Yesterday I read an article from my home state that honestly shocked me. I live in Michigan and as far as knew, current governor notwithstanding, Michigan was a solidly progressive state. The home of big labor unions, the UAW, we have a large Muslim community that was far too normal for reality TV and (most) people were accepting of them. We voted solidly blue for Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012.
So I guess it struck me when I read about the large anti vaccination movement happening here in Michigan. It’s so bad that we’re the 4th highest state in America for people not vaccinating their children because of a personal or ‘religious exemption’.
Give me a freakin’ break!
So let me get this straight, you want to leave your kids’ life in God’s hands?
Okay fine, your kid is your kid. So when you say that “I should have the choice whether or not I want to immunize my children” You’re really saying that It’s cool if my kid gets Polio, or measles, or whooping cough or the myriad of other diseases that had once been nearly eliminated because of vaccination, but hey it’s my choice.
If it just affected you and your (poor) kid okay. Personally I think NOT vaccinating your child should be considered child abuse and neglect, but that’s just my opinion.
Personal opinions aside the danger of not vaccinating your children comes from the effect on other children. Especially children too young to be vaccinated. There is something called the “herd immunity” It’s a pretty stupid name that pisses off most people because of individualism or something. Basically it’s a concept that if the majority of the people are immunized from these diseases, then they protect those are who cannot be immunized.
It comes down to the majority offering immunity to those who don’t have it by keeping infection rates low among the general populace. It’s math. If less people get polio, there is a smaller chance of polio spreading to new people.
This is the central concept of immunization. Research from Johns Hopkins medical center show that a disease doesn’t spread as long as 93-95% of people are immunized from it.
But because so many people are refusing to vaccinate their children, these diseases like whooping cough and measles, that kill babies mind you, are making a comeback. We nearly got rid of it, but now it’s making a comeback because of parents that have been fear mongered by Alex Jones and other ridiculous anti science, anti government conspiracy theorists.
“I don’t trust the government, and I don’t trust big pharma” are the common refrain from this rabble of fearful moms. Okay, I don’t trust big pharma either, but these vaccines work. It’s back to math. More people vaccinated = less deadly diseases. It’s that simple.
Another myth spread around is the idea that vaccines cause autism. No they don’t, there is no actual scientific proof of that.
This is where I get pissed off. I see people who are not scientists, who are not doctors, who are not knowledgeable in anything related to those fields, thinking that they’re experts and know what’s best not only for their own families, but humanity as a whole. Because not vaccinating your kid doesn’t just affect your kid. It affects everyone.
Regular people do not know better than scientists, or doctors. If they did, we would go to them for medical advice and treatment. It’s all ridiculous.
This is why I don’t want to start my family in Michigan, because someone else’s unvaccinated child could kill mine because of one parents’ decision to leave in the hands of God.
To them I say a hearty “Fuck You!”
Waldorf Nation 