Taking a Stand

This week, I will be making history.  Not only will I be going to Washington D.C. for the first time ever, but I will also be marching the streets of the city and the steps of the Capitol in demonstration and protest.  We are flying out, leaving all three boys behind, and taking a stand.  My husband and I will be holding up signs with pictures of our two boys with autism, and like thousands upon thousands of others, we will be making a statement that we have had enough. 

We will be participating in the Green Our Vaccines rally on Wednesday June 4th.  The rally is all about conveying these four things:

Taking the toxic ingredients out of vaccines.  We are not anti-vaccine, we are anti-toxins.

Changing the vaccine schedule, babies are getting too much too soon. 

Supporting informed consent for all families.

Giving the moms and dads around the world a day to be heard. This is their day. This will be their moment.

We will be marching down Independence street, an honor not afforded to very many other rallies in U.S. history (they usually just make people march down the sidewalks), and  we will end up on the Washington Monument Grounds.  We will be among countless others who are acting on behalf of their own children, who are there on behalf of friends or family, or simply those who know the facts and want to create change. Afterwards, many will be meeting with their legislators and having face time with the people who can make a difference in this cause.

Questioning vaccines in the U.S. and elsewhere is a very taboo thing to do.  It's the accepted opinion that vaccines are one of the "great" things this Country has done, yet many parents continue to have concerns that vaccines triggered their child's autism or other neurological disorders.  Most people don't even know that over a billion dollars has been paid out to parents of children who were harmed by vaccines.  It's a topic so many want to sweep under the rug, stick their fingers in their ears and bury their heads in the sand about.  Even if the truth hurts, it still can set you free.

Most people would be surprised to know that vaccines have never been tested for their "combination" effect, and yet we all know it's common for children to receive several shots in one visit (often to "catch up" on the vaccine schedule).   With how different each of our children are, and the varying things their bodies can and cannot handle, how is it possible that we have a "one size fits all" schedule? 

I encourage each of you to read up on this, because this affects all of us, whether your child has been affected now or will be in the future. I posted here about my questions as to why more research isn't being done.  You can go here to read about ways to safely vaccinate your child, and go here and here to read a bit about the current state of the vaccine-autism question (hint: the CDC says they don't know).   

Read, meditate, reflect and mull over all the information out there instead of simply going by what one doctor or one blogger thinks on this issue.  Be empowered, knowing that making an informed decision (based on multiple sources) means YOU are the expert on your child.

Original Chicago Moms Blog post.  Arianne also stirs the pot at her personal blog To Think Is To Create