Lately there has been a distinct call for freedom. Freedom convoys of like minded truckers in Canada, the U.S. and other western countries have been vocal in their indignation at their governments for taking away their freedom. Even in small towns like Huntsville Ontario, supporters stand on the side of the road with posters and flags supporting the truckers ill treatment by the government. While constantly hallering freedom, If asked what lack of freedom they are protesting, their best answer is the lack of their choice to not be vaccinated for covid and their by, the choice to put their family and friends in danger of becoming ill or even dying. They want the freedom to ‘not wear a mask’ in public places, noting that, they should have the right and freedom to not wear a mask if they don’t want to. Again they want the freedom to endanger their fellow human beings.
Freedom: – the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. – absence of subjection to foreign domination or despotic government. – the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved.
The Freedom demonstrators were allowed to occupy several high visibility locations including downtown Ottawa for three weeks. They blew their horns, intimidated citizens and basically lived on the streets of Ottawa without interference. Only after three weeks, and calls for government overthrow, were they asked, then warned to leave. Some were arrested, but almost all weren’t charged, and some had property impounded (vehicles), which were soon returned. None were imprisoned. Such was their call for freedom. These childish, self important, me,me,me, fruitcakes think they were fighting for freedom.
Then we have Marina Ovsyannikova. She lives in Russia. In her country, the government restricts freedom of assembly for any reason, except support of the Kremlin. Demonstration of any kind are met with overwhelming police response, excessive use of force, routine arrests, and harsh fines and stiff prison sentences. Pro-Kremlin groups are able to demonstrate freely.
Marina held up a sign during a live Russian state owned TV news broadcast. Her sign read, “NO WAR. Stop the war. Don’t believe propaganda. They are lying to you here.” She could be heard shouting “Stop the war. No to war”.. After several seconds, the channel switched to a different report to remove Marina from the screen.Her whereabouts is now unknown. Pavel Chikov, head of Agora, a Russian human rights group, said Ovsyannikova had been arrested and taken to a Moscow police station. She can, as a result of breaking Russian law, be sentenced to three to fifteen years in prison.
Having shut down all independent broadcasters, state television is the main source of news for many Russians, and closely follows the Kremlin line of propaganda.
Marina is a real freedom fighter. Her demonstration against her government wasn’t a lark. She actually risked her life taking a stand against her governments actions. She wasn’t given the chance to hang around the studio while everyone gave her space. She wasn’t arrested and then a couple of hours later released. She didn’t get the chance to just go home. For her the desire for freedom is real and she deserves respect and support from all of us. As Kira Yarmysh, spokeswoman for jailed opposition leader Alexey Navalny, wrote on Twitter: “Wow, that girl is cool.”
The trucker convoy idiots on the other hand, and their supporters, deserve to be laughed at for the jokes that they are. In Canada we enjoy a level of Freedom that much of the world like Marina would dearly love to have. But freedom comes with responsibility and the understanding that it is our freedom and not my freedom that matters. The words of Canada’s National Anthem say ” We stand on guard for thee”. NOT ” We stand on guard for me.”
