Who Cares. What we really need is a vaccine against stupid, because that's our epidemic.
Why have I seen 25 articles this week about vaccines? Because a few kids in a few states got measles? See here's whats really happening. Theres a lull in the news cycle right now, theres no Ferguson, MO right now, theres no Zimmerman, theres no missing plane, and theres no Joseph Kony to be caught. But unfortunately, boutique media outlets (the buzzfeeds, mother joneses, and voxes of the world) still need to get paid. So if there isnt any news they need to make news, as sensational as possible, hopefully concern trolling upon your fears. Theyre going to make the only thing still manufactured in the USA - Outrage. They have an appetite for clicks on their articles, and baby its time to eat. Who can they entice with an emotional appeal to click their garbage articles? Howabout you 22-35 year old mother? An article about the dire risks your child faces on a daily basis due to the 5% of kids that are un-vaccinated? Thats right, your mama-bear maternal instinct will not allow you to skip by this article... your babies need your saving. Oh and whats that? You have VERY strong opinions about the parenting of others? Thats right, you post that article and you tell the other mommies that they cant mommy as good as you mommy. Make sure they click the article too, our advertisers need to see unique visitors! But heres the thing....
See there's three types of people when it comes to this whole vaccine debate:
1 - 10% of people who believe that all vaccines are terrible and cannot be trusted. These people are idiots.
2 - 10% of people who believe all vaccines must be mandatory for everyone because "social responsibility." These people are bigger idiots.
3 - 80% of people who wish these other two types of people would shut up already and mind their own business.
Today I saw one of these mommy articles and the momma-bear was ready to go bare knuckles brawl anyone who doesnt vaccinate their kids. "I WANT TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE SO MY KIDS CAN AVOID YOUR KIDS." I asked a simple question of her - If your kids are vaccinated, and you believe the vaccine is effective, then why do you care? She didnt have a response, but some little man-child-thing on her page did. He said that I am an "anti-vaxxer" and that I cannot be reasoned with, that I am an extreme fringe segment of society with no ability for rational thought. I stated my official stance:
"Most common childhood vaccines are standardized and have stable supply and demand, their routine use surely proves that their benefits outweigh their minimal risks. However, for vaccines that are manufactured under time constraints (flu) or for new diseases that are rushed to market (HPV) there have been adverse side effects, marginal efficacy, etc. I believe its prudent to take into consideration your risk factors, the statistics regarding adverse reactions, and the severity of the illness, and make an informed decision with your doctor rather than facebook commenters."
For this seemingly moderate train of thought I was excoriated. I was called an "anti-vaxxer", a radical, incompetent etc. Why? Because I didnt blindly support the federal government mandating a health decision for every person in our country. Whats convenient for these people is that "the science is conclusive" so you cant question their opinion. Apparently Mr. Facebook guy and Ms. Facebook mom are now the CDC authorities on vaccine science. Nevermind the actual manufacturer of the vaccine itself stating known side effects or adverse reactions... this science is settled! My use of the term "individual liberty" is even scoffed at.... Okay, seems logical. You know what else puts others in danger every day? Driving a car, lets ban that, its pretty dangerous. What killed more kids last year, motor vehicle accidents or measles?
When did we come to a point where our society is willing to, after a whimsical read of one article, make personal behaviors compulsory. There should be a pretty high standard to meet before anything is made mandatory in our country, that used to be a proposal that was unheard of. Lets get something straight mommy, your kid received the vaccine, they are impervious to the disease you fear, so mind your business. Lets say your kid is in the less than one percent of kids who legitimately cannot receive a vaccine, and encounters one of the 5% of kids who also (voluntarily) wasnt vaccinated, who also happens to live near one of the dozens of possible cases of measles in the entire country of 315 million people. Well then your kid might get sick, sorry. But heres whats really going to happen, your kid is going to go to school, learn some stuff, come home eat a chicken nugget and go to bed. Theyll repeat this for like 15 years in a row, and youll move on to blogging about your new advocare cleanse. Maybe that other kid (who you dont even know) will get chicken pox when they didnt need to, well sucks for them and their dumb parent.
There was a time were moms brought their kids to the house on the street with chicken pox to make them get the disease, that was their vaccination. Lets not lose our heads here... we're not talking about smallpox and polio, this isnt 1800. Every day a lot more kids die of starvation, cancer, abuse, etc wheres your strongly worded article post for them? Oh right, thats not about you, so it doesnt exist. If you dont want your kids exposed to diseases we eradicated, then stop letting kids infected with them cross the southern border daily.
These articles have done exactly what they were intended to do. Get two sides to take up arms against each-other and argue until theyre blue in the face. Because, if we arent arguing, commenting, and sharing, then media outlets arent making money... and just once we might unite and turn on the messenger rather than the message. Cant have that.
