My Rant

I was watching the Today Show this morning as I do everyday now. I figure I can switch the TV from Elmo's World to Matt and Meredith as long as Fisher's high chair is not facing the flat screen, because I can only take so much of that high-pitched little monster (Elmo, not Al) before 9AM. One of the lead stories was about a doctor who was claiming that his life has been threatened due to his medical work on vaccines for children which some now believe are a direct cause of autism. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27440647/

It was good to hear the medical side of the story after reading so many articles and watching a number of TV apparences by Jenny McCarthy, who has become an anti-vaccination heroine for parents with children living with autism. From what I understand, she believes that the series of shots and liquids caused her child's autism. I also have read that she is not encouraging people to stop vaccinating, but instead, is hoping for safer vaccines. They took the mercury out-according to doctors, it's safe. Therefore, I think I side with the doctors who have scientifically proven that the vaccines, as they are currently made, do not cause the disease.

That being said, my heart breaks for any parent whose children is sick in any way. I appreciate a parent's search for answers and cures, but I also think there is a point where you have to give into science and facts-I'm not saying to give up or even give into the disease-I'm just saying that it might not be such a terrific idea to convince other new parents that vaccinating their child is a bad idea (Jenny).

What scares me is the idea of Fish growing up around children who are completely suspetable to fatal diseases like polio or small pox that doctors of our generation have not been truly trained to treat. Some of these illnesses haven't shown up in the emergency rooms of America for 30 years-in my mind, it would be like expecting a doctor in the ER today to be able to treat the plague.

The doctors on the Today Show took a very strong stand on the topic. I was really impressed by NBC chief medical editor Dr. Nancy Snyderman's facts on the subject. She totally convinced me that I had done the right thing by allowing Fish to get his vaccines.

Until. Until. Until.

Some people shouldn't be allowed too much airtime. Some people should make their points gracefully and then have their IFB's and mics pulled immediately-even before the clip is over. Because the minute Matt Lauer thanked Dr. Snyderman for speaking up on this controvesial topic, she lost it. She kept getting louder and louder, while speaking over Matt-who was clearly trying to wrap up the segment-that this is not a controversial issue, there is no controversy, it shouldn't be considered a controversy, etc. etc. I was so upset-it was like watching your favorite candidate say something stupid...now I know how the Republicans must feel.

So to Dr. Nancy Snyderman, as a disappointed ally, I say this-controversy; a noun; a discussion marked especially by the expression of opposing views; a dispute.

You might be right, but the other side disputes it. Looks like your in the middle of a pretty serious controversy. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/27453507#27453507