The BFD | A Slice of Life Forgotten

Angus Rush

The past three days have been a refreshing slice of life forgotten.

My first time walking up the ‘stairs of freedom’ that leads to the ‘Wall of hope’ I stood at the front line talking to my neighbour while they held a sign looking to be seen and listened to.

I watched the ‘changing of the Guard’ as the police rotate, joyfully clapped away by the crowd as if to say ‘thanks for keeping us safe.’

I experienced having what we would call strangers, walking around topping up water bottles with cold fresh spring water and handing out bubble mixture to children.

I witnessed the cleaning crew picking up rubbish, sweeping the footpaths, checking the toilets and an almost ‘shift’ handover as they passed the security badge and high-viz vest to the next willing volunteer.

This is only a very small snapshot of what is on display for all to see. Yet ‘some’ choose to intentionally discredit, defame, besmirch and incite from ‘the large and spacious building’ in attempts to control the narrative while simply refusing to view it at its grassroots.

For 2+ years a swell of dismay, hopelessness and frustration that went unchecked at times resulting in levels of anger, has resided in me. My physical, mental and financial health has suffered at the hands of, in my view, our current Government and their overreaching laws and ‘mandates.’

As a human, where could you turn to just have a voice and be understood without the fear of being shut down/out or losing longstanding friendship and for some, family?

The past three days washed all those feelings away and I could feel my soul starting to heal again. The raw emotion on the ground is real, tears would fill the eyes, but not in sadness, hate or anger, in hope, happiness, unity and pride. I felt proud to be a Kiwi and stand for what is right.

I could tell you of all the conversations I had with honest Kiwi’s that had built and were the backbone of this country, from 17 years of service in the rural fire department, 22 years of teaching, to the builder of 3 years and farmer of 37 years.

A group of about 12+ made up of Paramedics, doctors and nurses that have over 100 years of experience. The simple dad whose son fell victim to a mandated vaccine injury that has life-altering side effects. The 13 old girl who cannot play sport and just be a kid in New Zealand. Again, this is only a snapshot of what is on display for all to see.

On the last day, when mine and others time to go home was approaching, all said they wanted to stay, I know I wanted to. Some did stay on. Why? It was that ‘feeling’. It is so weird and wrong to say out loud in New Zealand, but it was FREEDOM I was feeling.

On 6th October 2021, I write a letter to our Prime Minister. It said …

The pages of history throughout the world and in our own backyard have shown that any group segregation and or removal of personal independence for any reason from governmental structures, regardless of the moral grounds on which the justification is predicated, has no bearing in a free and developed society. This is not ‘miss information’, it is clear for all to see and we are seeing it unfold in the present day too …

I cannot stand by as a proud New Zealander and not exercise my right and freedom to protest on this matter.

There are many ways to write this letter and we both, could go, back-n-forth on the points of why, what and how regarding this ‘C-19 pandemic’. This is not needed, as the ground is already marked on what lines we stand on. So, I will peacefully smile from the ground on which I and the many, New Zealanders stand. We will stand from this time forth until the human spirit of benevolence prevails and the presiding government undoes their horrid display of humanity in this matter.

So, there I was with tens of thousands of kiwis, on the other side of the fence, peacefully protesting on the ground we stand on.

I have walked away a better person because of this experience. My soul was fed ‘chicken soup’. If I could, I would tell all Kiwis to just stop and take the time to see what is on display, even go down and see it for yourself.