Mailbag: Parent disputes vaccination advice

I respect the Coastline Pilot’s attempt to provide a public service announcement in regards to health (“Schools require pertussis vaccine,” May 20).

However, I regret that the article was incomplete and extremely misleading. The article stated that “students in grades 7-12 will need to show proof of immunization against whooping cough or pertussis.” The article continues on about Assembly Bill 354 that makes it sounds as if it is a law that all children must be vaccinated.

Furthermore it states, “They cannot start school without proof of vaccination.” This is entirely incorrect and patently false.

I really do not fault your staff for rubber-stamping this information from the state Health Department, because most people believe it when someone says, “We are from the government, and we are here to help.”

Many good citizens know better, and fortunately in California, students and parents still have a choice to refuse vaccinations. Any parent may file an exemption form at their school and refuse this vaccine with its mercury and pertussis virus as well as any other vaccine.

This fact is clearly hidden and the truth of this “right of refusal” is downplayed and even put into a single sentence that does not really clearly reveal this fact.

For instance, in Northern California, my son received this notice and I called the school district demanding to know when the state had taken control over my son’s body and the freedom of choice our family makes for our health.

The district nurse informed me that exemptions were still allowed and it was on the notice. Sure enough, after closer inspection of the notice saying, “Your child must be vaccinated or they can’t come to school next year,” I did see a single sentence that said, “The laws pertaining to vaccine requirements are still in effect.”

This really got me going, as it is misleading and false to scare parents into getting on the vaccination train. The way that the right of choice is obfuscated and downplayed is serious and a dangerous health risk to all.

I spoke to the school board and the City Council when a criminally negligent Centers for Disease Control forced the swine flu pandemic to an unsuspecting public in a heavy media blitz. The Coastline Pilot reported on my actions and posted my rebuttal to some uninformed doctors who were trying to say vaccines are safe (“Sounding Off: Real debate needed about flu vaccine,” Oct. 16, 2009).

I feel it is my duty to again call attention to the facts as the government is trying to force feed a deadly and dangerous medical procedure through propaganda.

I do not have the space to detail the dangers of vaccines. But I will advise people to research the great Leonard Horowitz who appeared with me at both the council and school board meetings last year and is recognized worldwide as an expert in the dangers of vaccines.

I also recommend a YouTube video of Andrew Moulden’s explanation and proof that autism is caused by vaccines. He is a member of the Canadian Parliament and an intelligent scientist.

Moulden has won many times in vaccine injury suits against pharmaceutical giants proving the vaccine-autism connection. Those who continually refuse to acknowledge the direct injuries caused by vaccines are those who are making a profit from their sales. I hope this information will properly inform readers that we are not living in a complete totalitarian police state and that we all have the freedom of choice in California.

Robert Lyne Potter

Laguna Beach

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Summer, not fall, is when colors change

Color is where it’s at. The Summer Street banners make our town a more colorful place. Our gardens are colorful, too, and strike a note of individuality and interesting diversity for the growing number of Lagunatics who walk. I thought black clothes were for evening wear, but look around and you will see people wearing black every day and this is supposed to be a beach town.

It makes you wonder if 10 years of two wars has bankrupted our country and darkened people’s spirits. Harry Willats, the original owner of the Riviera Hotel many years ago would go to Rotary Club every week in a colorful shirt and ask Rotary members why they didn’t wear shirts reflecting our beach way of life.

Years ago, the Hotel Laguna was pink, as reflected in many paintings. Actually, you can see a depiction of its pink color, although it is a little red on the city seal on city vehicles. Could the hotel be pink again? Good question. For the ultimate color trip, take a free trolley or bus this summer to the Festival of Arts, Sawdust and Art Affair.

Roger Carter

Laguna Beach