Yet more letters to Copeland Publishing - Fantastic job everyone!

Apr 07, 2010

Two days ago, I requested that people write to Marion Day at Copeland Publishing and/or the Editor, Sean Mooney at this website to let them know how you felt about Copeland rejecting our advertisement sight unseen (please click here to read more about this situation). The letters keep flowing in and I have to say, if they are not making the Editor and Advertising Director think twice about censorship in future publications, i will eat my hat! Here are more of your letters. I had to stop because I thought this page might get too long - there will be more tomorrow :-)

Please don’t forget to send a copy of your letter to me at meryl@avn.org.au.

Please cancel my ad with Brisbane's Child

Dear Jo,

I apologize for my delay in forwarding information to you in regards to an advertisement in the May party issue.

For no particular reason that I can explain, I have been unsure of whether or not to go ahead with the ad as discussed with you. However it has just come to my attention that your group of magazines (Child publications) has refused to accept a paid advertisement from the AVN (Australian Vaccination Network) without even setting eyes on the proposed ad.

Apparently this is a decision based on economics. The government and pharmaceutical advertising you accept is deemed too financially valuable to run the risk of upsetting them by accepting advertising from a not for profit organization like AVN. Whether or not you agree with vaccination, one would hope you value free speech, and the right we have as parents to an informed choice for our children. It is up to each parent to choose what they feel is best for their child, and to do that we need to have _all_ the available information, not simply the information organizations with money and power would like us to have.

This event has well and truly made up my mind about placing an advertisement with Brisbane's Child. I am aware as a free publication you rely heavily on the advertising in your magazine to make a profit, however I will be spending my advertising dollar elsewhere. I am sorry to say my opinion of your publication has taken a serious dive, and though my opinion and advertising dollar may not mean a lot, I hope it may cause the people responsible for this decision to stop and think about what they value- rights to free speech or the almighty dollar.

I wish you all the best, and thank you for your time and efforts.

Kind regards,

Are our rights any better than China's?

Hi Marion,

I just received information about your magazine’s dealings with the AVN. While I do understand that every business has to make money to perpetuate itself, I think the Child Publications have now crossed the Rubicon, becoming the antithesis of balanced information for parents and families that it was originally intended.

Unfortunately this is the sort of behaviour that speaks in flavours of regimes like China which are no longer really communist anyway, more a lighter shade of fascism. The end result is that the corporate sector does the bidding of the state and the state legislates favourably towards financial interests in the corporations. In this case, it seems that Child Publications is now subtly doing the bidding of the state and drug companies by proxy.

I live and work in China and I am constantly amused by westerners who champion the virtues of our western society at the same time as they denounce regimes like China. Not truly understanding what communism really stands for and certainly not understanding the fascist undertones that China has now embraced. Yet all the while, these westerners engage in similar behaviour here, oblivious to the similarities and ironies. The recent actions of Child Publications displays the behaviour that so easily allows a society to roll down the slippery slopes of censorship.

I work in Chinese traditional medicine hospitals in China, some of these hospitals are larger than any western orthodox medical hospitals we have in Australia, yet I am constantly asked if I think Chinese medicine works? These hospitals, researchers and doctors produce hundreds of published studies every year, treat millions of people every year...and here in the west we think its all rubbish and don't believe it works. There is a larger irony in that China is supposed to be the country that engages in censorship, yet when it comes to the holy grail of drug-based medicine, the west has become a propagandist and not China.

The reason the western population has so much ignorance is largely because of the news media and medical and drug-based interest groups...and yes, publications like yours. Whether you censor for economic reasons or you censor for political reasons...the end result is the same...censorship that produces more of the same ignorance.

I would ask you to please reconsider your decisions, firstly in the name of a free society and secondly in the name of diverse scientific opinion and discussion. No new scientific paradigm (with so many vested stake holders) has ever seen the light of day without controversy and debate (remember thalidomide?). The vaccine issue is one such issue and it deserves equal time along side the accepted status quo. There are many studies emerging that show vaccines to be either ineffective and or dangerous. These are scientific studies produced in the West, valid scientific information. This information needs to be disseminated and discussed.

The actions of your publication serve only to perpetuate the censorship of this information, denying the parents and families information they need to make a balanced and informed decision.

Please have a rethink about your decision with regards to the AVN, it would surely be in the public’s interest to learn more about these issues.

Yours sincerely

From a Day Care Director - give us the information!

Dear Marion,

As the Director of XXXXXXX Long Day Care, I am outraged that the advertisement from AVN has been rejected for publication in the Sydney Child Magazine. People have the right to be informed about their decisions, especially if they have the potential to impact their children's lives in any way.

There are 2 sides to every story, and we have the right as people living in a democratic society to hear them. As a journalistic publication providing information to young mothers, you have the moral obligation to provide all information to them which can and/or will impact their children.

With the censorship that you have imposed, I would have thought that you could be held responsible (in future) for withholding relevant information that could have possibly saved a life.

As the Director of a large Child Care Centre, I can fully attest to the fact that vaccination is well represented, and somewhat enforced, however no information is provided giving another perspective that is well researched and valuable to mums who want to make an informed decision.

Perhaps it would be prudent for the AVN to now contact people like Alan Jones as the issue of dictatorship and the rights of our democratic society have been breached in such a way that has the potential to impact young babies and the future population of our society.

You should be ashamed of your decision!

Respectfully yours,

Director of

XXXXXXX Christian Long Day Care

Very disappointing

Dear Marion

How disappointing your company has decided not to publish anything by the Australian Vaccination Network. I had always felt your magazines helped we parents make choices in how we choose to bring up our children. I had no idea you were so keen on censoring what I may or may not read - and what I may or may not decide to do in making my choices in bringing up my children.

How very narrow-minded of you and how curious you appear to take so much note of the rather sad, and obnoxiously written rag as the Skeptics. One can't help wonder what drives so much vitriol from the Skeptics - I can only assume the chief writer has a very blunt axe to grind.

I pride myself on being part of those Australians who can think for ourselves - I can and do make informed decisions about child rearing in all areas.

I do not follow blindly but read carefully and thus make a decision based on my own research. Your publications once did that.

You have helped me decide to never purchase nor read your publications again - I will also advise my friends, family members and others I may meet to boycott them.

We Australians didn't rise to become the wonderful nation we are by being dictated to by publications such as yours and the sorry Skeptics - we are, on the whole, an intelligent people who can make our own decisions.

I have made mine.

Yours sincerely

Another former regular reader

Dear Ms. Day,

As a regular reader of Brisbane's Child, my opinion of your publications has been somewhat diminished. I had thought your aim was to provide an educated read with some insightful articles? After learning that your publishing company refused to advertise the AVN, I have reassessed my opinion.

I am as concerned with my child’s health as the next person. People deserve the right to make an informed decision on the health and wellbeing of their children. This advertisement would have provided a wide array of readers who have possibly never questioned the safety of immunisation a chance to weigh up both arguments. It is not like the AVN will brainwash anyone. We all have the capacity to read and interpret information and this is generally the stance of the media... Nobody has forced my decisions on me. I have made educated choices. It is infuriating to have that constantly thrown in my face by the likes of your company and many others. If the government and pharmaceutical companies had nothing to hide, then allowing people to access information wouldn't be such a concern.

I hope you are aware of how many people have made the conscientious objection not to vaccinate before you "edit" or censor your magazine to best cater for it's readers.

Yours sincerely,

Absolutely disgusted!

Dear Marion,

As a former reader of some of your publications, I would like to express my disgust at the rejection, sight-unseen, of advertisements from the Australian Vaccination Network. I find it truly appalling that your company would prevent a small volunteer organisation from informing readers of its services for fear of offending large multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical corporations. There are 2 sides to every story, and this issue just goes to show that in Australia, there is no freedom of the press unless you belong to the side with all of the dollars.

I am absolutely disgusted that a magazine that is supposed to inform and educate parents would take this stance. Obviously all you are concerned with (mis)-informing parents about is the standard line put out by big pharma who has billions of dollars of vested interest. Shame on you for allowing yourselves to be prostituted like this. Where are your morals? Where is your sense of doing what is right and just?

Sincerely,

Mother of 4 and former advertiser

Dear Marion,

I am a mother to four young children and have been an avid reader of your publication for 12 years now. As a psychologist and educator in one-time private practice I have also been an advertiser.

I am disgusted to hear that you have vetoed the AVN from taking out an ad in Child magazines – without even seeing a proof!

Your publications aim to inform parents and offer a plethora of articles, services and resources to that effect. Such economically driven censorship is tantamount to dictatorship, denying freedom of speech, and certainly unacceptable in a democracy.

This decision to preclude the AVN from publication not only compromises family’s access to information, but potentially endangers the health and lives of children by actively denying this access.

I urge you to reconsider your decision or risk losing your reputation and readership.

Yours sincerely,

It's all about freedom and maturity

Dear Marion

It is with great disappointment, that I discover that your magazine, “Sydney Child”, has rejected an advertisement booked by the AVN and done so on economic, short sighted grounds. Accepting their advertisement may well have increased your number of readers and distribution, as it would enable readers to see that you weren’t biased about dissemination of information.

I hope that parents of Australia’s children are mature enough to make informed choices about what is best for their child/children. Unless magazines like yours do provide access to such information, some parents will remain uninformed and ignorant of available options.

If there were truly no negative effects of childhood vaccinations or other products they sell/reccommend, the pharmaceutical companies and government agencies, who advertise in your magazines, would have no problem with who else advertises in your magazines.

Fear-based decisions are usually not ones made with clarity. I am the mother of two small children and do my best to educate myself before making decisions with respect to procedures that impact their health and future.

I have no interest in reading your magazine any more.

Regards

What else are you censoring, Sydney's Child?

I am a reader of your Sydney's Child Magazine and I am very disappointed to hear that you will not be allowing the AVN to advertise in your publications.

I am disappointed that as a Parenting Publication, you are not interested in keeping your media unbiased and it makes me wonder how else your magazine has been censored and skewed to suit your advertising income? VERY disappointing indeed.

Please remain OBJECTIVE. I know vaccination is a sensitive topic but parents have a right to know that there is information and help if their children have had an adverse reaction to vaccinations. It would also be helpful for your readers to know that they are able to investigate the pros and cons of vaccination from other sources (eg books written by Dr's and other health professionals) rather than just the usual data provided by the companies producing the product.

Please help to keep your readers fully informed.

It will be hard to look at your publication in the same way knowing that you are censoring advertising and articles to suit your big advertisers.

Your sincerely,

Is money really the only thing that's important?

Dear Sean,

With regards to the decision to not run an AVN ad, I do understand your position, that putting an AVN advert would compromise your budget, putting the future of your magazines on shaky ground. The pharmaceutical industry is powerful and therefore influential. They are profit and power driven which inhibits their duty of care to their customers. Much like banks. And they will do pretty much anything to keep those profits rolling in.

It is so, so sad that choice can be taken from us due to financial pressure.

I could go on about that it is all our duty to stay truthful and open, to allow for freedom of speech. But all this takes great bravery. It requires us to step on and then over the edge of what is known and safe and into the unknown. Probably with massive fallout. But then..........

you live in integrity.

Have you read the poem 'The Invitation, By Oriah'? There is a line in it, "to be faithless and therefore trustworthy".

Which might mean to change one's mind about something because it doesn't serve you anymore.

My hope is that one day, we will all be brave. It is a confusing and difficult road to travel but the rewards are endless.

Yours Sincerely,

If I hadn't gotten the AVN's information, my son might be sicker!

Hi Marion,

I am the mother of a 17 month old boy, who regularly reads Sydney’s Child. I am disappointed that this form of discrimination has occured, especially from a reputable magazine like yours.

I decided not to vaccinate my child before I came across the AVN. However, it is through the AVN that my decision has been reinforced.

I am incredibly grateful, that such a decision was reinforced, because my son’s kidneys have not grown in a year and, we are still investigating the causes of this.

There is between 500 and 1200mcg of aluminum in the vaccines. The FDA concedes that amounts over 25mcg for those with impaired kidney function can lead to further complications. We are still investigating many of my son’s issues, BUT yet, not one doctor knew of this warning. My son was looked after by several doctors - all of whom were not aware of these facts.

Thus, as you could imagine, I am incredibly grateful and will always be grateful that the AVN helped me withstand the pressures from doctors, who clearly are not informed of this.

Ultimately, this very decision, could have possibly altered the course of my son’s health, if things were different. His kidneys are functioning, but we do not know yet at what levels. So, why have I been ridiculed and pressured, when I am clearly more informed than some doctors and have made this incredibly hard decision out of love and dedication to my son?

PLEASE, do what is right, not just for the sake of freedom of speech, but for the sake of many other children like my son who can be adversely impacted by such practices.

Kind Regards,

Like Judas

Hi Marion,

Well, I assume you feel like Judas now.

Here you are professing to provide a balanced publication to Australian parents, but now you and we all know different. We all know you are in it solely for the money. It was appalling to read of your response to the AVN’s request for advertising space. You should be ashamed of yourselves and I trust that this attitude is brought to more than yours and my attention, in fact I will be ensuring it does.

You are just after the money. Just like Judas was. You are not an independent publisher.

You are a traitor (to all parents).

You do not support natural health.

You do not support natural immunity.

You do not support freedom of health.

You do not support freedom of thought.

You do not support a parents right to full unbiased information.

You do not support anyone opposing your pharmaceutical advertisers.

You do not support parents who have children crippled by vaccinations.

You do not support your own ideals - I am only guessing at this one and wish I am wrong.

You do support drug pushers.

You do support all manner of drugs - specifically drugs for children.

You do support profit over ethics.

You succumb to bullies.

You are scared of others in that they might hurt you - financially.

You are scared that your drug-pushing advertisers may abandon you.

You do not support those who question the need for drugs.

You do not support those looking for answers as to why their children have been instantly and seemingly permanently altered following vaccinations.

If not for the AVN, where else could I have gotten the information I did get when my child was physically assaulted in the hospital. Where else?

Not in any government institution - that is exactly where it occurred. The AVN provided the only link to sense and answers for me. And here you are denying them advertising space! What chance do people like me have when you are in charge of a magazine so widely distributed as yours? I painstakingly found the AVN. Why can’t you advertise for them?

Is it because you have a one-sided viewpoint on vaccinations? I suggest you set-aside your personal viewpoint and accept that there are other viewpoints, equally researched, perhaps more greatly so.

How could you abandon readers of your magazine? How could you stoop so low as to shame yourselves in the public eye? Could you possibly believe that your current actions will not escalate amidst other news?

I suggest that you seriously need to look at your place in our community and re-evaluate your priorities. We in “OUR” community certainly do not want a publication with your current stance.

We could just as well distribute the goodness of the natural health publications from the pharmaceutical companies.

What we want from you is a balance - one that you used to profess to provide. Unless you can provide that then you have stumped yourself in our

community. Do you evolve to become a spoke piece for condoning chemical and drug-usage or do you offer a balanced publication?

The AVN is not a controversial entity. It simply suggests to parents an alternative viewpoint to drug usage backed by research. Modern, current, up-to-date research, backed by years of data.

What’s your latest drug this month? I hear that there are special deals on new vaccines and good advertising offers - are you game? The government has published the news of the “Second Wave“ of swine ‘flu (school brochure in hand). They have not responded to my repeated request as to the date of the Wave’s arrival or other questions. Has the same salesman got you by the balls?

Will you have an editorial on a new vaccine or health-threat or will you have an editorial on how you presented such a wrong stance from the available knowledge you present to parents. Perhaps you could present articles of a more balanced nature. Perhaps it is that your journalists need their skills enhanced? There are alternative viewpoints on current hysterias which you obviously are scared to publish and thus your readers are ignorant. Shame on you.

I suggest you apologise to the AVN and admit your error (your readers do not know of this as yet).

Anything less would not be manlike at all and I await your response.

Informed Choice

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