Duncan Shipley-Smith, Byron Bay
The sinister suggestion by Nolan in last week’s Echo conflating anti-vaccination supporters with extreme right-wing ideology (XRW) demands a response.
This is irresponsible and alarmist nonsense intended to silence legitimate enquiry into, and public concern surrounding, the safety and effectiveness of unproven mRNA treatments (more on mRNA), the legitimacy and wisdom of the lockdown and isolation regimes, the imposition of porous and invasive mass surveillance protocols and invasion of privacy as well as the incremental erosion of civil and human rights and freedoms.
The misclassification of the SARS-Cov-2 outbreak as a pandemic, according to internationally agreed definitions, and the self-serving influence evident in democracies by unelected, profit driven transnational corporations dictating public policy is of concern to anyone who values accountable democratic institutions, freedom and personal choice with informed consent.
The Soapbox opinion piece is a wretched example of gutter journalism aimed at ‘Othering’ and diminishing those with a legitimate concern for the health of their society and their bodies. It smears the very community that defined our international image – informed and resilient alternative thinkers – with an XRW label while doubling down to insult and marginalise disabled people with legitimate mask exemptions. This is appallingly ignorant and divisive nonsense that borders on hate speech. It should be condemned by any reasonable and intelligent person. Our informed community is coming together as it always has, despite the best efforts of those perpetuating the narrative of division.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
