Anatomy of a fire
Why it’s almost too late when you see smoke
I know what you are thinking, I click baited you here. I must admit, it’s not much of a click-bait, so if you are here, you really want to know what I’m talking about. So without further ado, here we go.
Fire starts
I have committed the cardinal sin in a disaster. I inundated myself with the news about the Covid-19 3rd wave. However, did you realise it’s only the 2nd wave in India? Read about it on National Geographic.
That’s right, while USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil was dealing with their own deadly second wave, India was continuing to open up. They were starting to get life back to normal. They were exporting all the vaccines they produce to Africa, EU, Eastern nations, Africa and others.
They were touting their vaccine abilities and manufacturing capacity. The musings of a more dangerous wave was coming and no one was paying attentions.
They were smoking signs. They should have been ramping up vaccines sooner. However, that never happened. Now a fire of great magnitude is burning bright in that country.
Smoke is the precursor to a hot burning fire
I am wondering why the signs were do horribly ignored. It’s not just India. In my home country a gym decided to ignore the lock-down order and stay open. The gym’s owner has put her own needs and the “needs” of the few to get exercise to open up. They do have the safety protocols still in place and maintained. However, they would not close down.
The issue ultimately stands that not everyone is afraid of this virus. Why is that? Why do we ignore the warnings until it’s too late? Why do we ignore the very same stories that we eventually become victims of? Why do we choose not to believe what we hear on the news?
Well history has a lot to do with it.
History of lies
Troubled history of minorities in North American continent has produced today’s vaccine hesitancy. People of minority races (people of colour of indigenous people) have grown to distrust the medicines provided by the governments due to their historical perspectives.
These people were used as expendable bodies in order to experiment and find cures for some of the diseases of the past. This included vaccines produced. History of North America has been riddles of stories of this kind of treatment.
Even following the events of today, the recent conviction of Derek Chauvin, has proven that the racism exists even today. Every person of any minority community has experienced this.
I am part of this community and have experienced such racist remarks in the past. Although this is the first time I’ve seen it directed by a politician. That racist comment even received some likes. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, I’m still better off than some of the other minority groups such as coloured and/or indigenous peoples of Canada.
We aren’t enemies
Racism isn’t just a North American problem. It exists around the world. Nothing makes any 1 human being better than the others. We are all just different.
People, We have created you all male and female and have made you nations and tribes so that you would recognise each other. The most honourable among you in the sight of God is the most pious of you. God is All-knowing and All-aware.
- Quran, Surah Al-Hujurat, Verse 12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
- Bible, Romans 10:12–13“God is one in all, but it seems if he were many; He (as Vishnu/preserver) supports all being; from Him (as Rudra/destroyer) ensues end, and from Him (as Brahma/creator) ensues beginning.”
Bhagavad Gita 9.31
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
The declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776
You tell me, are we truly enemies of each other? Are we truly worth less than any one else? Or are we all created equal. We each deserve life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.
Note that statement. Life and Liberty is promised. Only thing we have to pursue is happiness.
Douse that fire
If we are truly going to douse that fire, each one of us must learn to follow what God or smartest amongst humans have already declared. We need to give each other the best hope of life. We must each give each other liberty. Notice I said “give” each other?
We cannot have what someone else is not willing to give freely. Each morning we get up to give our time to our employers. Each day we give up in exchange for money. However, we give first before we receive the money.
Masks protect others from catching the virus from us. If we wear a mask, we give others the ability to avoid the infection. In turn we may end up suffering a shorter disease. We may recover relatively unscathed.
However, the person who you prevented from getting the disease from you, may have needed critical care. He/she may have needed Oxygen that is in such a short supply in India right now. He/she may need many other care down the road, simply because they were infected. What a gift you have given by wearing that mask.
How many lives have you saved simply by wearing that mask? Can you tell for sure? Only real way is to let someone die by not wearing that mask. Is it really worth it? Can you give the person you don’t know the right to life by wearing that mask?
Let’s cheer those who volunteer to put themselves in harms way in order to deliver vaccines to someone in need. Let’s cheer community groups who volunteer their time and resources to reach out to the community to deliver the vaccines. Let’s cheer theses people, who are helping bring and end to this horrible pandemic by joining the race of vaccines and variants.
Let us douse that fire.