Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
Roald Dahl’s Message to Anti-vaccination Groups
“Olivia, my eldest daughter, caught measles when she was seven years old. As the illness took its usual course I can remember reading to her often in bed and not feeling particularly alarmed about it. Then one morning, when she was well on the road to recovery, I was sitting on her bed showing her how to fashion little animals out of coloured pipe-cleaners, and when it came to her turn to make one herself, I noticed that her fingers and her mind were not working together and she couldn’t do anything.
‘Are you feeling all right?’ I asked her.
‘I feel all sleepy,’ she said.
In an hour, she was unconscious. In twelve hours she was dead.
The measles had turned into a terrible thing called measles encephalitis and there was nothing the doctors could do to save her. That was…in 1962, but even now, if a child with measles happens to develop the same deadly reaction from measles as Olivia did, there would still be nothing the doctors could do to help her. On the other hand, there is today something that parents can do to make sure that this sort of tragedy does not happen to a child of theirs. They can insist that their child is immunised against measles.
…I dedicated two of my books to Olivia, the first was ‘James and the Giant Peach’. That was when she was still alive. The second was ‘The BFG’, dedicated to her memory after she had died from measles. You will see her name at the beginning of each of these books. And I know how happy she would be if only she could know that her death had helped to save a good deal of illness and death among other children.”
– Roald Dahl, 1986
Published in General
This post was promoted to the Main Feed by a Ricochet Editor at the recommendation of Ricochet members. Like this post? Want to comment? Join Ricochet’s community of conservatives and be part of the conversation. Join Ricochet for Free.
The risk of death from COVID is very low for most people. The risk of adverse, long term side effects seems very unpredictable and greater than zero.
I agree we’re talking about risks and tradeoffs, but I think some of the arguments are speculative (putting it kindly– “people will develop blood clots 6 or 7 years down the road from the vaccine (but not from COVID itself)”) and downplay considerations on one side or the other based on someone’s previous decision to vaccinate or not vaccinate (confirmation bias).
I see no one here advocating for mandatory vaccinations or vaccine passports or vaccinating pregnant women, but people opposed to taking the vaccine make it sound as if we who are open to vaccination are doing just that.
Adults should be free to choose and kids probably shouldn’t be vaccinated at all — and should definitely not be compelled to vaccinate in order to participate in civilized society (universities).
The situation sucks. We’ve got to choose between a Chinese Communist Party bioweapon virus which is never going away entirely, or a relatively new immunotherapy technology that may involve unforeseen consequences. We’re all gonna die, though, so make your choice and move on with life. The Lord sits on His throne.
try reading the claims by the “Pfizer scientist” who left the field 10 years ago & thought they were years away from perfecting mRNA technology(BTW by saying he left the field 10 years ago I am being generous-he left Pfizer before that & his field isn’t vaccines). I guess he isn’t aware that science can progress without him in 10 years- and there was a greatt deal of work done in those 10 years to perfect the vaccines. And Pfizer wasn’t a leader in the technology-hence they partnered with BioNTech-maybe they should interview the actual developers of the vaccine?
WC, there are more than just two sides to this, and there is also no one saying you are advocating mandatory vaccines. However, MiMac nudges right up against that, position, but even worse he’s using the worst kind of “persuasion” techniques. That’s why I replied to his comments and not yours, which were reasonable and measured.
Welcome back, by the way. This place was a little less homey without you around.
Agreed. Unknowns all around which is why I’m so disappointed in the news and other institutions who have been getting it so wrong in two ways: claiming certainty when there really isn’t certainty and limiting questioning and alternative ideas (probably based on politics).
I think MiMac is a she. She’s also in the biz and seems highly educated on the subject. Sometimes her frustration comes through, I agree. But, I admit my bias is toward her (and vaccine developer Mendel) and very much opposed to RFK, Jr. My policy is to never, ever side the leftists on anything. Ever.
Thanks for the warm welcome, Ed.
Reading tip: “invented mRNA vaccines” is not the same as “invented the vaccine”. The first is a technology the second is a particular product made with that technology.
Not a she & have never advocated mandatory vaccines- but will push back against untrue claims by anti-vaxxers- and RFK is an antivaxxer. While broken clocks can be right twice a day RFK is not close to that level of consistency – wasn’t impressed the limited times I saw him while we were both attending the same university.
He didn’t invent either-he is a listed coauthor on 2 important papers over 30 years ago that helped lead to the development of mRNA vaccines.
Do you think we have anti-vaxxers herein this discussion? If we do, maybe they should let us know so any doubt is gone. I’m not anti-vaccination.
“10 years” sounds like “years” to me.
A good first step would be to not brush with the broad brush of “anti vaxxer”. I am pro every vax that is appropriate for me and my family. As previously mentioned, I did not get the Gardisol vaccine because there was no point. I feel similarly about the Covid shots.
And it adds to my general suspicion of the medical community that no one’s personal circumstances and risk factors are being taken into account; instead it’s everyone must get it now. People who shouldn’t get the shot because of their own health conditions, people like me who frankly don’t need it, and people with health conditions that make Covid very dangerous are all being treated the same
This is a very dangerous way to do medicine, IMHO. Although is it consistent with the way I, as a patient, have been treated. I’ve spent the past decades politely declining prescriptions.
Yes he was right- they where “years away” TEN years ago from perfecting mRNA vaccine technology – but by 2020 they where weeks away…so his criticism is worthless.
We know a lot of people suffered through the Covid virus and have immunity. @MiMac why is there a push for them to get a jab they don’t need?
Thanks, Bob. I should have included recovered individuals.
People looking to RFK, Jr. as a resource are probably anti-vaxxers. They may have understandable reasons for that due to personal experience (Carol), but the expansion of that position to the general public is simply a misunderstanding of risk/benefit analysis. There will always be people with adverse reactions to any kind of treatment/vaccine/drug. Always.
My Little Miss Anthrope has had some of the weirdest, rarest reactions to chemo drugs, for example, that doctors have ever (never) seen. It’s at least in part due to her underlying congenital condition, but guess what? She did just fine with the COVID vaccine. One day on the couch. Same as my experience.
I guess the question and issue revolve around community and individual. Any push for mandatory vaccine must be based on community, in my view, and even then if the evidence shows that one’s developed immunity is better than the vaccine provided immunity, what is the case?
If they were all saying “if you haven’t had the virus, you should get the vaccine”, their credibility would be much higher.
But he said “years away” ten years ago, right? Not LAST year.
Don’t think those who had it are the target group- the vast majority of those not vaccinated aren’t COVID survivors. If I had definitely had COVID I wouldn’t get vaccinated for at least several months afterward(like 9-if at all), since you almost certainly have a significant degree of immunity. I think such people should listen to status of booster shots and wether they will be useful. Since I was among the 1st people to get the vaccine after it got the EUA I will also track the status of booster shots. If the data supports booster shots then I would get one if I had the infection early in the pandemic- just as I will for myself if the data shows waning immunity long after the vaccine. So far the data indicates that those with prior infection are protected against severe outcomes- but I think it prudent to keep an eye on it.
Depending on what the prescriptions were for, that may not have been your best strategy. A well-stocked home pharmacy shouldn’t include just Band-Aids etc. Just one example, I’ve rarely needed Tylenol 3 after a regular tooth extraction, but I get the prescription filled anyway. Then later when I broke another tooth just after dinner on Friday, and there was no way I could get to see anyone until Monday at the earliest, having some on hand was a blessing.
Perhaps RFK Jr is unreliable, I have no idea and don’t much care to find out, but few of the arguments made here are dependent on that in any way. I think the vast majority of people here (on both sides) are offering reasonable and moderate positions which generally leaves only room for a moderate policy position of letting people decide for themselves and little justification to judge strongly one way or the other. However, some (not you WC) are engaging in a little motte and bailey by conflating extreme arguments with any argument at all.
That is not helpful. That gets hackles up and initiates stubborn contrarian mode. The truth is that hardly any of the questions surrounding covid have clear obvious answers. Only one answer is obvious IMO – we know enough to cease the government authoritarianism and general cultural hysteria. That was understandable in March 2020. No longer. Still, covid is real and not nothing, but we can be measured in our responses and let people respond in their own ways.
Does anyone have any idea why kids don’t get COVID-19?
Something about some kind of receptors things not being mature enough for binding.
Well, as is often the case, people may not be precise with words.
he didnt invent the vaxx, but it may be Robert Malone had a hand in the technology of the stuff that supports.
https://patents.justia.com/patent/20070218077
I’ve heard of the mRNA technology being described as an “operating system” which is then “programmed” to produce specific “products.” That still puts Malone near the top, because it’s impossible to “program” without the “operating system” being there first.
Ot trying to impose anything. I do, however reserve the right to judge others who think that the vaccine is experimental are akin to flat earthers.
How do you know that?
How does one confirm having had a virus with a symptom list as deep as my pantry?
I have never heard one caveat in the massive push for this shot about screening for having recently had the virus.
Honestly, how do we know that the adverse reactions are not for that very reason, having recently “had it”?
I got an email from my employer saying the governor made doses available. Included in the email was a mandatory survey that could only be completed if I gave all my personal info, including what could be perceived as HIPAA, even if I was declining the shot.
Opting out of the shot was way harder than opting in.
Yes, and I also read that the immune responses in older people is different. Which may be what you said, but I recall it was slightly different.
The patent application is 20 years old- not exactly cutting edge stuff- especially in mRNA technology- there have been great strides in the last 10 years. He is nowhere near the top- for that look to BioNTech and Moderna founders. People such as Dr. Katalin Karikó & Dr. Drew Weissman are serious Noble Prize candidates. Malone made important contributions 30 years ago- but he hasn’t been a major factor for awhile in the development of the current vaccines. He is LinkedIn page currently lists him in Madison Va- last time I drove thru the big business there was Madison Wood Preservers- not any virology labs in town-but visit Clore furniture. If you are there keep driving south on 29 until you reach Rt 33 and head East to Barboursville vineyards and really enjoy your day. I like Horton wines as well & it is just down the road. Barboursville vineyards would be a great place for a Ricochet get together….
You must be able to speak to why the vaccines have not been approved by the FDA and why the liability exemptions are still in place.