I often find my family criticised for our decision to not vaccinate our daughters (or ourselves for that matter).
People seem to think my daughters are walking around spreading diseases that they simply do not have.
You cannot spread a disease that you do not have.
It's hard at times, to respond to pro-vaxxers negative and uneducated comments in a polite and kind manner.
Obviously, yelling at them out of aggrivation will NOT help open their eyes to the truth of the dangers of vaccines.
Very recently, I received a phone call from one id of my aunts... Whom never calls. Whom is never in contact. Whom suddenly decided that I was attacking HER family because of a vaccine awareness poset I had made on social media.
I was blamed, shamed, called dumb and ignorant, accused of being purposely hateful and attacking....WHAT!?
Sadly it seems that was the end of any future communication with her and most of "her family".
There is a LONG story to the crazy on that side of the family, I will not go into that.
Anyway! Yesterday I ran across this fantastic post on social media, the author is Ashley Everly Cates.
She wrote a letter to pro-vaxxers.
Yes, a letter.
It was so wonderfully written. Kindly, compassionate, understanding, gently, and lovingly written.
She not only makes the reader feel unthreatened, but also point blank lays out that she is not dumb, not uneducated, and not crazy for not vaccinating.
I know you might think I am either (1) stupid, (2) uneducated, or (3) crazy. I know you think questioning vaccine safety is akin to believing in conspiracy theories. I know you are angered to think that there are people putting children in harm’s way because of the increasing rate of vaccine refusal.
She doesn't do it because it's a fad. She does it because she educated herself. She weighed the risks, she studied, she researched!
Let me add, that when I say the words “research” and “investigate”, I’m not talking about mom blogs or natural news websites with no sources or references for their information. I’m talking about published, peer reviewed scientific research from medical journals. I’m talking about data and records from the CDC website that you have to dig to find. I’m talking about important information about outbreaks and how to treat measles and whooping cough that doesn’t make the local or national news. I’m talking about historical records and archived articles... A significant amount of this information is behind paywalls. It’s not easily found or accessed unless you have come to learn what you need to search for.
She stands up for not only herself, but for all anti-vax believers.
Ashley leaves off inviting the reader to do their own research. Truly look into vaccines and see what they feel about them after they educate themselves further. And if they decide to continue vaccinating, fine, but to stop harassing anti-vaxxers for our decisions.
Listen.
...If you want to vaccinate, then do so. I hope though that you might keep an open mind and genuinely take time to look into this for yourself, beyond the claims of our government and medical system which ignore or are unaware of the massive amount of evidence that contradicts those claims. Please take caution and know that I don’t do this to be popular. I don’t do this to make friends.
The only reason I speak out, is to protect my children and your children, from unnecessary harm. Truly.
I encourage you to check out and read Ashley's full letter. She includes educational links and articles at the bottom.
I am for sure saving her letter for my arsenal of "why I am anti-vax".
You can find her letter HERE
