Honor Freedom of Choice & Oppose COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate at Naropa

Naropa has been manufacturing the consent of its students for us in many areas of late, with an increasing and alarming frequency and insistence. The coercion employed to justify these "means toward the end" extends into theft of time, talent, perspective and creativity of paying students via multiple departments, gaslighting us into believing that remote learning is inclusive and congruent enough with contemplative education to charge us even MORE for its subpar experience in Spring '21, and an endless supply of doublespeak that would make George Orwell jealous of its relentlessly ruthless employment in all aspects of official communications. This abuse then continues unchecked until such matters are named by the victims, in which case the silent treatment serves as a fall back to avoid honest discussions that demand ownership, which would then suggest a need for accountability. So, I am wholly unsurprised by the actions surrounding this matter that the University has taken thus far. This ends here. I invoke the power of the sacred NO. It is not until we stop allowing ourselves to be manipulated by these unjust abuses of power dynamics that the message will be made clear to those in power that we refuse to allow them, or anyone who seeks to perpetrate oppressive institutional abuse, to simply get away with this as they always have. Until enough people put their foot down, we will continue to standby and watch as out world is consumed by the fear that perpetuates these structures. In each instance of abuse that I have charted in my life, there is a common element between them all: persons in a down-power position (me prior to expanding my awareness of these matters/ gullibility, naiveté etc.), who do not yet have an awareness that this behavior is unacceptable for any number of reasons, allow themselves to be coerced and manipulated into acting out of alignment with their inner compass. I need not echo the many sentiments in this thread redundantly; they

One comes to Naropa to align with their self or soul rather. No more boxes, categories, impressions, or covert projections. One emerges with the freedom to be and express who they are so they present authentically to the world. Isn’t this being taught at Naropa? Is sense of agency being stripped away to appease a set of limiting mandates? Is Naropa putting themselves in a box or category that severely diminishes choice and limiting its devotees to one or none? When did Naropa submit to a binary outlook on life? Your answers to these questions will forever impact the students and faculty of Naropa. It will weave through the curriculum and contradict much of the teachings. Naropa isn’t like other institutions, we have all-gender bathrooms for christ sake. Open the box, strip the category, remove the labels. Let freedom and choice be all that enter. This will allow for Naropa to continue being a beacon for healing. All are welcome, come as you are. My soul wants choice, not to be

A lie based on a lie based on a lie. Follow the money.

To not allow students with exemptions access to the in-person education they are paying for will have massive consequences for the university. There are options beyond prohibiting students who choose not to get vaccinated or those who cannot get vaccinated from accessing the fullness of their education. I implore you to get creative here and work with the growing number of unvaccinated students, faculty, staff and their allies who are calling on you to reconsider this decision.

Either no vaccine mandate, or, no Naropa University. Is this not a form of the evils of colinislism? Let the sick, elderly, overweight and other vulnerable individuals get it if they FREELY choose, but to the majority covid19 is of no great threat.

Everyone deserves a free will choice.

The vaccine mandate is causing me to lose my housing in the dorms. It’s not fair to make someone pick up and leave for a single semester and then expect us to come back.

I am personally vaccinated and trust the science. It seems reasonable to me for a school to require a vaccination (or exemption) for their students. But the emergency use status of the covid vaccines, in my view, makes it unreasonable for Naropa to mandate them. I believe that adherence to this policy will lead to a massive loss of students which Naropa cannot afford. For these reasons, I oppose the mandate.

Body autonomy for everyone!

I am deeply saddened by Naropa's decision to "fall in line" with the mainstream narrative, fueled by the deceit and political power of big pharma. Those who do not trust these corrupt corporations and questionable technology should not be punished for their personal choice to not take part in this global experiment. I chose Naropa because of it's history of going against the norm, inclusivity, and alignment with higher spiritual wisdom. I do not see these values reflected in this decision based on fear, manipulation, divisiveness, and separation.

Many food and drug technologies have been deemed safe for human use over brief clinical trials, but the institutions responsible for vetting these technologies have failed to study them over the course of years or decades. What, if not this, is the cause of the historically unprecedented prevalence of disease and cancer we see in the United States? While the unknowable long term risks of using this new technology could be considered necessary to protect high-risk individuals from the COVID-19 disease, those individuals have had the opportunity to vaccinate and so are protected against this disease, and are furthermore protected by many other precautions that can be taken by those with and without vaccines.

Each individual should have the right to choice.

I am opposed to give any institution my medical info, regardless of weather or not I'm vaccinated. I will not sign exemptions nor provide proof I have been vaccinated.

How it is possible to impose a vaccine on people, and know that in other places there will be no vaccine for anyone.

Freedom to choose what I put in my body. My choice is NOT to vaccine. I hope there is another outcome to still allow us to be in person.

I am not a Naropa student but a 25 year Boulder resident who is appalled that Naropa would institute such a rule. Where is the freedom of choice, expression, belief - that Naropa has always been about? The chance of dying from covid is .02%. And for healthy people it is essentially 0. These vaccines are experimental and we have no idea what the long term effects of them will be. Do you really wish to coerce and force your students to take part in the biggest global medical experiment that has ever been done?

There is not enough research to show that the long-term health effects of this “vaccine” or that it will protect the general population from further outbreaks. My body, my freedom, my right to choose.

Freedom of choice !

Free Will is a human right

Freedom for health and body choice