Here in South Africa, the initial lockdown rendered warm clothes, bedding, heaters & such "non-essential", even as winter was incoming.
It wasn't long before a 5-Level system was introduced so that regions unaffected by any pandemic could return to relative economic normality. Our gardeners spent thousands of rands applying for a certificate to cross borders between regions with different Levels, & by the time the pass arrived the rules had been dropped.
I was stopped multiple times by the police. I argued with them every time, mostly I won but I got "sent home" like a naughty child for cycling recreationally without another soul on the streets. On another occasion I was stopped by a van full of police & told to put a mask on, walking alone on an empty street. I refused. I told them that I was asthmatic, which is true, showed them my inhalers & said that if I wear a mask walking in the hot sun there was a good chance I'd pass out & put stress on the medical services at a time they probably should have had enough stress. So they had to let me carry on. I had a buff in my pocket, showed them I was prepared if entering a shop. I never wore a proper mask.
All of this over zealous, but profitable heavy-handedness did nothing to shore up the narrative in my eyes & in fact probably did it a good deal of damage.
NSW and VIC Australia were the definition of insanity. I was pulled up by police three times and asked who I was, where I live, where I was going. I went every day to help my parents, my mum has a spinal cord injury. People constantly questioned me regarding my decisions and whether or not I cared if I killed her with the virus. I showed the police my papers, a letter from the doctor giving permission to visit. Policing was not limited to uniforms. Almost everyone in this supposed carefree land became either genuinely terrified or a 'policeman' of fellow citizens right to basic freedom. Make a list of authoritarian behaviours and tick them all. Don't forget 'memory hole' .... because most people have managed to erase the last three years. Some are still trying to hide their arsenic in marshmallow. But, occasionally someone honest admits they have been hoodwinked and they feel genuine remorse for their shameful behaviour. I feel grateful, despite the madness that I followed my instincts, listened to the smart, the honest and the numbers! Thank you for documenting the cruel insanity of 'restrctions' in Australia. Never forget.
Unfknblvbl!
Here in South Africa, the initial lockdown rendered warm clothes, bedding, heaters & such "non-essential", even as winter was incoming.
It wasn't long before a 5-Level system was introduced so that regions unaffected by any pandemic could return to relative economic normality. Our gardeners spent thousands of rands applying for a certificate to cross borders between regions with different Levels, & by the time the pass arrived the rules had been dropped.
I was stopped multiple times by the police. I argued with them every time, mostly I won but I got "sent home" like a naughty child for cycling recreationally without another soul on the streets. On another occasion I was stopped by a van full of police & told to put a mask on, walking alone on an empty street. I refused. I told them that I was asthmatic, which is true, showed them my inhalers & said that if I wear a mask walking in the hot sun there was a good chance I'd pass out & put stress on the medical services at a time they probably should have had enough stress. So they had to let me carry on. I had a buff in my pocket, showed them I was prepared if entering a shop. I never wore a proper mask.
All of this over zealous, but profitable heavy-handedness did nothing to shore up the narrative in my eyes & in fact probably did it a good deal of damage.
Henry Kissinger said, "The illegal we do immediately. The unconstitutional takes a little longer."
NSW and VIC Australia were the definition of insanity. I was pulled up by police three times and asked who I was, where I live, where I was going. I went every day to help my parents, my mum has a spinal cord injury. People constantly questioned me regarding my decisions and whether or not I cared if I killed her with the virus. I showed the police my papers, a letter from the doctor giving permission to visit. Policing was not limited to uniforms. Almost everyone in this supposed carefree land became either genuinely terrified or a 'policeman' of fellow citizens right to basic freedom. Make a list of authoritarian behaviours and tick them all. Don't forget 'memory hole' .... because most people have managed to erase the last three years. Some are still trying to hide their arsenic in marshmallow. But, occasionally someone honest admits they have been hoodwinked and they feel genuine remorse for their shameful behaviour. I feel grateful, despite the madness that I followed my instincts, listened to the smart, the honest and the numbers! Thank you for documenting the cruel insanity of 'restrctions' in Australia. Never forget.