New Rule: Bill Maher Questions Vaccinations
Bill Maher weighs in on vaccination as an infallible medical miracle, and he credits Barbara Loe Fisher and Dr. Jay Gordon for their work. Is Michael Moore next to chime in? Please read and comment on Bill Maher's post at HuffPo HERE.
...But just to reassure all those people who have such a romantic attachment to vaccines: I know, there are vaccines that have had their battles with the bad guys and won -- great! And if you have a compromised immune system and can't boost it naturally, as in poor countries where the children are eating dirt, then a vaccine can be a white knight -- bravo! Does the polio vaccine have the power to prevent children from getting polio, and did it indeed do just that in the 1950s? I believe it does, and it did. But polio had diminished by over 50 percent in the thirty years before the vaccine -- that's a pretty big fact in the polio story that you don't often hear and which merits debate. It may be the case that the vaccine should have been used anyway to finish polio off, but there are some interesting facts on the other side.
So yes, I get it, we learned how to trick our immune systems. And maybe sometimes, you gotta do it. But maybe the immune system doesn't like being tricked so many times. Maybe we should be studying that instead of shouting down debate.
Someone who speaks eloquently about this is Barbara Loe Fisher, founder of the National Vaccine Information Center. I find her extremely credible, as I do Dr. Russell Blaylock, Dr. Jay Gordon and many others, but I shouldn't have even mentioned them because I don't want to be "the Vaccine Guy"!! Look it up yourself, and stop asking me about it -- I'm already the Religion Guy, and that's enough work!..
Another example of the theory "The enemy of my enemy is my friend".
At least Maher is a good speaker and has a large following.
Posted by: Frank for Aidan | November 23, 2009 at 04:30 PM
I will second Janet's recommendation of The Virus and The Vaccine. Not only does it give a complete history of the race to develope the polio vaccine and the process in which it was made, but it gives you the history of what Public Health authorities do when faced with a problem with a vaccine: they cover it up!
This is an incredibly important book for anyone wanting to learn more about vaccines and the vaccine program. The polio vaccine was not a miracle. It was product surrounded in problems that spread a cancer causing virus to tens of millions of people. Yet somehow it is reveared as a Godsend. That is called the miracle of marketing and the talent of spin doctors.
http://www.amazon.com/Virus-Vaccine-Contaminated-Cancers-Government/dp/0312342721/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258649140&sr=8-1
Posted by: Sylvia | November 19, 2009 at 11:48 AM
Regarding the polio vaccine, one of the most fascinating books I have read is "The Virus and the Vaccine" by Bookchin and Schumacher. It is the true story of how, just as the polio vaccine was being released, researchers realized it was contaminated with SV40, a carcinogenic monkey virus. They were unsure if SV 40 would cause cancer in humans and took the chance and released the vaccine anyway. SV40 is now known to cause mesothelioma, a variety of brain tumors, bone cancers, and leukemia and lymphoma. What is particularly galling is that the pharmaceutical companies 50 years later still haven't bothered to insure that this vaccine is free of SV40! It also drives me crazy that the American Cancer Society has been silent on this! Read this book!
Posted by: Janet Presson, R.N., M.Ed. | November 19, 2009 at 10:45 AM
Isn't it odd that we are looking to our comedians for common sense and we give a ironic laugh to our politicians and the medical industry? I love you Bill!
Posted by: Nancy Naylor | November 19, 2009 at 08:40 AM
Bill writes an excellent piece and he is a comedian! The man is smart and funny but can also be very serious. Love that about him.
If you liked reading Maher's piece, take a full read on this article:
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=GAL20091028&articleId=15860
Just adds to my anger on Vaccines!
Posted by: CindyPDX | November 18, 2009 at 10:37 PM
a few people here said use "common sense" but let's face it common sense is not so common.
I like that Bill is stepping up. But I agree he needs to become the vaccine guy. Or some other very well known celeb. However no one like Oprah is going to put them on her show.
Posted by: Janette | November 18, 2009 at 07:15 PM
Good for Bill Maher...and I always like the opening of his show when he has a shot of a sign about getting your polio shot. Lest we forget..
Posted by: Kurt Sipolski | November 18, 2009 at 05:19 PM
I so miss Bill - I don't get HBO.
This article retierrates the vaccine push - follow the $$$
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33979090/ns/health-infectious_diseases/
Shots on horizon for Alzheimer's, AIDS, herpes
New technology, lure of profits behind booming interest in making vaccines
"Vaccines are no longer a sleepy, low-profit niche in a booming drug industry. Today, they're starting to give ailing pharmaceutical makers a shot in the arm."
""Vaccines are now perhaps seen to be more attractive than drugs," says Dr. Stanley Plotkin, a former University of Pennsylvania professor and industry researcher who helped develop the German measles and rotavirus vaccines."
[They failed to meniont with a lot less liability too.]
Posted by: Diane | November 18, 2009 at 04:26 PM
I love him! If only he would cut his hair...
Posted by: mlinn | November 18, 2009 at 03:58 PM
It's about time a celebrity comes out of the shadows and speak out aloud, and most interestingly, you did not speak out unfounded criticism, you just reminded us of sheer common sense. I think that common sense is important, and a little skepticism over golden rules is healthy in this democratic society where freedom of speech and choice should be encouraged by everybody and mostly by the media. Unfortunately the media lately seems to have slipped into the big sleep, or maybe it is just sick under the daze of pharmaceutical overdose. Thank you for your voice.
Posted by: Christina Chow | November 18, 2009 at 01:14 PM
I think that Bill made a very good point. That vaccines and food is harming our kids as well as ourselves. We need to educate ourselves about BOTH.
L
Posted by: L | November 18, 2009 at 11:14 AM
What a great piece!
Posted by: 4Bobby | November 18, 2009 at 09:34 AM
I read the entire article and thought it was great. All the while, this statement kept echoing in my head:
"There is a movement to stop people from asking any questions about vaccines -- they're a miracle, that's it, debate over."
He said it. There is a movement to stop people from questioning vaccines.
What is the next step in the "movement", I wonder.
There is already a revolving hamster wheel of deflectionary (is that a word?) tactics/talking points that are put out in the press month after month, year after year.
Posted by: A Mom | November 18, 2009 at 09:18 AM
Not much to say here except "agree agree agree!"
Posted by: Dana Read | November 18, 2009 at 08:47 AM
Lordy, Lordy...what's the world coming to. Bill Maher and I on the same page. Scary.
Boy does he have this one right though! It's great to hear someone in media criticizing media on this topic.
Posted by: Pamela | November 18, 2009 at 08:42 AM
Sorry Bill....I believe "Vaccine Guy" needs to be added to your title. Host a show on the topic...grow some _alls! lol
Posted by: claudine Liss | November 18, 2009 at 08:15 AM
Wow!! What a great article! I don't agree with Bill Maher on too many issues, but in the end, this is about using some common sense here. He does seem to be a mainstream figure and I think this article will get some of his fans and the younger population, who he caters to, to open their minds. I'll take anyone we can get to spread the truth.
Posted by: Nicole | November 18, 2009 at 07:14 AM
I watched Oprah today (her little thing with Jenna Jamison on it, ya know the porn industry) and she had more pharma ads in that 1 hr show that I lost count. I don't look for her to jump ship anytime soon...you know damn well she needs the money!
Posted by: rileysmom | November 18, 2009 at 03:12 AM
This is exactly what we need, a fairly mainstream public figure with no axe to grind. Bill Maher, you are awesome in my book!
Chelsea Handler gave Generation Rescue a shout out the other night too.
Posted by: julie | November 18, 2009 at 12:29 AM
I thought he did a great job on the topic. Hey, the more the merrier!!!!
Posted by: jen | November 17, 2009 at 11:00 PM
Woooohooooo! Google Bill Maher and vaccines. He's been our camp for a while. This is soooo great! One more willing to stick his neck out. Thank you Bill!
Posted by: Henderson | November 17, 2009 at 10:21 PM
This is a great article!
Posted by: Twyla | November 17, 2009 at 10:20 PM
It is so unfortunate that the 50s' polio vaccine caused such an uncritical view of vaccines in general, even the mercury unnecessarily put into some of them, which do not even include the polio vaccine. It's even worse that this one-sided narrative continues to this day, 50 years later. I blame historians like David Oshinsky, and complete hacks like Arthur Allen who aren't even historians for keeping this sort of narrative going.
Posted by: Jake Crosby | November 17, 2009 at 10:16 PM
I think hell just did freeze over...I need a minute to process. Bill Maher...huh.
Good point Kristine- this really is about civil liberties.
Posted by: Casey Ohlsson | November 17, 2009 at 09:18 PM
Wow. Did hell just freeze over? I agree with Bill Maher. Anyway, I've always wondered why more ACLU types weren't strongly in our camp here. Being forced by the gov to inject substances into our bodies or our kids' bodies? Hello. Civil liberties?
Posted by: Kristine | November 17, 2009 at 08:58 PM
Great! Now if we can get Oprah on our side...
Bill Maher is educated on our poor food system, too. Keep talking, Bill. Our kids are converting parents, two at a time. You can convert many who never really had an opinion before, never took the time to care. Those will be the ones who realize what you're saying is logical and maybe they'll change their ways and go on to have healthy kids.
Posted by: deb in il | November 17, 2009 at 08:51 PM