Celebrating ignorance-Mia Freedman says 'embrace your inner moron'

A story that hit this weekend's Murdoch newspapers (Herald Sun, Courier Mail, etc) seems destined to leave most intelligent people asking - is this an early April Fool's day piece?

Entitled, Become an expert is just a mouse click away  (I guess subeditors on the weekend papers are not au fait with the rules of grammar?), this opinion piece, written by Mia Freedman, former Features Editor of Cleo magazine and Editor of Cosmpolitan (both hotbeds of scientific debate!) and current doyenne of the hip parenting site mamamia, explains why parents are just not smart enough to make informed decisions about health issues. Instead, they should just do what their doctors tell them and vaccinate for goodness sake!

In what must be one of the most glaring unintentional contradictions of this incredibly contradictory piece, Freedman says, "I'M not suggesting we become a flock of sheep or suspend critical thought." followed immediately by, "But I don't need to "do my research" before I vaccinate."

Well duh! If you don't do your research first Mia, may I suggest you open wide and say baaaaaaaaaa!

Because not researching what is done to you or to your minor children is worse than stupid - it's irresponsible. Take it from someone who did NOT research this issue first (me) and whose child is still suffering as a result of that more than 20 years later. Researching first is the better and smarter choice.

Freedman is confused about why parents would ever think of questioning vaccination. She says, "I'm baffled by this growing sense that everyone has the right - indeed the obligation - to challenge facts that have been established scientifically, independently and repeatedly over years, even decades." As if when it comes to a scientific issue, we have no right to ask questions. What Mia obviously doesn't understand is that science is all ABOUT asking questions!

Where would we be if people did NOT question and research? Thalidomide wasn't withdrawn for use in pregnant women because the medical community all of a sudden decided that maybe it was causing harm. No, it took many reports of serious birth defects and one very ethical researcher (who later paid for his moral decision to openly question this drug through persecution and loss of his license) who actually listened to the parents before government and the medical community finally did something - too late for thousands of children around the world who were born armless, legless and with other serious disabilities.

The same with mercury in over the counter medications and vaccines; Vioxx, Avandia and so many other dangerous drugs which, were health consumers to follow your advice and just do as their doctors told them, would still be harming and killing people today.

In trying to dissuade parents from looking at the benefits and risks of vaccination (Risks? What risks?), Freedman comes out with the following bit of brilliance:

While publicly pedalling its anti-vaccination message, the AVN cleverly makes it sound like there are "two sides" to the vaccination debate.

In fact, there aren't two sides and there is no debate.

On one hand there is science and there is no other hand.

We were given brains for a reason and it is up to every parent to use their intelligence to make informed choices for their children.

I feel sorry for you Mia but more then that, I feel sorry for the children of parents who will read your piece and follow your advice.

For me, I will continue to research health decisions and speak with my doctor, chiropractor, naturopath or homeopath (depending on the situation) to get their point of view as part of a package of information I will use to make my final choice.

I'd rather be a lion then a lamb any day.

Oh, and I am not saying that parents who vaccinate are morons - parents who research this issue first and decide to vaccinate are every bit as intelligent as those who, doing the same research, make a different choice. But anyone who makes a health decision without knowing the benefits and risks from all aspects of the debate don't just need the recommended treatments - they need to have their heads examined.

Letters to the Herald Sun can be sent to hsletters@heraldsun.com.au

To the Courier Mail - use the online form at http://www.couriermail.com.au/help/contactus

And if this article appeared in your local newspaper, please write to them and if possible, copy all letters to me at meryl@avn.org.au