Mike Luckovich for April 23, 2019

Anti-vaxxers are the Grim Reaper’s latest recruits.

People are welcome to observe whatever rituals, beliefs, superstitions they want. If those practices endanger themselves, so be it. But when it comes to harming others, you have to draw a line. When it comes to endangering children, sorry, you do not have a right to practice your religion at the expense of danger to your children.

And it is not just your own children. The anti-vax extremists who fail to vaccinate their children are not only putting their OWN children in danger, they are also endangering other children, adults and infants who have legitimate medical reasons preventing them from getting vaccinations and now run the risk of being exposed to highly contagious diseases because of some religious or anti-science nut job.

If someone from a primitive tribe wants to offer their child as a human sacrifice to ensure a bounteous harvest, or someone comes from a religion or country that allows polygamy, we don’t allow a religious exemption.

If a Jehovah’s Witness wants to deny their underage child a life-saving blood transfusion, we don’t allow a religious exemption — child medical advocates can obtain a court order to overrule parental rights.

If a Christian Scientist wants to deny their underage child life-saving chemotherapy, we don’t allow a religious exemption.

There is no reason we should allow a religious or “personal belief” exemption that puts not only the parents’ own child(ren) at risk, but others as well.

Maybe because some folks are too dumb to raise kids, this takes care of that?

Considering that one can die from measles, I probably owe my existence to my mother’s association with doctors and nurses in her early years. People who refuse a vaccination for their kids are playing with the child’s life.

Be eliminating your health care, Republicans are doing their damnedest to expand your market share. Maybe they think Death will over look them with enough campaign contributions?

Vaccines cause people

Then Death hands out buttons saying “Global warming is a hoax!”

We could stand a culling of the herd. One or 2 billion would be a good start.

You have a right to swing your arms, but your right ends where my nose begins. Similarly, you have the right not to get vaccinated, but your right to spew toxic-laden air ends where my breath begins. Or something like that. :-D

Ignorant people have serious consequences on society.

Looks like Death is wining.

Why would anyone choose to chance getting sick when there is a vaccine available?

We prosecute parents who depend on “faith healing” for their kids… if the kids die or are badly injured as a result. Enforcing vaccination is in exactly the same public health arena, but where the situation makes it impossible to localize the crime to a single family / individual. I am in favor of giving everyone the freedom to kill themselves (after psychiatric approval) aka “Death with Dignity”. I am absolutely not in favor of letting folks put others at risk for death or even illness just because they “believe” something. Don’t want to vaccinate your kids? Move to where it’s not a requirement. Don’t want to move? Vaccinate.

Brilliant!