If the majority of people accept that grass is generally green, but you’re pretty sure it’s purple… What do you do? Do you take the general consensus on board and get your eyes tested…or do you assume the consensus is wrong and you are, in fact, correct? Do you assume that there is some kind of conspiracy that relies on thousands of people lying about the colour of the grass so convincingly that they fool the majority into believing them?
It’s pretty clear to anyone who knows me or has read HandbagMafia for a while that I think vaccines are pretty awesome. I’m no scientist, however, I have read enough quality sources of information and spoken to people far more learned than I am to know they are safe and effective for the vast majority of people. I think we are pretty freaking lucky to live in a society where we can protect ourselves and our children from deadly diseases and it’s also probably pretty clear to you that I don’t appreciate lies and conspiracy theories around this topic.
That last bastion of news reporting and current events, Sunrise, has again added fuel to the flame war that is the vaccination argument.
I refuse to call it a debate, because, as I have said previously, that implies there are two sides that are both valid. This is just not the case here and I’m heartily sick of the whole anti-vaccination crowd being given any credibility by the media.
I’m noticing a lot of talk about vaccination lately. I’m pretty sure it’s due to it’s due to the measles outbreak in the USA that originated in the Disneyland theme park in California. I’ve seen other bloggers posting impassioned pleas for parents on “both sides of the debate” to be kinder to each other and to understand where we are all coming from- a desire to do the best we can for our children. I can certainly see a value in kindness- nobody will change their stance if you insult and offend them repeatedly. I also have no doubt that most people who choose not to vaccinate or to use some alternate schedule do so thinking they are doing the right thing. I do not personally agree that it is the right thing (unless medically indicated) but I have no doubt that such a decision is not made lightly and is sincerely made.