# Anti-vaxxers are ignorant scumbags that kill children **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 1, 2016, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626 "2016-09-01T01:59:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 76
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2025, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/1502 "2025-11-21T17:38:16Z")
Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE), Katelyn Jetelina, wrote today: > So, what do you do? > > - At this time, I suggest the general public **avoid the CDC website.** > - If you do go to the CDC website, avoid anything on vaccines, reproductive health, environmental science, or health equity. > - Data systems are still largely under the control of states and CDC scientists. Flu and wastewater data, for example, are good to go. > - Find trustworthy navigators outside the federal government, such as AAP, ACOG, and [healthychildren.org](http://healthychildren.org), as well as many credible scientific communicators. ([The Evidence Collective put together a comprehensive list of scientific communicators and organizations for you here!](https://docs.google.com/document/d/14eE9AoiQf3W1lGV3t0DxVXN08w8v2IYP_BiX2vN0mJY/edit?usp=sharing)) > **[One of CDC’s final blows. And what it means for you.](https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/cdc-false-information-jetelina)** > > Where to find trusted health information now? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2025, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/1503 "2025-11-21T18:38:59Z")
Currently, claims related to vaccine design have to go through the federal vaccine court, while other sorts of vaccine-related claims can be litigated in state courts. One goal of RFK Jr. and other antivaxers is to get autism added to the “table injury” list by which money is awarded in the federal vaccine court system. But to really open up the lawsuit floodgates, RFK Jr. needs to engineer destruction of the existing federal system and allow all kinds of state litigation to occur. With the well already poisoned by phony claims (more to come once the the HHS-sponsored Geier “study” bears fruit), juries will be conditioned to make huge awards, forcing companies to stop making vaccines and achieving the goal of Making America Infected Again. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2025, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/1504 "2025-11-21T19:20:53Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Wouldn’t it be hell if Cassidy sacrificed his reputation to kowtow to MAGA and Trump, and they dumped him anyway? If you’re going to sell your soul at least get a good price! ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2025, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/1505 "2025-11-21T19:25:57Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > But to really open up the lawsuit floodgates, RFK Jr. needs to engineer destruction of the existing federal system and allow all kinds of state litigation to occur. They were alluding to that as well on the discussion; he is intentionally sabotaging things from within so that he can turn around later and take advantage. (He and others.) It’s so damn corrupt, and remember that this is all undermining national health. It’s straight fucking evil. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2025, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/1506 "2025-11-21T22:01:22Z")
Ironically the vaccine courts make it easier for people to get awards - in a real court, you need to prove causation, while in the vaccine court, all you need to prove is that someone got a vaccine, and has an injury that a vaccine could have caused. But RFK, Jr. doesn’t care about people with real injuries getting compensated - he wants disease to flourish freely without fear of vaccines. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2025, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/1507 "2025-11-22T01:44:55Z")
> [@susan](#): > > Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE), Katelyn Jetelina, wrote today: Our WA State Dept of Health put out a release today reiterating that vaccines don’t cause autism, and to go to them for health information. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2025, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/1508 "2025-11-22T01:48:45Z")
In theory this should be just what MAGA wants - a country in which distrust of federal government runs rampant and information/services are decentralized to the state and local level. ---
**Author:** ![Ancient\_Nerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed655f/32.png) [@Ancient\_Nerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ancient_Nerd)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2025, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/1509 "2025-11-22T02:06:58Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > information/services are decentralized to the state and local level So, the era of snake oil was when America was great. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2025, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/1510 "2025-11-22T02:47:34Z")
Cash up front. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2025, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/1511 "2025-11-22T05:02:51Z")
MAGA also doesn’t want people trusting blue state government either though. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2025, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/1512 "2025-11-22T17:41:07Z")
> [@Ancient\_Nerd](#): > > the era of snake oil was when America was great Yes, it’s all a grift. The leaders of the MAGA and MAHA movement are all grifters. Don’t forget that the original “link” between the MMR vaccine and autism was just a lie to give ammunition to be used in bogus lawsuits against the pharmaceutical companies. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2025, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/1513 "2025-11-22T17:47:39Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > In theory this should be just what MAGA wants - a country in which distrust of federal government runs rampant and information/services are decentralized to the state and local level. The irony is this just makes it more difficult for them to push their agenda on the entirety of the country. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2025, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/1514 "2025-11-24T00:55:10Z")
The claim ‘RFK jr does not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim because studies have not ruled out the possibility that RFK jr causes autism.” Show me the studies that _aren’t_ paid for by sources supportive of RFK jr. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2025, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/1515 "2025-11-24T22:38:09Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > The claim ‘RFK jr does not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim because studies have not ruled out the possibility that RFK jr causes autism.” You may be on to something, there. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2025, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/1516 "2025-11-24T23:33:04Z")
Maybe it’s already been noted here, but I saw a meme yesterday that said “since a fair number of scientists could be considered to be on the spectrum, it’s more accurate to say that autism causes vaccines than the other way around.” ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2025, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/1517 "2025-11-25T01:01:29Z")
“Wait are you saying vaccines are made by freaks? Ewwww. I trust them even less now.” ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2025, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/1518 "2025-11-25T17:20:55Z")
Another child has died from measles in Israel. > [@](#): > > A one-year-old infant who was not vaccinated against measles and had no underlying conditions died on Tuesday due to complications of the disease, the Health Ministry said. > > The death marks the 11th fatality in Israel due to the measles outbreak since it began in May. Most of them were healthy children with no underlying illnesses, who were not vaccinated against measles. > **[Unvaccinated baby dies of measles in Jerusalem, 11th fatality in outbreak](https://www.timesofisrael.com/unvaccinated-baby-dies-of-measles-in-jerusalem-11th-fatality-in-outbreak/)** > > Also, 10-year-old girl without underlying health conditions dies of flu; Health Ministry says virus has passed epidemic threshold Are screwed-up religious beliefs driving the lack of vaccination, or are the parents Brady Bunch devotees? ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2025, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/1519 "2025-11-25T20:22:24Z")
[Antivax in Israel is largely a Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) thing](https://www.haaretz.com/2025-08-11/ty-article-magazine/.premium/entire-buildings-full-of-sick-children-behind-the-measles-outbreak-around-jerusalem/00000198-98bb-d825-a39a-dbfb92040000), but AIUI there is no established theological basis for antivax views. It’s a comparatively low-information community vulnerable to conspiracy theories, reflected among US Haredi as well. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2025, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/1520 "2025-11-26T01:11:10Z")
I haven’t seen a breakdown on what percentage of cases in Israel are among the ultra-Orthodox. But unless they’re strictly segregating themselves and don’t go out in public, they’re spreading a highly infectious disease to others. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2025, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/1521 "2025-11-26T13:23:01Z")
But not exclusively. Generalized “hesitancy” went up after COVID. [https://www.timesofisrael.com/amid-measles-outbreak-study-finds-skepticism-of-routine-vaccines-shot-up-during-covid/amp/](https://www.timesofisrael.com/amid-measles-outbreak-study-finds-skepticism-of-routine-vaccines-shot-up-during-covid/amp/) Also from that article @Jackmannii is not a precise breakdown but … > The incidence of the measles outbreak appears to correlate with the prevalence of vaccination. The least vaccinated sector in Israel is the ultra-Orthodox — and many of the areas currently defined as having an outbreak have large ultra-Orthodox populations. Most not all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626.md?page=75) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626.md?page=77)