Outrage.
Tags:A very important article was released today on Salon.com by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called Deadly Immunity. The just: "When a study revealed that mercury in childhood vaccines may have caused autism in thousands of kids, the government rushed to conceal the data -- and to prevent parents from suing drug companies for their role in the epidemic." If you don't subscribe to Salon you can view a quick commerical (they call it a site pass) to then have access to the article. It is also in the latest issue of Rolling Stone.
This is a must read.
Here is just one quote:
Reading this article I am reminded of a bumper sticker I have seen around here: if you are not outraged you are not paying attention.
And how about this one:
Simon had all the
recommended vaccines. Chris and I were brought up to accept as truth
what we are told by doctors & researchers in the medical community.
Do no harm, right? They are the educated experts. I am actually
not as cynical as this may come across. I believe that most doctors do
the best they can, with the knowledge they have, with the education
they received, with the education they continue to receive, with the
experience of time.
But, come on, do no harm.
Such a fine line.
So much of what I read in the article literally makes me sick. And outraged.
And right about now, I am pretty darn happy that the Freedom of Information Act exists.
One of the challenges I face is a question I have asked myself many
times before: if I did not have a child with autism would I care? Would
I be affected beyond a sympathetic nod? Beyond reading a bit here and
there and then going on with my evening to have a beer and chill on the
couch. When it is not in your face it is easy to think it is someone else's problem. The same "it won't happen to us" attitude.
Consider yourself lucky if you had a child born between 1991 and 2003 that does not have autism, or PDD, or ADHD, or a host of other neurological/biological problems.
Read the article. Send it to your friends. Be outraged that this was allowed to happen to our children.
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82 comments
I don't know what to say to this. I understand the feeling and the "need" to blame someone for Autism. My son was diagnosed with Autism at age 3. I was relieved. I felt validated. I know the importance of vaccines however. Working for the March of Dimes, I know how much Dr. Salk did for the world with the Polio vaccine. Many children may have died without this. To say that all children should not be vaccinated is just wrong. I would hate to see an epidemic of mothers not vaccinating their children based on outrage of other's views. Do the research yourself. Be educated. Then make a decision. Don't make this decision simply based on what others are saying. My son has since overcome many of his challenges, and dr's have debated that diagnosis. My son is a nearly 8 year old happy, healthy little boy. He had an adverse reaction to a vaccine. I have since vaccinated him again. Do I regret it? Absolutely not. At the end of the day, we do what we can for our children. We protect them. We nurture them. And sometimes, despite it all, sh%t happens. The majority of time that Autism is diagnosed is in the formative years when vaccines are occuring. Does that meant that they cause Autism? Maybe. Maybe not. Until someone can definitively tell me they do, I will err on the side of caution. Just some food for thought.
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Thank you Ali so much for posting this. I just found out the my son has 'red flags' [I hate that term] of autism. He has just started undergoing evaluations and testing. I had never thought about it before and have spent the last week trying to gather information. With the onslaught of information I get the knot in my stomach tightened daily. I see all the signs. I just keep praying not to hear the results. Even though I know what they will be. I know I'm just starting this journey that (it sounds like) you have mastered and dealt with so wonderfully I am thankful that you have put this information out there. A friend found out what I was going through and sent me here to your blog. What a reassurance to me it is. I feel less a lone. I feel more empowered to do something-- I have a newborn that had an apmt. to get her shots for next week!! Thank you, Ali. Thank you SO MUCH.
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