Sadly, another strike for me against the Liberals
Instead of doing what I ought to be doing today, I'm getting caught up in learning more about the party platforms. I don't want to throw out the Liberals entirely, so I started with them. But I think I have to throw them out.
David Kahn likes to "demand" things--or at least whoever does the write-ups likes to say that he demands things. I really, really dislike that.
Then there's the total rejection of increasing the private health care options in the province. And yes, I do mean increasing private health care options. The Liberals seem to be painting it as though it doesn't already exist, but those who have money can get certain health care things (like MRIs) done faster at private locations than those who are on waiting lists. If those who have money can get some more things done elsewhere, I say, let's do it! By removing those people from the waiting lists, those who don't have the money or don't want to spend the money then get their free services sooner. It would actually help relieve some of the waiting times. What stops parties like the Liberals and the NDP from such a thing?
This belief in equality meaning sameness for all.
So, even if you have the money to speed things up, you should have to wait in a long line and suffer like everybody else.
Both the NDP and Liberals would like to have only public education. "It's not fair that those who can pay more can get a better education," they seem to be saying. Everybody needs to get the same thing. Even though we are all different. Both groups seem to want to eliminate choice in favour of what they see as an ideal that benefits everybody.
But I digress.
The real point of my posting this article is about this:
Alberta Liberals Call for Mandatory Education on Vaccinations for Parents Who Choose to Not Vaccinate Their Children
Really? Do they also require parents who choose to vaccinate to educate themselves on both sides of the issue before deciding? My particular position aside (my primary position is of choice, not one side or the other), I'm friends with people on both sides of the issue. I get both sides. I've seen the pain on both sides--those who are dealing with vaccine-injured children and those who are dealing with the consequences of an "under-vaccinated" population. And I see people on both sides who have already done extensive reading on it and who came to their own conclusions to make their decisions. To be honest, those who have not gone beyond just what they've been taught are the ones most likely to bash the other side, and sadly, it tends to be the pro-vaccination side that tends to really put down the non-vaccinating side, as though they are blind sheep, ignorant, foolish.
It's exactly what this call is, isn't it? It assumes parents who choose to not vaccinate are uneducated? (And frankly doesn't care if those who choose to aren't.) I have to admit, I think it would be pretty funny to see one of these "uneducated" parents come in to the vaccination education session armed with notes, articles and books (including from doctors who no longer recommend vaccinations nor vaccinate their own children) and challenge the educator. (One can logically assume that the educator will be very pro-vaccine, will be aware of the general accusations and common flaws of the anti-vaccine side, yet chances are won't have the extensive learning that a large number of non-vaccinating parents actually have.) Or perhaps with bringing in their notes, articles and books, they could convince the educator to not force them to sit through sessions that they are already very familiar with.
I do, at the same time, give kudos to David Kahn for saying, "I oppose excluding children from public schools if they have not been vaccinated." Part of me doesn't want to entirely give up on the Liberals, they used to be my Party of choice, I suppose. I'll have to see what I find good in their platform and take it from there.
David Kahn likes to "demand" things--or at least whoever does the write-ups likes to say that he demands things. I really, really dislike that.
Then there's the total rejection of increasing the private health care options in the province. And yes, I do mean increasing private health care options. The Liberals seem to be painting it as though it doesn't already exist, but those who have money can get certain health care things (like MRIs) done faster at private locations than those who are on waiting lists. If those who have money can get some more things done elsewhere, I say, let's do it! By removing those people from the waiting lists, those who don't have the money or don't want to spend the money then get their free services sooner. It would actually help relieve some of the waiting times. What stops parties like the Liberals and the NDP from such a thing?
This belief in equality meaning sameness for all.
So, even if you have the money to speed things up, you should have to wait in a long line and suffer like everybody else.
Both the NDP and Liberals would like to have only public education. "It's not fair that those who can pay more can get a better education," they seem to be saying. Everybody needs to get the same thing. Even though we are all different. Both groups seem to want to eliminate choice in favour of what they see as an ideal that benefits everybody.
But I digress.
The real point of my posting this article is about this:
Alberta Liberals Call for Mandatory Education on Vaccinations for Parents Who Choose to Not Vaccinate Their Children
Really? Do they also require parents who choose to vaccinate to educate themselves on both sides of the issue before deciding? My particular position aside (my primary position is of choice, not one side or the other), I'm friends with people on both sides of the issue. I get both sides. I've seen the pain on both sides--those who are dealing with vaccine-injured children and those who are dealing with the consequences of an "under-vaccinated" population. And I see people on both sides who have already done extensive reading on it and who came to their own conclusions to make their decisions. To be honest, those who have not gone beyond just what they've been taught are the ones most likely to bash the other side, and sadly, it tends to be the pro-vaccination side that tends to really put down the non-vaccinating side, as though they are blind sheep, ignorant, foolish.
It's exactly what this call is, isn't it? It assumes parents who choose to not vaccinate are uneducated? (And frankly doesn't care if those who choose to aren't.) I have to admit, I think it would be pretty funny to see one of these "uneducated" parents come in to the vaccination education session armed with notes, articles and books (including from doctors who no longer recommend vaccinations nor vaccinate their own children) and challenge the educator. (One can logically assume that the educator will be very pro-vaccine, will be aware of the general accusations and common flaws of the anti-vaccine side, yet chances are won't have the extensive learning that a large number of non-vaccinating parents actually have.) Or perhaps with bringing in their notes, articles and books, they could convince the educator to not force them to sit through sessions that they are already very familiar with.
I do, at the same time, give kudos to David Kahn for saying, "I oppose excluding children from public schools if they have not been vaccinated." Part of me doesn't want to entirely give up on the Liberals, they used to be my Party of choice, I suppose. I'll have to see what I find good in their platform and take it from there.
Comments
Post a Comment