FORSETH – The absolute nonsense being spouted by the anti-vaxxers

 

FRIDAY, an on-line friend, and co-moderator with me on the Politics and More in B.C. and Across Canada Facebook page, wrote a commentary; “Florida Drops all vaccine mandates including those for children: What should Canadians know?”

That quickly stirred up Rob K. whose response was to say:

One of the stupidest things I read this week, and it’s Friday!!!

You’re basically saying people in Florida are so uneducated and dumb that they need to be told what to do?  If it is that safe, then educate them and try to gain confidence back….

Here as well, you might as well say people are too stupid and uneducated to make these decisions….

Let’s force them?  Isn’t that what started all these trust issues?

I have to say I’ve bitten my tongue several times, recently, upon reading and hearing some of the inane comments being made about vaccines.

That ended Friday, because it looks like he has a very different idea of what is ‘stupid’, compared to what the majority of people, with an ounce of common sense actually ‘Know’.

I have no idea how old he is, but I’m going to guess Rob is far removed from the days when preventable diseases caused serious injury, maimed and crippled people, and left many dead.

Sadly, we now have people who consider themselves to be researchers, while ACTUAL researchers with years of education and real experience in the field of medicine are denigrated, abused and insulted online.

I have to say it’s a sad situation that Americans have near total incompetence in their leadership, with many appointed only because of an unwavering loyalty to the president of the United States.  That includes Health, where those at the top would be better served writing stories and headlines for the National Enquirer, a tabloid magazine known over the decades for their outrageous concocted stories.

A good example of this would be some of the things coming out of the mouth of current U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.  For example:

Not too long ago Kennedy, an ardent anti-vaxxer (he is the founder of the Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccine nonprofit group), objected to a common food additive – Riboflavin – being included in food. He declared it was just another chemical we don’t need. For those who saw and heard this, here’s the facts:

Riboflavin, known scientifically as vitamin B2, is a water-soluble B vitamin essential for converting food into energy, and supporting red blood cell production. It also aids in maintaining healthy skin, eyes, and the nervous system.

Kennedy didn’t know that … and he’s an individual held up by many to be an expert?

Now, for those who are saying to themselves, “If you are vaccinated from what you believe those are going to die from, why worry? You are vaccinated.”

The fact that people (Rob included) are making that comment makes me wonder about their actual knowledge of preventable diseases.

There are literally hundreds of thousands who are immune compromised — or unable to be vaccinated (especially young children) — that end up being negatively impacted (up to and including death) by foolish decisions made by those who have been influenced by what I and many others simply call BAD SCIENCE.

An AI overview of ‘bad science’ indicates it is information containing errors, biases, or intentional manipulation, resulting in flawed or misleading findings, often driven by skewed incentives or a lack of methodological rigor.

Therein lies the problem of people doing their own homework (which they call research).  There is far too much questionable material, and outright quackery, out there purporting to be legitimate. And people will sadly believe it.

That’s why we have experts – in every field known to man — because NO ONE can possibly become knowledgeable in everything — especially when it comes to medicine.

I’ve spoken to many people — spouting absolute nonsense — that have barely even graduated high school. And I’m expected to believe their research(?)

One thing is for sure, if this situation continues unchecked; the upcoming generation will be cursing the people, parents included, that left them with serious medical conditions that could have been prevented.

Sadly, that won’t happen just in Florida … it will also happen right here in British Columbia.

Alan Forseth is a Kamloops resident. For 40 years he has been active, in a number of capacities, in local, provincial and federal politics, including running as a candidate for the BC Reform Party in the 1996 provincial election. He is secretary of the Conservative Party of B.C. He blogs at Thoughts on BC Politics and More.