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Vaccinations...... STFU already
  • Kater520
    Posts: 21Member
    I was originally going to post in a confessional, but then realized I had a whole lot more to say than what would fit in the little box.... That being said, this is not an argument as to whether or not a child should be vaccinated or not. This morning I logged into Facebook to find my news feed completely plastered with pictures and blogs about the dangers of vaccinations. I have a big problem with this. I don't shove my beliefs about getting my child vaccinated down your throat, why do you insist on force feeding me your opinions as the why you don't. To each his own I say. It is a PARENTS choice. Every parent should base their decision on education, and facts regardless of what the decision ultimately is. I was a hospital worker for several years, I saw many illness' that could have been prevented become life threatening. That, along with my own research is why I made the decision to vaccinate my child. But that was MY decision, not to be influenced by outside sources. Do I have the right to be offended by these posts, or am I over reacting?
  • CanadianMamaCanadianMama
    Posts: 9,606Administrator, Moderator
    I don't think someone can tell you whether or not you have the right to be offended, however that being said I'm an advocate of your facebook is your facebook, I don' t have the right to tell you what you should or shouldn't be posting. If someone posts something I don't agree with I move past it, or I hide it from my newsfeed. If it bothers you that much maybe you should consider unsubscribing from their updates? That way it won't show up in your news feed and you won't have to deal with it. 

    community-manager


  • SammieSammie
    Posts: 7,278Administrator, Moderator
    Well, that's the thing with Facebook. You DO have the right to choose who you wish to be friends with and what posts you see, but since their FB is their own personal forum, then they are entitled to post whatever they desire. I understand not wanting to see things that you don't agree with or find offensive, but the only way to go about that is to delete them from your friend's list or hide their posts from showing in your newsfeed. Also, on the bright side, there's always two sides to the coin, so you can bet that they also see lots of pro-vaccination posts as well. It sort of evens out! 

    Personally, I would not delete someone for sharing general information and insights about why they choose to not vaccinate their children. If they were directing it directly at me, in a personal attacking sort of fashion, then I would be incredibly offended, tell them off, and remove them from my profile. For the most part, I'm open to all sides of an argument. I draw the line at anything that is blatantly attacking in nature, homophobic, racist, sexist, or any other extreme.

    community-manager


  • Kater520
    Posts: 21Member
    I also agree with you. The hard part is, after this morning almost every person on my FB is sharing these photos and what not. If I hide all the posts there would be nothing there! lol. I think FB should be used more as a way to keep in touch with friends and so on. However, what a person does with their FB is their own choice. I just don't think it's right to try and force beliefs on anyone, regardless of what the belief is.
  • Katescrazymom
    Posts: 1,849Member
    A lot of people who go against the mainstream want other parents to know there are options, and do some independent research. So many just do what the dr says.
    If this person has recently researched this or has seen a child react badly to a vaccine, they may be a bit 'enthusiastic' about it.
    I'd be pissed if they knew me and assumed I didn't look into it, or if it was directed to me personally. Otherwise, I'd just put it in the same category as people who want me to vote for their baby/wedding etc and ignore it, or block or delete them.
  • hallfamily727hallfamily727
    Posts: 277Member
    On the flip side, I've had plenty of vaccinating parents jump down my throat for choosing not to after doing my own research and evaluating my own children's reactions while sharing their beliefs.  I'm sorry it happened to you, but it happens to me a lot, too.
  • Kater520
    Posts: 21Member
    I am sorry for you as well. I don't feel any person has the right to judge another parent for the decisions they make. It is a personal choice. You educated yourself, and did the research. Based on the facts you made your decision. That is how every parent should address things that involve the health and safety of their child. Thank you for sharing! :)
  • BellaBefanaBellaBefana
    Posts: 8,202Member
    I think a lot of this is in reaction to a news broadcast yesterday that many physicians' offices are not storing vaccines correctly, particularly ones needing refrigeration, and not checking their expiration dates.  

    Being in the pharma field, I was surprised by them not checking expiration dates, but not so much by the temperature control issue.  Most companies I work for/with, even though it's not a federal regulation to track temp, do require temperature controls with min/max readings on the thermometers for their study drug storage areas.  Where this becomes more problematic is in the shipping stage, though.

    Anyway, an office that plans to administer vaccines needs a separate refrigerator that doesn't cycle only used for medication, AND a thermometer and temp log sheet that's checked at a minimum of every other day.

    As a parent, I will now likely be asking them to show me the original bottles so that I can personally verify the expiration dates, but that's me.
    Bite me, cupcake!
  • AnonUser28
    Posts: 2,083Guest
    " But that was MY decision, not to be influenced by outside sources."

    Your decision was influenced by outside sources if you did any research on it at all, as you stated you did in your original comment. I can understand getting upset if she was posting judgements, but the point of informative articles is to influence someone. To close your eyes to influence from outside sources is to be closed minded. It will keep you from changing your opinions, but it will also keep your from educating yourself properly. I am not refering to this vaccine/no vaccine issue, but for any issue at all. I would hate to live in a world where people closed their eyes to any opinion that differed from their own, simply because they were comfortable in their current opinion and didn't wish to be influenced.
  • primalmommaprimalmomma
    Posts: 1,136Member
    I don't really like people plastering things either.  but they really have no way of knowing what my views/opinions are.  so somethings bother me...naturally. while somethings I cheer on and enjoy reading about.

    But I agree that people can post whatever they want...whether I agree or not.  So I use the "hide" or "delete" options ;)  and if I know I don't agree with these people on too many issues & it's a problem for me, I just delete them altogether ...  and sometimes we just gotta ignore it to keep the friendship going.  easier said than done I know.  if it's just an article/informative info, I really don't see the harm.  but if they are attacking the choices of a person who doesn't do what they do..hmm....maybe these people aren't the best buddies for FB.
    “I did then what I knew to do. Now that I know better, I do better.” (Maya Angelou)
    http://www.primalmomma.com
  • BellaBefanaBellaBefana
    Posts: 8,202Member
    Yep, I do that a lot, especially on a particularly heated Today Mom's issue that I want to restrain myself from poking sticks at the rattlesnakes...
    Bite me, cupcake!
  • SuperSneaky
    Posts: 53Member
    Chill out. It isn't like she's preaching to you. She has other Facebook friends aside from you, right? Ever think some of them might be interested in what she has to say?

    I'm anti vacc, I don't really post things but I'll like stuff once in a while, and it'll show up on my newsfeed. I have at least 1/2 my list filled with parents who have the same beliefs I do.

    Most likely, she's sharing things that may interest a large group of her Facebook friends. If it doesn't apply to you, ignore it.


  • OnmylastnerveOnmylastnerve
    Posts: 1,648Member
    I guess to me I may agree or disagree with the post but it would encourage me to do more research about a certain subject. Which I believe every person should do. Think about how many people seen that post and started researching? It may go against what you believe but it's better than people blindly following "popular" trends.
    not my chair, not my problem
  • motherofdragonsmotherofdragons
    Posts: 57Member
    DD just had her first round of vaccines two weeks ago, I went to a memorial day hang out and she was fussy because of them. I told a friend of the family why, immediately she started talking about how I was going to give her autism. I should have just kept my mouth shut.
  • GypsyMamaGypsyMama
    Posts: 614Member
    I can't tolerate when people use FB to spread propaganda, when they are posting opinions or fears as fact. That gets me crazy and those people are unfriended. I welcome people sharing different opinions but I don't like getting spammed with it. To vaccinate or not is a touchy subject. As is abortion, politics and religion. I don't want to be fb friends with anyone who abuses their access to me. If they are then I am SheRa. I have the power to unfriend them.
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