Convoy Movement Isn't A Struggle Over Freedom, It's An Attempt to Kill Democracy

[appalachiablue]

- Truthout, Feb. 12, 2022.

The “Freedom Convoy” movement, consisting of hundreds of trucks, has ground to a halt the busiest border crossing between Canada and the United States and occupied Ottawa, Canada’s capital, effectively blockading the city and disrupting daily life for most residents in the core of the city. The convoy participants reject all vaccine requirements and mandates and support a decidedly anti-government discourse reminiscent of far-right ideology in the United States.
The convoy participants lack the support of the general public, which is largely vaccinated. They also lack the support of most Canadian truckers, 90 percent of whom are vaccinated, and of the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA).

The truckers are endorsed largely by leading U.S. Republicans such as Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and Marjorie Taylor Greene, along with some Canadian conservative politicians. Support has also come from powerful anti-democratic social media figures such as Tucker Carlson, Jordan Peterson and Elon Musk, and an array of white supremacist groups. Some of the more powerful right-wing groups in Canada include Action4Canada, which makes the false and conspiracy-riddled claim that the COVID-19 pandemic “was carried out, at least in part, by Bill Gates and a ‘New World (Economic) Order’ to facilitate the injection of 5G-enabled microchips into the population.”

With the help of the social media, support for the Freedom Convoy protests snowballed globally with upcoming convoys being planned for the United States, France and all 27 European countries.

The Freedom Convoy protests is the brainchild of James Bauder, who heads the Canada Unity movement, which launched the protests. Bauder believes in multiple baseless conspiracy theories and “has endorsed the QAnon movement and called Covid-19 ‘the biggest political scam in history.’” Bauder is no friend of organized labor and, as Jacobin has noted, two years ago he participated in another convoy called United We Roll that “planned an anti-union protest where convoy members threatened to dismantle the picket line and run over workers.” Other leaders in the movement include some hard right extremists such as Patrick King who, according to The Conversation, once “stated that he believes the vaccine was created to ‘depopulate’ the white race.”

Another convoy leader named B.J. Dichter has a reputation for spreading Islamophobic sentiments. The Canadian Anti-Hate Network, a nonprofit group, has reported that “The so-called ‘Freedom Convoy’ was organized by known far-right figures who have espoused Islamophobic, anti-Semitic and other hateful views.” The Ottawa protests have made clear that extreme elements supporting fascism and white nationalism are attracted to the movement, and visible in the appearance of neo-Nazi and Confederate flags and an abundance of QAnon logos emblazoned on trucks, signs and stickers. Moreover, some sources are suggesting that a significant amount of funding, over $8 million as of February 7, may have come from right-wing sources in the United States...
- More, https://truthout.org/articles/convoy-movement-isnt-a-struggle-over-freedom-its-an-attempt-to-kill-democracy/
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- CNN, Feb. 14, 2022, 3:10 PM. Canadian police seize long guns, high-capacity magazines, body armor and a machete after arresting protesters near the US border. https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/14/americas/canada-truckers-protest-monday/index.html
Authorities have seized 13 long guns, handguns, multiple sets of body armor, a machete and a large quantity of ammunition and high-capacity magazines connected to a small, organized group within a larger protest at the Canadian-US border crossing in Coutts, Alberta, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said Monday. The Coutts border crossing is one of several that has been blocked by protesters denouncing Covid-19 mandates.

"The group was said to have a willingness to use force against the police if any attempts were made to disrupt the blockade," the statement said. "This resulted in an immediate and complex investigation to determine the extent of the threat and criminal organization."

The RCMP in Alberta said 11 people were arrested near the border crossing that connects Coutts to Sweet Grass, MT. After obtaining a warrant, police were able to search 3 trailers early Monday that were associated with the group. The news comes after Ambassador Bridge- No. America's busiest land border crossing- reopened Sunday & Ontario, Canada's most populous province, announced plans to loosen pandemic restrictions...

- Feb. 13, Sunday. CANADIAN police cleared protesters & vehicles that had blocked a vital trade route on the border with the U.S., making some arrests, but the bridge was not yet open to traffic by Sunday afternoon.

Officers moved in after a tense standoff between Canadian police & demonstrators since Fri. when a court order & threats of arrest failed to end the blockade of the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ontario, which entered its 6th day on Sunday. "Enforcement actions continue at the demonstration area with arrests being made. Vehicles being towed. Please continue avoiding the area," Windsor Police said in a Twitter post early on Sunday, w/o saying how many had been arrested.

[SheltieLover]

1. Absolutely!

[essaynnc]

2. For some real entertainment......

Try reading some statements by the protesters or their leaders about the reasons for their protests. All I could find were vague references to liberty and freedom and rights, but nothing specific was said about what rights or privileges were being taken away from them. Without a clear manifesto, I can't stand behind you and your protest!

My other disagreement with protests like this; Since the vast majority of the country, both ours and Canada, don't agree with their position (huge percentages being already vaccinated says it all), this small segment of the population seems to want to hold the rest of the city hostage until they get what we want, even though it's out of step with the wants and wishes of the vast majority.

Is this what it means to be a democracy anymore???? Sounds more like a child throwing a temper tantrum, avowing to scream and pitch a bitch on the floor at the grocery store until he gets the lollipop!!!

[IbogaProject]

3. It's a scheme to take credit for the planned lifting of restrictions

Total false movement to generate rightwing talking points. They are doing thus when many restrictions are due to be reduced. There are two reasons the restrictions are getting lifted. One the vaccines and boosters work reasonably well and treatments have improved. Two it has been shown a high quality 95 or 94 mask protects decently. So now we can stop protecting the anti-vax and the anti-mask crowd and let natural selection take out the dumb & selfish. Vaccination+Booster was 70 or 90 times better than non vaccinated. I feel bad for the immune compromised, the aged and all of us with serious health conditions. We just have to keep up with the science and keep masking and reducing social contacts with those we don't know well.

[Hortensis]

4. Many are too unthinking and dishonest to have any idea that's what they're doing.

Freedom, "my ass."

Many studies have shown again and again that most who gravitate to this faction tend to be naturally conservative-authoritarian, not happy with all the freedom they're supposed to want as citizens of liberal democracies. They famously look to leaders to rescue them from the burdens of too much personal freedom and the responsibilities that go with it.

Similar, btw, for the smaller number of LW authoritarians who differ mainly in preferring an institutional imposition of social and economic equality to the hierarchical inequality that feels right to RW authoritarians."