In light of the recent whooping cough epidemic in Washington state, and an apparantly touchy subject I unleashed in the wide wide world of facebook yesterday, here is my stance. This is why I choose to vaccinate.
I want to apologize if I offended with the word ‘idiot’. Obviously if you are an anti-vaccinationist because you have educated yourself and stand by your ethical convictions, that certainly does not make you the idiot in this scenario. I am referring to the thousands of people who don’t get vaccinated out of sheer negligence or indifference. Or to the “lemmings” out there who blindly follow the loudest voice in the crowd, telling them not to vaccinate because “I heard from my sister’s friend’s former roommate that shots cause “x” disease/contain “x” chemicals, etc.”
My feet stand firmly and proudly in the pro-vaccine camp, and I don’t think any less about someone whose research and opinions has brought them into the anti-vaccine camp. The research that I have done (and yes, I have done my fair share too) has led me to believe that vaccines are for the greater good of human civilization. Because our country has the infrastructure in place to vaccinate 100% of its citizens—if they so choose, of course—we can move forward as a society not worrying (as much) about major life threatening or debilitating diseases that have virtually been eradicated from the American population. People in 3rd world countries still worry about contracting things like cholera, small pox, diphtheria, measles, etc. Why don’t we? Because 93% of all Americans get vaccinated. We (I know I do) tend to take for granted the fact that we can go to the store and not contract a disease that will wipe out our entire family.
Now I am completely on board with alternative healing, building natural immunities to certain illnesses (not the major diseases), and homeopathic remedies. But I also believe there needs to be a balance between these and western medicine. The advent of vaccines in the 19th century was a HUGE step forward for humankind. And I truly believe that vaccination’s original intent was pure and good. But of course as we know, evil corrupts every good thing in this world. Today pharmaceutical corporations push lobbyists and physicians alike to buy a product that will make them money. This is wrong on many levels. It’s pretty obvious that some big drug corporations (and may I go as far as to say the FDA and USDA as well) have illustrated blatantly that they care more about money, votes, and power than they do about bettering humankind.
I wish we could fully trust pharmaceutical companies to deliver medicines and vaccines that were 100% free from extraneous chemicals. But then again, I wish I could trust the FDA to never allow harmful food additives, pesticide residues, growth hormones, etc. into our food supply. One can choose not to vaccinate themselves or their children for the same reasons that one can choose not to purchase processed foods which may contain harmful ingredients. The same argument can be used in both cases.
We don’t know the long-term results of modern vaccines yet, but we also don’t know the long-term effects from ingesting artificial flavors, manmade sugars, nitrites, sulfates, etc. or using synthetic chemicals on farmer’s crops. Logic suggests that these things are not good for us. I suppose every time I eat cheetos, a non-organic apple, or drink a coke I am taking that risk. So it is with vaccines. I may not entirely understand the long-term effects they will have on me and my children, but the bottom line is, weighing the risks, I still feel that vaccines are the best choice for my family.
I wrote this so you all will know that I am NOT casting any ill judgment on those who intelligently choose not to get vaccinated. I figure if one is wise enough to “do your homework” and not vaccinate, then one is also wise enough to quarantine themselves when they are sick.
Here’s an idea for the Dept. of Health’s new posters regarding the whooping cough epidemic: “Visit your healthcare provider today! Get vaccinated! And if you don’t, for hell’s bells, stay home when you are sick!” ;-)
