I just became aware of Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo’s comments and decisions regarding vaccinations for school children in Florida. And I am appalled by this decision and the alleged thought behind it.
Vaccines are demonstrably the most important, effective disease and death protection ever; rivaled only by antibiotics and advanced diagnostic tools. They have saved as many as 154 million people from death over the past 50 years and likely many times that in preventing serious disease.
They contribute immeasurably to any governments’ primary obligation to its residents: public safety. Vaccines have eliminated smallpox; have almost eliminated polio; saved millions of lives from covid; and were on their way to eliminate measles, a more serious disease than we have come to believe partly because the vaccine has radically reduced cases and the few that have appeared are mild.
Did he somehow miss the immunological portion of medical school?
As serious as all that is, it pales beside the equation of required vaccines to slavery. One can only begin to understand this as some kind of issue with personal choice. Slaves had no choice in being enslaved, and sentenced to a life of labor, abuse, and deprivation. Vaccine requirements are somehow similar?
The contradictions, the ignoring of effective medical process, and the callousness of the slavery comment are outrageous and mind bending. Are we then to expect other changes from him and others like him that will remove the obligation for citizens to obey traffic laws, remove protections for private property and allow unfettered assault?
These, and more, are all onerous restrictions on personal choice. But, wait, these are all key elements in the role of government to promote and protect public safety. I would like to feel sure that he has no problem with these restraints on personal liberty. Because if he does not, he has absolutely no business being in a public service position.
Richard Emery
Mukilteo
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
