The Wrongologist

Here is some humor for your Wednesday:

Chris Christie: "Parents should choose whether their child spreads deadly infectious diseases to all their classmates, not the government."

— Top Conservative Cat (@TeaPartyCat) February 3, 2015

There's no vaccine against stupid.

— God (@TheTweetOfGod) February 3, 2015

Say hello to the triumph of ignorance, fear, and science denial. And along come the Republican politicos, starting with Governor Chris Christie, who was quoted by the NYT:

It’s more important what you think as a parent than what you think as a public official. I also understand that parents need to have some measure of choice in things as well.

But, here is what Mr. Christie said in reference to a much less deadly disease, Ebola:

All these contagious diseases must be contained and killed dead in their tracks.

Christie quarantined the Ebola nurse, Kaci Hickox against her will near Newark Airport after he ordered 21-day mandatory quarantines for all returning health workers.

What’s different other than the politics?

When the Wrongologist’s kids were in school, if your kid wasn’t vaccinated, they weren’t allowed to go to school. Period. That may have been the single largest reason that measles was declared virtually eradicated in 2000. Now, because of the anti-vaccine movement, the fight against deadly (and preventable) childhood diseases has taken a huge step backwards.

Here’s the reality: We’re all in this together, so your refusal to vaccinate your children has greater ramifications than just your narrow self-interest and magical thinking. The truth is that vaccination ISN’T a personal decision; it’s a social obligation. Maybe Republicans believe we don’t have a society, that America is simply a collection of individuals who can make any damn choice they please, because, liberty!

That pernicious belief must be stamped out if the nation is to survive.

So, why is Christie parsing this? This isn’t something Mr. Christie needs to hedge about. You simply say, the people who are choosing not to vaccinate their children based on some Internet BS or the spouting of some half-wit television person are endangering your children and mine. Go get the shots. Period.

The refusal by the anti-vaxx community to meet its obligations to preserving the public’s health is irresponsible, and arguably borderline criminal. This is what happens when many in the country believe demonstrably false things and then, emboldened by weasel politicians, cherry-pick the science to fit their prejudices.