday night. A commentary I read by an extremely erudite American Rabbi named Eli Mansour said that it is not accidental that Chanukah takes place in the Jewish (lunar) month of Kislev, the darkest month of the year. This commemoration is meant to bring holy light into our very darkest days. Now, more than ever, we need the holiness of that light, the strength of pure goodness, and the guiding hand of Heaven to help us get through this, and to give us strength in these dark days.
I pray for the swift end of this tyranny and I will continue to fight it with all my strength. May the arms and walls fall down with haste.
Every action and voice matters.
Godspeed to everyone choosing goodness, embracing grace and fighting for freedom.
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North America:
Thank you CBC, for a list of words I shall definitely use more frequently from now on.
"What happened when I ran for school board in Virginia."
Orthodox Jewish couple kicked off American Airlines flight for not putting a religious shawl on the floor. It does seem that flying while Jewish has been more difficult in the past few years. Also, there are overhead bins. Why couldn't his Tallit (prayer shawl) and Tefillin (phylacteries) be put overhead?
New Jersey Democrat faked out by fake Rabbi.
New York is terrible. The insane vaccine mandates and vaccine passports being implemented by Mayor De Communist are just the latest reason for normal humans to vacate. Democrats want your cities to deteriorate. They get off on it.
Things that are important in America, other than Covid.
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Israel and Jews:
Jews and publishing: "Certainly what is judged to be pro-Israel material is no longer in fashion. A generation of Jews has grown up with little to no affection for the Jewish state, not least because it sees in Israel not David but Goliath."
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Europe:
Culture of Death alert. This is so sad.
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The Formerly Great Britain:
While you couldn't visit granny, or see a doctor, they were partying and even Her Majesty submitted to the capricious, vicious "rule" whilst in mourning. These people are evil and you must resist.
Celebrate Afghan culture in Britain! Remind me please why the UK "needs" Afghani immigrants.
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Xi Variant, "Safe and Effective" Vaccines, Covid Psychosis:
Medical fascism or the doctrine of vaccination.
India refuses Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and will not comply with lack of liability clauses in contracts. Nice to see a country protect its citizens for a change.
Vietnam: 120 children hospitalized, Pfizer vaccination campaign suspended.
The new Xi Variant made lots of money for Pfizer and Moderna. Imagine that. I mean really, picture my shocked face.
Finland: vaccination only for children at risk, not all children until we have more info.
American children in California are vaccinated without parental consent in exchange for pizza, and told to keep it a secret.
Experts give Toronto city councillors actual, real data about vaccine safety. Spoiler alert: councillors remain mute.
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Psycho, predatory left:
"Either go along with this with your kid, or your kid will commit suicide,". I don't think any of this is "misguided". I think it's the intentional, sinister destruction of children's bodies and souls. There's nothing accidental about it. Leftist misery and nihilism loves company.
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Random LOL:
Public service announcement: don't do this (unless you have a very good sense of humour).
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Human Grace:
Starting a new career at age 90!
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.