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Jan 31, 2022Liked by Jen Howk

I was there! When I arrived, I asked a couple people I came across "Is this where the normal people are all meeting up?" and they knew just what I meant. People wanted to talk openly about their "unacceptable views" with no holds barred, and the experience felt like a great relief after so long feeling in a stigmatized minority, whether true or not. We didn't even need to ask "so why are you here?", the personal stories just came forth. Some were quite moving. The first had been kicked out of a grief support group following the suicide of her son, due to her vax status. The second lost a military job, same as me. All senseless. Not one person that I interacted with seemed "fringe" or unreasonable in any way, and all were peaceful. The truckers looked proud of themselves, and rightly so. Our adversary has so much power that I don't know if they can be beaten back, but at least we can say that we are going to try.

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I was excited and happy when I learned about the convoy... then I watched the footage and noticed many slaughterhouse trucks in it, which reminded me of the following quote:

"Human beings see their own oppression vividly when they are the victims. Otherwise they victimize blindly and without a thought.”

-“Hacker,” Animal Liberation Front member & Holocaust survivor

... or as Isaac Bashevis Singer wrote, ‘In their behavior towards creatures, all men are Nazis.’

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Thanks for writing this moving piece. What a bright moment to celebrate! I hope this freedom convoy spurs more momentum for similar demonstrations.

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Another superb essay — one can’t help but feel a significant increase in hope for freedom everywhere. Thank you for this!!!!!!!

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