How anti-science groups are coming together
Jonathan Montpetit has a must-read Friday on what’s unifying right-wing extremists, libertarians and evangelicals: a fight against Covid-19 restrictions. Montpetit even gets into the reasons why this kind of protest attracts people of apparently different belief sets.
CharlesQ 12:19 on 2020-09-25 Permalink
Is this a Quebec only thing? I only hear of anti-mask demonstrations in Quebec, in the USofA and in Europe.
Kate 12:39 on 2020-09-25 Permalink
You mean only Quebec in Canada? Here’s one report of a demonstration in Ontario. The group Hugs Over Masks (ptui!) seems to exist in various locations in Canada and is listing a rally in Winnipeg this Saturday.
This group offers for download a fake mask exemption wallet card (in French and English) and a sign that businesses are encouraged to post saying they “respect” this card. There are logos at the bottom of the sign for other organizations of the same sort. One of them plans a big rally in Toronto, also this Saturday.
dhomas 12:52 on 2020-09-25 Permalink
Without reading the article, I can guess what’s unifying them. Right-wing: science denial (and going against the MSM). Libertarians: too much government intervention. Evangelicals: it prevents them from congregating (and therefore filling their collection plates) as well “destroying family values”.
Now let me read the article to see if I was right. 🙂
dhomas 13:02 on 2020-09-25 Permalink
So, I was a little off. 😀
Also, I really should stop reading the comments on major news outlets’ websites… ugh, so depressing.
MarcG 13:02 on 2020-09-25 Permalink
Somewhat related, here an intesting article which talks a bit about how the nutters have occupied the no-lockdown position and made it difficult for people with good reasons to support it to be heard. https://jacobinmag.com/2020/09/covid-19-pandemic-economy-us-response-inequality
Raymond Lutz 13:40 on 2020-09-25 Permalink
[repost]
I’ve been waiting for this one: a documentary linking flatearth AND QAnon! If you’re already knowledgeable about the former, jump straight to 9m50s . TLDR: preserving or restoring statu quo is the life blood of any reactionary movement and doing so puts them in conflict with facts; “reality itself become an enemy”; “ultimately, it’s not about facts, it’s about power”
https://mamot.fr/@pluralistic/104883296326645819
walkerp 16:42 on 2020-09-25 Permalink
I would add also con artists and their marks are attracted to these kinds of movements. Qanon is generating a lot of advertising revenue on the internet.
JaneyB 11:07 on 2020-09-28 Permalink
I think it would really help if they were registered to be ineligible for health care for a couple of years. I know many prefer essential oils and homeopathy anyway but still. Also removing protesters to stay in a camp outside the city for a few weeks should be on the table, extreme though it is. I hate having to think like this.