Opinion: In the face of ignorance, an ode to our health-care workers
Health-care workers everywhere, please accept this apology for the despicable behaviour of a handful of people who have taken it upon themselves to render your valuable work even more challenging.
Know that you are appreciated, valued, and respected by the majority of Canadians who condemn the outrageous tactics being used by a loud minority.
These past few weeks the news has been filled with stories depicting the entitlement of a select group of people so focused on their own rights that they disregard the rights of everyone else.
Just when you think it can’t possibly get worse, they up the ante and head for the hospitals.
Watching these offensive protests unfold pulls at the darkest places of my soul, taunting a reaction that would be equally as shameful were I to stoop that low.
Yet, what would be the point of that, an eye for an eye leaves everyone blinded, and clear vision is what is most needed at times like these.
Instead, I choose to tip my hat to those in healthcare who have laboured throughout this pandemic, saving lives at the risk of their own, showing up at work despite the uncertainties, providing care through their own grief and exhaustion.
Instead, I choose to focus on the givers rather than the takers.
Throughout the ups and downs of this pandemic, I have reminded myself that every story, every challenge, every issue has multiple perspectives.
Getting caught up in one version of anything seems to be a plague of its own in this 21st century where social media and “fake news” feed the beast of narcissism. Seeing all sides, as best we can, opens dialogues, heals wounds, and leads to compassion between communities.
Yet, in the past few weeks, despite my best efforts, it has become more and more difficult to stay loyal to an open mind.
Keeping a broad perspective is challenging when faced with such callous behaviours.
My tolerance began to fade when I first witnessed fellow citizens showing up to protests with yellow stars stuck to their chests.
As the child of a Holocaust survivor whose extended family was largely eradicated by the Nazis, I was taken aback by the ignorance of those who equate COVID-19 health measures, put in place to save lives, with a murderous regime, aimed at obliterating lives.
I feel sorry for those protestors who publicly flaunt their misunderstanding of a catastrophic chapter in history.
This is personal and it got under my skin.
What came next has little to do with my own story, yet fuels my furry even further.
Ignorance, stupidity, naiveté, and narrow-mindedness may lead to questionable choices, but consciously disputing health measures at the very place where the ill and dying are being cared for by the healers is unfathomable.
Showing up with picket signs and chants of protest in the face of those who have spent close to two years putting their lives on the line, both physically and mentally, to care for patients ravaged by this unpredictable disease is beyond comprehension.
As a small group continues to remind us how selfish humanity can be, how about the rest of us drown out the noise by collectively joining our voices (and banging our pots) in a cheer of support for health-care professionals who have worked tirelessly to keep us well throughout the challenges of this pandemic.
Susan Mintzberg is a PhD candidate in social work at McGill University whose research focuses on the role of family caregivers in mental-health care.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.