Oh… my…
There are plenty of ways I’m discriminated against as an atheist. This is certainly not one of them.
If anything, being an atheist is more of a reason to get the vaccine- we don’t put our faith in some being to keep us safe or decide when it’s “our time”
ETA: OH nevermind, I get why (s)he would argue this. In that case, I agree. Let’s get rid of the religious exemption waivers to make it fair for everyone 
^Well, yeah, of course. But the answer is not–okay, everyone gets a waiver! Because the religious exemptions don’t pretend to be based on science, but on a worldview that objects to the type of treatment itself, not alleged harm it does. I don’t like that much better, but at least they are not “personal beliefs” based on fake science.
No, of course not.
To me, the answer is no one gets a waiver unless you have a documented medical reason.
“Atheist” and “anti-vaxxer” are two labels that likely have a generally negative correlation (since atheists generally have a high regard for science while anti-vaxxers do not), but it is a big world with lots of people and so there are going to be at least some atheists who are anti-vaccination just as there are at least some devoutly religious people who willfully ignore their own churchs’ condemnation of vaccination.
So really she is just upset she is not getting her own way and wants a reason to blame others for it.
@churchmusicmom - you probably shouldn’t bother arguing with your niece but if you are face to face with her and the topic comes up you can remind her that since we now have wonderful and reliable contraceptives, we don’t need to rely on famine, disease, and war to keep overpopulation in check. We can choose food, good health, and peace!
Or else, she can sleep with the windows open and no screens to keep out the mosquitos, since that is essentially what she is doing.
Well, here we go:
https://www.yahoo.com/health/will-the-super-bowl-spark-another-disneyland-like-109582173247.html
The Economist article on this issue is illustrated with a photo of Jenny McCarthy captioned “Playmate, actress, epidemiologist.”
@cosmicfish --she actually did vaccinate her kid. She just likes to take a stand and be outraged.
As an aside, the vast majority of people of faith couldn’t get a religious exemption either, because it has to be an established church that doesn’t allow vaccination. Most faiths do not have a problem with it, so they wouldn’t be able to get a “religious” exemption.
But overall, I agree that all exemptions except medical ought to be eliminated.
A friend just posted on her fbk pg that parents should not be permitted to put their children in harms way. Agreed.
And now an Amtrak passenger who boarded the train @ Penn Station headed to Albany, NY exposed hundreds. Lovely. Get vaccinated, people. Sheesh. This ill person was diagnosed at Bard. Anyone here have a student at Bard? Hope they are immunized.
Didn’t Jenny McCarthy claim that she had “cured” her kid of autism? And then did she later backtrack and say he never had autism and that she had never actually been a proponent of OTHER parents not vaccinating their children?
My mom used to say if you can’t say something nice about someone, don’t say anything at all. So I’m being REALLY really quiet. SILENT.
Adults may need to revisit the potential need to get a measles booster. When we all thought measles had been eradicated, we pretty much didn’t pay much attention to this, but recent events seem to indicate the need to investigate our medical histories.
Keep in mind that even properly vaccinated, a certain percentage of individuals will not seroconvert and remain vulnerable to measles infection. (I think it’s approx. 3%?) So 3 people out of 100 vaccinated people who are exposed to measles will become infected, compared to approx. 98 out of 100 unvaccinated people who are exposed to measles. This is a VERY contagious disease.
Didn’t recall if this had been posted:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/31/us/vaccine-critics-turn-defensive-over-measles.html
Mentions how some drs are contemplating required vaccines for all patients, and how some non-vaxxers are feeling “bullied.” At least one mom interviewed said the MMR made her nervous, and she previously had not given it to her 18 month old, but she was more worried now about measles than any potential side effects.
I already had my boosters. The large public school required it before I could take classes on campus. I thought i would have to pay out of pocket, but my insurance covered the shots.
I think I already said this before-but I actually HAD the measles but had to provide proof of immunity when I started nursing school over 20 years ago. It was cheaper to just get the shot, so I did.
I remember when my brother had the mumps, poor thing was miserable.
We all had German measles, but maybe after that is when the MMR vaccine came out?
We also had chicken pox and both our parents had been hospitalized as children for meningitis when there was an epidemic.
Must have been scary.
Learned from a Facebook friend’s wall today that author Roald Dahl, famous for James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory among many others, had a daughter die from measles back in 1962. I didn’t know that before. I knew he had a child who died, but I didn’t know it was measles.
Yes, he wrote about her death and urged parents to vaccinate their children.
@Nrdsb4 As I was born in the 63-67 timeframe I am curious about the source of your post above. I’d like to read more. Since I had to get my booster for MMR in the hospital after son 1 was born, I think I am fine…but really, he’s 24 so maybe it’s time again.
Don’t know if this has been posted yet…gotta love The Onion
http://www.theonion.com/articles/i-dont-vaccinate-my-child-because-its-my-right-to,37839/