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Well, there's also the "free rider" problem.

It's actually perfectly safe to not vaccinate your kids, as long as everyone else DOES vaccinate THEIR kids.

We don't quite have a big enough "critical mass" of idiots that don't vaccinate their kids in the US for a real epidemic of one of these old childhood diseases to break out and sustain itself.

We will eventually, though, I suspect.

It won't be long before a resurgence in these diseases comes about. The number of immigrants, both legal and ILLEGAL will help to hurry the process along.

You are right; eventually that 'critical mass' will be reached. And with all the immigration, new strains of old diseases, as well as diseases that are new to the U.S. that are cropping up, it will happen. Also, how many illegals are adding to that 'critical mass', but out of sight. It may happen sooner than we think.

Personally, I couldn't give a hoot what they do, in that it doesn't affect me. We had our vaccinations, and kept them up; and don't have kids to be affected either way. That is my selfish side.

OTOH, there is my social responsibility side. I hate to see the innocent suffer through no fault of their own. I am old enough to have seen first hand the results of not having vaccinations. I certainly didn't like 'the needle' any more than any other kid; but it didn't kill me either. Polio did dang near kill my aunt, though. I've seen shingles up close & personal enough to be glad I don't need to worry about that.

Mumps, we didn't have a vaccine in time for me; I had them--twice--once on each side; the second time involved the scrotum as well. It is not to be preferred over a shot. Same for whooping cough.

I also lost a few dogs to Corona & Parvo before vaccinations were available; and saw dogs die of heart worm because owners thought the preventatives were 'too dangerous'. I don't understand why peole who would not even consider not getting their dog or cat vaccinated, won't do the same for their children.

I've read too many journal entries and seen too many grave markers of infants and toddlers lost to smallpox, chickenpox, measles, polio, and other childhood diseases.

Yes, we CAN--usually--treat them now, but at what cost, both to the wallet; and more importantly, what cost to the victim? What cost in heart ache?

And why should the public pick up the cost of expensive treatment, when cheap prevention was available and rejected?

Even 'mild' diseases can have lasting effects; just because we rarely see the grossly disfigured from pox anymore is no excuse to allow it to happen.

We live in a civilized society; we should avail ourselves of its benefits. Oh, well; most are responsible; the rest will not be convinced, no matter what arguments or evidence is presented.

We don't quite have a big enough "critical mass" of idiots that don't vaccinate their kids in the US for a real epidemic of one of these old childhood diseases to break out and sustain itself.

We will eventually, though, I suspect.

Well that would weed out some of the stupid genes and memes from the population.