LETTER: Stop Demonizing the Unvaccinated!

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I would challenge anyone that the growing sentiments towards the forcible vaccination of unwilling  citizens is not a public health issue but rather a moral one. 

Morality is defined by Dictionary.com as “principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong  and good and bad behaviour”. 

We have been told from childhood, that doing right and acting right are what makes us moral  individuals. Moreover, we were always told that the ends never justify the means. In other words,  regardless of the enormous good that would result from our action, accomplishing that supposed good  by doing an immoral act does not make the results good. This is why money laundering is not good. This  is why sweat shops are not good. 

So, if your mother is in desperate need of a kidney to save her life, taking a random stranger’s life to get  her a kidney, will never be morally justified. I doubt anyone would look on such act as a loving gesture to  your mother. I daresay that most people would be repulsed by such action. 

Likewise, we have been told not to imbibe any substance that may harm our body because it is not good  behaviour. There are laws against you and I taking “illegal” drugs that will harm us. I naturally assumed  that the drug was “illegal” because it was harmful

Many a Rasta and Marijuana smoker has been arrested and jailed for simply possessing the “illegal”  drug. Some jurisdictions would even put you to death for possessing “illegal” drugs. 

What I draw from all this is that refusing to take a drug that I consider harmful or potentially harmful to  me would be considered moral thing to do in the sight of the law and society. If I abstained from taking  harmful drugs, I would have assumed that I behaved in a manner that is right and acceptable by law. 

It cannot be refuted, regardless of how rare, that these vaccines (drugs) may be harmful, even fatal, to a  very small number of individuals. Therefore, If an individual feels, that a drug being offered to him  could potentially harmful to his person, should he not be allowed to exercise his God-given, moral right  to refuse it? 

It is as an unfortunate contradiction that for simply following your moral instinct, you are now told that  you need to do the “responsible” thing by taking a drug that you feel may be harmful to your person. It  is very convenient to be nonchalant and declare that only a small minority might suffer statistically,  forgetting that those that suffer are real, living people, who will be left to bear the consequence alone. 

When you cut through the rhetoric, what you hear is: not putting yourself at risk is putting others at  risk. Taking a drug that could potentially do harm to you is now a justifiable means to a public health  end. I would put it bluntly by concluding that it is justified to commit suicide for the public good! 

I can no longer agree with my history teachers that the ancient people were barbaric to sacrifice one of  their own to appease the gods, who if not taken seriously could cause imminent and catastrophic

disaster on the whole population. This rationale is no different to what I am hearing today. We cannot  fairly call such people barbaric. They too had a public welfare crisis! 

Sacrificing a single human was justified to appease the wrath of the gods. After all, the death of one  human is well worth the lives of thousands of other humans. It is the best we can do for humanity’s  sake! For them, the end does justify the means in this instance. Indeed, they reason, it is for the  common good! 

You may choose to dismiss the human sacrifice illustration as comparing two different things. I would  just like to remind you, that the leaders of today are no better predictors of impending disaster, even  though, like their ancient predecessors, they would never admit. 

Does simply saying that we have a “public health” issue, constitute justifiable grounds for suspending  the moral principles that have been established throughout time? When the Rastas for years have  argued that taking Marijuana was part of their religious rite, did that matter to the lawgivers? Countless  law breakers were caught and locked up, regardless. 

It appears to me that there is a major moral question here.  

I always thought that morality was based on Godly principles that were absolute and timeless. However,  I am being persuaded to believe that morality is circumstantial: it depends on the whims and selective  interpretation of imperfect government officials, acting ostensibly in the public interest. 

In my opinion, the moral dilemma we find ourselves, is fraught with contradiction.  

I do and still believe that the ends never justify the means, regardless of good intentions. To ignore this  principle would put our society on a slippery slope. History has demonstrated that is was a number of  seemingly innocuous compromises of natural principles that eventually culminated in the terror of Adolf  Hitler. 

It appears to me that the lesson we are being taught is that once an imperfect government official says  it is “good”, regardless of how immoral it is, it is ultimately good. Again, history is littered with examples  of this myth. 

Let us not forget that slavery was ok by government decree, even though it was an immoral act. 

Let us not continue to demonize individuals for simply exercising the good moral judgement that they  have been taught. 

By Yves R. Ephraim

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23 COMMENTS

  1. @ Yves, I must commend you on this article. The article is well written and your views points were clearly stated in a simple way for all to understand.

    I would also hope that even vaccinated persons can understand the whole concept of forced vaccination. Once you start giving up your rights, the government will always want to take more. Today, it is the COVID Vaccine but who knows what it will be tomorrow. Stand for your rights today!!!!

    • JBF, you still have not said if you agreed with the authors views, or if you agreed with the forced Vaccination. You spoke about rights, and giving that up. I see it more as a health issue as oppose to rights.

      If I am walking under a bridge with construction going on above, and someone said “you cannot pass here, their is danger from fallen materials above, Do I trust that person, Do I recognise the danger and turn around. Or do I keep noise and say ” do not infringe on my rights, I have a right to walk any where in Antigua”.

      But hey, maybe it is about rights, as in the Government’s righst to protect the whole of Antigua and Barbuda.

  2. You know what’s amazing? The very people who refuse to take the vaccine would gladly take whatever vaccination uncle Sam say that is need to get their green card papers. It is unbelievable!!! The same people who frown upon taxes in Antigua vut as soon as you land in New york you gladly start paying taxes out you nose.
    A healthy dose of suspicion is fair game but then start to reason away as much risk as possible by educating yourself and making an informed assessment rather than being so heavily reliant on gossip and politically slanted opinions either way. This is really amazing to observe. .

    • Notes From A Native Son Of The Rock! Afrocentricity is a revolutionary shift in thinking proposed as a constructural adjustment to black disorientation dislocation decenteredness and lack of agency!
      Give Praise and Thanks!
      Sadly The Historical Referent Point of 1917 to 1920 means absolutely nothing to the disoriented. 500 Million or a third of humanity with some 20 to 50 million deaths in four recorded waves with no medical cures
      The Antigua mortality was reduced to 22.
      Because the country was an exporting country then the economy stayed even while the deaths piled up!
      To those with no sense of their History, let Ignorance Rule!

  3. Is it moral for you as an adult not to take the vaccine and potentially cause death to my child who is not eligible to take the vaccine.

    • Respectfully, Your child is more likely to survive COVID than you and me. Don’t forget, some people don’t survive the “vaccine”. Is that moral? If you’re that concerned about protecting your child, then I have a few websites, TV channels, and “establishments” that we could work on getting shut down.

  4. My dear Ms Ephraim, your eloquent dissertation is commendably admirable and on point! You have succinctly made some startling and accurate historical analogies to encompass the present mandatory vaccinations. Don’t tell me it’s not mandatory, because from the recent spate of international legislations, they are making it obligatory!!
    Its not the first time the world has been made victim of such barbarian, oppressive and immoral acts. We have seen it time and time again . Whether for the cause of a difference in political ideology, cultural disparities and moreso religious differences, we know millions have died senselessly.
    What is most alarming, is that once the acts were carried out by the elitist status quo, then it was considered right and moral.!
    This is the double standard hypocrisy that governments promote as a lawful paradigm.
    Our parents are victims of this systemic abuse and miscarriage of justice. We are bred and fed with these fallacies accepting them as the norm. The schools, higher institutions of learning, the work environment, the churches and beyond are all agents of this Machiavellian terror! Yes, I said it.
    Their is no capitalism, socialism, communism or any ism for the matter of fact in these world governments. Once a man’s democracy is being trampled and his right of choice is being crippled by any system, then this is ultimately imperial and blatant fascism!! Adolf Hitler would have been no match for the modern day terrorism waged on the world’s populace!!! This is bio weapon terror!!
    But I am not a Christian, neither do I attribute much interest in the religious or biblical teachings, but one thing for sure, is that my sense of morality is unshakeable!!! I will die for justice! I will fight for justice. This should be the stand taken by every human being in the world right now who has had their rights taken away…..

    Fire and brimstone soon enough….the world is heading to a very dark place!!!

  5. Well said Mr Ephraim. It seems like they’re out to save every life except my own.

    When perfectly good friends, coworkers and even family members can be set at odds over a personal choice, this is very unfortunate.

    To those pushing the injection…If it’s so good then you take it! Already did, then what are you so worried about? If you can still get it then doesn’t that violate the basic principle of a vaccine? Is there someone you know that is at risk? then please pay THAT PERSON a diplomatic visit and leave ME alone. If they sign their 0.02% chance death warrant by not taking it, then that is THEIR choice.

    While we’re at it, let’s go around taking cigarettes out of people’s mouths. They’re guaranteed to kill most of the people using them. I am grateful to the govt for making the shot free for those who want it. Let those who have their reasons to wait or to refuse be.

    To those so concerned about “vaccine misinformation” – “When you tear out a man’s tongue, you are not proving him a liar, you’re only telling the world you fear what he might say” – George R. R. Martin

    #MyBodyMyChoice

  6. @Spar+par….it doesn’t matter, it is still their choice…so if they choose to take a vaccine for green card instead of taking a vaccine here….it all boils down to freedom of choice….Slavery will never ends.

    • Absolutely I agree with choice but it is the thought process that influence the choice. My green card analogy was to show when it’s in our own self interest we do anything necessary including taking all the vaccines uncle sam requires without applying the level of rigorous suspicion being placed in this instance… While we may have right often our rights may not be right.. to use your slave analogy it was a persons right to own slaves as property at one point but it wasn’t right…

  7. As always another dumb person writing total nonsense, it is oblivious you have money and can sit on your behind no matter how long this Covid 19 is around. People don’t you realize if we don’t reach heard immunity more and more variations of this virus will come. You are risking my life and the life of others. So continue to sit on you rich behind and talk about rights!

    • @Born Antiguan: “Heard immunity” what’s that?
      Just as antibiotics breeds resistance to bacteria, vaccines put evolutionary pressure on viruses to speed up mutations and create virulent and dangerous variants.
      Viruses mutate all the time, and if you have a vaccine that doesn’t block infection completely, then the virus will mutate and evade the immune response within those persons.
      That is one of the distinct features of the Covid shots– they’re not designed to block infection.
      In unvaccinated persons, the virus does NOT encounter the same evolutionary pressure to mutate into something stronger.
      The mass vaccination during a pandemic
      is the driver of all theses new variants.
      Prophylactic vaccines should not be given widely during a pandemic.

  8. …I love COVID-19!
    …you may not have being sent by god?
    …if not, how did you get on #daSeen! Seen!
    …‘cause, you and you band of RagTime Mutants
    …are having some dancing to your beat!
    …skipping, and moving their feet
    …whilst, others are nonchalant
    …watching this waging #War from a distance
    …skipping, and moving their feet! Too!
    …thinking, that you’re a #godsend!
    …and, this could be the #End! Too!
    …so again!? Is what Rasta saying tuning true! Too!
    …to be, or not to be!?
    …to do, or not to do!?
    …who’s Right!? #WHO’re wrong!? WHO!? Who!?

    While the debate is raging, re: UNVACCINATED vs VACCINATED, there are several businesses, companies, products which are profiting tremendously…
    Electronics to tools to appliances to lumber to the manufacturing and construction industries.
    We all know the Medical Industry is just sucking on the cream from their latte, or frap.

    COVID-19…#Money! #MoMoney! #OnlyMoney!

  9. Everybody talking about heard immunity going along with the phrase and don’t have a clue.

    Please research the word (Herd) and (immunity)
    And use your brains and not listen to what you are told

  10. *For community immunity there should be a transmission blocking vaccine so all this talk about herd immunity doesn’t sound logical if a virus can spread if someone is vaccinated

    • Thankyou. The mortality rate of COVID is already very low, just 2%. The real problem with it is it’s **transmissibility**. Immunity should apply to BOTH mortality and transmissibility. These “vaccines” are touted as a way to stop the spread (transmissibility), similar to the polio vaccine, but they really only affect **mortality** (according to those that sell them). The last time I checked nobody was catching, spreading, or dying of polio. That is as a result of real vaccines, with the added benefit of leaving healthy people…healthy.

      • The Salk (IPV) Polio vaccine (as used in USA, UK etc) does not reduce transmissibility as you contend, only the Sabin (OPV) Polio vaccine (used in WHO programme in the Third World) does so. There are advantages and disadvantages to each form. Salk Polio vaccine is used to prevent contracting severe disease, rather than prevent infection…sounds familiar? Hence the comparison is false.

        Few modern vaccines are “sterilising”, i.e. prevent infection of an individual, most are to prevent disease. A point, it appears, many do not understand. Infection and disease are not the same thing. Do such people contend that the routine childhood vaccinations against Pertussis, Diptheria, Tetanus, Rotavirus, Hepatitis B etc should stop since they are non-sterilising (measles vaccine is one of the few sterilising vaccines)?

        Best regards

        • N.B. I’m using the term “reduce transmissibility” in the way I believe the OP meant (ie prevent infection), when in reality, like SARS CoV2 vaccines, transmissibility to others is reduced in many cases due to decreased viral/ bacterial shedding. Data from UK (PHE) indicates effect after just one dose and ~50% (ref Harris et al 2021 Impact of vaccination on household transmission of SARS-COV-2 in England )

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