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I'm going to start this post with some "puzzle pieces" that I think you will find interesting and informative. The first three are of Flash Mobs that just happened this past Saturday - September 28, 2019. I am so inspired by these people standing up for what they believe in and ALL of our rights! I considered going to the Virginia Beach event and participating but the timing is not right for our family just yet. So I did the next best things by supporting their efforts financially and now - sharing. There were two other flash mob/educational events happening in Tampa and Atlanta the same day - that is so awesome! Way to go East Coast! Click on each event below for video of each event. Virginia Beach Flash Mob! Follow Yvette here - she is an amazing advoate for Virginians! Tampa, Florida Flash Mob Atlanta, Georgia Flash Mob Pictures from the Atlanta Flash Mod - I love how creative they were! Of course these were all inspired by the west coast activist Joshua Coleman. Here are some videos of two flash mobs he organized in California and a speech he gave about his vision: V is for Vaccine. I have been following what is happening around the country. In NYS this week there was a injunction hearing in Bath, NY (Steuben County). It is so amazing to see how many people are showing up to fight for our freedoms. Here are some links to check out what happened yesterday: Religious Freedom For NY - look at these amazing photos of so many beautiful people! Facebook Live with Rita Palma Two articles I thought were very interesting and worthwhile are linked here: The Doctor Who Beat The British General Medical Council By Proving That Vaccines Aren’t Necessary To Achieve Health <- I love reading stories from medical doctors. I think this one will blow your mind! Why do people get the flu after getting the flu shot? <- so many links in this article! And now some random ramblings. Every day I think about this issue. I compose several posts and or blogs in my mind. Of course, I don't have time to hash everything out! I know that I just have to continue to share in any way I am able.
I hope that what some people will see from checking these links out is that: 1) This movement is large and growing every day. Just because we are a minority (small percentage of the population), that does not mean we are insignificant. We are many and you probably know someone who is "antivax". The hatred and anger that is often expressed towards those in this movement is the result of propaganda and fear mongering. It is not based on truth, love or science. Many are silent still because they are scared. It would be wise to replace any anger, fear, or hate in your heart with curiosity and love. You may be hating someone you actually love. 2) You cannot count on "mainstream" media if you want information about this WORLDWIDE movement. You need to seek the information out for yourself. I think that what I am most disappointed about when I think about this issue is the lack of compassion and curiosity. I hope that both of these continue to spread and quickly. Things are moving in a dangerous and scary direction and we all have to do our part to change that. But I am also encouraged by the love and support from the people who matter most in my life. I have a lot of hope because there are many people who are reaching out via private message, who are sharing their stories, and people who express a desire to learn more. I hope you will start picking up the puzzle pieces with me today and inspect them closely!
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The HPV vaccine is a relatively new addition to the schedule for teens and preteens that is advertised as helping to prevent cervical cancer. Many parents have been hesitant about this vaccine. I was watching a video of RFK Jr in Connecticut this past March and I learned that the safety study for Gardisil (the HPV vaccine available in the United States) had some serious flaws. You can watch that video here. We learn in middle school that the best scientific studies are done when we compare an experimental group with a control group. Yet in the safety study of Gardasil they did a couple of questionable things. First, they did have a true placebo group with a saline shot (which is not the case with almost all other vaccines.) However the control group was much smaller than the other two groups. The experimental group receiving the vaccine had 5088 subjects. The saline group had a mere 320 subjects. Obviously this is not a good design, as control is very small and the statistical power is seriously diminished in this case. However, there was a third group called the AAHS control which stands for: Amorphous Aluminum Hydroxyphosphate Sulfate. These subjects received a shot that did not have HPV but did have a strong aluminum adjuvant. You can see in the chart below that when they looked at the more serious possible reactions they put the AAHS group together with the Saline group. Then when the rates of the conditions were similar that concluded that the vaccine was safe. What were the rates in the true placebo group? We don't know. We only know that the vaccine group and the aluminum group have similar rates. This is a huge problem because it could be the aluminum in the vaccine that is causing some or many of the reactions. You can find this study and look for yourself here: https://www.fda.gov/media/74350/download Another great read is JB Handley's book: How to End the Autism Epidemic. Chapter 4 goes through a deposition of Dr. Stanley Plotkin, a key figure in the history of vaccine development. On p 112 of this book Handley summarizes an exchange regarding this Gardisil data. Mr Siri is the lawyer deposing Dr. Plotkin, a passage from the book: Overall, the Gardisil trial showed that 2.3 percent of the women who received either the vaccine or the combined aluminum/saline developed a systemic autoimmune condition within six months. Mr. Siri explained to Dr. Plotkin, and got him to confirm, that the saline group, had it been reported separately, actually had an adverse event rate of zero. "And then if we had a third column that was just the saline placebo, it would show 0 percent?... Wouldn't that have been a significant finding to report?" If you go to Merk's website you can see that the most current form of the vaccine, Gardasil 9, was compared for safety only to the previous version of the vaccine, there is NO placebo control. From the website:
"Study Design: Safety of GARDASIL 9 was evaluated in 7 clinical studies that included 15,703 individuals who received at least 1 dose of GARDASIL 9 and 7,378 individuals who received at least 1 dose of GARDASIL as a control; both groups had safety follow-up. The vaccines were administered on the day of enrollment and the subsequent doses administered approximately 2 and 6 months thereafter. Safety was evaluated using vaccination report card (VRC)–aided surveillance for 14 days after each injection of GARDASIL 9 or GARDASIL. Injection-site reactions (pain, swelling, and erythema) and oral temperature were solicited using VRC-aided surveillance for 5 days after each injection of GARDASIL 9 during the clinical studies. bPost any dose." There are many heartbreaking stories of vaccine injury and death following the HPV vaccine. However, they do not make mainstream headlines. You have to dig for yourself. Elijah Eugene Mendoza-Bunch is spreading the word of the death of his son last summer, following vaccination for HPV. You can watch many families share their stories of injury from this vaccine here. Parents and children are able to opt out of this vaccine (and all vaccines!) but there has been a push in many states to pass laws making the HPV mandatory for school. Some parents may feel like this vaccine is not relevant to the larger discussion surrounding vaccines. I've had friends and parents tell me that they are generally pro-vaccine but have concerns about this vaccine. This is exactly why the decision to vaccinate must not be taken out of parents hands. Mandates and regulations are a slippery slope and new vaccines are always being developed: how about a vaccine against the common cold?!? If you want to maintain your rights to choose medical treatments that are right for you and your family, the time to stand up is now! Get informed, spread the word, and let your legislators know that vaccine mandates are unconstitutional and immoral. Yesterday I learned that another baby died after receiving vaccines. This 8 week old baby received 9 (nine!) different vaccines on Thursday and died on Friday. And I have to wonder - where is the outrage? Where are the front page headlines? Recently a baby that had measles WAS headline news in a mainstream publication. Today? The baby is alive and well, completely recovered. She had measles months ago - but it is headline news. Ask yourself: Why?! Another baby died on March 1st, a day and a half after receiving her 6 month vaccines. Silence. People say that sharing these stories is fear mongering. I say: if you are a parent these stories SHOULD scare you. I've read hundreds of stories of vaccine injury and death over the years and they never become less heart breaking. It should scare you because these parents DID vaccinate, they DID trust their doctors, they DID believe in vaccines - and they never thought this would happen to them. Their message is always the same: Parents - do your research! What they DON'T immediately say? Stop Vaccinating. Even after death and permanent injury they are not audacious enough to say such a thing. They do not presume to be an expert or offer medical advice. They simply say: Dig in. And yet, this message - to seek information - is turned into the "biggest health threat" of our time. Is that rational? These stories absolutely break my heart. But believe it or not - it gets WORSE. What can be worse than your child dying or being permanently harmed by vaccines? Being told that you are: crazy, wrong, selfish, a monster, a threat to society and worse. These families enter an entirely new dimension where they are ridiculed and ostracized and COMPLETELY IGNORED by the majority. They are abandoned by friends, loved ones, and medicine when they need them the most. All because something horrific happened to them and they want to share their stories. They NEED to share their stories. Because being heard and seen is an essential human need and crucial to our healing process. Beyond their personal pain though, they want to WARN others, to prevent their personal nightmare from happening to others. And for this noble desire they are called child abusers, dangerous, misinformation spreaders, ignorant, stupid and on and on. It is absolute cruelty and insanity. This "debate" has heated up to the boiling point these past couple of months. I have dipped my toes in - commenting on a few friends' posts on Facebook, sharing a few posts with friends. It is not an exaggeration to say that this issue has completely captured my mind and heart - I am quite obsessed. Every day I read, every day I learn, and every day my heart breaks. I have wept and agonized about it. I saw this Venn diagram a while ago and I realized (again) that I must speak up. What am I good at? I am good at talking to people - especially people I love - about hard things. I am exceptionally empathetic and strive to remain in love. As much as I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS... it is my present calling.
People who are strongly for vaccines express anger at people who question vaccine safety. They say we are putting others in danger. They say we are selfish and arrogant to believe that we could know better than "Science" and "Experts". But I am angry too. I am angry that children must continue to suffer for our human arrogance and pride. I am angry that people continue to choose ignorance. The only way the extreme Pro-vax message can survive and dominate the conversation - "Vaccinate your damn kids!" - is by willful ignorance. I am angry at myself: For my silence; For not being braver. If Harriet Tubman can escape SLAVERY and then GO BACK - not once, but REPEATEDLY - to save others, then why can't I at least speak up?? I have reasons, possibly good reasons, to be scared. I see what happens to people that speak up: they lose friends; they are ridiculed and called names; some receive death threats. But still, I am angry at myself for my silence. And it over time it manifests itself inside of me - I become despondent, full of despair and depressed. I think of how some people say, "Depression is Anger turned inward." This morning I am not angry. I am light. Speaking up lets the light in. I started this blog almost exactly 7 1/2 years ago, inspired by a friend who encouraged me to use my voice. Ironically, that same friend later shared that he thought parents who don't vaccinate should be jailed and/or die a horrible death by disease. Not coincidentally, I have not written on this blog in almost 2 1/2 years. My last 2 posts were about vaccines before I went silent. I will not be silent anymore and let fear dictate my course. I am scared, yes. But I am also grateful. Grateful for those who share, who dig, who listen, and who pave the way with their bravery. I am grateful for my life and my family's health. I am incredibly fortunate for the life I am living, and I owe a huge debt to those who share their stories. It's time for me to be brave. It's time for you to be brave too. Start where you are. If you have chosen to ignore this issue - Stop. There is so much information out there and it is absolutely overwhelming. You will not find all of the answers in a couple of hours. A quick google search for the "Science" supporting vaccines will not suffice. You. Must. Dig. And if you must take a break, then take a break. And then dig some more. It's time. Start where you are. If you learn something that blows your mind - share it. Or "like" it. Or leave a comment. It's time. Start where you are. Say something to someone you love and trust about what you have learned, or what you fear. It's time. Start where you are. Call your legislator. Write a letter. It's time. The conversation around vaccines MUST change. But first it must begin. I came across an article today about a study that analyzed comments on a Facebook post. The comments were on a picture that Mark Zuckerberg posted of his baby before getting vaccines. (You can read the study here: A comparison of language use in pro- and anti-vaccination comments in response to a high profile Facebook post.) But I want to focus on the article written about the study, which you can read here: Study Finds Surprising Results in Vaccine Debate on Zuckerberg’s Facebook Post. The writer begins by explaining how ugly this "debate" is: both sides get heated, call each other names, and generally behave poorly. I agree - "quack" and "sheeple" seem to be the two derogatory terms thrown across the line at the opposing side regularly. But when the researchers analyzed the comments they were surprised to learn the following: Both sides expressed similar levels of anger, but the most significant finding was that the pro-vaccine comments were more emotional and fearful, while the anti-vax comments were more logically structured, and tended more toward ideas related to health, biology, research, and science. For me this is validation of a gut feeling I have had after following this debate for years. Yes, both sides can get nasty; but, I have long felt that those on the "anti-vax" side (many prefer to be called "pro-choice", but I will stick with anti-vax since that is what is used in the article) are more likely to present their arguments respectfully and often more persuasively. Here is what I hear from people who question vaccines: Do research. Then do more research. Make an informed choice. Be sure and feel confident before you vaccinate because you can never undo it once you make that choice. (Watch Dr. Suzanne Humphries here - she says almost these exact words towards the end. She is one of the most intelligent "quacks" I have come across yet!) From pro-vaccine people I hear: Vaccinate! Or else! Or your baby will die! Or you will be responsible for someone else's baby dying! Vaccines are 'safe and effective' - ALL of the experts agree. So if you don't do as they say because you think your "Dr. Google" degree is better than them, then you deserve to be shunned, shamed, jailed, and even die!" Leslie R. Martin, PhD., co-author of the study, makes sure to point out that the surprising outcome of the study doesn't mean that the anti-vax crowd is "right" though. The study was only analyzing the words commenters used, not the content and whether it is actually true. So anti-vaxxers are just calmer, more logical, and focused on science (but not necessarily "good science.") In addition, the study found that anti-vax commenters are more confident. This finding is explained away by the scientists with the Dunning Kruger effect in which "people overestimate their competence". I guess it's not possible that their confidence comes from years of research, experience, and evidence they've seen with their own eyes. I have a scientific term that might explain their confidence too, it's called Occam's Razor which basically says, "when you have two competing theories that make exactly the same predictions, the simpler one is the better." Explicitly: When parents see their children's health affected after vaccination which makes more sense - vaccines had something to do with it or it is a coincidence and there is some other unknown, elusive factor that caused the problem? Later, under the heading "Influencing Public Opinion" Martin says: “Providing information by itself is probably fairly futile because it leaves out the emotional component–the fear, anxiety, and suspicion–which seems to be a huge driver,” Martin said. “It’s not just a cost-benefit analysis, devoid of emotion and pre-existing biases.” Wait, what?? I'm confused. We just got through going over how the anti-vax crowd is the logical group who are more concerned with health, science, and research. The pro-vaxxers are the fearful and emotional ones! Or wait, maybe the fear IS working. After all, the vast majority of our population DOES vaccinate. Perhaps providing only information is futile because the information is not strong enough to convince on it's own. Maybe, just maybe, fear and pro-vaccine arguments must go together to become a "huge driver" of vaccination.
The cognitive dissonance in this article is astounding. People questioning vaccines, selectively vaccinating, spacing vaccines out, or refusing them altogether are intelligent and educated. This fact is not new. Now we have a study confirming that the comments coming from that "side" are more on topic and less fearful (I would venture to say less hateful, but that was not a word used in this article!) Once again, instead of really seeing the results for what they are, the researchers and readers are performing mental gymnastics to make them fit into their comfortable paradigm. Or perhaps this study just isn't "good science" either. Hmmm. This should be short and sweet. I have started to share other people's thoughts, experiences, and stories on FB regarding vaccines. In particular I am sharing people who write about their lives after vaccine injury.
Basically it has gotten to the point where I just feel I CANNOT be silent anymore. It feels wrong. It feels like I am being a coward. If feels like I am leaving people out in the cold, all alone: Good people. Brave people. Suffering people. People like me and you. Fathers who had the same hopes for their children that all daddies do; dreams that are wrenched from their hands, outstretched towards a future that will never come to pass. Mothers who now dedicate their lives to children who will never grow up healthy and independent, and STILL somehow find time to share what they are going through... because they want to help others. I started really thinking about vaccines when Gerry was born. He is 7 years old now. I have read a LOT on the issue. I've bought books. I've read way too many comment threads that have left me feeling sick to my stomach. For many people this is not "enough". "Google university" will not ever compare to an MD; believe me I'm well aware of that fact. I don't claim to be an expert and I don't think I have the answer on this controversial issue. But I have been paying attention to the debate. Rarely a day goes by without me dedicating some time to thinking or reading about it. I've seen the legislation being passed in California and other states. I've followed the VAXXED documentary touring the country, and watched it (and others). This is an issue that is not going to just "go away." I don't expect to change anyone's mind on this topic. People who believe in vaccines feel very strongly and people who don't believe in them are just as set in their beliefs. But I do believe we need to add a whole lot of compassion to the discussion. I will NEVER understand how people who are for vaccines for everyone, no matter what the situation, can explain away the hundreds of thousands of people sharing their stories of vaccine injury. Do they think ALL of these people are lying? Or do they believe, maybe they aren't "lying" but just misguided - looking for a reason to explain whatever ails their loved one? Perhaps the most common rationalization is that these reactions are so "rare" that it shouldn't really be part of the conversation. Call me naive, but I do believe that the large majority of these stories are true. And there are so many of them with so many commonalities. No matter how many times people say "But, Science!" or "Correlation doesn't equal Causation" it doesn't sit right with me. There are too many people suffering. Too many babies dying or regressing within a short period after receiving vaccines. I don't believe in coincidences that happen over and over. Science needs to catch up with these real lives and real people, not just keep insisting that "anecdotes" are not scientific proof. We all want the best for our families, children, and loved ones. We all want to lead happy, healthy lives. We don't agree on what the best way to achieve that is. Please if you think that parents who question vaccines are stupid, irresponsible, deserve to be in jail, have their children taken away, or to die a terrible death - stop and reconsider. Think about the following:
I do not wish to debate about the worth of vaccines. I think the topic is very complicated - it is NOT black and white. If it were simple and so obviously beneficial to EVERYONE this "debate" would have died long ago. I only wish to be brave. To let people who are FAR BRAVER than I am know: I stand with you. I want people to learn to question their own thoughts (I question mine every day!) and to listen to others with love. I can hardly believe that these desires of mine are controversial, but they are. I am one of "those" people. I question vaccines. If you know me, I think you know what kind of person I am. I think you know that I am not stupid or ignorant. I hope you will still want to continue your relationship with me, whatever it may be - friend, family, loved one. I bet there are more of "me" in your life than you know. Because most of us make our choices and then go about our lives trying not to rock the boat. I've decided I can't be silent anymore and it is my fervent hope that it will not cause me to lose people in my life, but if I do I am prepared for that. Please consider your words because you never know who may believe differently than you and have a different experience than you. Love thy neighbor. It's that simple and that difficult. The vaccine debate is one that I'm still not comfortable jumping into. Oh I've talked about it. I've hashed it over in my mind again and again. I've read articles and books, and lets not forget the comments (oooooh, the comments!)
I've been revisiting it again the past couple of days because of an article I stumbled upon. (Ok, maybe I didn't exactly "stumble" upon it, since this topic is bound to come up in the circles I run in - aka PARENTING, more specifically "Natural" Parenting.) Anyways, last night while I was trying to slow my mind down from it's spin cycle enough to fall asleep I thought about the "Dead Baby Card". Let's be real here. There are people on BOTH SIDES of this debate who have terrible, horrible, scary stories to share. Parents, Doctors, and all other sorts of people who have seen innocent, defenseless babies go on to whatever is "Next", long before we feel is their time. Babies dying from disease AND babies dying from vaccines purported to prevent them. Both sides claim the other is "fear-mongering". You know what? Both possibilities are scary. Because ultimately being alive is RISKY - we all have to face death, of ourselves and loved ones. Each side feels the other is blowing the opposing risk out of proportion (ie Vaccine proponents feel there is a very small risk of an adverse reaction to vaccines, while people opposed to vaccines feel they are safer taking their chances with natural immunity and disease). I've had the Dead Baby card pulled on me. We have one child who was vaccinated per CDC schedule and one who has been (very) selectively vaccinated. When I was reading and trying to make a truly informed decision the second time around our doctor tried to persuade me by scaring me that my baby could die from a "vaccine preventable" disease. And it's true, that could happen. But in the end it wasn't enough to make me do what the doctor wanted me to do. It *was* enough to make me realize that we needed to change care providers. It's so important to trust and be able to talk openly with our doctors or alternative care giver. And honestly, I don't think it is a good idea to make anyone feel stupid on either side - because no one KNOWS the answers to all the hard questions surrounding this debate. That is one thing I'm sure of. |
Susan MayWife, mom, information and peace seeker. Categories
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