Opinion / Columnist
Stalinist approach to COVID-19 vaccines only fuels more hesitancy and skepticism!
01 Jan 2022 at 03:41hrs | Views
The easiest way to make someone mistrust and distrust you (arousing suspicions about you), is to act as if you are hiding something from him.
Even if there is really nothing significant you are hiding - the mere impression that you are, is enough to raise bright red flags in others' minds.
If law enforcement agents are investigating a crime, thereby making routine enquiries within the vicinity of the crime scene - and then, one of those being questioned appears to be elusive and evasive in his responses, he only manages to turn himself into a key suspect, or person of interest.
It is that simple.
The global response to COVID-19 vaccines has been no different - which has largely been characterized by a rabid and fanatical intolerance towards all those seemingly opposing, questioning, or doubting the current inoculations as the most viable, effective and safest solution to a pandemic that has devastated and ravaged an entire planet.
With a world already grappling with widespread resistance, hesitancy, and skepticism towards these vaccines - due to numerous factors, ranging from pure conspiracy theories, and the fear of the unknown, to religious convictions, and science-based apprehensions - one would have thought those pushing for these vaccines would make every effort to encourage transparency, through fair, balanced, and impartial discussion and debate around this subject.
Yet, this has worryingly not been the case - far from it!
In fact, the global management of this COVID-19 vaccine issue has been downright draconian - based on unadulterated paranoia, intolerance, and Stalinist propaganda and tyranny.
I am sure that today's breed of power-greedy ruthless dictators will be envious, and learn a thing or two on how to effectively and skillfully close out and shutdown any dissenting voices, with uttermost brilliance - in a way that is even acceptable to the so-called "democratic world".
Just yesterday, I was shocked to learn of the unreasonable, and clearly hysterical irrational removal from social media platform Twitter of renowned veteran virologist, Dr Robert Malone - the inventor of mRNA vaccine technology - for ostensibly, "spreading medical disinformation in violation of its (Twitter) rules".
His crime?
Using his vast and exceptional knowledge and understanding of inoculations, in warning that COVID-19 vaccines of the mRNA variety caused children to produce harmful spike proteins that may damage critical organs in the body.
Malone bravely asserted that the risks far outweighed the benefits of being vaccinated.
That, to a world driven by a barbaric hatred of divergent and diverse opinions, was enough to get the expert scientist kicked off Twitter, and treated as an "enemy of science".
Wow, and there I was thinking, all this time, that such revolting and repulsive levels despotism only existed in some backward and uncivilized so-called "Third World" country!
How wrong I was!
I do not want to sound flippant, but as much as this pandemic was first reported in China - it does not mean the whole world needs to act as if they have been bitten by some Communist "the party is always right, and anyone who dares question them is an enemy of the state" bug.
With such an unacceptably fanatical negative attitude, how do these COVID-19 vaccine proponents seriously expect to win over doubting hearts?
Do they not see that their hysterical suppression of dissenting voices is not helping their cause, but actually driving more and more people on the side of hesitancy and skepticism?
The question on many people's minds will inevitably be - what is being hidden from us, if even renowned and respected scientists (known for phenomenal breakthroughs in vaccine technologies) are being savagely silenced?
A human mind, by nature, is a questioning one - and, always demands satisfactory answers, so as to make informed decisions.
My mother is a retired nurse, and she raised me always encouraging me to thoroughly research all the medications I was prescribed - since, based to her wide experience, she knew that most of these, no matter how efficient and effective they may be in treating and curing the intended diseases, usually had some underlying unwelcome and damaging adverse side effects.
These side effects normally do not occur immediately - although some do - but, can manifest their ugly heads years and even decades later.
She would tell me of how some who had their hypertension, for instance, "successfully" managed and treated by particular medication - later, unfortunately developed diabetes.
These things happen - and, in making informed decisions on medications (or, anything else about one's own life) there is awalys need for as much knowledge and information as possible.
Those around me know that, as a result of my upbringing, when I fall sick, for example - unless if it is an emergency - I take my time thoroughly researching, and garnering as much information as I can about my signs and symptoms, such that when I visit my doctor, our encounter and engagement is mutually knowledge-based.
Similarly, before agreeing to what ever treatment he would have suggested, I have to conduct further research, so as to be as much knowledgeable as I can regarding its effectiveness, suitability, and potential risks...as well as, availability of alternative more effective and safer methods.
This can never be accomplished when there are some barriers and hurdles placed along the way - meant to curtail and even cipher what people can (or can not), and should (or should not) know.
Therein lies the problem with the current Stalinist approach to COVID-19 vaccines.
When such clearly one-sided and doctored limitations on what is permitted to be said and heard - is there any wonder why people, as myself, would become even more hesitate and skeptical over these COVID-19 vaccines?
Most of us are not anti-vaxers - as an intolerant world, that is prone to label all they do not agree with, would say - but, simply want to gather as much knowledge as we can, so as to make informed decisions, in order to prevent future regrets.
Such information is readily available for other medications - so, why not COVID-19 vaccines?
No one has a monopoly on knowledge, and can determine what is right or wrong.
Yet, the more this information is kept away from us, the more hesitant and sceptical we become.
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice activist, writer, author, and social commentator. Please feel free to contact him on WhatsApp/Call: +263715667700 / +263782283975, or Calls Only: +263788897936 / +263733399640, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com
Even if there is really nothing significant you are hiding - the mere impression that you are, is enough to raise bright red flags in others' minds.
If law enforcement agents are investigating a crime, thereby making routine enquiries within the vicinity of the crime scene - and then, one of those being questioned appears to be elusive and evasive in his responses, he only manages to turn himself into a key suspect, or person of interest.
It is that simple.
The global response to COVID-19 vaccines has been no different - which has largely been characterized by a rabid and fanatical intolerance towards all those seemingly opposing, questioning, or doubting the current inoculations as the most viable, effective and safest solution to a pandemic that has devastated and ravaged an entire planet.
With a world already grappling with widespread resistance, hesitancy, and skepticism towards these vaccines - due to numerous factors, ranging from pure conspiracy theories, and the fear of the unknown, to religious convictions, and science-based apprehensions - one would have thought those pushing for these vaccines would make every effort to encourage transparency, through fair, balanced, and impartial discussion and debate around this subject.
Yet, this has worryingly not been the case - far from it!
In fact, the global management of this COVID-19 vaccine issue has been downright draconian - based on unadulterated paranoia, intolerance, and Stalinist propaganda and tyranny.
I am sure that today's breed of power-greedy ruthless dictators will be envious, and learn a thing or two on how to effectively and skillfully close out and shutdown any dissenting voices, with uttermost brilliance - in a way that is even acceptable to the so-called "democratic world".
Just yesterday, I was shocked to learn of the unreasonable, and clearly hysterical irrational removal from social media platform Twitter of renowned veteran virologist, Dr Robert Malone - the inventor of mRNA vaccine technology - for ostensibly, "spreading medical disinformation in violation of its (Twitter) rules".
His crime?
Using his vast and exceptional knowledge and understanding of inoculations, in warning that COVID-19 vaccines of the mRNA variety caused children to produce harmful spike proteins that may damage critical organs in the body.
Malone bravely asserted that the risks far outweighed the benefits of being vaccinated.
That, to a world driven by a barbaric hatred of divergent and diverse opinions, was enough to get the expert scientist kicked off Twitter, and treated as an "enemy of science".
Wow, and there I was thinking, all this time, that such revolting and repulsive levels despotism only existed in some backward and uncivilized so-called "Third World" country!
How wrong I was!
I do not want to sound flippant, but as much as this pandemic was first reported in China - it does not mean the whole world needs to act as if they have been bitten by some Communist "the party is always right, and anyone who dares question them is an enemy of the state" bug.
With such an unacceptably fanatical negative attitude, how do these COVID-19 vaccine proponents seriously expect to win over doubting hearts?
Do they not see that their hysterical suppression of dissenting voices is not helping their cause, but actually driving more and more people on the side of hesitancy and skepticism?
The question on many people's minds will inevitably be - what is being hidden from us, if even renowned and respected scientists (known for phenomenal breakthroughs in vaccine technologies) are being savagely silenced?
A human mind, by nature, is a questioning one - and, always demands satisfactory answers, so as to make informed decisions.
My mother is a retired nurse, and she raised me always encouraging me to thoroughly research all the medications I was prescribed - since, based to her wide experience, she knew that most of these, no matter how efficient and effective they may be in treating and curing the intended diseases, usually had some underlying unwelcome and damaging adverse side effects.
These side effects normally do not occur immediately - although some do - but, can manifest their ugly heads years and even decades later.
She would tell me of how some who had their hypertension, for instance, "successfully" managed and treated by particular medication - later, unfortunately developed diabetes.
These things happen - and, in making informed decisions on medications (or, anything else about one's own life) there is awalys need for as much knowledge and information as possible.
Those around me know that, as a result of my upbringing, when I fall sick, for example - unless if it is an emergency - I take my time thoroughly researching, and garnering as much information as I can about my signs and symptoms, such that when I visit my doctor, our encounter and engagement is mutually knowledge-based.
Similarly, before agreeing to what ever treatment he would have suggested, I have to conduct further research, so as to be as much knowledgeable as I can regarding its effectiveness, suitability, and potential risks...as well as, availability of alternative more effective and safer methods.
This can never be accomplished when there are some barriers and hurdles placed along the way - meant to curtail and even cipher what people can (or can not), and should (or should not) know.
Therein lies the problem with the current Stalinist approach to COVID-19 vaccines.
When such clearly one-sided and doctored limitations on what is permitted to be said and heard - is there any wonder why people, as myself, would become even more hesitate and skeptical over these COVID-19 vaccines?
Most of us are not anti-vaxers - as an intolerant world, that is prone to label all they do not agree with, would say - but, simply want to gather as much knowledge as we can, so as to make informed decisions, in order to prevent future regrets.
Such information is readily available for other medications - so, why not COVID-19 vaccines?
No one has a monopoly on knowledge, and can determine what is right or wrong.
Yet, the more this information is kept away from us, the more hesitant and sceptical we become.
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice activist, writer, author, and social commentator. Please feel free to contact him on WhatsApp/Call: +263715667700 / +263782283975, or Calls Only: +263788897936 / +263733399640, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com
Source - Tendai Ruben Mbofana
All articles and letters published on Bulawayo24 have been independently written by members of Bulawayo24's community. The views of users published on Bulawayo24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Bulawayo24. Bulawayo24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.
