Fear is the Real Virus: Melbourne Protest Against Dan’s Pandemic Bill
“The only real prison is fear, and the only real freedom is freedom from fear.”
Aung San Suu Kyi
Saturday’s Freedom Day Rally outside Victoria’s Parliament House was an emotional one. With a little divine intervention, Melbourne’s weather kept in sync with the mood of the people. The sun broke through the clouds, whilst the rain poured down. Hope-covered fear splashed across the sky throughout much of the day as the people stood their ground. Unlike many previous protests, this was a “police-approved” protest (whatever that means), and the people came out in the thousands united in the one goal, freedom.
There was real fear in the air, but it was not fear of the virus. It was fear of a Dictatorship. Dicktator Dan is currently in the throes of passing a bill that would give him unlimited power to control the State of Victoria as he so desires in the name of pandemic management.
The Public Health and Wellbeing Pandemic Management Amendment Bill eerily resembles Hitler’s Enabling Act. This Bill plus 18 months of government overreach, job losses, vaccine mandates, border closures, segregation, and downright oppression have awakened the people. Victorians are afraid and rightly so. They have already lost so much. Government overreach and a segregated community can no longer be justified or tolerated.
Speeches came from individuals of all walks of life. An ex-police officer pleaded with the Victoria Police to stand with the people and follow their consciences. An aspiring politician urged the people to become politically active and support her and other independents to “vote Dan out”. The cries from the podium were mostly about fighting for freedom, but no one could articulate out loud what that fight really means.
Everyone knows freedom was never won by the vote, the system is flawed and set up against the people. Nor was it acquired by begging politicians through petitions or lobbying via emails and phone calls. Protesting weekly at “police-approved” events is not going to cut it either. The people have decided they no longer wish to be controlled, jabbed, or divided. They have weighed up the costs and chosen to fight for freedom. However, fear can either stifle or strengthen.
The violinist captured the mood perfectly. A melancholic rendition of Australia’s national anthem pierced through the air, cutting through the hearts of people, bringing many to tears. The current undertone was of a people mourning Australia of old. The Great South Land of the Holy Spirit has been brought to its knees by the fear of a virus with a 99% recovery rate. This realisation coupled with the reality that life as they knew it may never be the same again was both heartbreaking and motivating. The people love a good protest but deep down they know it is going to take more than a few big protests to change anything.
Our freedoms came at a cost. Brave men shed their blood so we could live freely in relative comfort and ease for the last 200+ years. Yes. Fear is the real virus. Once we overcome fear, real freedom can be accomplished. Until we come to terms with the real virus, there can never be lasting change.