Aggravation with anti-maskers and COVID deniers boiled over Saturday when protesters gathered outside the Regina home of Dr. Saqib Shahab.
Author of the article:
Rob Vanstone
Publishing date:
Jan 25, 2021 – 6 hours ago – 3 minute read
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Scott Moe identified those who harassed Dr. Saqib Shahab as “idiots.”
The premier of Saskatchewan was right.
Idiots live by silly Web conspiracy theories.
Idiots care just about themselves– not Shahab, our province’s primary medical health officer, who has actually worked extensively for 10 months now to keep us safe and sane.
Idiots don’t care about Shahab’s family … or your household … or mine.
Morons don’t care that more than 250 Saskatchewanians have actually died after contracting COVID-19
Everyone who has a sense of decency must care about what took place Saturday afternoon on the walkways outside Shahab’s Regina house, where anti-maskers, COVID deniers, and so on, staged a demonstration
One member of this group went so far regarding publish a video on Facebook, probably believing (?) that somebody, somewhere, would offer recognition.
Moe was quick to decry a “misguided demonstration” by a “group of morons.”
Exposed, for all to see.
” This harassment of Dr. Shahab and his family is simply inappropriate, sickening and incorrect,” Moe continued, adding that the participants “must be ashamed of yourselves and your actions.”
To borrow Moe’s phrasing regarding another recent episode of COVIDiocy: ” Enough suffices.”
We are facing the most hazardous public-health crisis of our lifetimes– one that is relentless in spite of the discovery of a vaccine that remains in the early stages of circulation.
The death toll keeps growing. Who understands what the number will be by the time this is all over? Presuming, naturally, that there will come a day when this is all over. Nothing is specific. Not any longer. The virus, an unnoticeable and unpredictable enemy, sets the guidelines.
Oblivious to all of this, a little number of sign-toting demonstrators persist in promulgating quickly discreditable misconceptions that oppose science and sensibility.
It ought to be kept in mind that these individuals are exercising their right of complimentary speech. But that opportunity likewise extends to individuals such as myself who are exasperated over some residents’ persistent inattention to constraints and truth.
3 days before at least a lots “idiots” collected outside Shahab’s home, I lost a dear good friend.
Cherished commentator Warren Woods was identified with COVID-19 in late November. He felt absolutely great– all right to indulge in his enthusiasm for curling– and after that he didn’t.
Woodsy passed away Wednesday, at age 66, with his kids (Nicole and Chris) by his side
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Earlier in the week, I had a long conversation with Bob Bennett, whose dad Bruce starred at safety for the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1966 to 1972.
Bruce Bennett, who enjoyed and healthy over the Christmas season, ended up being ill on Dec. 30 and died two weeks later on in Ocala, Fla., of issues from pneumonia and COVID-19 Bob told me about his daddy’s ordeal– his household’s ordeal– in painful detail.
Meanwhile, some people try to tell us it is all a scam, while lacking masks and any defensible theories.
Personally, a boiling point had actually been reached in the days leading up to Saturday. I wrote a column out of disappointment, just to ashcan it out of concern that I had actually acted too quickly, too emotionally, at a time when everyone who will always love and very much miss out on Woodsy required a relaxing, consoling voice rather of a ranting Rob.
Sam Maciag found the balance that had eluded me, as evidenced by tweets she published on Thursday.
” I understand it’s hard to stay at home,” wrote Sam, the host of CBC Saskatchewan News at 6 and a former morning-show associate of Woodsy’s at Regina radio station CJME. “I understand you wish to see your liked ones.
” But as someone who has now lost somebody so close to me, a person liked by so many, I can inform you: following the public health order is much less uncomfortable than the sorrow we are feeling today.
” Be safe.”
Sam tweeted again later in the day.
” Thanks to everybody for the messages and kind words and images and memories of Warren,” she wrote. “His household is hearing all of it and feeling the support.
” Here’s the thing: Woodsy died after contracting COVID-19
” This pandemic is genuine.”
So is the repulsion that has actually been directed towards the anti-maskers and COVID contrarians, whose idiocy– which was suitably slammed by our premier– can not be rejected.
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