I was horrified to see that, in its Feb. 18 edition, the Recorder ran an op-ed piece by a vaccine denialist. Vaccine denial holds a special place in the pantheon of conspiracy theories, as it has hoodwinked an alarming number of people across socio-economic lines from across the political spectrum. This makes is a particularly dangerous conspiracy theory, as its ubiquity has come to make it seem almost mainstream.
By now we all know the alarming facts about measles, a once defunct disease given a new lease on life by anti-vaccination zealots, making a comeback and causing serious illness right here in the United States. The (repeatedly shown as false) claim that vaccines “cause” autism implies that people would rather have their child exposed to pertussis and rubella than have one with autism. As someone on the spectrum this is beyond offensive to my entire existence.
But beyond the direct danger to physical health, vaccine denialism thrives in the mindset of a body politic which encourages each person to assert their own authority — often less than legitimate — over the authority of the people whom we entrust with making rational, evidence-based decisions regarding public policy. While some among us may want to play “choose your own adventure” with reality, the rest of us are victimized by this magical thinking. It is a newspaper’s job to clarify, to enlighten, and to amplify truth. In lending a platform to a conspiracy theorist, The Recorder has failed in that mission entirely.
Kelly Drew