Vaxxing, part 3

 I have written about the rights involved in the considerations about masking and vaxxing. 

That is ALL I have been writing about, although side issues have been mentioned.

I've been talking about "rights." That is all

There are issues aside from the right to say yes or no, and living with the consequences thereof. 

Vaccines are a good thing. Even new experimental untested vaccines have a useful purpose. How else can they be tested? And is knowingly getting a vaccine that may not work, or even may make you ill. any worse than going about unprotected world where you may unknowingly catch the illness? 

These are the decisions each individual makes for themselves. Do not make decisions without consideration of consequences. There are a few people, specifically men, who never had mumps, but refused the vaccine when it was developed because it was a 'kids' disease' and they were no longer children. They later came to regret that decision. 

There are always consequences. 

Do not say "No" to a life-saving treatment just because you have the right to say "No." Just because you can is the worst reason in the world to not adopt a behavior or take an action. 

Do not consider just your self and your desires . Consider your situation and your lifestyle. Weigh your risks. What of your family, your friends, your co-workers? How could (not will) your decision on this matter affect them? How will (or could) your action or inaction impact them? 

Try to imagine the extreme results from both or all choices, not just the ones you prefer. 

Separate your "Rights" from their needs. 

Decide what's best.

Let me reword that. 

Make the best decision you can with the information available. 

What you do is up to you.

What you do to others is not. 

Masking and Vaxing: part two

 I've had a problem getting this written, as it seems like there's something more, or new (is it?) every day. I do like to be up to date  with my posts, even when they are rapidly outdated by the next new thing to come about. 

But, my main topic was and is about the issue of people's rights. There has been no major change on that front. Some places are refusing to demand them, some places are only demanding proof, and the politicians are squawking and seesawing on the topic. 

That means, to me, that I can safely offer my opinion and give my reasons why. 

I don't think any of my readers are advocates of violence against fat old ladies with bum legs sitting in their hermitage.

Sure hope not.

I said previously that masking is not a civil rights issue. It is an on/off or yes/no situation wherein each person has the right to decide their level of participation. As with all such issues, there are consequences to the choices made, either way. 

I do NOT think the same way about the vaccines.

I do not think anyone should be forced to be vaccinated. 

That is, no one who can think for themselves. And the caretakers of babies, children, and anyone mentally impaired should study and think long and hard over what they will have done to another person. Weigh the risks. Weigh the likelihoods. Weigh the evidence.

Deciding for another person is a weighty matter. In my opinion, even moreso than for yourself. 

I do not think vaccines should be mandated. 

Doing so is a violation of the right to bodily autonomy.

It is forcing a foreign substance known to be rooted in a harmful medium. 

In almost all other ways, this is not allowed. 

Rape is the most obvious form of "sharing" outside elements by forcing them into another body. And our understanding of rape has been growing, so that we are more aware of the wrongness of this action.

From low level battery to high definition assault, no one is allowed to put things in someone else's body without their consent.

From ancient slavery to current human trafficking and the selling of children, no one is allowed to put others in a situation where they must let others put things in their bodies without their consent. 

Sick people who spit or knowingly force their foreign matter into someone else's body have been, are being charged with attempted murder.

Society -- and governments -- know that these are wrongs. 

They would still be wrongs if the parents were selling their children.

They would still be wrongs if the parents were renting out their daughters.

They would still be wrongs if the batterer or murderer says "She's MY wife." (Or boyfriend, or ex, or my best friend from kindergarten.) 

It is a violation of their right to their own body.

*************************

Now, I do not mean to say the vaccines are a bad thing. 

I don't mean to say that they are or aren't nonsense, or that they are a conspiracy, or that they are unnecessary. 

I'm not saying the science is bad, or wrong, either.

I'm saying that I (every individual) have the right to decide what goes in my body.

And when, and where, and how, and, most lately, how often. 

That is my right, and no one else's.

It's a TREAT!

Not a right.
or, in the language of today -- not an entitlement.

I am talking about trick-or-treating, or Beggar's Night as the older people still call it.

Communities set up times for kiddies to don costumes and take up plastic, pillowcases, or whatever and go door-to-door saying "trick or treat" and getting candy, pencils, pennies or other treats.

This year, Mother Nature stepped in with big winds and her own twist to the spirits roaming the night. (Hey, there's a reason our ancestors chose the dates they chose for these things.)

Communities and parents were instantly up in arms, as much as two days before the scheduled event.

Now, in some cases, cancelling turned out to be a wise thing. One town 'found' children in a tornado shelter after a tornado.

HOWEVER:

1) Cancelling a non-essential activity because of a weather forecast.
Are you kidding me? Even the best scientific weather predicting is around 60% accurate. Bunions and bones and migraines are a little bit better -- possibly up to 80%. But how in the world will any of us ever get anything done if we reschedule every time the weather forecast is bad. Even at its best, a weather forecast is still a "best guess."

2) "But it's for the safety of the children." Sorry. That is the primary responsibility of the parents. Whether there's weather or not (and there will be) it is up to the parents if the child goes out to participate in any community event. The established times are the community attempt to provide safe limits for the children.
Those children found, it was their parents decision to allow them out. The town said "this is when we will permit this activity" The town did not say "This is when we guarantee the safety of the children doing this activity."

3) Cancel or not cancel,  All this did was cause confusion. It also allowed avarice and encouraged greed. Children can go to trick-or-treat any number of nights, if they have that kind of parent.
The good side of this is that it allows more extended family to enjoy the fun with the little children. My grandbabies got a night with one grandparent, one with parents, and then another with another grandparent. We all enjoy the kids and their fun.
But that's not everyone's motivation, is it?

I'm sorry.I see all this fuss about trick-or-treat as an extension of the entitlements everyone is screaming, fussing, whining and fighting about.

One woman even referred to trick-or-treat as a "right" of passage for her children.
 No, it's not a right.
It's a rite, which is by definition optional.

My opinion is that it would be better to schedule a follow up if there is a poor turn-out due to weather, and then only if the community asks for it. If there are weather warnings, or even watches, AT THE TIME of the event, then clear the children off the street. If parents can't be found, take the children to a designated bad-weather shelter.

I'd like to see more enforcement of bad weather advisory stuff. Tornado warnings mean get to shelter, not hurry to McDonald's. Winter storm warnings are for getting bread and milk and kerosine, not buy new clothes and shoes.

But, this is another topic for another time.

Trick or treating is a TREAT.
Not a Right.

Please, parents, save your energy and outrage for important stuff, like the right to eat healthy and to stay healthy.