Opinion - A year ago I wrote about my sister's cancer. Given the brutal treatment regime she was undergoing had left her immunocompromised, I wanted to express my frustration that so many people were refusing to adopt Covid measures which would protect not only themselves, but others, like her.
I probably didn't do myself any favours by writing that during 2021 I had become misanthropic towards "anti-factsters"; that I felt contempt towards people who'd lost their sense of community and concern for others.
But I was not prepared for the resulting tidal wave that flooded my inbox - neither the volume, nor the venom.
Three key items:
- Journalists should not be telling people "how to think and what to do".
- Feelings should not trump facts and proper reporting.
- The response from the public is understandable albeit uncouth.