Vaccination Choice

When my son was born, almost three years ago, I had already been talking with parents for a few years about the possible link between vaccines and autism. At the time certain vaccines were laced with mercury, which I find interesting, since pregnant women are told to stay away from certain fish, sushi and even more than a can of tuna fish a week because of mercury. But yet, once a baby is born it seems ok to give them vaccines that may contain mercury?

So as a parent, and the guardian of my son, I feel it is my choice to make sure that he is not given anything that is not safe for him or may be harmful in some way. In doing so I wanted a Pediatrician that understands my beliefs and is willing to give me the pros and cons about certain vaccines and then ultimately leave the decision up to me.

And I am not alone in that thinking. In 2008 an organization formed in New Jersey that I happily signed up to support -- it is called the New Jersey Coalition for Vaccination Choice. Recently they called all their troops together in support of Republican Chris Christie for governor, who for the first time made an unprecedented and historic move by making an official campaign promise in support of vaccination choice. He further cemented his position on live radio with Don Imus, by becoming the first gubernatorial candidate to utter the words vaccines, autism and parental choice in the same sentence. Vaccine choice supporters showed up in record numbers to cast their vote for Christie.

Anger towards Governor Corzine has been building. It is well known that New Jersey, Autism Capital of the world, is also Ground Zero for mandated shots for school. Many parents and grandparents blame environmental causes, including the state's ultra-aggressive vaccine schedule. The "Freedom of Choice" rally in Trenton last fall garnered national media attention and catapulted this issue into the mainstream dialogue. On the heels of Corzine's 2008 decision to add four additional vaccine mandates to the state's already crowded schedule, thousands of parents have lined up to attend vaccination choice seminars and protests across the state.

I feel every parent should have the choice to decide what is safe and not safe for their child, and not be mandated to give their child something that could be life altering. Why should our state be allowed to mandate MORE vaccines and a flu shot for our children to be allowed into school?