Clusters of non-vaccinated children

[Vanadium 50]

There is an interesting essay by Sarah Kurchak, titled "I’m Autistic, And Believe Me, It’s A Lot Better Than Measles". The subtitle is "Vaccines don’t cause autism. But even if they did, is being like me really a fate worse than death?" Her point is that the anti-vax position is, when you strip away the trimmings, that it is better to let your child die from a preventable childhood disease than to develop autism.

I don't know if I would use the word "evil" to describe that position. I would say, though, it is totally devoid of virtue.

 

[Bandersnatch]

Re: the Melanie's Measles book, in the comment section of the 'coffin maker's' review I found a discussion between one 'Dr.' (actually a chiropractor) William Trebing and some other guy. One of the arguments Mr Trebing used was 'I wrote a book, where is your book?'
This led me to exploring who Trebing is, and what is the book he wrote:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1413454402/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Sadly, this one is not as well demolished by negative reviews as Messenger's. The positive ones are actually honest praise.
I wonder how many more anti-vaccer books are out there, skulking on Amazon.

 

[OmCheeto]

There is an interesting essay by Sarah Kurchak, titled "I’m Autistic, And Believe Me, It’s A Lot Better Than Measles". The subtitle is "Vaccines don’t cause autism. But even if they did, is being like me really a fate worse than death?" Her point is that the anti-vax position is, when you strip away the trimmings, that it is better to let your child die from a preventable childhood disease than to develop autism.

I don't know if I would use the word "evil" to describe that position. I would say, though, it is totally devoid of virtue.

I think I mentioned the other day that I decided that these people are crackpots.

Sarah's article seems to support my claim:

I’m not sure what the cure is here. Anti-vaxxers are very dedicated to being wrong. As The New York Times’ Brendan Nyhan discovered last year, they’re more resistant to irrefutable facts than vaccinated kids are to preventable diseases.

In looking for a reference to something I read about "Melanie's M. M." being banned in Australia, which I can now find no evidence for, I ran across another set of anti-vax articles:

Anti-vaccination campaigner Sherri Tenpenny cancels Australian tour
28, January, 2015
...
The controversial US anti-vaccination campaigner Sherri Tenpenny has canceled her Australian tour following weeks of public pressure, blaming “anti-free-speech terrorists”.

The osteopath had planned 11 seminars and dinners throughout the country, where people could pay up to $200 to hear her talk about the “dangers” of vaccinations and have their photo taken with her.

Guardian Australia recently revealed eight venues that were due to host Tenpenny had canceled following mounting public pressure.
...
One venue owner, from Queensland, reported receiving a bomb threat, but that was later revealed to have come from an anti-vaccination advocate who was disturbed by the thought that Tenpenny’s event might not go ahead.
...

$200? Where did I read about...

This whole anti-vaccination movement was the deliberate creation of Wakefield, who hoped to profit by it.

bolding mine

Thank you.

Anti-vaccination campaigner compares critics to Charlie Hebdo attackers
8, January, 2015
...
Meryl Dorey, a former president of the Australian Vaccination Skeptics Network, drew a comparison with Wednesday’s attack on French magazine Charlie Hebdo, which left 12 people dead.

“The organisation that is pushing this censorship is a hate group and they are very much like the groups in France that have been carrying out these actions,” she told 3AW.
...

hmmm... I've never considered PF to be a "hate group". Though, if someone were to start a thread on "The merits of Anti-Vax", I don't think it would stay open very long.

 

[Bandersnatch]

Je suis Melanie's Measles?