Lockdown Activism?
Conor Kelly, mental health awareness and LGBTQ+ rights advocate, chats to Seanad candidate Laura Harmon about her campaign during these strange times and offers some advice on how to maintain activist momentum during lockdown.
In Ireland and around the world we are facing a crisis. We are trying our best to stay calm and take care of not only ourselves, but also the people around us.
The Covid-19 pandemic has frightened everyone, and we are all trying to find our everyday routine. Nevertheless, it’s important to talk about how this crisis has affected social justice campaigning and activists who are fighting for a more equal society.
I speak to activist and hopeful candidate for the Seanad Laura Harmon, to hear about how Covid-19 has affected her activism but also her campaign to become an Irish Senator.
"For over a decade, I have campaigned for a more equal society and I have delivered results. As the national Head of Mobilization for Together for Yes in 2018, I helped deliver overwhelming support for liberalizing Ireland’s abortion laws to repeal the 8th amendment which outlawed seeking a termination of pregnancy that existed since 1983."
Laura was pivotal in some of the progressive steps we have taken as a country in recent years such as a student activist and working for the national women's council. As President of the Union of Students in Ireland, Laura led the student campaign for marriage equality which registered 30,000 voters ahead of the referendum in 2015.
"I have a track record on campaigning for climate action, a more accessible education system, political reform and for housing rights. Today, I’m the Women in Leadership Coordinator for the National Women’s Council of Ireland, furthering women’s equality every day."
Laura continues by speaking about her lockdown activism and how it has affected her campaign during this health crisis.
“Campaigning has become more online focused now because of Covid-19. More and more people are on social media now because they are self-isolating and working from home. For my Seanad campaign, we have ceased all face to face campaigning and canvassing and are mainly communicating with voters online through videos, direct messages and Facebook, Twitter and Instagram."
Why is it important that in your opinion to stay calm and collected during this pandemic?
"Well because there is no point in panicking in an emergency, it won’t make things any better. The main thing people can do is follow the advice of the medical professionals, wash hands regularly and keep our physical distance. Ireland has a great community spirit so we can get through this if everyone works together."
Unfortunately Laura's campaign was unsuccessful, but I encourage everyone to keep an eye on her career in future. Even though activism "on the streets" has been suspended, while were all stuck in at home it’s important to continue the conversation about how our most vulnerable are continuing to be affected by injustice at this incredibly stressful period in human history. We can do this in many ways.
Developing our education on the subjects that we have campaigned for (by reading books or taking online courses) can broaden our minds and give us fresh perspectives. Creating like-minded networks of activists and sharing information through them, like articles, videos and opinions, will keep people engaged in their topic. Generating content and social media campaigns can continue to spread the message while people are in lockdown mode.
Now I don’t agree with An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on many things. His recent comments punching down on apparent welfare cheats during this crisis were a disgrace. We have very different views and opinions on social issues, politics and everything else but he made an address to the nation on St. Patrick’s Day about how our country is facing this crisis. This is how he put it…
"We need your co-operation and that of business and industry to make social distancing workable. This may mean changing how you do your business… but we will work with you to find safe and creative ways to do this.
This may mean adjusted opening hours… Staggering breaks… phone calls rather than meetings… and if possible, working from home.
As you plan your life it will mean avoiding unnecessary journeys. Shopping online from local businesses and getting things delivered rather than physically going to the premises.
In short – we are asking people to come together as a nation by staying apart from each other."
When the Taoiseach gave this speech, he used ‘We’ a lot throughout as in ‘we as a community must come together’. I’ve been an activist for the last five years and everything I have done has been against the policies of Leo Varadkar and his predecessor Enda Kenny, because I don’t agree with any of their opinions or decisions in the past. But for the first time in my career as an activist I actually agree with him.
We need to listen to Leo Varadkar about coming together, to take care of ourselves and stay calm because our country is under tremendous stress. If we’re to get through this crisis, we need to stop spreading rumours and fear on social media. Instead we need to start spreading compassion, by doing things looking after our older relatives and neighbours who are at risk of loneliness and prevent from getting their shopping or medication.
Please stay calm and please look after each other. We are facing a crisis, but we must spread the love, not the panic.
Conor Kelly
Activist, student, journalist, mental health campaigner, LGBTQ+ rights advocate.
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