Who are the covidiots?
Shame on Mr. Wallis for referring to youth in general as “covidiots”, youth who stay out of school scolding “us older folk” for destroying the planet (re: “Young people acting like covidiots”, Citizen, March 26). I take it that you never played hookey from school as a youth? I did, and for less justification than a climate protest.
First, let’s be quite clear that it is us older folk who are indeed collectively destroying the planet through our neglect to control carbon emissions. The COVID-19 virus now disrupting the whole globe is just one more backlash of nature against our destruction of the environment and climate. COVID-19 is a threat like nothing the world has seen before. But the worst impacts of climate change and viruses like this are likely in the future, when us old folk pass on. And by the way, you also defined a covidiot as a person who hoards groceries and other vital supplies. Those people are not youth, they are older folk like you.
Our youth get it. And they have every right to protest, seeing that older folk are still doing nothing significant to stop the climate destruction, because our generation is too focused on profit. Viewing recent student climate protests, I wish that my generation had been nearly as thoughtful and well behaved as what I have seen. I support these student protests. After all, Mr. Wallis, it is their future we’re talking about, not ours. Far better you spend your time thinking of ways to improve the future for these same youth, such as reducing your carbon footprint, instead of complaining about them.
And yes, I agree with that wonderful youth, Greta Thunberg, so “How dare you?”
Geoff Strong
Atmospheric/climate scientist
Cowichan Bay
