Anti-vaccine protesters are likening themselves to civil rights activists

[brooklynite]

Politico

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A chorus of mostly white women sang the gospel song “We Shall Overcome” in the California State Capitol, an anthem of the civil rights movement. Mothers rallied outside the governor's office and marched through Capitol corridors chanting “No segregation, no discrimination, yes on education for all!" Some wore T-shirts that read “Freedom Keepers."

But this wasn't about racial equality. In the nation's most diverse state, protesters opposed to childhood vaccine mandates — many from affluent coastal areas — had co-opted the civil rights mantle from the 1960s, insisting that their plight is comparable to what African Americans have suffered from segregationist policies.

The approach reflected the level of desperation among families staunchly opposed to vaccinating their children — a desperation that peaked Friday night when an activist threw a menstrual cup with what appeared to be blood at several state senators during floor session.

But the civil rights claim shocked lawmakers, especially those representing minority communities that have suffered generations of racism and economic injustice. Assemblywoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Los Angeles) called it "borderline racist" and said vaccine protesters need to revisit their history books.

[comradebillyboy]

1. Who knew that Typhoid Mary was a civil rights activist? nt

[Johnny2X2X]

2. Facebook experts scientific research

It's really a cottage industry of pseudo science out there. It's easy to fall for it, they have "doctors" and "scientific studies." They're even smart enough to claim "peer reviewed" occasionally now. It's really hard to combat and it's not just about vaccines. The same types of web pages exist out there for hundreds of products or idea. Mushroom extracts that cure Stage 4 cancer, anti vax, anti climate change, anti GMO (Not just anti Monsanto who are jerks, you can be pro GMO technology and be against Monsanto who is abusing that technology), claims that CBD Oil treats hundreds of health problems that there is zero evidence it treats, etc etc etc.

I got into an argument with a women on a Facebook page that's dedicated to a dog breed we both own just last week, her dog has High Grade Mast Cell Tumors and she thinks CBD oil will cure it. My dog having just gone through the exact diagnosis needed Chemotherapy and would have had a median 3 month expected survival time without it. I took my dog to an oncologist who pointed me to the latest studies on that exact type and grade of tumor. But she has Facebook posts that are pretty convincing.

You have good people literally causing their loved ones or pets to die prematurely based on this stuff, it's a plague.

[X_Digger]

3. Don't want to vaccinate your kids? Then homeshool the little disease vectors.

It's a simple choice. In order to participate in public life, you have to give up some liberties.

e.g. I can't drive 120mph on public roads. I can on private roads.

[struggle4progress]

4. "Coming up next! New demands to legalize ricin! And tomorrow:

activists regard restrictions on dynamite as unconstitutional impositions!" Stay tuned!"