☕️ Coffee & Covid ☙ Saturday, January 29, 2022 ☙ TRUCK YOU, TRUDEAU 🦠

Today I round up all the news related to one developing historic event: The Canadian Trucker Freedom Convoy.

Happy Saturday! Today I round up all the news related to one developing historic event: The Canadian Trucker Freedom Convoy.

🇨🇦🚛🚛🚛🚛🚛🇨🇦 *TRUCK-A-PALOOZA* 🇨🇦🚛🚛🚛🚛🚛🇨🇦

Go Canada! After nearly two years of just laying there like a passed-out drunk in front of a Covid testing clinic, Canada is finally showing signs of life. I first heard about the trucker convoy story about midweek, when someone sent me a link to the GoFundMe page. After doing a little research, I checked the fundraiser page to see if it might be something to multiply or maybe just give to personally. That’s when I noticed they were raising FIVE MILLION DOLLARS for fuel and were almost already there. Then GoFundMe put a hold on the fundraiser, and two days later, released the money.

And I thought, well isn’t that interesting.

Earlier in the pandemic I’d reported on an Australian trucker protest that fizzled out. The Truckies. They had a lot of good talk but ultimately whatever actually happened was small enough for the media to bury, if anything did happen at all. I’d reported it too early; I should’ve waited for it to pan out. So I waited a few days to see what would develop.

Unlike the summer’s Ozzie truck protest, the Great 2022 Canadian Trucker Freedom Convoy HAS panned out. Meaning, it is a remarkable, if not historic, development. The garbage Corporate Media has largely avoided the story, but almost EVERYONE ELSE is paying attention. Can you imagine the Corporate Media coverage if this were a protest for trans rights or something? Anyway.

Reliable estimates suggest there are up to 50,000 trucks stretching over 93 kilometers, or 45 miles, driving across Canada in a giant chain, streaming into the capital of Ontario today. For comparison, the “giant” convoy in the eponymous 1978 movie was only a mile long. The Canadian Convoy could be the largest trucker convoy in history. Sadly, even though he really really wanted to meet the truckers, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was conveniently “exposed” to an asymptomatic case of Covid, so he swiftly declared he has to hide out, I mean shelter, at home. He tested negative.

When questioned, the PM was dismissive about the convoy. One reporter asked Trudeau if the convoy suggested that Canada’s injection mandate might disrupt the country’s supply chain (duh). The feckless Prime Minister doubled down, claiming INJECTIONS are the best way to fix the supply chain, not trucks: “I regret that the Conservative Party and conservative politicians are fear-mongering to Canadians about the supply chain, but the reality is that vaccination is how we’re going to get through this,” he said.

Maybe hypodermic needles can drive trucks now? It IS the 21st century, after all.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance and the American Trucking Associations estimated up to 26,000 of the 160,000 drivers who usually cross the Canada-U.S. border are likely to be sidelined by the vaccine mandates imposed this month on both sides of the border.

The Canadian truckers’ motto is, “We are taking our fight to the doorsteps of our federal government and demanding that they cease all mandates against its people.” They said they aren’t leaving the capital until all mandates have been lifted. Quite a promise.

U.S. influencers expressing support for the Canadian Convoy include Elon Musk, Joe Rogan, Mark Steyn, Tucker Carlson, Franklin Graham, Sean Hannity, Kirstie Alley, Glenn Beck, and Robert F. Kennedy. Thousands have donated to the fund-raiser for fuel. Thousands more have gathered along Canadian highways and overpasses in support in up to minus-30-degree weather, causing the local Nova Scotia government to ban gatherings along highways, for safety. The government of Quebec shut off traffic cameras in the province to stop people from watching the convoy online.

Can’t have people watching citizens protesting the government. It’s not good for business.

The Corporate Media has been hostile and resentful whenever it has reported on the story. A political cartoon in The Washington Post showed a convoy of cartoon trucks, each identical, each with the word “Fascist” printed on the side. Brilliant, how creative. Earlier this week, the Toronto Sun reported the story in an article headlined, “Angry and Misguided, They Roll On.” The Canadian Globe and Mail headlined its story, “Trucker Convoy Has Evolved Into Something Far More Dangerous.” FAR more dangerous.

The Globe and Mail also criticized the Convoy for its lack of diversity, complaining there were an insufficient number of SOUTH ASIANS represented in the protest. I am not making that up. Why are truckers so prejudiced against South Asians and won’t let them join the protest??

AlJazeera’s story included a subhead warning darkly that, “Experts raise concerns about far-right, racist views arising from protest against vaccine mandate for truck drivers.” Experts! What would we do without them?

Parliament Today won the award for the worst hot take on the Convoy. Here’s what it printed on January 26:

National security expert Jessica Davis warns that those who have donated to groups in support of ongoing truck rallies could be found guilty under the Criminal Code, as the ‘directly or indirectly’ could provide financial services intended to carry out any terrorist ‘activity’ or benefit such a ‘group.’

In recent days, various outlets have noted far-right sentiments among supporters bragging about the protests online, with some users calling for ‘our own January 6 event’ in reference to the riots at the Capitol in Washington last year.

The Globe National ran a story headlined, “Far-Right Groups Hope Trucker Protest will be Canada’s January 6th.” There’s a picture alongside the article showing a truck sign that reads, “Masks don’t save — Only Jesus Saves! Freedom over Fear!” I struggle to see how that picture matches the headline, but it’s pretty neat how they wrapped Christianity, masks, and vaccines around their new January 6 meme.

And, I suspect the truth is that it's FAR-LEFT groups — not far-right groups — who hope the Convoy will be Canada's January 6.

Reports say that, for some reason, Freedom Convoy organizers sent a memo to participating drivers telling them not to enter any federal building for any reason. Weird, huh? I wonder why they would say that?

Not all big media was negative. The UK Daily Mail’s story was headlined, “HUNDREDS of Canadians cheer on ‘Freedom Convoy’ of 50,000 truckers driving toward the capital to protest vaccine mandate: Lawmakers are told to ‘lock your doors’ and avoid the protest.” Reports say AOC is sheltering in her panic room.

Finally, the PEOPLE don’t seem to be aligned with the Corporate Media’s narrative about the Convoy, not at all. A Canadian TV online poll asking “Do you support the truckers convoy coming to Ottawa?” was overwhelmingly “Yes” (76%). An iHeartRadio poll similarly found 71% in support. Twitter videos of the convoy passing through Medicine Hat, Alberta, show snowbound supporters cheering passing trucks and clearly chanting “Let’s Go Brandon!”

Reports suggest other convoys are forming up, all around the world, to join the Canadian truckers. A brand-new Australian truckie protest has arisen in response to the Canadian Freedom Convoy, and is said to be headed toward Canberra in solidarity. Brazil media is reporting a trucker convoy forming in South America protesting mandates. And there are rumblings of European convoys forming around that continent. We’ll see.

The Freedom Convoy is not the largest post-pandemic protest. It’s not the most well-advertised protest. It’s not the most well-organized protest. But for some reason, the Canadian Convoy has captured worldwide imagination in a way that other protests have not. Maybe it’s the timing. Maybe it’s the excitement of quiet Canada taking a stand. Maybe it’s the confluence of issues related to truck drivers, mandates, and supply chains.

But for whatever reason, the Freedom Convoy has electrified the free world. It’s now the Canadian government’s move. Trudeau has to do SOMETHING, unless the truckers just drive away from Ottawa, which seems unlikely. Will he come out of hiding and meet with them? Will he use force to clear the streets? Will they arrest truckers for domestic terrorism? Will Trudeau modify the mandates? It really is impossible to say.

I’ll keep an eye on the exciting story and continue reporting developments. We’re praying for the truckers and for a sane resolution to their concerns. Support a trucker today!

Have a terrific weekend and I’ll see you all back here on Monday, to start the week off right.

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