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Don Barzini

Can we get 3 cheers for the Anti-vaxxer geniuses?

Their most recent failure of basic reasoning has now seeded a widening outbreak of measles in the NW US. This, after a similar rash of unfounded primitive superstition brought about a polio epidemic in N Africa.
What next, swear off band-aids because they defile the body? 

Posted - February 9, 2019
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Responses


  • 5391
    I think we can separate flu shots from some of the other vaccinations due to the fluid nature of the virus. Polio, measels, mumps, etc, are not so seasonally variable that the vaccines have to differ from year to year. 
    But I think your heart is in the right place. 
      February 11, 2019 10:17 AM MST
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  • 46117
    I'm reading more about this plight on this question DB and I agree with you.  I had my head up my butt here.  If my kid got sick from another kid who spread some virulent strain of some disease to my kid, I WOULD FREAK.   I would sue the school system.
      February 11, 2019 10:22 AM MST
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  • 5391
    Which is why vaccine requirements for school admission were put into effect in the first place. Yet anti-vaxxers feel they can be permitted to circumvent these guidelines because their misguided “beliefs” should be respected (Don’t get me started on that) over the welfare of the public at large. 

    There will always be cults of those who dream up a conspiracy by the nebulous “They” to fleece them. This post was edited by Don Barzini at February 11, 2019 10:56 AM MST
      February 11, 2019 10:45 AM MST
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  • When my daughter started Kindergarten, I had to prove she was up to date on all of her vaccinations.  It makes me sick to my stomach, these anti-vaxxers.   I remember years ago when that dumba$$, Jenny McCarthey, got on tv to spew crap about not vaccinating her son, and suddenly the sheep bought into and voila, look at the mess now.    When people stop listening to doctors, to medical scientists who devote their lives to finding vaccines to save people's lives, like Polio for instance, and start accepting medical advice from movie stars, there's a problem. 
    As for these current idiot anti-vaxxers, I've got nothing nice to say about them.  They shouldn't be permitted to breed and subject their children to diseases that were eradicated when vaccines were created to prevent them.  It's neglect and abuse. This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at February 11, 2019 3:01 PM MST
      February 11, 2019 10:19 AM MST
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  • 46117
    I agree with this argument.   If people do not want their kids vaccinated, they need to home school their kids.  This is suicidal.
      February 11, 2019 10:20 AM MST
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  • 5391
    Things have really degenerated when we toss out medical science for an unlettered opinion of one whose inroad to fame was Playboy pictorials. 
      February 11, 2019 11:10 AM MST
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  • 7939
    I'm only responding because I want to clarify a few points.

    Vaccine exemptions exist for a reason and are handled on a state-by-state basis. All states allow medical exemptions. Here in Arizona, our children are also allowed to enroll in school without vaccinations provided a parent has religious or philosophical issues with vaccines. A great many allow religious exemptions, fewer offer philosophical exemptions. I, personally, would never live in a state that did not allow philosophical exemptions. 

    If there is an outbreak, children with exemptions are sent home and must remain at home until the outbreak is contained. 

    Personally, I don't think it's anybody's concern but mine whether my kids are vaccinated or not. I'm a diligent parent. If my kids are sick and their condition worsens or they don't recover quickly, they go to a doctor. The likelihood of them having any life-threatening issue is incredibly small, particularly because they do receive medical care regularly. The concern then, is not for the health and safety of my own children, because my kids will be fine, it is for kids who cannot be vaccinated due to age or health issues. Do I care enough about someone else's child to accept the risks of vaccines? Because, regardless of whether you believe in their safety or not, you are weighing it when you make a decision. There are risks. There are risks with every medication. It should not be anyone's decision but mine whether I'm willing to accept those risks. Period. 

    My younger two are selectively vaccinated and it's for a mixture of medical and philosophical reasons. Medically, they cannot have the MMR. Some of the others I've declined, like flu and chicken pox, are for philosophical reasons. They do have vaccines for things like polio. I have made a conscious and educated decision on what's right for my children. I would hope others do the same. 

    Realistically, unvaccinated children cannot live in a bubble unless all those parents keep their kids at home all the time. And, there are children like mine who have allergies to specific vaccines as well as immunocompromised children who cannot have them. I'm well aware that my kids could be exposed to measles while at school or the park or the grocery store. I do not blame other parents for not having their kids vaccinated nor for putting my children "at risk" because I respect their right to choose. If it bothered me that much, my kids would be home-schooled because I would take ownership for what I'm exposing my kids to. I have family members with immunocompromised  children. They opt not to let our kids play together when there are outbreaks. I think it's overkill, but I respect their decision. I would never challenge them on it. 

    I liken this to abortion. If you don't agree with abortion, don't have one. Or, don't have sex. If you're ok with abortion and you choose to have one, then that's on you. Don't take away my right to choose. Don't take away my right to decide what's right for my family. If it bothers you that some unvaccinated people got measles, then vaccinate yourself and your children. Have at it. Problem solved. The day my right to choose what happens to my body and my children's bodies is taken away will be the day I leave the country. 
      February 11, 2019 12:17 PM MST
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  • 7280
    And, like your answer, this answer is also to clarify another point---I would never liken this to abortion.  

    Abortion is an extreme form of birth control (by definition).  You say that "if you don't agree with abortion, don't have one. Or don't have sex."  I agree that makes sense.

    You then say, "If you're ok with abortion and you choose to have one, then that's on you."  Also OK (or at least reasonable).

    The problem I see is that in abortion, an ordered sentient collection of cells is directly and unalterably and unilaterally affected by the outcome of the woman"s choice---and the risk is 100% to what we generally call a fetus.

    Edit: added "(or at least reasonable)" This post was edited by tom jackson at February 11, 2019 12:56 PM MST
      February 11, 2019 12:55 PM MST
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  • 7939
    If you want to see it in minimalist terms, you'd be correct. On the flip side, what happens to children who are born into families that don't want them and/or are unprepared to care for them? Those children do impact society. I am actually pro-life. I don't believe in abortion. I would never have one. In a perfect world, all children would be born into loving and prepared homes. That's not what happens. So, I believe people should have a choice.

    Furthermore, with abortions outlawed, we then have women seeking unsafe methods to terminate pregnancies. We, as a society, may well then become responsible for the woman's care- either because she had a disastrous outcome or because she couldn't have an abortion and was financially unprepared for the pregnancy and care of said child.

    Either way, we're meddling in a person's private affairs. Either way, more people than those making the choice can be impacted. No, they're not in the exact same realm, but there are enough parallels between the two that I can draw comparisons. 

    From where I sit, it's not my place to decide what happens with someone else's body. There's very little I would outlaw, though I believe in enacting regulations for the sake of safety. I wouldn't mandate vaccinations, if it was up to me. I wouldn't outlaw abortion. I wouldn't outlaw assisted suicide, especially with terminally ill patients. I wouldn't outlaw prostitution. That doesn't mean I would personally choose any of these paths, but I respect the rights of others and think they need to make the choice that's right for them. I expect the same courtesy. 
      February 11, 2019 2:42 PM MST
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