Thread by @sunnshiiny

I see I’m not the only one frustrated by being ignored though writing warnings frequently over the past 6 years.

People require being personally inconvenienced to actually pay attention to threat. Otherwise it’s someone else’s problem.

https://twitter.com/rvawonk/status/1490811273906429958

Kind of like all the other issues the more vulnerable complain about.

Like racism, misogyny, homophobia, xenophobia.

You want to know why it’s so difficult to make change on a society wide level?

Indifference unless it impacts the silent majority directly.

I knew this going in.

The public is fickle. Unless it directly impacts their social status, financial stability, privileges, or self image, it’s ignored.

People paid attention to Residential School injustice because it impacts Canadian’s self image and geopolitical status.

People are angry about anti vaxxers because it impacts their freedom.

LTC residents died in droves, were abandoned by staff, lived in their own filth and were deprived of food.

The entire nation recoiled in horror when armed forces personnel revealed the truth.

But that concern was replaced by support for provincial purview when premiers refused to accept the terms of additional reporting requirements and restrictions to address LTC issues and not funnel the money elsewhere.

Fickle. Indifferent.

LTC residents are still subjected to insufficient Covid mitigation. Yes. Many LTC residents received earliest access to vaccines and boosters. But staffing levels and staff education requirements remain unaddressed.

This is why change takes so long.

The problems in LTC are one example.

There was a time when some people cared more for each other and actually paid attention to other’s suffering. During and immediately after WW2.

That war and its horrors spawned the welfare state. Social democracy.

But the globe had just been through extreme trauma from the 70 million deaths, and social & political turmoil much like our contemporary instability.

Fascists know this.

Fascists use our human self interest against us. They know most people will ignore others suffering.

They know that until fascism becomes an inconvenience to the public’s freedom, the public won’t pay attention.

Which is why thousands of people who were completely or partially aware of what has been happening and sent out warnings were mostly ignored.

Indifference.

But it’s here now. Fascism staring you in the face. A faction of the population who are demanding obedience to their demands because they believe in their own superiority.

Yes they kept quiet. But not silent.

Journalists, exvangelicals, researchers and analysts both professional and amateur have warned the public for decades of the creep towards fascism and who was behind it.

And they received condemnation as conspiracy theorists and indifference.

If you point a finger at anyone to blame them for this situation, point it at yourself if you ignored this until it became a food security issue, an economic crisis, and threatened violent overthrow of the federal government.

If you’ve come to hate LPC and specifically PMJT over the past 6 years, you weren’t indifferent, you enabled this to happen.

Democracies cannot survive if the public is indifferent.

While MSM has done a mediocre to poor job of keeping people informed, that was because of the indifference the public had for the changes made to conceal what was happening.

Harper permitted foreign ownership of news media in 2011. That 11 years ago.

Marci MacDonald wrote “The Armageddon Factor” in 2010. That’s 12 years ago.

None of this is new or been kept secret. This anti statist fascistic terrorist faction has operated in plain sight.

The public was indifferent.

You don’t need to be hyper aware of the politics and policies that shape your life and your freedom. But if you’re indifferent, this is the result.

People keep asking me how do we fight this. How do we win this battle.

The answer is simple, but contrary to typical human behaviour.

Stop being indifferent to your fellow citizen’s suffering and struggles for equality. Reject the demagogic populism that lead us down this dark path.

It’s that simple. And that difficult.

Stop allowing politicians to lie to you or tell you half truths mixed with sanctimony and contempt. Like JWR is a victim and FN kids were taken to court.

Stop celebrating when scandals are amplified and believing without verifying facts.

Stop cheering on show trial demagoguery by opposition parties because of its salaciousness and entertainment value. Governing is serious business. Not political theatre.

Take the time to read trusted sources. Obviously if this occupation was a surprise to you, your sources aren’t trustworthy. I knew about this before Christmas. I watched them create the narrative being used since February 2021 & then plan it.

And yes. I did document it and scream loud warnings that it was coming.

But I was met with indifference and ridicule.

I’ve been warning since 2017. That’s how long I knew the far right and radical left would attempt to overthrow the government.

Because they cannot win elections. Their policies are too radical for the moderate public.

The same public who was indifferent to the warnings that this was where we are headed.

The same public that’s grappling with understanding the size, scope and level of danger.

Indifference and self interest is an indulgence only the privileged can maintain until they get hit on the head with a two by four. Then they pay attention. Because it is affecting them.

The rest of us have been working overtime to get your attention.

Now that we have it, can we stop being indifferent to the suffering and struggles of those first and most impacted by fascism. BIPOC, LGBTQ, women and immigrants.

Bear in mind some of these people have become radicalized because of indifference to their needs.

If you want a democracy, and the human rights and freedoms that go with it, you don’t have the luxury of indifference.

You need to keep engaged and aware of the suffering of others. And do something about it.