Americans are spoiled and complacent because of the outstanding immunization programs here. When I was a preteen and teenager, my family spent a lot of time in Haiti. I have been vaccinated for diseases most Americans have only read about (I should be good to go on smallpox if the CDC or some Russian drops the vial, because I was revaccinated EVERY time we went.) And I've seen the consequences of disease in countries where immunization is sporadic or absent. Our extended family has spent a lot of time in 3rd World countries generally (anthropologists, missionaries, Peace Corps - to Central America, Africa, Mexico, Haiti, etc.), we have a specialist in "travel medicine" who advises us, and we take his advice very seriously.
Vaccines are to be used judiciously, under the advice of a competent pediatrician, and proper measures taken when a kid shows sensitivity. I had one child who had a reaction to the 2nd dpT (as it was then) and on doctor's advice spread out her immunizations and she had no further difficulty.
One of the problems with the well-meaning concerned folks is that correlation is not causation. The symptoms of autism begin to appear about the time infants used to get the heavy-duty immunization series. They've moved the schedule, but that doesn't seem to convince. But given the mania against immunizations in CA, we're probably going to get a control group fairly soon.
I'm very familiar with Atkisson and her difficulties with the administration and CBS news. She is a bulldog, and an investigative journalist, and her job is to dig and ask questions. Which is good, because things should be uncovered, but the question is not the answer, and no matter how hard you dig and how hot you are on the trail of a story, sometimes there is no "there" there.
The bigotry is impenetrable
My kids have had all of their vaccines
Just ugh!
Thanks for the post. Your measured response is refreshing. I’m old enough to remember the “good old” pre-vaccine days, too...not pretty.
>>... and no matter how hard you dig and how hot you are on the trail of a story, sometimes there is no “there” there.<<
I think you misread the objective of her reporting. It wasn’t to prove the existence of vaccine-related autism. Instead it was to illustrate the extent to which those with an interest in getting everyone vaccinated would go to repress an opposing view that also has some reasonable scientific backing.
Science has certainly been corrupted in the global warming scam; there’s no reason to assume that it hasn’t also been corrupted to some extent when it comes to another government goal, 100% vaccination for childhood diseases.
She makes a good case, as she does for most issues she tackles.
Good to see a little sanity in this thread. :)