Letters on vaccinations, ACA hardship, TV hypocrisy, biracial and same-sex couples

Our responsibility to get vaccinated

In 2000, the United States declared measles eradicated from the United States, thanks largely to vaccinations. The measles virus has recently been making a comeback, one that coincides with a growing anti-vaccination movement.

Reasons to be against vaccinations are varied, ranging from autism worries, allergic reactions and religious freedom to personal choice. In 1998, Andrew Wakefield reported a relationship between vaccinations and autism in children. His claims were declared fraudulent in 2010 by the General Medical Council, which also revoked his medical license. The autism advocacy organization Autism Speaks recently showed its support for vaccinations.

The probability of adverse reactions to vaccinations is quite low compared with significant health advantages of being immune to infectious diseases. To deny the benefits of vaccinations is to deny the same benefits of modern medicine. They are born from the same scientific methods used to make many common household medications.

It would be a tragedy to see measles and other highly infectious diseases such as polio, rubella and diphtheria make a comeback in Kansas. It is every citizen’s responsibility to get themselves and their children vaccinated so no one has to experience the misery of an easily preventable virus.

Worth the risk?

To those who believe scientific evidence supports that diseases can be completely prevented with proper vaccination: I strongly encourage you to exercise your personal freedom of choice and have your family members vaccinated and trust they will be protected. Apparently, though, the scientific evidence must not be that convincing, or those who consider themselves to be informed on this issue would not be so fearful of the unvaccinated.

As for the safety of vaccines, since 1989 the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program has paid more than $3 billion for damages from vaccines to nearly 4,000 people. Of the claims filed, 1,156 involved deaths. Hundreds of cases are still “on hold.”

Regarding those thousands of injured people who survived and were able to validate their injuries: I doubt they consider the vaccinations were worth the risk. Likely, most of them would gladly forfeit the monetary awards to have their health back.

Turn off the TV

When the Jordanian pilot was burned alive, there was outrage worldwide – and rightly so. TV network news chose to not show the video. However, last week a new TV show opened with a scene showing a man being pushed into a furnace and burned alive.

Where was the outrage at a network for showing violence of this magnitude? Have we become so immune to violence that we just sit back and think nothing of it?

NBC News anchor Brian Williams tells a story about something that happened 12 years ago and is forced off the air. Cable news makes up stories all the time and we say nothing.

Williams should be punished, but what about the others?

A while back a singer exposed herself during a halftime performance of the Super Bowl so briefly that very few saw it. Now TV networks will be heavily fined if they allow it to happen again. Is it OK to show extreme violence but not sex? Why am I confused about all of this?

I will be one of the first to fight for the rights we have to free speech, but I also have the right to turn the TV off and let the networks know my opinion.

Tax hardship

As a CPA, I prepare many tax returns for low-income individuals. Imagine their dismay when they find that because of the “advance credit” calculated by the online health insurance marketplace and the absurdly low rates they paid all year, they now owe an additional $750 in tax (the maximum) or are losing $750 of their tax refund, something most of them can ill-afford. An unintended consequence, I am sure, but another dreadful government error and hardship.

Love, courage

I realize this comment is somewhat late, but its subject matter is endless, sadly. I wish to commend and congratulate Ashlyn Sullivan for her courageous commitment to, and proclamation of, the validity of biracial relationships (Jan. 29 Eagle).

Her story was an inspiring call to all to judge a person by their character, and not by their skin color. And I think in her published chant to the personal superior quality of her boyfriend, Ra’Montae Green, she shamed the infantile and cruel bigotry of those racists who insulted her and him.

This is very personal with me, for my family is multiracial. My wife and I have a granddaughter-in-law who is a lovely African-American lady. She has three daughters. Our grandson and all our family have been blessed by these additions. Also, our daughter and her partner adopted a wonderful, feisty and charming daughter who is from Puerto Rico.

Finally, the celebration of a same-gender couple in the Sunday Eagle was most commendable (Feb. 8 Arts & Leisure). The marriage of Kerry Wilks and Donna DiTrani in 2012 was beautifully remembered. Congratulations, ladies. I hope your love and courage, like that of Ashlyn and Ra’Montae, will someday put an end to the stupid and vicious bigotry some direct toward those in relationships they consider unacceptable.

This story was originally published February 11, 2015 at 6:04 PM with the headline "Letters on vaccinations, ACA hardship, TV hypocrisy, biracial and same-sex couples."