You took action and we made it happen! The naughty bad bill AB 1993 that would require all employees, including 1099 contractors, in California has been halted. For now. But our fight is far from over. Our continued vigilance is a privilege and a duty and one of the easiest ways to stay sharp is by reading past the headlines and reading between the lines.

Here's an example. Below are excerpts from The Los Angeles Times. Can you see where they're psychologically gaming us and manipulating us?

Citing improved pandemic conditions and opposition from public safety unions, Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) said she would hold Assembly Bill 1993, which would have required employees and independent contractors, in both the public and private sectors, to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment unless they have an exemption based on a medical condition, disability or religious beliefs.

“We introduced AB 1993 because of the high volume of workers, employers and public health experts who expressed the need for vaccine requirements yet felt unable to make these changes on their own,” Wicks said in a statement. “We are now in a new and welcome chapter in this pandemic, with the virus receding for the moment. This provides for us the opportunity to work more collaboratively with labor and employers to address concerns raised by the bill.”

What stands out for me is the beginning of the sentence, "Citing improved pandemic conditions..." and "...employers and public health experts who expressed the need for vaccine requirements yet felt unable to make these changes on their own." Really? Are we still in a pandemic? Because when I shut off the t.v. and look out the window, all the world seems pretty normal. And was it really the public health "experts" and employers that expressed the need for vaccine requirements or was that need expressed from another three letter organization? How do you think people "in the middle" may receive these words from the LA Times? How would they view the current state of the world after reading this article if they didn't know what we knew? As for me, I never even use the word "pandemic" because we've never been in one and to say so would be a big fat LIE.

The battle begins in the mind. And with so much misinformation and data, it's our responsibility to remain watchful and to keep sharpening our tools. It's not only a privilege to be able to speak freely about our beliefs and convictions but it is a blessing to be on this side of the fence. Despite all that we've been through and continue to fight through, we are still the lucky ones who know the truth.

There's a reason why the saying "no rest for the wicked" exists. I think it's because the good guys won't stop giving them a run for their money.

xoxo, Nari