Last Thursday, a state law was introduced that, if passed, will eliminate the “personal belief” exception to California’s vaccination law.Right now, under California law there are two ways to get out of having a child vaccinated: one is if you have a medical reason, and two is if you have a “personal belief” that prevents vaccination. The law proposed last week would leave that medical exception in place and get rid of that “personal belief” part.The lawmaker who authored the bill is State Senator Richard Pan, who is also a doctor. He’s concerned about the outbreak of measles in California since December and the high numbers of people opting out of vaccines using the personal belief exemption.The law as it is written so far does not have any religious exemption. And one might not be required. According to a 1944 U.S. Supreme Court case, “the right to practice religion freely does not include liberty to expose the community or the child to communicable disease or the latter to ill health or death.” In fact, West Virginia and Mississippi do not have religious exemptions.To be clear: the police don’t come to your house and check to make sure children are vaccinated. In California we find out about a child’s vaccination status when you try to enroll them in school.Legally, you can’t enroll children in school without vaccinations or an exemption. So, let’s assume that the personal belief exemption goes away, parents could still avoid vaccination by homeschooling their children. But that would still probably be a smaller number.I believe that some version of it will pass. It already has 26 sponsors, mostly Democrats, but 2 Republicans have also signed on. Politically, here’s what’s most important: for years there has been a small, vocal group of parents who oppose vaccination and there wasn’t a huge “pro-vaccination” outcry. But that has all changed. In recent months, there has been an uproar of pro-vaccine voters demanding higher rates of vaccination and and politicians are paying attention. It’s not just California, either – lawmakers in Washington and Oregon are considering closing some vaccine exemptions as well.
there wasn't already a law against it? there should always be laws in place like this to prevent stupid people from endangering others.
Quote from: Mega Sceptile on March 01, 2015, 09:28:50 PMthere wasn't already a law against it? there should always be laws in place like this to prevent stupid people from endangering others.nope, previously you could claim "personal belief" exemption and not need to vaccinate your kid.
Public schools are terrible anyway, but it's a shame that this essentially means many parents will be forced to give up their children's right to bodily autonomy.I've said it before and I'll say it again, fuck California.
Quote from: Luciana on March 01, 2015, 10:13:59 PMQuote from: Arm The Mob on March 01, 2015, 10:11:25 PMPublic schools are terrible anyway, but it's a shame that this essentially means many parents will be forced to give up their children's right to bodily autonomy.I've said it before and I'll say it again, fuck California.Eh, I disagree really.Measles was declared completely gone in our country at some date (I'm too lazy to look it up) but is now coming back because (some) parents are listening to some former playboy bunny who got her degree on Google.I won't argue that vaccines prevent illness. Given a choice I'll take a vaccine any day.That said, I don't think the state has any business telling people what they can, cannot, or, much worse, must, put into their bodies. Much like I do not believe circumcision should be legal without the patient's informed consent, I do not think anyone has any business fucking with another person's body.The only reason I'm not up in arms throwing molotovs is that this is for public schools, which the state runs anyway. However, I think the state already has too much control over education, and there should be more readily available alternatives to state-run education. Homeschooling and private school are not sufficiently accessible to poor families.
Quote from: Arm The Mob on March 01, 2015, 10:11:25 PMPublic schools are terrible anyway, but it's a shame that this essentially means many parents will be forced to give up their children's right to bodily autonomy.I've said it before and I'll say it again, fuck California.Eh, I disagree really.Measles was declared completely gone in our country at some date (I'm too lazy to look it up) but is now coming back because (some) parents are listening to some former playboy bunny who got her degree on Google.
lol fucking California. Getting closer and closer to 1984 level of government control.
Quote from: PSU on March 01, 2015, 10:30:13 PMlol fucking California. Getting closer and closer to 1984 level of government control.Of course you don't like it. You're one of the fucks who is part of the problem.
Quote from: Mad Max on March 01, 2015, 10:46:29 PMQuote from: PSU on March 01, 2015, 10:30:13 PMlol fucking California. Getting closer and closer to 1984 level of government control.Of course you don't like it. You're one of the fucks who is part of the problem.Because I believe in freedom of the body?The government should have zero authority in saying you MUST put something inside your body. That just seems crazy to me. And if you deny my child entrance to the public schools that I pay for? You're not getting my tax dollars.
Quote from: Mad Max on March 01, 2015, 10:57:37 PMQuote from: PSU on March 01, 2015, 10:52:04 PMQuote from: Mad Max on March 01, 2015, 10:46:29 PMQuote from: PSU on March 01, 2015, 10:30:13 PMlol fucking California. Getting closer and closer to 1984 level of government control.Of course you don't like it. You're one of the fucks who is part of the problem.Because I believe in freedom of the body?The government should have zero authority in saying you MUST put something inside your body. That just seems crazy to me. And if you deny my child entrance to the public schools that I pay for? You're not getting my tax dollars.Because you play up the "freedom of the body" bullshit when what you're really doing is promoting a public health risk and putting your child at risk of catching a disease we should be rid of by now if it weren't for people like you.I'd love to know what makes you think you, or any other person, has the right to dictate what goes into another person's body, especially considering you are a supporter of abortion rights.If you do not believe in bodily autonomy, I'm interested in knowing on what grounds you see abortion as justified.
Quote from: PSU on March 01, 2015, 10:52:04 PMQuote from: Mad Max on March 01, 2015, 10:46:29 PMQuote from: PSU on March 01, 2015, 10:30:13 PMlol fucking California. Getting closer and closer to 1984 level of government control.Of course you don't like it. You're one of the fucks who is part of the problem.Because I believe in freedom of the body?The government should have zero authority in saying you MUST put something inside your body. That just seems crazy to me. And if you deny my child entrance to the public schools that I pay for? You're not getting my tax dollars.Because you play up the "freedom of the body" bullshit when what you're really doing is promoting a public health risk and putting your child at risk of catching a disease we should be rid of by now if it weren't for people like you.
Mandatory Vaccines =/= Freedom
So is smoking, so is alcoholism, so is cocaine usage and marijuana.But reasonable people advocate for the legalization of these activities. Why?Because you have no right to dictate what I do with my body any more than I have the right to dictate what you do with yours.
Quote from: Luciana on March 01, 2015, 11:24:22 PMAmericans are so "muh freedomz" that it is cancerous. It's a terrible excuse for quite a lot things in our country.You're right, we'd all be so much happier with a gun pointed to your head telling you how to live your life.Let me guess, you're also a Christian, right? Need that structure to keep yourself from shitting your pants and killing people?Collectivism is a fucking cancer. Anyone who fails to respect the rights and dignity of the individual is dysfunctional at best and a threat to his fellow man at worst.
Americans are so "muh freedomz" that it is cancerous. It's a terrible excuse for quite a lot things in our country.
]Hardly. A vaccine goes into your body just like any drug.Also like choosing to vaccinate or not, drug usage does impact those around you. If I start tweaking, or get ripped, and I decide to go outside, I could very well do something stupid and get myself or others hurt. If I drive drunk, I am putting lives at risk.EDIT: If i'm not clear here, I'm not actively advocating legalization of drunk driving. It is, however, an inevitability when alcohol is publicly available.
Quote from: Luciana on March 01, 2015, 11:32:38 PM "Gubbermint is bad"But is seriously is. Government in it's modern form is no more ethical than the mafia, and I am 100% happy to elaborate on that if you'd like.
"Gubbermint is bad"
I would express my genuine surprise that there's actually people opposing this, but this is the Flood after all.OT: this is good.