First off, let me state as clearly as possible that if you believe that you have a philosophical right to keep from vaccinating your kids against measles, you’re an idiot. You’re not a free thinker or a maverick or a concerned parent. You’re an idiot. That “philosophical” exemption was granted by an Arizona State Legislature that has proven, time and again, that it doesn’t give a flying crap about kids. And obviously, you don’t either. Idiot.
Also, if your religion says that you somehow have the right to put your kids (and mine) at risk of death from a disease that still kills hundreds of thousands of people in the world every year but had been eradicated in the United States, then your religion sucks. And you suck, too. I hope that’s clear enough.
Now, from time to time, I get criticized for being almost universally negative in my comments about, and feelings toward, Republicans, in general, and Republican politicians, in particular. Well, please pay attention, because I am going against the grain on this one. When the recent measles outbreak hit the United States, the vast majority of Republican politicians either did the right thing or the sorta-right thing. Some bucked the traditional party line of questioning science and came out in favor of universal vaccinations. The others at least had the common sense and decency to keep their mouths shut.
I sincerely believe that a majority of Republicans, almost all Democrats, and a fair number of Independents recognize that getting a kid vaccinated against a disease that can be completely eradicated is not a political issue. It’s a public health issue, one on which we should all be on the same side.
There are exceptions, of course, and they came in three major categories. First was Michele Bachmann, who is certifiably bat-crap crazy. (That’s a category unto itself and Bachmann isn’t alone in the room.) Speaking on the “Today” show, Bachmann said, “I had a mother come up to me (and) she told me that her little daughter took that (HPV) vaccine, that injection. And she suffered from mental retardation thereafter.”
Setting aside the rather-obvious unclear antecedent, if the woman of whom Bachmann spoke actually existed and if she actually said those words, the “mental retardation” of which she spoke was almost certainly hereditary.
Then there’s New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who is generally at least somewhat level-headed. Christie is running for president, but, more significantly, he’s running for the Republican nomination for president, so he feels the need to tack toward the crackpot fringe. Christie initially bowed to the black-helicopter/governmental overreach crowd by saying that parents “must have a measure of choice” about vaccinating their kids for measles. After the groaning died down back at Headquarters, his office released a statement that “with a disease like measles, there is no question that kids should be vaccinated.”
So there is the crazy and the politically inept. And then there is Rand Paul. Here’s a guy who is so tied to his Libertarian Uber Alles view of life that he bring himself to defy his own rigid ideals, even when he absolutely must know that he should. He’s a physician, for crying out loud.
His first statement was a rather vacuous nod to “freedom.” Then, he tiptoed out onto Bachmann’s ledge by claiming, “I’ve heard of many tragic cases of walking, talking, normal children, who would up with profound mental disorders after vaccines.” (Again, he’s a physician.)
After being taken behind the woodshed of (near-universal) popular opinion for a couple days, Paul backtracked and said, “I support vaccinations.” Well, congratulations, Senator, you’re now up to the 18th century.
A couple years ago, I had a parent of one of my ballplayers tell me that she had made an “informed choice” not to have her daughter vaccinated. (Coaches have to be careful when dealing with parents. It’s a fragile relationship, even if the kid plays all the time and the team is winning.) For that reason, I was careful not to call her an idiot to her face. Instead, I just said that she had made an idiotic decision.
She said that she had read about the subject extensively on the Internet. I countered by telling her that I had read online that Tupac Shakur and Elvis Presley had opened a smoothie shop in St. George, Utah. Our relationship cooled somewhat after that.
That which she had read about extensively was undoubtedly the article written by a British surgeon named Andrew Wakefield in 1998. He claimed that there was a possible link between the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine and autism. He based this on his observation of 12 (yes, 12!) children. His “study” was later completely debunked and he was kicked out of being a doctor over professional misconduct involving the study. His findings have never been duplicated in even one case, even with studies involving millions of kids.
Unfortunately, it gets on the Internet, gets passed around, re-tweeted, recycled, rehashed, and incorrectly cited millions of times. All of a sudden, you’ve got Jenny McCarthy, who may be good at one or two things, but scientific analysis isn’t one of them.
Finally, there was a headline in the Washington Post that read, “Why Younger Americans Are Much More Likely to Say That Vaccination Should Be a Choice.”
Because they’re idiots.
This article appears in Feb 12-18, 2015.
Bingo Tom
What about the 5000 “kids” from Latin America that came into this country over the past 15 months?
Were they vaccinated before they were spread around the country?
Hey come on that’s racist!
We have an uneasy alliance among the anti-vaccination camps. Yes, there are the usual Bachmanites as Danehy points out and other Republicans including Paul and Christie. But in California, the state with the most cases reported, we have the Bay area defenders of freedom and personal choice leading the charge against vaccination and demanding exemption for their wunderkinds. These folks are not, if voting patterns are any indication, Republicans.
“The Bay Area, as it happens, is a hotbed of anti-vaccination sentiment. Curiously, as Phil Plait points out on Slate, there’s some correlation between affluent and well-educated communities and low vaccination rates. Marin County has one of the highest rates of “personal belief exemptions” for childhood immunizations, which of course endanger school mates and the community. At one Sausalito school, only 26% of entering kindergartners were vaccinated against measles. In Santa Cruz County, the rate of personal belief exemptions is a shocking 9.6%. (The state average is 2.8%, according to a report on KQED.)” LA Times
So there are “idiots” on both side of the political divide, an obvious point the author fails to discuss. If one of my grandkids became infected, I would be as irate with the Bachmanite as with the wealthy freedom loving Yipster.
norm9do asks an excellent question. One I would love to hear an answer to.
When the 5,000 kids entered the country, from Central America, it was pointed out that where they originated the vaccination rate was even more impressive than any in the western hemisphere. Also I don’t seem to remember any such epidemics breaking out in any of the places where they ended up. Given the virulent nature of the discussion it seems a mute point now.
Is it possible that we, the US, could benefit from the examples of some second rate illegal aliens?
Saying that there are idiots on both sides doesn’t validate the idiocy. Anti-vaxers cannot see beyond their own paranoia and endanger everyone around them. Even freedom loving farmers aren’t so stupid as to let their cows go unvaccinated.
Yes. Continue to neurologically prune the bambinos with needles. Maybe it will help increase your readership.
Kentop,
You are absolutely right. In Danehy’s word view only Republicans are idiots – Democrats get a free pass. Refusing to vaccinate children is worse than idiocy, it is child abuse when practiced by Luddites or wealthy, well educated numbskulls in Marin County.
jcb13. Pointed out by who? Do you believe everything you hear without any proof ? Then again, I’ll bet anything you’re an Obummer voter, so you probably do.
Although Danehick still sucks, for once he has taken the correct position on an issue.
Signed,
Danehick (Still) Sux
CW 13-I will gladly have a beer with you.
No problem with vaccinations. In my world it seems to be the holistic bunch ( almost exclusively Dem voters) who fight the shots. Anecdotal evidence, but interesting.
Bachmann may have that deer in the headlights thing going Tom, but she has adopted like twenty kids from all over the planet and probably vaccinated all of them. I don’t think she’s a monster.
Whoa, what is with this 5000 number on the immigrant kids? Go hit google and do your homework folks.
The minimum number is 68,000 and I bet a few of them made it to Disneyland.
Barry puts out a help wanted add for contract transportation to points all over the USA before they
even arrive. Who the hell even knows who got their shots and who was already ill. Not polite to ask those questions eh Tommy?
Political correctness really will get us all killed.
Vince, et al:
I’ve received a couple e-mails from people whom I assume are Democrats, spouting New Age nonsense about vaccinations. I told one guy, “It must suck not to be able to understand basic science.” When this thing first hit, I was dreading the possibility of a Democratic politician saying something stupid about it being a matter of choice. Fortunately, none has. Those three Republicans did, but two of them have walked back on the issue. As I said, it’s not a political issue; it’s a public health issue. It’s nice to agree every now and then…but probably more fun to disagree.
” When this thing first hit, I was dreading the possibility of a Democratic politician saying something stupid about it being a matter of choice. Fortunately, none has. Those three Republicans did, but two of them have walked back on the issue. As I said, it’s not a political issue; it’s a public health issue.”
Tom, if it’s not a political issue, why can’t you stop yourself from bringing up political party membership?
“What about the 5000 “kids” from Latin America that came into this country over the past 15 months?
Were they vaccinated before they were spread around the country?” I don’t know norm9do. Why not look it up? The facts are easily accessible. The US vaccination is 91%. Costa Rico is 91%. Guatelmala is 85%. Guyana is 99%. Panama is 92%. Paraguay is 92%. Peru is 85%. Uruguay is 96%. Argentina is 91%. Belize is 99%. Bolivia is 95%. Brazil is 99%. Chile is 90%. Columbia is 92%. El Salvador is 99%. Mexico is 89%. Venezuela is 85%. “http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.IMM…” As you can see, they were 11 countries had rates equal to or greater than the US and 5 had less. But the lowest rate was 85%. So, yes, there likely vaccinated. At least as likely as kids from the US. And is making a judgment about a person based simply on the fact that a person is member of a race or ethnicity racist? Why yes it is.
Tom, yes disagreement is a bit more entertaining. The amen chorus thing can get a bit tedious. Thankfully a few conservative folks read your column.
You should be glad to hear some dissent. Emil’s radio show has never been quite as interesting since your departure because of fewer healthy arguments (often between us) Remember we always agreed on Steely Dan and The Stones though.
Tom, when people practice unprotected sex with multiple partners is that a public health issue or a political issue? Dare you to write an article about that topic in this little porn ad rag.
Hey Retrorv Is it racist to ask if all those refugees will be feeding at the government trough and voting for the democrat party? Is it ok when Mexico and every other country that enforces its border laws
makes a judgment about people?
Home run after home run, Vince. Way to go.
Tom, I went up to Phoenix last night to watch the Rangers kick Coyote ass.
Vaccine Injuries are real. It is irresponsible not to look at those who have been seriously injured as a result of vaccine complications. It is also irresponsible to not take into consideration the dangers of the preservatives and adjuvants which are used in vaccines. If someone told you I’m going to give you a shot that contains the following ingredients: MSG, formaldehyde, mercury, and or aluminum I think you would probably ask for more information or have some reluctance to comply as those are toxins. Additionally it is as if we have forgotten the way that Viruses work. They are smart. They morph. The flu vaccine for example is one that they admit may only work about 50% of the time as they base the vaccine on last years virus. This past year the CDC admitted that the flu vaccine was not fighting the strain that is out this year. Perhaps those of you who are so afraid of these illnesses shouldn’t come down on those of us who are afraid of the consequences of vaccines. Seems like the fear based argument you use to bully those who choose not to get vaccinated goes both ways. I do not want the government forcing medical treatment.
Rick asks:
“Tom, if it’s not a political issue, why can’t you stop yourself from bringing up political party membership?”
It’s inbred into his DNA.
15 years ago I vaccinated my daughter, and now she’s moody, sarcastic and won’t clean up her room.
This is what I love about Tom Danehy, he doesn’t say mistaken or uninformed or even ignorant. He calls ’em like he sees ’em. Idiots. But I disagree with two things. Chris Christy is almost never level headed. And although Rand Paul is kind of a physician, isn’t he more like a dentist? Also, they should lock up that idiot Dr. Andrew Wakefield, for starting this whole vaccination scare.
Ok, if people want the right to not vax their kids, they should have that right. But the public has the right to be protected from unvaccinated people. So, I guess we quarantine them till they do get vaccinated.😜