When you think about it, militant anti-vax demonstrations, such as the one going on in Canada, are a perfect manifestation of reactionary thought; they combine populism (I trust the guy on the internet, not medical experts), contempt for government (don’t tread on me), toxic masculinity (how many big rig drivers are women?), and the preference for power over persuasion (my freedom of movement counts for more than your right to remain virus-free, and I don’t care if you disagree). Polls consistently show that the anti-vax position is unpopular, however, and honking horns and blocking traffic is hardly a way to win hearts and minds. It looks like a sure electoral loser. What is really going on here?
This is just another example of base mobilization politics prevailing over attempts to persuade swing voters. The reactionaries are essentially saying that an unpopular minority has the right to impose its will on the majority; they don’t care if they represent the majority or not. That’s not the way liberal democracy works. The left needs to use this as an issue during the 2022 campaign.