I would have to agree with you, and I think I know exactly where those dumb people live. Everywhere. All over the U.S. there are gullible people that will believe anything if you provide proof- even if it's not real proof. Or if someone famous says it's true/real.

I just can't get over the whole thing about people truly believing that vaccines can give kids autism like it's some kind of virus. Autism is something determined before you are even born. I think the biggest reason people believe that is because sometimes it takes a few years for a parent to realize their child is autistic, and they conclude it must have been something that happened after it was born.

I actually know someone dumb enough to believe almost anything she is told- and worst part is she home schools her two boys. My cousin used to believe that chickens didn't have sex to make more chickens, because she claims a farmer told her that the rooster sits on the egg and secretes sperm onto it which seeps into the shell and fertilizes it. We all had such a big laugh about it, and told her the farmer was probably talking about fish, not chicken.

I remember trying to explain to her that autism is not something you "catch", and I should know because, technically, I am autistic.

Heh, I test as though I'm on the spectrum, but it's really just how some of my ADD overlaps with things like Aspergers (which I know isn't a thing anymore as of DSM5, but I don't care :P ). My husband, however, does have Aspergers, albeit not debilitating. He is highly skilled in schooling anyone who dares to speak such nonsense about vaccines in front of him.

Yea, Asperger's is what I have, but since it's not Asperger's anymore I find it easier to say I have a form of autism or that I'm high functioning. Mine, however, does effect my life in ways that makes it more difficult to socialize in person and go to certain places. If I go anywhere I usually need to make sure there is somewhere quiet I can go to be alone and get over the sensation overload. I would love to be able to go to a convention or see a concert, but sadly I can't.

I'm smart and hell though, and really imaginative and artistic so it's not all bad. I wish I was better at drawing and writing, but that's mostly because I'm always comparing myself to others that are so much better than me... and sometimes a lot younger >_>

It terrifies me that anti-vaxxers have gained so much momentum in the last couple of years. :( Vaccinations are incredibly important for the continued health of society as a whole, and it really frightens me that the phantom fear of autism (since those studies have been proven to be false) is somehow worse than a definite increase in the chances of severe illness and -death- for a lot of people.

It's just so awful. :/

It's because of vaccines that we no longer have to worry about stuff like Polio. But... at least it's mostly people in the U.S. that think vaccines are bad and it's not a global thing.... I really hope it's not a global thing.

Do you believe in the benefit of vaccinations? I haven't gotten tuberculosis or polio, sooo yes
Are you vaccinated? Yes. We don't bother with the yearly flu ones tho because I never get it (good immune system) and the few times I did get that shot, I reacted to the shot
Are your children? I don't have any spawn
What side affects do you often hear about? Autism. There's no correlation and the guy who made that paper has admitted that he made it all up. So those people are listening to an admitted liar
Do you think these vaccinations actually protect us? Yes

I think as many children as possible should be vaccinated (it strengthens the "herd immunity" for those that cannot be for whatever reason--allergies to carriers in the vaccines, etc.). Generally the anti-vax reasons I've heard haven't seemed to be science-based and most HAVE seemed to be fear-driven. Side effects are possible for anything, but they are really, REALLY unlikely.

I was actually talking to my cousin yesterday and the topic of vaccines popped up. I guess she no longer believes they cause autism since the guy that created that whole theory said he lied about it. But she replied with "But they still cause bad things." And I rebutted with. "They do a lot more good than bad." I think her whole thing is that she is paranoid and thinks bad things will happen even if there is only a tiny percent of a chance of it actually happening.

When the whole measles thing was happening, my mom wanted to figure out where all of her daughters stand on vaccinations. She said that if any of us (me or my sisters) refuse to vaccinate the kids we will/may have, she will abduct the kids and get them their shots. I'm glad my mom did make a point of asking our opinions, because I wasn't entirely sure where Sister 1 and Sister 2 stood. I worried that Sister 1's boyfriend might be anti-vaccine and she would just go along with it, and that Sister 2 would believe that BS about how vaccines are just a way for the liberal left and doctors to keep control over you and take your money.

There certainly are some crazy reasons as to why people would not vaccinate their children. There is such a small tiny chance of your child being effected badly by vaccines and they still have places and procedures to help when that does happen.