The Canadian Truckers Situation, and The Limits to Freedom

I saw this article going viral Reality Honks Back . This passage stood out:

The Virtual class can’t move the trucks. Smears alone can’t move trucks. All the towing companies in Ottawa have refused to move the trucks. Because, surprisingly, it turns out tow truck drivers also drive trucks for a living. There aren’t enough police to seize the trucks, because the rank and file police in Ottawa have been taking all of their vacation and sick days, mysteriously not showing up for work, or simply resigning. It turns out that police officers tend to also be part of the Physical class, and class solidarity may actually be a thing.

But what about ‘law and order’ and all that stuff. Why does that not apply here too like it did in 2020. One can argue that some laws more more just than others or that some impositions of power are more legitimate than other impositions of power, but both both sides, whether BLM/antifa or truckers, believe that their respective causes are ‘just’ and are on the side of ‘good’, and that any disruption, including even breaking the law, is a necessary price to pay to rectify such unfairness and wrongdoings. It’s not so much that people want law and order, but rather law and order for the things they oppose; otherwise, such power is illegitimate. You cannot really have it both ways though. You cannot say you want lawful and orderly society but then pick and choose the laws that apply.

Last week I saw this video going viral of a Canadian police officer roughing up some old man:

It’s like Cernovich and others are shocked to learn that police actually do their jobs and use force. They should be applauding that law and order is being enforced.

People see through this. You cannot be pro law and order and then do a 180 because you don’t like how the law is being enforced.

I am not sure what the most logically consistent answer is. There are many on the reactionary/alt-right who see China as a model ethno-state, yet China (along with Japan, Singapore ,and South Korea) among the strictest Covid restrictions, especially early during the pandemic, and were not exactly receptive to debate on the matter. So having a strong ethno state would likely also come at the cost of personal freedoms.

Both sides think they are on the side of ‘good’. No one goes into battle without god on their side. I am reminded of the fall of Maximilien Robespierre. He got the revolution he sought but still fell to the guillotine, done in by his supporters who turned against him. In the end, power is loyal to only power. I am strongly opposed to employee vaccine mandates, but I think any thoughtful analysis of this issue need to understand that political power is unpredictable and cuts both ways.

But the unrest in Canada, Australia, and elsewhere shows also that the effects of Covid policy will be felt long after the pandemic itself subsides. Daily U.S. Covid cases peaked 3 weeks ago and are back to where it was in June 2021. But the debate over vaccine mandates is just starting. Millions of people were left unemployed, thousands of jobs and businesses lost/destroyed. A political climate that is more divided and angrier than ever before. Childhood development and IQ possibly stunted due to lockdowns and school closures. Trust in leadership is at all-time lows, all over the world. And high inflation made worse by a supply chain bottleneck.

In 2021 there was enough stimulus and money printing to paint over the problems, but 2022 is the hangover [I think the stock market will recover soon, but the first 5 or so weeks of 2022 have been very volatile due to the aforementioned factors]. Whether it’s Trudeau vs. truckers, Russia v. Ukraine, or inflation, these problems are not going to go away anytime soon. You can survive the pandemic, but can you survive the aftermath. It is said that the Reconstruction was worse than the Civil War. The Civil War lasted 5 years, but the Reconstruction lasted a century and some argue it is still not complete.