Vaccine Smarts
By Cathy Jameson
One of my kids shared that they’d overheard a vaccine conversation earlier in the day. They couldn’t figure out what sparked the discussion. But, at one point while the other people were still talking, one of them turned to my child and said, “Hey, your mom is anti-vax, right?” I guess according to the media’s definition, I am. But if you really know me, or care to dig a little deeper than believe a superficial label that the media brands me, I am more than just an “anti-vaxxer”. I wrote about that not too long ago.
Depending on who’s said it, being called “anti-vax” can be an insult. The way it was said toward my son most likely wasn’t. I know that my child’s peers didn’t mean any harm while referring to Mrs. Jameson as "anti-vaxxer". They were just repeating what the news says about moms like me. Most of my kids’ closest friends respect me. Some even think that I’m really nice! When they see me, they are respectful. When they see me with Ronan, they are even more courteous. They show only love toward Ronan.
Seeing him and asking about him as many times as they have over the years has opened their eyes about autism, about the ongoing struggles he faces, and about his medical history which includes a vaccine injury. Because of their curiosity, which I always welcome, they’ve come to know that based on our family’s personal experience, we believe differently than they do about a few things. That includes vaccines. Liability-free vaccines are not as safe, effective, or life-saving as they and their families may believe. Vaccine injury is not their reality, and I’m very grateful for that. I don’t begrudge them for not knowing as much as we know, but I will always hope that they will politely agree to disagree with me, and my kids, whenever the topic comes up.
Not too long ago, people were allowed to believe differently than their neighbors did without any drama. That practice doesn’t hold true today. Nowadays, when people disagree on a topic, it’s grab the knives and pitch forks! Go after them! Ruin their reputation! Drag their name through the mud! Repeat lies about them! That’s become especially true when people, like parents like me, speak out against liability-free vaccines. Needing someone to blame for the rise in vaccine hesitancy, we’re attacked by industry spokespeople every time a vaccine story hits the news wire.
It shouldn’t be that way, but that’s what I see going on. Like a spoiled child, the media and its backers want to blame someone else for something they can’t control. They can’t control parents who have become vaccine smart. Instead of finding fault in the US vaccine program (which is not perfect), in the US government (for their overreach), or in the vaccines themselves (which all come with risk), the media has chosen to blame all of the “anti-vaxxers” for all of the vaccine problems. Having the means and the platforms to build up communities, the media encourages the public to pit neighbors against neighbors, school children against school children, doctors against rightfully worried parents.
The “anti-vax” are the ones responsible for all outbreaks – even though some outbreaks have occurred in the vaccinated.
The “anti-vax” are the ones ruining the herd immunity concept – even though it’s just a concept and even though vaccination rates are high in several states.
The “anti-vax” mislead others – even though the government and those who financial benefit from liability-free vaccines have been caught actually doing that.
I get it. I used to want to blame someone all of the time for all of my son’s problems that started post-vaccination, too. Knowing it would get me nowhere, though, I knew I needed to change my mindset. Ronan still has a slew of challenges because of how he reacted to the liability-free vaccines he received, but instead of focusing on the negative, I started to search for the positives. What healing I felt in doing that! Ronan thrives when he’s surrounded by positive people and experiences, so I continue to practice that. I’ll emotionally fall down every now and then, as people naturally do in life, but I’ve become stronger over time. When my energy, my efforts and my focus is used to find useful resources, appropriate providers, and effective therapies for my son, it helps Ronan build skills. It also helps him to be happier. The longer he’s happy, the stronger I am as his mom. Being happy, or at least content and more accepting of our situation, creates moments of progress for both of us. The media and the medical community hasn’t learned that strategy, and it shows.
The media likes a good controversy. They also like concocting senseless fears while feeding into them. But that tactic won’t stop me or my children from defending what we know to be true. My son didn’t say I wasn’t “anti-vax” in that conversation a few days ago, but he was ready to say what I was. While those less informed and less aware call me and other moms like me “anti-vax”, we’re so many other things. We’re vaccine hesitant. But that’s because we’re vaccine-risk aware, and we’re vaccine smart, too. More versed on the topic than the average person tends to be, we’re knowledgeable rather than fearful of temporary illnesses that the news perseverates over. I've panicked about many things as a parent, but I refuse to panic just because the media keeps telling me to.
Poor reporting about liability-free vaccines and the encouragement of unnecessary vaccine mandates by the media have severed too many personal relationships while untouchable industries sit back and rake in the money. What a twisted world we’re living in at the moment. We may see some break in the 2019 measles mania now that most legislative sessions are over or are about to end. I’m curious about what will it be next. What typical, childhood illness will the public be talking about and be told to fear next – will it be chickenpox? Diphtheria? Hand foot and mouth disease? Last week, I saw chatter about a common cold vaccine in the works. My first reaction was, Lord, help us! Another vaccine?! My second was, I hope the public doesn’t fall for that one. They’ve got to be smarter than that, right? I can only hope that they will be.
Cathy Jameson is a Contributing Editor for Age of Autism.
Hi Tom,
Thank you for creating that for your legislators and for asking to include the source. It would be fine to list my name. Best of luck with your efforts!
Cathy
Posted by: Cathy Jameson | May 06, 2019 at 01:08 PM
I have created a one-sheet handout for our NY state legislators from your picture that is above. I have included "By Cathy Jameson: https://www.ageofautism.com/2019/05/vaccine-smarts.html#more". Is it OK to use this to help make people aware?
Posted by: Tim Eisenhauer | May 06, 2019 at 08:48 AM
It took 50 years for the CDC and FDA to figure out tobacco and cancer while the number one supporter of the AMA was the tobacco industry.
We are only about 30 years down the same road with Autism, which is simply a part of the current medical industry business plan.
The first three rules of lying to the American public are always the same, it can never, never, never interfere with any big pile of money.
Posted by: go Trump | May 06, 2019 at 06:25 AM
Cia, have you ever looked at total respiratory hospitalization rates since the diphtheria and pertussis vaccines?
If you had, you would realize that both of those vaccines are 100% worthless. Indeed, respiratory illness is not caused by germs in the first place. Most cases are caused by two types of traumas - the feeling of being overwhelmed or an intense fear trauma. If you read up about German New Medicine then you will understand why but suffice to say, germs are not the issue and never were.
If germs were the issue we would all be dead because they are ubiquitous. And if contagion was a problem then nobody would dare visit a doctor office (eg to get their useless vaccines).
Vaccines are a horrific answer to a ridiculous question.
All people who want to actually understand disease (as opposed to just being assured that their indoctrination is correct) should watch the various youtube videos on German New Medicine. Melissa Sell has some amazing ones. Seriously just watch them. There is nothing to take on faith, just logical points that you will kick yourself for not realizing them before.
Posted by: Rtp | May 05, 2019 at 05:37 PM
Oh, Bob Moffit, Oh, Bob, Oh, Bob.... PhRMA is no "king".... NOT a "king" at all....
Try: "Usurper to the Throne".... "King Wannabe".... "Paper King".... "Money King".... "Emperor King Who Has No Clothes"....
Let's remind folks: The Fake News PhRMA-funded media will ONLY tell a very narrow and false message of "All vaxxes are always safe and effective"
Posted by: Bill | May 05, 2019 at 01:08 PM
I agree that diseases like measles, mumps, rubella (except for fetuses), chickenpox, pertussis (after the first four months), flu, rotavirus, and hep-A are usually relatively mild and ultimately beneficial. Even diseases like tetanus, polio, diphtheria, and all kinds of meningitis, are usually subclinical and harmless, while giving immunity (at least to that particular disease strain). But the latter have often in the past caused many cases of serious, often fatal or crippling, disease. Diphtheria was called the children's angel of death in the nineteenth century, and strangled hundred of thousands of babies and children to death. Adults too, one of Queen Victoria's daughters was nursing members of her family with diphtheria (some of whom died of it) when she herself caught it and died of it.
We don't know what it would be like if diphtheria came back in developed countries. The diphtheria bacterium has to have a parasite itself to become dangerous, and, as with tetanus, it is the toxin produced and not the microbe which does the damage. But it came back during the collapse of the Soviet Union and killed several thousand (most recovered). If diphtheria came back here and now, it would be appropriate for the news media to go ballistic about it, and I think it would be appropriate to get the vaccine series or the nosode (preferable).
Posted by: cia parker | May 05, 2019 at 10:10 AM
The anti-vaxx were once pro-vaccine I would say 90 plus percent were are for sure.
Pharma For Prison
MMR RIP
Posted by: Angus Files | May 05, 2019 at 10:06 AM
what is the same v what is different. An old Sesame Street song. The end result is government approved chaos. Legalized drug v criminal drug dealing is product, marketing and customer base. What is in common is the "idea" that all will be good in vaccine, you will never get sick, and in illegal drugs is the "idea" that you will feel better "now". Both are full of people in the "pipeline" who advocate for "a fix" which they do not know and do not care to be informed about. The SALE (money) is the first desired outcome, and customer base is the next. The customer, never saw it coming. When government is used as a tool for the legalized drug dealers, the money and customer base is guaranteed, and encouraged, by granting immunity from any criminal prosecution from damages to the "customer base" or a need to report the events to the public to warn them about the dangerous material in the needle or pill, or harm to their bodies and future progeny. Drug cartels are operating freely, just as the Big Pharma cartels do. The appeal is to heaven.
Posted by: Debbie Barry | May 05, 2019 at 09:07 AM
"Not too long ago, people were allowed to believe differently than their neighbors did without any drama. That practice doesn’t hold true today. Nowadays, when people disagree on a topic, it’s grab the knives and pitch forks! Go after them! Ruin their reputation! Drag their name through the mud! Repeat lies about them! That’s become especially true when people, like parents like me, speak out against liability-free vaccines. Needing someone to blame for the rise in vaccine hesitancy, we’re attacked by industry spokespeople every time a vaccine story hits the news wire."
Unfortunately .. media today is simply engaged in traditional response of a King .. (in this instance the King is actually the pharmaceutical empire) … upon hearing news which the King (pharma) refuses to accept .. orders his henchmen to KILL THE MESSENGER for bringing forward the bad news that so terrifies the King.
The problem for pharma today is the fact there are literally MILLIONS OF MESSENGERS .. which is why they have resorted to the KING'S last resort … CENSORSHIP AND COERCION.
I long for the day when the KING is finally overthrown by those fearless MESSENGERS who dare speak TRUTH TO POWER.
Posted by: Bob Moffit | May 05, 2019 at 06:34 AM