I can't shake the feeling that it all is basically a façade...The Oregon Senate Health Care Committee met today in public hearing to pilot their darling idea to strip all non-medical exemptions from vaccinations. They call it SB442. Their cronies, and experts had an open mike followed by timed testimonies from concerned citizens (80% opposed it) who were also filling another assembly chamber and watching via live video feed. They closed with more thoughts from supporters from various medical establishments.
I (like most of our state) only became aware of this proposed bill just yesterday. There were people there from all corners of our state to oppose this.
I believe I was the only homeschooler there...There is a bit of a false belief that this will not really affect us...But the dots are all there, think about it for a moment and connect them.
This DOES effect many homeschoolers as soon as it is law. Any services obtained thru the local school district (speech therapy to on campus classes, to public charters) will meet full vax requirements. I asked lobbyists about the possibility of addressing this and they all said it was not enough of a population segment to ever get any traction. How long do you logically think it will be before this forced vaccination program is applied to homeschoolers too??
For non-compliant vaccinators--- The other effect would be that any future endemic outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases would be 'blamed' on what will then be a largely unvaxed homeschool population. (you think the environment is tough just now with the current up-tick in measles? Just wait.)
Legally--- This is MASSIVE government overreach, this should not be possible by both the Constitution and the state constitution. From a civil rights point of view, do you really understand what we are looking at here? It will take much less effort to stop this line of thinking than to reverse it. Once adopted though, there is no end to the areas this overreach would touch. Parental rights in the health care of their children would quickly become a thing of the past. I heard well reasoned arguments from a constitutionality and civil rights stand point--This needs to continue. The Health Care board must be called on to carefully look at the legal issues at stake in this legislation.
Ethically---There is NO religious/moral/conscious opt out for vaccine derived from fetal stem cell lines. There is no opt out for Hep. B or Gardasil. No opt out of the annual flu vax.
It's all of them, on the standard CDC schedule. Period.
As for medical opt out---There is no way to say "My kids have double copies of the MTHFR gene mutation and consequently immune systems which cannot get rid of the toxins in vaccinations effectively." Their version of 'Medical Opt out" is nearly impossible short of having recent leukemia, cancer or organ transplant. There is no choosing to vaccinate on more of a UK or Japan model. (Other developed countries have LESS vaccinations and healthier people... Hummm)
This is the current, and constantly increasing, CDC model or else no access to ANY form of public education services. Public school, HeadStart, speech, occupational therapy, on campus classes, public charter, all are affected by SB442.
Back to the charade...There is a "Informative only" meeting March 9th with no public testimony. They will have "experts on both sides" available.
Both sides of WHAT? The constitution, medical ethics, vaccine safety???
Senator Hayward has her ducks in a row. She fully expects this to pass and quickly.
I stayed late and spoke to several lobbyists who predict if it makes it out of committee it will easily pass both Senate and House (out of indifference,and 'having bigger fish to fry') This could easily be law by early Summer.
We MUST flood this committee, our representatives, and our new Governor with e-mails, letters and calls daily starting NOW! Take your senator and representative to coffee. Let them know your concerns.
The thoughts which seemed to make the committee members squirm most were,
1.People who testified they would be forced to leave the state if this became law.
2.Women who testified they they would be disadvantaged economically by this because they would have to leave jobs to stay home full time to homeschool.
3. Testimonies which pointed to the potential religious conflict of vaxing using shots derived by the use of fetal stem cell lines.
Multiple lobbyists said this will not be won on expert testimony, but on parental input and fear of loss (revenue and constituents)to the state.
Of all the committee members, Shaw most seemed possibly sway-able...But we need 3 'NO' votes to kill it in committee. Obviously we should work on all, but both Steiner-Hayward and Monnes-Anderson are quite invested in supporting SB442 already.
Please don't sit on your hands and watch this unfold. The time to speak and act is NOW!
