Opt-out is okay?
 

A couple of possible Presidential contenders have stated that childhood vaccinations should be up to parents and not a governmental decision.

I was just reading on Yahoo that one freshman Senator has proposed making the mandate of restaurant employees washing their hands after using the bathroom to be an option. The signs inside the bathrooms would be removed at the discretion of the restaurant since this is a personal freedom that the government has no right in which to interfere.

His interviewer declined (with a smile) to shake the Senator's hand.

Parents can make a choice to not get their children inoculated, but the public school systems can also deny these children admission to their schools to protect the public health. That's the way it works in most, if not all, states now.

Wait until the first child dies of measles and see how fast these anti-vaxers rush to the doctor to get their children immunized.

As to your second point, yuk.

Sometimes life after the complications of measles are very grave indeed. The complications include blindness and brain damage and deafness.

My daughter was one of those who was thoroughly convinced that vaccinations could cause autism and nothing would change her mind. After her babysitter got into an accident, she had to enroll him in a daycare. Fortunately, they required vaccinations.

As has been said, parents have the right to their choices but schools should have the right to refuse enrollment of unvaccinated children.

It is so amazing that parents would refuse to vaccinate their children from possible deadly diseases.

Personally, I do not believe it should be at a parent's option at all. Of course, states can require vaccines for attending schools but a homeschooled child not vaccinated will still have contact with others on playgrounds, ball teams, etc.

Not exactly. In Florida, parents can refuse to have their children vaccinated because of their religious beliefs and their children can still attend public school. Parents don't even have to prove religious belief and they cannot be asked questions about their religion. They just sign an affidavit.

You're talking freedom of choice vs public good or public safety. That's probably an argument that has no winners. Extending the freedom of choice idea, how can states require you to wear a seat belt in your car or a helmet riding you bicycle or motorcycle? But if seriously injured or killed, how can you (or your estate) sue someone for damages when your failure to take precautions contributed to the extent of your injuries? Freedom of choice comes with an obligation to step up to the consequences of the choices you make. Most of us are not ready to do that yet!

So, let me see if I understand this.

1) Government has no right to make people do things against their beliefs.
2) How can they pass laws requiring people to wear clothing in public if they believe that they should be naked?

Or is it only wrong to require people to do what I want them to do?

Let me see if I understand...

Only unvaccinated children would be at risk of getting measles, right?

If other children are vaccinated, they would not get the measles from an unvaccinated child, right?

Does anyone know if any of the measles cases, in California, have been children that were previously vaccinated?

Is my thinking flawed?

Sounds correct to me. Somewhat like survival of the fittest.

Anyone old enough to remember Polio? Remember how fearful people were of the disease? That fear was well founded..remember the "Iron Lung"? How many people will opt out of polio vaccine for their children? Don't forget the fear of flouridation of the public water supply.
I wonder what percentage of anti-vaccinators use hand sterilizer everywhere the go!

I feel a lot of the young-n's don't realize how nasty the measles can be. I love individual rights, but please be informed.

To the best of my knowledge, the discussion has not included undocumented immigrants, alias illegals and what they are bringing across the border. It seems the precedence has been set, don't vaccinate and you are subject to exclusion or lawsuits. So what's the issue? Unless a reporter is trying to make a political candidate look bad. From afar, its seems like a no brainer, get vaccinated. But when a family members child is normal, acts normal, motor reflexes normal, then gets vaccinated then becomes autistic, one becomes less judgmental with parents who are torn with the decision of to vaccinate or not.

Babies are not vaccinated until they are one year old. Unvaccinated children could easily infect them at McDonalds, the playground, grocery store etc.

I also have a problem with the thinking "you vaccinate your child so mine won't get the measles even if I don't vaccinate him". It's everyone's responsibility to protect each other and their thinking of the danger has been proven untrue. As a matter of fact the doctor that started all this has had his medical license revoked.

I believe the MMR vaccination is a two step process. Some people don't understand the importance of the 2nd step and fail to get it done.