I saw your posts. They came out of the blue to me, but they've obviously been developing in your mind for a while. Photo / Glen Carrie - Unsplash
I saw your posts. They came out of the blue to me, but they've obviously been developing in your mind for a while. Photo / Glen Carrie - Unsplash
OPINION
You popped up on my Facebook timeline unexpectedly this week. It's been years since we were high school mates, and I haven't been good at staying in touch.
When you left for the big smoke for a new life, and the promise of better work than early mornings onthe line of the salami factory, we were gutted to see you go, but we understood.
I've since watched you from afar via your social media feed as you grew into the proud dad that your kids are so lucky to have.
As friends from the cultural bastion of Timaru we loved nothing more than an argument – pitting our still-forming ideas against each other over a beer or bourbon.
We were working the world out for ourselves, one devil's advocate position at a time. I said some ridiculous stuff in those sessions, but it helped me find my compass.
But now I have to step in again, and I don't know quite how.
Because, unbelievably, you're trying to influence people to not get the Covid vaccine.
The South Island town of Timaru, where we grew up. Photo / NZME
I saw your posts. They came out of the blue to me, but they've obviously been developing in your mind for a while.
I then saw the vile way you responded to people who weren't happy with you.
I saw you, in the space of 24 hours, losing the people who you might think you lost 10 years ago when you moved, but are very much still here for you if needed.
I'm not going to try to convince you the vaccine is safe. That's essentially been proven.
And if I did try, I would be dismissed as one of the relentless "mainstream media propaganda" that you railed against.
Perhaps you would see me as part of a machine (I'm not) rather than the mate that drove you home to safety when you were attacked by two thugs in the KFC car park.
Speaking of driving, I'll leave you with this.
You claim it's your individual choice to have the vaccine, and no one else will be affected. Wrong.
It's your individual choice not to wear a seatbelt. If you crash into me, you're the one that will be affected by that decision.
But buckle up for this - without a Covid vaccine you're not just removing your seatbelt, you're removing the seatbelt of my kids, and every other kid in NZ.
They deserve the chance to have protection from this virus but they can't get the vaccine – not yet.
This virus is a killer, and even when it doesn't kill it can have massive long-term effects on health.
You've had other vaccinations. This one isn't any riskier. Please get vaccinated. Please.
