Posted on 08/17/2015 8:44:37 AM PDT by Enlightened1
Ben Carson carries the title of “Doctor” for a reason. It is not honorary, and it is not frivolous, he EARNED through years of study and practice.
Now, many in the medical profession do tend to get fixated thinking from time to time about one procedure or another, but the one constant that is taught in medical schools everywhere is that at least 50% of what is recited as irrefutable fact in these classrooms will have been proven absolutely and totally WRONG, and in fact probably very harmful over the long term, but the prospective doctor does not learn which is which until perhaps late in years.
That is why it is called the PRACTICE of medicine, and why it is more art than science at times.
For personal and in his mind, well-founded reasons, Dr. Ben Carson happens to BELIEVE in the effectiveness of vaccination, but the jury is still out on that one.
I do not discount his very real abilities in most areas of his life simply because this one single belief.
Something like the adage that when your only tool is a hammer everything looks like a nail?
The thing I fear is that every otherwise good candidate has done or has spoken about doing something that would put them off of everybody’s short list; we have a maddening menu of imperfection to choose from.
I have a feeling this is being intentionally spun in a way that makes Carson look bad. I will wait for all the facts before deciding one way or the other.
I keep hearing this "being forced" rhetoric. What exactly do you mean when you say this? Are you aware of armed agents showing up in homes grabbing children and forcing needles into their arms while their screaming parents are held at gunpoint?
Doctors also have specialties. Carson is, what, a neurologist? I don’t think he would swallow everything an immunologist has to say about his specialty. The guy who fixes your roof is not the first to ask about your plumbing, or vice versa.
Oopsie. Bye, Ben...
Modulo various levels of drama, something like this would happen.
No, it's not medical tyranny. The question of vaccination is one of weighing competing rights, interests, and obligations.
In regards to preventing the spread of dangerous and debilitating diseases, the government does indeed have not only a right, but a duty to deal with such things. The only exception that I can see is if the Vaccine being required is unproven or somehow constitutes a greater health threat to specific individuals than the benefit it would convey.
Now I am a firm believer in Freedom, but there is no such thing as a freedom to make other people sick. Given the high probability that unvaccinated children will acquire potentially deadly diseases (they don't bother making vaccines for harmless diseases) such children become a threat to other people's children.
Now you might have an argument that people would have a right to prevent their own children from getting a vaccine if they agreed to keep their own children away from other children to whom their children might expose to disease, but this ignores the fact that such a parent is effectively abusing their child by putting their child at unnecessary risk of death or disability.
In the case of proven effective vaccines, It is the duty of government to eliminate risks to diseases which have serious and deadly consequences if not dealt with.
The state has an obligation to protect minors from parental abuse or stupidity, and unless the parents have very good and demonstrable reasons for preventing their children from getting a vaccine, I believe the state should make certain these children get safe and proven vaccines whether the parents agree or not.
I admire and respect Dr. Carson, but I believe that he will find this is going to blow-up in his face every bit as much as his prior statements on gun control have.
With all due respect, and independent of his views (some of which I agree with, and some which I do not), why is he unqualified? I understand feeling that you couldn't vote for him because of specific positions he holds. That's the American way.
That said, IMHO no one should say that he isn't qualified to be President because he hasn't worked in government. Quite to the contrary, I think the less government experience one has the more imminently qualified one is to run for the Presidency. I'd vote for a local plumber more readily than a whole cadre of people who have been governors. It's not that hard to be a good President. It's not ‘rocket science’, and you can get expert advisers 24/7. Honesty, and the ability to make decisions without worrying about what lobbyists and benefactors you might offend is not something that buys one a long career in politics. Those are big reasons, IMHO, why we should be more reluctant to vote for someone who has held previous office.
I very much doubt that vaccines are huge moneymakers for the Pharmaceutical industry. Pills and other drugs yes, but vaccines? No.
Wait.. what does The Donald say about this? We mustn’t form an opinion until The Donald speaks first!
In all seriousness, with the influx of illegals in this country and the diseases they’ve spread here, what exactly is the downside of immunizing our kids?
I think he’s also for restricting gun rights. Very disturbing if true and an automatic disqualifier. Not surprising being a neurosurgeon and seeing lots of GSWs.
The first question any thoughtful person should ask is: where is the SCIENCE.
Up to a point conscientious objectors are going to hurt almost exclusively themselves. Science can tell you what that point will be.
Every activity in life has risk. Notice we don’t ban automobiles even though the associated carnage outdoes many diseases. OK so you say it’s a cost/benefit question: What’s the benefit of freedom?
What do you think no “philosophical” or “religious” exemptions for vaccinations” means?
LOL... S.M.H.
Well Donald seems to want to do something about the illegales vector.
There are risks to vaccine which have not been well quantified. There are risks to the current batching of multiple vaccines over a very short time. The CDC has suppressed the research findings. As a physician I believe caution is of great importance when the potential effects are so serious.
Do you want a nameless bureaucrat or career politician/physician to be able to decide what risks you will run.
The Government’s flu shot strong arm approach is a national shame. The Europeans laugh because they know that the shots are hit and miss and have not been shown to be effective in large scale trials. The shots are guesswork since there is no predicting which serotype will be this year’s flu. Not only may they be of no benefit they can be detrimental.
It all depends on if you think the government is here to help or has an agenda. It is clear that we are fed the news with a slant to control our beliefs. The Government is already pressuring us and working to undermine our ability to keep our children safe. IUD’s in middle school without parental consent or notification??? While I believe some vaccines are safe and necessary I would not support anyone who implies “the science is settled about vaccines” or “you must comply”. Its sad that Big Pharmy and the Government are conspiring to experiment with America’s children and ignore the lives that are lost or blighted.
Think deaths and paralysis from Gardasil “The Decision We Will Always Regret
healthimpactnews.com/2015/gardasil-the-decision-we-will-always-regret/
Feb 6, 2015 - We deeply regret consenting to the Gardasil vaccine. We had no idea of the severe side effects some experience post vaccine. Every day, we ...”
For air/water born issues I agree that PUBLIC health may well require vaccination. For those that seem to think the the prophylactic effect of standard immunization is not a good thing they need to look at the world before they were common.
Feel free to look up the effects of the following and see which ones you want you kids and grand kids to get.
Polio
Rubella
Measles
Whooping cough
pertussis
Dr.G.House (fictional but on point)
[examining a baby whose mother isn’t vaccinating him because she feels it’s a scam; House takes the child’s stuffed frog] All natural, no dyes. That’s a good business - all-natural children’s toys. Those toy companies, they don’t arbitrarily mark up their frogs. They don’t lie about how much they spend on research and development. And the worst that a toy company can be accused of is making a really boring frog. Gribbit, gribbit, gribbit. You know another really good business? Teeny tiny baby coffins. You can get them in frog green, fire engine red. Really. The antibodies in yummy mummy only protect the kid for six months, which is why these companies think they can gouge you. They think that you’ll spend whatever they ask to keep your kid alive. Want to change things? Prove them wrong. A few hundred parents like you decide they’d rather let their kid die then cough up 40 bucks for a vaccination, believe me, prices will drop *really* fast. Gribbit, gribbit, gribbit, gribbit, gribbit.
Far better in line with American ideals to mount public relations campaigns urging immunizations “in accordance with your doctor’s advice.”
The problem with low immunization levels may well not be one of conscientious objection as much as laziness and ignorance.
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