Community News
The Race for Vaccination – What needs to be considered, who is winning the race, and who are the losers
BY SIMONE J. SMITH
“If a coronavirus vaccine is available, regardless of which one, take it.”
Dr Anthony Fauci
I want to start by saying that I honour the right of the people to make choices for themselves that will keep them safe, happy, and of course alive. The last 12 -14 months of reporting on the COVID-19 pandemic has been a rollercoaster of emotions for me, as it has been for many of you.
There are so many different variants to this pandemic: lockdowns, masking, the effectiveness of these efforts, and of course vaccines. In all cases, there have been opposing views, certainly a great deal of misinformation, and fear of not knowing the best choices to make to keep your family, and yourself safe.
What I would like to do with this article is shine a light on a major topic of discussion, which are vaccines, and how the health of our global community is being cared for. There is a lot to be considered, and with so many mixed messages, how do you make sound choices.
We have all seen major players in the game: Louis Farrakhan, Robert Kennedy Jr., Del Bigtree, Alex Jones, and many others speak out against the COVID-19 vaccine. There are others: Bill Gates, and Anthony Fauci, who continue to propose the wonders that this vaccine will have on the global population, and how it will allow the world to get back to normal.
When doing your research, what you as a consumer has to understand is that when someone stands strongly behind a viewpoint, they usually have something invested into it. For people like Louis Farrakhan, and Robert Kennedy Jr., they have seen the devastation that vaccines have caused on their communities. Naturally they are going to speak emphatically against vaccines because of what they have experienced and observed.
When trying to understand why people like Bill Gates would be pushing for global vaccination, we have to look at why. For starters, while many of us were figuring out how we were going to pay our rent, put food on the table and pay our bills, the pandemic was good to Bill Gates. In 2020, the Microsoft co-founder added $18 billion to his fortune, which now stands at a cool $131 billion. He is now the fourth-richest person in the world.
I had a chance to catch an InfoWars show with Alex Jones called, “Big Pharma Whistleblower Reveals Dangers of mRNA Vaccine.” There were some interesting tidbits that I caught, one being that people would be experiencing a host of allergic reactions because our bodies will become allergic to itself. The whistleblower spoke of the fact that vaccines have 40 or more ingredients, and the majority of them are toxic. Five or six of the ingredients are commonly consumed. They are: vinegar, sodium chloride (salt), sugar, and two or three commonly used preservatives. His claim was that they are going to make people develop immune reactions. The body will end up developing autoimmune disease.
Of course, I can’t just take hearsay and deliver it to the people, so I went on the CDC website to see if there was anything to back up what the whistleblower was saying. Well, I did find something.
In 1976 there was a small increased risk of a serious neurological disorder called Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) following vaccination with a swine flu vaccine. When over 40 million people were vaccinated against swine flu, federal health officials decided that the possibility of an association of GBS with the vaccine, however small, necessitated stopping immunization until the issue could be explored.
In 2003, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) conducted a review on this issue, and they concluded that people who received the 1976 swine influenza vaccine had an increased risk for developing GBS. Scientists have multiple theories on why this increased risk may have occurred, but the exact reason for this association remains unknown.
Another report in 1998, investigated the FDA approved RotaShield vaccine, the first vaccine to prevent rotavirus gastroenteritis. Shortly after it was licensed, some infants developed intussusception (a rare type of bowel obstruction that occurs when the bowel folds in on itself) after being vaccinated. At first, it was not clear if the vaccine or some other factor was causing the bowel obstructions. CDC quickly recommended that use of the vaccine be suspended and immediately started two emergency investigations to find out if receiving the RotaShield vaccine was causing some of the cases of intussusception.
The results of the investigations showed that the RotaShield vaccine caused intussusception in some healthy infants younger than 12 months of age that normally would be at low risk for this condition. Not too long after, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices withdrew its recommendation to vaccinate infants with RotaShield® vaccine, and the manufacturer voluntarily withdrew RotaShield from the market in October 1999.
So, there is a basis for the whistleblowers claims. This made me dig a little deeper into what he had to say. Another claim that was brought up was that Pfizer was not giving the same vaccine to the population as it was to its employees; in actuality, the vaccine that was given to the employees was cleaner. This was also occurring with members of government and the elite. That seemed a little farfetched to me (not really), but I thought that I would take a look to see if this had been done at any time.
On Tuesday, October 27th, 2009, Tristana Moore wrote an article titled, “In Germany, A Better Vaccine for Politicians?” In this article, she provides an overview of the swine flu that occurred in Germany that infected 26,000 people, resulting in the death of three. Although the majority of patients have experienced only mild flu like symptoms, a steady increase in the number of cases of H1N1 in recent months has raised alarm across the nation.
When they began to administer vaccines, there was a two-tier health system that was established — one for the politically well connected, another for the general population. As Germany launched its mass-vaccination program against the H1N1 flu virus,the government found itself fending off accusations of favoritism because it was offering one vaccine believed to have fewer side effects to civil servants, politicians and soldiers, and another, potentially riskier vaccine to everyone else.
Naturally, anger at the news was widespread in Germany. Birgitt Bender (health spokeswoman for the Green Party) spoke out against it. “If mass vaccination is considered to be necessary, then everyone should be treated the same way.” Giving officials a vaccine that was different from what was given to the rest of the population seemed to send the wrong signal and gave people the impression that they were second-class citizens.
I also found it interesting that swift approval was given to use special treatments on Donald Trump when he contracted COVID-19. It quickly brought to light that the rich and powerful were getting access to experimental treatments that obviously worked, so my question is, why is that experimental treatment not as accessible to us as they are making the vaccine? Or is it accessible to us, and there is an agenda for different treatment methods?
It exposes that those with power and money are getting very different access to treatment and healthcare that the general public is not. In the CNBC report, Bioethicists stated that granting the elite access to treatments that are out of reach for ordinary Americans is nothing new.
What is even more alarming now is that Anthony Fauci most recently stated that vaccines may not be as effective against variants of COVID-19, but that they should be powerful enough to still be beneficial.
So, what should you do now? Well, my usual take on this question is to do your research. Our ever so trusted source CDC put out an article titled, “Vaccines; who should avoid them and why?” I thought this would be a good place to start.
The CDC advises that certain individuals should not get specific vaccines. Individuals with a compromised immune system are typically advised to wait. People who have experienced allergic reactions to a particular vaccine are generally told to avoid follow-up doses. This of course is not being shared in mainstream news.
They went on to state that certain vaccines might not be right for everyone. They advise that certain people not get specific vaccines, or to wait before getting vaccinated. This is because different vaccines contain different components, and each vaccine can affect you differently. Your age, health conditions, and other factors all combine to determine if you should get each vaccine. At this point I am going to ask you, reader; have you considered these factors?
The CDC has prepared a detailed list that specifies who should avoid getting certain vaccines. Here are guidelines for those who should avoid or delay some of the more common vaccines.
Influenza (flu)
You should not get vaccinated for influenza if you:
• Have had a past severe, life-threatening reaction to the flu vaccine
• Are an infant younger than 6 months old
• Are currently moderately to severely ill
Remember COVID-19 is a strain of influenza, so I implore you readers, do your research. In the race for vaccination, there are going to be winners, and there are going to be losers.
Community News
Urban Alliance on Race Relations celebrates and highlights Racial Justice Award recipients
BY PAUL JUNOR
It has been almost 40 years since the Urban Alliance on Race Relations (UARR) has been at the forefront of: promoting tolerance, social justice, racial equity and fairness. Since it was formed in 1975, they have celebrated and recognized changemakers in the fight for racial justice in diverse sectors such as: health, labour, government, education, arts, media, environment, and justice.
On Saturday, December 7th, 2024, there was a great turnout at the 2024 Racial Justice Awards Night held at The Estate Banquet & Event Centre in Scarborough. In attendance were many community supporters, civic officials, long-time racial justice warriors, and individuals from diverse ethnic groups.
UARR is grateful for all the sponsors of the Racial Justice Awards Night Celebration. It notes in its email to its supporters on Tuesday, December 3rd, 2024, the importance of its sponsors including:
- United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) of Canada, UFCW, Local 175
- The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 353
- Unite Here! Local 75
- Toronto & York Region Labour Council
- Canadian Labour Congress
- The Coalitions of Black Trade Union (CBTUL)
“Your sponsorship plays a vital role in shining a light on individuals and organizations driving equity, justice, and change in our communities. This celebration is more than an event, it’s a movement. Thanks to your support, we’re: honoring changemakers, amplifying unheard voices, and funding initiatives that break down systemic barriers.”
The categories and names of the awards and recipients were:
Racial Justice in Arts: Hannia Cheng
She is an artist and cultural worker who co-founded Unit 270, a DIY gallery and multi-purpose grassroots community hub in Chinatown Centre.
Racial Justice in Labour: Vanessa Story
She is the founder of the Black Youth York Region and co-founder of the York Communities for Public Education coalition.
Racial Justice in Education: Shannon Simpson
She is Senior Director of Indigenous Initiatives at the University of Toronto.
Racial Justice in Environment: Dr. Ingrid Waldron
She is a Professor and HOPE Chair in Peace and Health in the Global and Peace and Social Justice Program in the Faculty of Humanities at McMaster University.
Urban Alliance of Race Relations Agent of Change Award: Kirk Mark
He is the Equity, Diversity and Inclusive Consultant at KIRK Mark & Associates.
Racial Justice in Media: Amanda Parris
She is an award-winning writer, tv host and producer, and former host of CBC Arts Exhibitionist.
Racial Justice in Health: Camille Orridge
She is former CEO of the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network (TCLHIN).
Racial Justice in Government: Amira Elghawaby
She is a journalist and human rights advocate who was appointed in January 2023 as Canada’s Special Representative on Combating Islamophobia.
Racial Justice in Justice: South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario (SALC0)
This legal clinic supports low-income South Asian people in Canada.
The funds raised from the Awards night will be going toward the work of the Diversity Youth Fellowship Program. This innovative and creative program is directly involved in enabling racialized youth to get paid experience working in municipal governments and at various public policy making organizations across Canada.
The performers at the event included: Katheen Zaragosa (a Filipino music performer), Rithika Jeristus & Maya Jeristus (Bharatanatyam dancers) and Yasmin Said (spoken word artist)
UARR is looking forward to its 50th anniversary celebrations in 2025 and shared five of its strategic priorities for the next 10 years including:
- Employment and economic opportunity: The goal is to foster inclusive workspaces and economic opportunities.
- Education: The goal is to promote racial equity in education and research.
- Communication: The goal is to expand public awareness and reach to amplify our stories.
- Community engagement and outreach: The goal is building community capacity and convening towards change.
- Truth and reconciliation-relationship building and supporting calls to action. The goal is to strengthen our solidarity and action towards truth and reconciliation.
Community News
What is it about those short videos that keep us captivated? Oh! Yes! Our short attention span
BY KAHA GEDI
As our attention spans decrease, short form videos are becoming more popular. From TikTok, to YouTube Shorts, to Instagram Reels, these “snack sized” videos have positive qualities alongside the bad. Mainly we want to know what makes them so effective, and why are they becoming the go-to choice for both viewers and marketers? In this article, I will be discussing how these videos have received such popularity worldwide.
First, we need to understand what counts as and what is short-form content. According to blog.hubspot.com, “Short-form videos are videos that are less than 60 seconds long.” However, some marketers and content creators agree that short-form videos can be up to 3 minutes. “They are videos that deliver information in a ‘digestible’ format so that viewers can quickly watch and save content if they’re in a hurry or enjoy it.” Now, I’ll talk about the main reasons why these videos are so popular.
First, our attention spans have gone down exponentially. Dr Gloria Mark has written a book called “Attention Span,” and she says her research indicates people’s attention spans have been shrinking over the last 20 years. According to the same article Dr. Mark said that “Back in 2004, we found the average attention span on any screen to be two and a half minutes on average. Throughout the years, it became shorter. So, around 2012, we found it to be 75 seconds. Then in the last five, six years, we found it to average about 47 seconds.” So, it’s notable that our attention spans started out longer but then decreased over time.
Secondly, these videos have become cheaper and easier to make. Unlike long-form videos, which require extensive: planning, editing, and storytelling, short-form videos are simpler. To the point where they can even be shot on a smartphone. For example, DuoLingo, the app that helps learn new languages, went viral on TikTok a long time ago by posting funny, low-budget videos that resonate with millions. Like a video of a DuoLingo plus being: tossed down the stairs, sitting outside on a rainy day, or being soaked by the shower with the title “When you ignore my notifications.”
Lastly, they provide valuable information in a short amount of time, and they are easily accessible. According to a recent Adobe Survey, two in five Americans use TikTok as a search engine, and nearly one in 10 Gen Zeers are more likely to rely on TikTok than Google as a search engine. This isn’t always reliable for real news because anyone can claim to be an expert, and you wouldn’t know if they’re telling the truth. So, even though they give valuable information in a short time, they can also give misinformation or mislead you.
Short-form videos have changed how we watch and learn things. They fit our short attention spans, are easy to make, and share information quickly. Even though they’re fun and helpful, they can also spread false information or leave out important details. Even with these problems, short-form videos are here to stay, so we should use them in proportion, but also enjoy the benefits.
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