First of all, thanks for all the nice responses, urging me to blog again. It's very appreciated.
Second, I don't have a lot of new photos, but I will post a few in my next entry.
Third, I apologize in advance that this will be a somewhat lengthy tirade, but it's simply necessary for me to vent it publicly.
ABOUT KILLING YOUR CHILDREN
A couple of months ago, I made the mistake of commenting on someone's Facebook update regarding vaccines. I simply inquired about the logistics behind NOT vaccinating your children. I'd heard some people's reasonings and wanted to know more. I posted an "innocently" provactive question on my own Facebook update. Little did I know the flurry of passion about to engulf me. Little did I know how entirely PRO-vaccinating I was about to become.
First off, one of the reasons I wanted to write about the pro's of vaccinating your children is that I had a LOT of moms e-mail me privately (not commenting on the FB wall OR, after having posted on the FB wall...) and say they were scared of the anti-vac camp's rabidity. I agree. I try and be fair and equal while posting on Facebook, but this is my own blog and BY GOSH, I'm going to be rabid about my stance: VACCINATE YOUR CHILDREN! (Some pretty nasty things were said to me, as well, including, "I hope you're happy when your kids get autism because you chose to vaccinate and you'll only have yourself to blame!" I will refrain from saying such demeaning, sarcastic things, but I want to make my point loud and certain.)
Now, I've got a lot of solid information to back up the reasons I'm about to give, but those of you that know me trust that I am not just making this stuff up, and those that are anti-vac don't want to be objective and learn the truth anyway, so it wouldn't do any good to post references.
The biggest argument that anti-vacs give about not protecting their children is that vaccines cause autism. There is not ONE study that backs this up, and the only study that they point to as "proof" was funded by an autism-awareness group! I agree that autism is a huge issue and that the rise in identified cases has coincided with the rise in number of vaccines. HOWEVER, it also coincides with a lot of other things (more preservatives in food, more HFCS in products, a supposed rise in global temperatures...). In scientific terms, that's called a correlation, not a causation. This is not to mention the fact that many doctors are hyper-aware of diagnosing autism and that some parents need an "official" diagnosis from a doctor for their child to receive certain advantages in public schools, so the numbers are on the rise, but not necessarily the actual cases.
A related argument is that our children are being poisoned with mercury in vaccines. That is just simply, flat-out, NOT TRUE. There has been no use of mercury in children's vaccines since 1999 when it was outlawed (due to arguably legitamite concerns), and the small amounts that ARE in some vaccines are comprised of ethyl mercury, which DOES NOT build up in the human body (unlike the more commonly thought-of methyl mercury).
Let's see...
Oh yes, someone raised the argument that the Amish do not vaccinate their children and have practically NO cases of autism.
Interesting. Except that the Amish also don't screen for autism. Oh yeah, and because they do not vaccinate, 1 in 50 Amish children is born either blind, deaf, deformed or brain-damaged due to the rampant Rubella virus. Hmmmm....
Oh, and did you know whooping cough (pertussis) is still widely available to catch and that 1 in 100 people of any age that gets it ends up suffering brain damage from it??
Oooh, here's one more tidbit: you CANNOT get shingles as an older adult unless you were exposed to chicken pox as a child, and vaccination does NOT expose you to chicken pox. In other words, purposefully exposing your child to chicken pox (for whatever reason, just to "get it over with" or whatever) means you are giving your child a better than 55% chance to have a very PAINFUL condition when they reach an older age. (Shingles has been rated second to heart attack in the amount of pain it causes.)
Another thing to think about: many parents balk at the suggestion that their daughter receive the HPV vaccine which protects against the most dangerous forms of HPV that may cause cervical cancer. Why? Because the only way to get HPV is unprotected sex and they do not want to encourage risky behavior. What?? Okay, let me be a bit personal here: I myself contracted HPV. It is a NASTY disease. Though I was a "good" Christian teenager, I engaged in some risky behavior. BUT THAT'S NOT EVEN WHERE I GOT IT! I got the disease from my CURRENT husband, who'd also engaged in risky behavior as a Christian teenager. So as a MARRIED Christian ADULT, I got it from my Christian HUSBAND, while the two of us were in a loving, monogamous relationship. So go ahead and bank your daughter's health on decisions you hope she (and her future husband) makes. I'm not gonna.
Lastly, be prepared to tell your teenager that they CANNOT go on any missions trips with their youth group, should they feel so inclined. Why not? Because they do not have the proper vaccine schedule to get the greenlight, and even if they did, they'd likely be heading to third world countries where many of those disgusting and life-threatening diseases are commonplace. With no immunity to them, your teen would be in danger of contracting even simple ones that would put them at risk.
SO! You may leave whatever comments here that you wish. Go on, I can take it! I just feel bad for those indecisive or confused moms who have been scared into making unwise decisions for their children based on incorrect, outdated, or just plain ignorant information. Why does the anti-vac camp think they know better than the entire CDC, AMA, and doctors as a whole?! Why do they have some crazy conspiracy theories about pharmaceutical companies and doctors ganging up on us? In truth, pharmaceutical companies would benefit MORE from having useful vaccines than by trying to push harmful ones.
And here's another truth: anti-vac's kids may very well never be exposed to any of the diseases they could have guarded against, but the main reason is that THE REST OF THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM are vaccinating! There is a phenomenon called "herd immunity" in which, if about 95% of the local population is vaccinated, the disease cannot generally be present and cannot create a small "epidemic." HOWEVER, if the anti-vacs are successful in lowering that percentage, there are many instances of diseases once thought "archaic" breaking out all over the world -- including the U.S. So I am being a responsible citizen by exposing myself and my family to a very small amount of risk and getting vaccines. If you choose NOT to, you are basically saying that you do not care to assume risk on the behalf of others.
ONE LAST NOTE: I know of people who do not vaccine because they have prayed about it and truly feel God has led them to that decision. I would NEVER tell people that GOD wants things one way or the other (in regards to this type of thing). If you have the kind of relationship with God where you can talk to Him and truly hear His response in your heart, then by all means do what He tells you! But somehow I doubt if God has called anyone to go on an anti-vaccine campaign for the rest of humanity.
NOW! There is no convincing those who do not wish to see. I hope that this issue can put at ease some of you who were vacillating, and close out the topic for myself.
I promise to post happier things next :)
God bless your (snowy in MN!) Monday!
