Anti-vaccine activists: "They are enemies of the people"

I have maintained that not vaccinating children is akin to child abuse. Here’s taking it one step further:

Respectful Insolence and Kevin, M.D., characterize parents who refuse to vaccinate their children as guilty of child neglect. I’ll go one step further. These parents’ selfish decisions are hurting more than their own children. By defeating one of the core missions of public health — that of conferring herd immunity from easily preventable communicable diseases — these parents are harming entire populations. They are hurting other people’s children. To put it coarsely but accurately, they are enemies of the people.

Comments

Gasman
I agree wholeheartedly. Part of the social fabric that holds society together and improves the lives of all is the small relinquishment of independent society-be-damned behaviors. We agree to some moderation of speeds on the highways so that more can arrive at their destination intact; we waive our right to display our genitals in public so that others do not corrupt our children; and we offer our arms for vaccinations at some very small personal risk (< 1 in a million) so that all, ourselves included, avoid the very grave risks inherent in these diseases (many orders of magnitude greater in the pre-vaccine era).

Those who shirk vaccination and sponge off society are no better than any other leach upon the world. The registries of the unvaccinated should be kept at hand by health departments so that in epidemic conditions these people can be rounded up and quarantined for the risk they pose the greater society.
It is their civil right to not be vaccinated, but is also the right of a society to protect itself from erant individuals.
Anonymous
I am all for vaccinations. One example of what happens when people stop vaccinating is the return of diphteria during the collapse of the Soviet Union. And over there people had good reason to refuse vaccinations: the lack of hypodermic needles and the fear of contracting AIDS.
As someone who grew up in the Soviet Union, however, I think one should avoid terms like “the enemy of the people”. I wonder if the author of the referenced post knows of the
history of this expression.
Anonymous
Make vaccinations painless and the vaccination rate will go up.Its cruel to give a baby 4 needles in one session.Research has shown babies have a lower pain threshold than adults.Its unethical to put them through this pain.
John Holdmen
Enemy of the people…. That sounds like communism.
LastoftheZucchiniFlowers
If parents refuse to immunize their children they should NOT be allowed to attend public school. And that is just for starters. Health care professionals have been tolerant of parents who’d rather worship at the altar of McJenny and her pit bull, the Mask, aka Jim Carrey than to comprehend SCIENCE. These two court jesters are ACTORS with flagging careers who have seen that remarketing themselves as pediatric experts has earned them a legion of automotons who will trot after them as it makes their life easier. These parents would rather entrust their precious children and their future immune responses to Dumb and Dumber! Incredible……….. Once I saw the irrationality in my own clinical practice that these vaccine deniers brought to the mix, I refused to have them as my patients. I have that option BUT I will give them all the reasonable explanations based in science as to why the anti vaccine group is not to be believed or trusted. If, after this explanatin they continue to deny, I recommend they see another provider. They are welcome to their opinions but I fully stand behind Kevin’s position in that their insistent and irrational position is analagous to abuse. It’s time to hold these parents who hide behind the anecdotes of a few cases which have no basis in science, fully accountable and to administer sanctions accordingly. They can’t decide willy nilly what they will and will not allow their children to obtain via vaccines AND expect me to adhere. I won’t and neither should any of you. It’s time to stand toe to toe with them and to get out the discharge from practice due to AMA forms. to THEIR mause all public services. Sorry – they can’t continue to have it both ways. I suggest they all band together and form a commune somewhere (like the Pacific Northwest where they already seem to have massed) and live amid those who share their mumbo jumbo approach to child safety and the public health. Since they’ve never seen HIB take the life of a toddler or meningococcemia activating the cascade of multisystem organ failure in a child they’re pompous in their ignorance. I think all refusers need their chains yanked very hard and if those of us in health care continue to endure their anecdotal tirades we going to see the consequences in the next generation. NOW is the time to STOP tolerating their bullying anti-vac crapola and STOP abdicating what WE KNOW is best for kids in an attempt to be conciliatory in the hope of ‘converting’ them. Tough? You bet. But it’s how I have be able to deal with the issue during my career AND yes, I’ve had words with upper echeleons about the harshness of my approach. Sorry – when parents attain my level of educational preparation, clinical experience and national licensure, I will argue the fine points with them. In day to day clinical life I will, as stated above, give one session on the need to immunize. Mom and dads – it’s your job to become educated in facts, not chosen sound bites. Listen to your pediatrician, he or she has something YOU DON’T: Knowledge and experience.
Don’t put your baby at because you wish to wage war in the McJenny/Carrey army of low rating. OR because you don’t want them to experience any pains. As a parent, I DO understand this.
Remember, they’re ACTORS after all.
The person who posted that……”until vaccines are made’painless, failure to immunize rates will not improve’ has proven my point. Parents are placing themselves in the position of being the child – instead of taking the necessary role of parent. Therein lies the core problem.
marbella brown
First of all I need to say that the Pacific NW is not the only state that people do not want to vacinate children.Secondly I want to ask you about synthetic Squalane,Ring a bell.Gulf war illness that does not exist?silicone lubracating oil.How about mercury,aluminum.How about 80 children infected with Polio from a live vacine?Why don’t we use things like Soidum chlorite,Natural,digestable,virus and bacteria killer.Maybe if we were not so overwhelmed with poisen in our enviroment because of. chemicals and drugs,People would not be so reluctant as to self inflict vacinations on themselfs.I don’t believe we were ment to inject these poisens into our bodys.Silicone breast implants are another good example of what should not be put into the body.The diseases brought on by them are in close relation to gulf war syndrom.With all the vacination medications,it makes me wounder why so many around the world die needlessly and go without vacinations,and all we do is pump this stuff on americans like candy,when we have no epidemic,and the rest of the world dies from malaria and diarria.Maybe we should consider cleaning up the whoe mess and not just select a few.Just thoughts.
LastoftheZucchiniFlowers
ms brown – most of the materials you mentioned have NEVER been used in vaccines……..where your ‘info’ comes from, I can only guess! Next, this is about immunizing children who are born in the US and therefore entitled to the treatment non-third world kids must endure. Thimerosal, the mercury derived preservative you mention has NOT been a part of any vaccine for children less than 6 yrs of age for YEARS. If your statement had ANY validity (which it does not) all of us would be neurologically damaged. Your position is merely proof positive that too many Americans have been willingly been duped by the JennyMac automatons because it suits THEIR agenda. More children have been saved by potential life threatening viral illness via global immunizations programs than you are capable of comprehending. Again, try traveling overseas and witness the misery of diptheria and h.flu in nations where there IS NO PUBLIC HEALTH effort. There is no reall $$$ advantage to the sale and use of vaccines and if you took the time to really understand the commerce of immunization YOU WOULD REALIZE that most immunizations are GIVEN AWAY for pennies on the dollar and/or donated than are ‘sold’. As for silicone implants, not my field and agreeably stupid beyond belief. But in the fields of dermatology and cosmetic surgery the cash is paid up front for services which patients desire and demand. It’s a supply and demand economy with regard to cosmetics. But again, not way even close to this subject which is the parental failure to immunize their children. It’s wrong, it’s dangerous and it is a FAILURE on the part of parents. Medical professionals need to STOP tolerating it. My position on this divisive matter and I am 100% in Dr. Pho’s corner. I DO wish the AMA would do something about it – instead of paying needless attention to politics which they can no longer influence.

Anti-vaccine activists: "They are enemies of the people"

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