Immunization is not compulsory in the US--but (just like every example of this going)--non-compliance with this norm has intimidating repercussions. There really doesn't need to be a law forcing you to vaccinate--there are social institutions with enough retaliatory options they can enact to force parents towards vaccinations much more effectively. If that doesn't work, then vaccinations can be doled out in places other than the pediatricians' office: when they are given in the schools, and parents aren't advised (or advised far too late to do anything) about these vaccination "events", then children aren't given a choice about receiving them. Usually they are herded into a line with everyone else and given a shot, one by one--with teachers standing by.

The provincial government in Ontario, where I live, tried to adopt a number of those retaliatory options regarding vaccinations a couple of years ago. One example: it announced an arbitrary date (let's say, April 15) and then declared that if your child's school did not have documentation on file which proves that your child has received all immunizations and boosters and vaccines according to proper "schedule", then your child would be automatically suspended from school until you could produce those documents for his/her records.

Needless to say, many parents were horrified about this. Many who simply didn't know any better took their children to be re-vaccinated, simply to obtain documents so that their children wouldn't be suspended. Those who objected to the practice had to once again fight the battle about refusing the vaccines--but this time they had the provincial government to deal with on the issue, and not just the school. Sure, they could take up their complaint and not vaccinate--but until the matter was settled, their child would not be allowed back into the school as a student.

It is still quite common here for children to receive vaccinations at public school-- so what happens quite often is that documentation is not kept up to date, and many children not only don't get a chance to avoid them, they end up being vaccinated twice--all without their parent's knowledge or consent. I know of at least one case (one of my colleagues' patients) where this took place, and the parents were warned ahead of time to keep the child away from vaccines because of her sensitivity. In this particular case, the child was vaccinated at school along with everyone else--then, when the records were misplaced she was vaccinated again a week later. The child had seizures and suffered brain damage from the second dose, and has since undergone homeopathic treatment to try to address the damage...but it is a tragedy resulting from truly horrific practices which allow schools and doctors to by-pass the whole issue of consent.

So, you can see: there is nothing codified in law to force you to vaccinate--but institutions such as schools do end up forcing these vaccines on children using these well-known tactics. Unless a parent is fully aware of these practices, and has the resources (time and money) to help his child avoid being subjected to them, vaccination will go on on a widespread basis, unimpeded.

As for people being "aware" (us middle-class, "thinking" children of the 60's), and actually electing governments like these--well, I'm quite certain there is not much democracy involved here. These governments may be elected by voters one, but after they set up their administrations they clearly answer to powerful lobby groups and special interests with big dollars. At the same time the provincial government I mentioned decided to force parents to vaccinate their children (the first time EVER, in this province, that parents were coerced with the threat of having their child suspended from school), they also started pushing a "free" influenza virus on people in this province. Clearly, lots of money has changed hands between a major vaccine manufacturer and the provincial administration. It is quite plain, and people were aware some "deal" went down. There was--and still is--quite a large public outcry (though it is NEVER reported in the news!)

However, it is hard to imagine any public outcry coming between prosperous and greedy politicians and a guaranteed income source, no matter how loud it gets, or how numerous its participants.

Its not really enough for parents to know that vaccines are harmful and unnecessary--they have to know that, unless they are truly vigilant, their children could be subjected to them despite their well-informed concerns and efforts.

Divina

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...and deliverance has many faces<br />but grace<br />is an aquaintance of mine