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THE VACCINE POLITICS11/23/2020 The politics on vaccines is another issue that can potentially escalate into another time-bomb.
We have several vaccines that have promising results for the prevention of the COVID-19 virus. We know that these can take a few months before initial groups of people are monitored and the side effects of the drug are taken into consideration. We'll have the vaccines as our (Canadian) government committed to this a long time ago. Other countries have to wait until it becomes affordable and that preliminary results come out. No one wants to be the guinea pig, I suppose. Vaccines are one thing but the equitable distribution, affordability, accessibility and appropriateness of these vaccines to differentiated needs of different populations come into question. Another issue is about protecting consumers who have elected to use these vaccines under development, which calls for regulation and complete transparency for public welfare. We live in ambiguous times. We cannot trust our health systems and authorities that are overwhelmed and overworked to decide for our health, well-being, and safety. Like all systems, when it's saturated, it either collapses on the sheer weight of its load or dissipates into mediocrity or irrelevance. We also cannot turn a blind eye on the suffering and hardships that are experienced by our neighbors in the developing South. That's why we call on health equity across the board. Those that have multiple vulnerabilities and needs must be given equitable priority and attention and consulted adequately. Be your own health advocate and become a health advocate for others around you. The world is hyperconnected to risk being the weakest link.
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RUPTURES WE DON'T NEED11/14/2020 As I am preparing for my presentation next week on Diversity, I thought about what's not diversity.
Diversity is not a thing that can be slapped artificially for the sake of political correctness or guise to protect from lawsuits; Diversity is not silencing the majority and forcing everyone to think the same; Diversity is not perfecting preferential treatments or quotas or taking revenge from a century-old injustice; Diversity is about respecting and celebrating human differences in all of its forms-not just RACE, CLASS, CASTE, ETHNICITY, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, RELIGION. Inclusion is about accountability that leads to great bottom lines: more revenue, less negative conflict, more innovation. Inclusion is fostering a culture that respects, honors, and values diversity in all of its manifestations. I was in a diversity training room almost a decade ago. A guy spoke up about diversity and inclusion in the office and he said, that I can only 'tolerate.' I'm still not there yet and please, respect that! There was silence in the room. No one commented or made a reaction to it. I simply recalled this reaction because it also meant respect. Some people believe that it's just a political correct thing. Some are putting a strong push-back against it because they're maligned by it. This is also because some of the way diversity projects are forced into your consciousness are appalling. It doesn't earn respect, it earns more resentment, antagonism, and conflict. I hear that side of the story too! Aren't we all diverse in on our ways? It's about time we start treating one another as human beings, not a QRSSTW or a theirs, them, and other identifiers. Cultural intelligence is not some lunch and learns and lip-service HR projects. It's about embracing the full breadth of talents, knowledge, passions, and backgrounds that make the world a better and more interesting place. Pitting one group against the other on the basis of these differences aren't sustainable. It's like saying, 'we are going to riot until we defund the police' which is selfish and irresponsible. We can't afford to rip apart the society and put it back again magically without further aggravation and dire consequences for the future generations. It's time to look at the overall objectives of our politics and try to find balance and harmony, not tribalism and inept leadership.
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BLAMING IS WORST4/27/2020 Blaming is worst than not complying to social distancing.
Yes, I said it! I heard about the real contagion at Cargill plant in Alberta and that Filipino workers were being accused or blamed for causing another outbreak in the province. I don't think we can benefit from this blame-mongering that put one community against the other. Instead of asking how can we help, we need to stop looking for blame instead, look for solutions. What Covid-19 taught all us all these weeks is that we need to be more discerning about the information we are digesting and the voices out there in the public square. This is trash, period. There is no value whatsoever to the kind of misinformation and deception behind the allusion to certain cultural dynamics of a particular community or group of people. I don't think we should go there. Not now, not even when there is no crisis. |
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