So far in this pandemic, BC has fared relatively well in comparison with other areas. Living on Vancouver Island definitely helps. The news of additional restrictions for the next three weeks is not surprising given the increasing number of cases, but it will come as a blow to those of us who were beginning to feel a bit more free to move around. I just started going to the gym again and the weather is starting to get warmer. It will, however, bring a significant amount of stress and anger to those who do not trust that government is protecting people and belief this has been a big conspiracy.
Last year at this time, I was glued to social media. Now, I am finding I can’t watch the updates the government provides. The comments are so disheartening and often just mean spirited.
At the beginning of all of this someone said to me, “before this people were already maxed out. No one needed one more thing.” This truly resonated. Not only did Covid hit, but for me there was a series of incredibly unfortunate events that seemed to just keep coming. I know I am not alone on that either. The impact just seemed to exaggerate peoples feeling and emotions. Covid was the one more thing that just pushed people over the edge. They could no longer cope with the day to day. People were scared and frustrated and needed an outlet. Sadly, the outlet for many people was other people. They could no longer politely ignore differences or hold in their beliefs of other people.
There has been a growing sense of political polarization over the past 5-10 years that I have been watching grow. That part did not surprise me. It was the prevalence of discrimination, misogyny and hate that has been given a platform that has been so upsetting. I knew levels of it existed but I really didn’t recognize just how institutionalized it was (I say from my position of white privilege) and how suddenly unapologetically it was suddenly being expressed.
I feel like I have been saying for years, “let’s hope this is the thing that shows people we need to change or do things differently”. From impacts to the environment to the election of people I felt would be detrimental, I just kept saying – maybe this will show us. Maybe now we will be motived to change and make things better.
As Bonnie Henry keeps saying Be Calm, Be Kind and Be Safe.
MarOkot Consulting 