Comments on: David Barton Features Anti-Vax Speaker at Legislators Conference

By: DoctorDJ

DoctorDJ — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 18:21:30 +0000

In reply to ken. Yes, foolishness is a part of the human condition.

By: ken

ken — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 17:36:40 +0000

Originally, I used to see the “anti-vaxxers” as the liberal version of ‘creationists’ (i.e. people who ignore/distort science based on mis-informed personal beliefs). Clearly this is a sad phenomenon that crosses political boundaries. Although, I still use liberal anti-vaxxers to demonstrate how it isn’t just conservatives that mis-use/understand science.

However this quote:

“vaccines cause autism via the introduction of fetal DNA.”

makes me think the conservative side is anti-vax because of a “stealth” anti-abortion stance.

I do recall one case where a teen refused to get the chicken pox vaccine because it was “derived from aborted fetal tissue.”

By: Summers-lad

Summers-lad — Tue, 17 Dec 2019 19:14:54 +0000

Incredible. What on earth is the motivation of these people? Do they come only to steal, kill and destroy?

By: nathankc

nathankc — Tue, 17 Dec 2019 15:12:51 +0000

ah anti-vaxxers: where the spectre of being on the autism spectrum is *so* bad you’d rather see your child (or someone else’s) dead than autistic.

By: nathankc

nathankc — Tue, 17 Dec 2019 10:00:33 +0000

ah anti-vaxxers: where the spectre of being on the autism spectrum is *so* bad you’d rather see your child (or someone else’s) dead than autistic.

By: MyPetSlug

MyPetSlug — Tue, 17 Dec 2019 09:52:12 +0000

This is the phenomenon known as “crank magnetism” in action. Basically, when you already believe one scientific conspiracy, then it’s very easy to accept the pseudo-science or conspiracy theories around another idea and then more and more.

Let me put it this way, why wouldn’t anti-vax ideology become a part of the religious right dogma at this point? They already believe there are vast scientific conspiracies about the age of the earth, evolution, and climate change. So, it’s not a high hurdle to get them to believe there’s a vast conspiracy of doctors lying to them about vaccines. And the target audience is not exactly about to go look at the evidence or trust the relevant experts to counteract this nonsense. They’ve inoculated themselves against information from the outside world.

Once you’ve made the choice to abandon reason to justify your conclusions, it’s tough to go back.

By: 2019 still here Ellie2

2019 still here Ellie2 — Mon, 16 Dec 2019 20:03:45 +0000

The love of disease makes strange bedfellows. David Barton and Bill Maher on the same side, against science.

By: DoctorDJ

DoctorDJ — Mon, 16 Dec 2019 18:15:45 +0000

“Misguided parents listening to anti-vax crusaders put their children at risk.”

And the risk is not theoretical or academic.Children are dying because of their parents’ ignorance.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/samoa-extends-measles-state-of-emergency-as-death-toll-climbs-2019-12-14/?intcid=CNI-00-10aaa3b

By: OrthoAnabaptist

OrthoAnabaptist — Mon, 16 Dec 2019 18:02:47 +0000

I don’t think it’s officially a new cause of the religious right… but at the grass-roots, via social media I see some bubblings of a possible connection – of course it’s tied to abortion. To me it seems some anti-abortionists are picking up the bogus autism connection as more fodder for their cause with the added benefit of coming from a few scientists. (But the same people have no problem dismissing other scientists, in other areas or related areas). IMO it’s nuts, but given what the religious right so easily falls for these days, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if this becomes a new layer to their other causes.