We demand the freedom to infect others! The anti-vaccination demonstrations are dour, sour and disingenuous.

People are dying in the Covid pandemic. In New South Wales for example, some 30 deaths occur daily. Surely, everyone expects governments to take some actions.

Generally, governments have chosen to follow medical advice although the implementation has not always been efficient. The protesters who descended on Canberra cannot be naive enough to believe that responsible decision-makers should accept their advice rather than that of medical professionals.

In the lead-up to 2016 US presidential election, many commentatorsthought that Republican Donald Trump would win because voterswanted to express frustration with government in general. DemocratHillary Clinton was seen as part of the political establishment. It isunclear whether the same commentators think that the election dealtwith the frustration but it is certain that Trumpism created hugeproblems for US democracy.

Democracy requires a high degree of self-discipline and willingness to act moderately and compromise. Trumpism promotes undisciplined individualism and immoderate behaviour. Under Trumpism, the ignorant think they know best.

Canberra has a highly educated and politically aware population. Nowonder locals have been hostile to the ignorance on display in theprotests there. First, there is the question of whether people whoadhere to some vague conspiracy theories are themselves being manipulated by dark powers seeking to advance their right wing causes.

Second, the protesters are not simply stating that they themselveswill not be vaccinated a position which it is possible to respect.

They are also demanding that no-one else wears a mask or maintainstheir distance. When educated people are pressured to follow thedictates of the ignorant, they are understandably outraged.

Thirdly, claims of some sort of vague rights or freedoms suggest arespect for the rule of law.

Whether protesters think their rights arise in the constitution or some other form of legislation they undermine their own arguments when they refuse to accept lawful directions.

This contradiction is clear enough in the reaction of Canberra localsto disruption to their community activities. A high-profile exampleof this was the cancellation of the Lifeline book fair at the EPICshowground. It also seems likely that many community activitiessuch as junior sport have been disrupted as parents fear for thesafety of their children.

The men demanding others remove their masks are likely the same ignorant racists who attack women wearing hijabs. These are not people to admire and flock with.

It seems unlikely that anyone, including a protester, land in hospitalwith a serious illness that they would expect the nursing staff to ignoremedical advice and lookout the window to see what protesters thinkabout their treatment. It seems extraordinary that protesters do not seethe hypocrisy in their position.

Australian democracy is far from perfect. Protesters could help improveit by demanding an integrity and anti-corruption commission. They couldpoint out the strains being placed on services such as the health systemas disparity grows between rich and poor.

There has been no clear articulation of the demands of the protesters, notbecause those involved are too ignorant to provide a manifesto, but becausethose behind the demonstrations do not want government to set policies whichmight address the grievances of those in the protest who are people of goodwill.

The aim of those sponsoring these lawless events will remain unstated.Their aim is to disrupt public life, destroy Australias sense of communityand undermine the political process. They favour the rule of the mob,intolerance, fear and ignorance. Their solutions are non-solutions andtheir values non-values.

It is a model which was used extensively by fascists in the 1930s and whichhas had a resurgence in the US under Trumpism. The model should berejected by Australians who value democracy and a sense of community.