PierceJoy

We're not even close to "all" territory.

> The requirements changing for a job they may have had for decades is also a legitimate reason to be upset.

People are fired all the time because their job requirements changed, or they were made redundant. Where have the mass protests been for that?

> Let's not pretend there aren't legitimate concerns here.

Some concerns are legitimate, other's are not. But occupying the nation's capitol, and assaulting people who wear masks are not a legitimate avenue to express those concerns.

> Cool, imagine if I passed a law saying donate 20% of your life savings to Trump or go to jail. Don’t worry, you aren’t forced to, by that logic.

But the threat of jail is actually being forced. No on is going to jail for being unvaccinated. Are you equating finding another job to being incarcerated?

> Or in a more realistic world from the past, you’d better not employ that German Jew or your business will get forcibly shut down. Don’t worry, you’re not forced to not hire him.

Race is a protected class. Vaccination status without documented medical reason is not. Also, no one is forcing these businesses to shut down. They simply can't employ unvaccinated people.

You're right. It's worse. BLM was because black people were being unjustly murdered. This occupation is because grown men are scared of a safe and effective vaccine during a worldwide pandemic.

> And this is forced through other means that aren’t physical - but it is still forced.

No, it is not forced. It is a choice.

> For example consider this: “There are other jobs so quit complaining when we racially discriminate against you.”

Race is a protected class. Vaccination status is not unless you have a document medical reason.

> Yes vaccines are being forced - how else a threat to loose your job can be called. And yes I live in Canada.

I call that a choice. Parent's have a choice to vaccinate or homeschool. Military members have a choice to non-covid vaccine or not be a service member. No one was losing their minds over that.

There are many jobs available that don't require a vaccine.

> Do we have a clue about what's really going on in the rest of the world?

We can just listen to people who live in Ottawa. Among others, the mayor has been pretty clear what's going on.

You're surprised GFM refused to fund an occupation of the nation's capitol?

The charities were being selected by the organizers.

> Losing one's job is generally understood to be a catastrophic outcome for people in our society, especially when someone has been doing that job for a long time (and perhaps also doesn't have the educational level to get another job at anything close to the same compensation)

I haven't seen any mass protests about at-will employment. Why not?

> It follows that "do X or you're fired" is a form of force or coercion.

But we've had these things around for decades. Vaccines have been required in other jobs, tests have been required for jobs, and yet no mass protests. Why not?

> Threatening someone with a severe material consequence and then saying "it's not force because it's your choice" isn't an argument most people are going to accept, and I find it interesting that you're resorting to it, because it's surely not the strongest argument for your position.

It actually is the strongest argument, because it's true. No one is being forced.

It's literally not forced. There are many jobs available that don't require a vaccine.

> It's called a career because you do it your whole life and you keep getting paid more money to do it.

People get fired all the time for a multitude of reasons. In fact, thanks to at will employment in the US, people get fired for no reason at all. I haven't seen mass protests about at will employment.

> What are other job options for truckers?

I would assume the same jobs available to anyone when they get fired.

> We need both sides of the discussion for a healthy democracy.

Agreed, but there is a problem when one side is not arguing in good faith. I would call occupying the nation's capital and assaulting people wearing masks not arguing in good faith.

> Well suddenly vast majority now does require COVID vaccination.

Except that's not true.

There isn't one now.

It's not forced. There any many jobs that don't require a vaccine. It's a choice.

A protection racket is enforced through the use of physical violence. Terrible analogy.

Good thing work that doesn't require vaccination is plentiful. Demand for labour is high everywhere.

It isn't forced.

> Yes, the powers that be chose to force an unnecessary vaccine on working class people

No one was forced to get a vaccine. Period.

I'm not familiar with the US tax laws, but in Canada if you don't file a tax return and don't owe money, there are no consequences. If you owe money, and do not pay, eventually you will end up in jail. That's actually being forced, and makes this a terrible analogy.

If someone is fired from the military for not getting a non-covid vaccine, are they being forced to get the vaccine?

They are not being forced. Stop playing word games.

Like I said, we've had vaccine and testing requirements for many jobs for decades. No one lost their mind. You are being manipulated by right wing politicians.

This is just vaccine misinformation. Anti vaxxers will already have some excuse for why "this" vaccine is different.

You do know there are many more jobs in Canada than coding, right?

They have attacked police. They have had dance parties on war memorials. They threw human shit at a home with a pride flag in the window. They assaulted people for wearing masks. Healthcare workers are now told to remove any indications that they work at a hospital for their own safety.

Your only taking away someone’s livelihood if being an unvaccinated trucker is their only option. The vast majority of jobs in Canada do not require a vaccine. Choices have consequences.

Mandatory school vaccinations, mandatory military vaccinations, mandatory drug testing in many jobs, etc. Why did no one lose their minds over those things?

Your comment already spoke volumes. Remember when conservatives used to talk about choices having consequences? Funny how they they don’t seem to like that concept when it’s inconvenient for them.

You do know that the vast majority of jobs in Canada do not require being vaccinated, right?

Did you know that vaccine requirements for certain jobs have existed for decades, and no one has lost their minds like this?

Do you think it’s possible that right wing politicians are purposely trying to cause outrage over something that has been a normal and accepted practise in order to further their political goals?

The blatant misinformation is this thread is astounding.

If you think this is “just a protest”, you don’t live in Ottawa and have no clue what’s going on

If you think vaccines are being forced on anyone, you have no clue what’s going on in Canada.

If you think GFM planned to “steal” the money, you clearly have no clue that the organizer’s plan called for excess funds to be given to charities.

The comments in this thread read like a typical unhinged Fox News comment section. To see this crap on HN is so disappointing.

You obviously don’t live in Ottawa.

The vaccine isn’t being forced on anyone. Body autonomy is no more being violated here than any other time in history where vaccines have been required to do certain things, of which there are many examples.

Not to mention, all the things you listed at the start of your comment have been done by the Ottawa occupiers. I don’t like to call them truckers because most are not, and most truckers are against this occupation.

The plan presented to GFM by the organizers called for excess funds to be given to charities. How is it fraud for GFM to follow the organizer’s plan? The only thing they refused to do was fund the illegal occupation of downtown Ottawa.

> Replacement of cars is realistic until it rains, snows, wind blows too much or you need to haul something, have multiple passengers and such.

Don’t all those things apply to a city like Amsterdam? Granted, there were still a decent number of cars on the road, but I was amazed how many people were doing their daily travels on bikes.

I’ve only been there once on vacation, and I didn’t pay attention enough to know whether the city design you mentioned is used.

I wouldn’t call 20mph a fast ebike. Human powered bikes ridden by an average human can easily reach speeds over 20mph.

In case others think you’ve stated a hypothetical, let’s be clear that this already happened.