Summary

A father whose unvaccinated six-year-old daughter became the first U.S. measles death in 10 years remains steadfast in his anti-vaccine beliefs.

The Mennonite man from Seminole, Texas told The Atlantic, “The vaccination has stuff we don’t trust,” maintaining that measles is normal despite its near-eradication through vaccination.

His stance echoes claims by HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., who initially downplayed the current North American outbreak before changing his position under scrutiny.

Despite his daughter’s death, the father stated, “Everybody has to die.”

  • OpenStars@discuss.online
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    4 hours ago

    Unpopular opinion: I actually respect this. It’s a personal decision not put upon anyone else, has nothing to do with political mis/disinformation, and is entirely consistent with the rest of their beliefs.

    I don’t have to agree with them to respect how they choose to live their lives. Especially if they will keep their kids in seclusion if displaying symptoms and wear masks themselves when coming into town.

    Maybe they’ll die, but that’s not my call to make, nor can I force them to live my way (nor do I want to).

    • ultranaut@lemmy.world
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      3 hours ago

      Your premise is faulty. The dead child had their personal decision made for them. Its one thing to deny yourself medical care, its another thing entirely to deny a child medical care.

      • FordBeeblebrox@lemmy.world
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        1 hour ago

        Do, ingest or smoke whatever the hell you want. Bring a kid into it and that’s a whole different ballgame. PD tends to get involved, for better or worse

      • discount_door_garlic@lemmy.world
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        3 hours ago

        yeah the kid 100% had their dumbass parent’s decision ‘put upon’ them…how this is anything other than child abuse/manslaughter is beyond me - whether they’re in a fringe religious group or not, they are still killing people that didn’t have a real say in that outcome.

    • pyre@lemmy.world
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      3 hours ago

      what do you mean “not put on anyone else”? you think if it’s a personal decision the disease they catch becomes respectful and tries not to infect vulnerable people around them? yes it is put upon everyone else.

      and that’s for adults. in this case the decision was put upon the poor little girl who needed them to shield her from the most basic preventable ailments. what other personal decision would you respect? “yeah she ran around with that kitchen knife but we decided not to interfere with god’s will.” wow parents, at least she only hurt herself with that knife, good job on not stabbing other children with it.

      • leadore@lemmy.world
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        3 hours ago

        1500’s? The measles vaccine was first developed in 1963. The MMR vaccine came out in 1971.