The Mowery Family

Message: 4
   Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2001 23:27:41 -0600
   From: Susan Frederick <sjf@...>
Subject: [Fwd: Educated Parents Respond to ER]

thought some might find this of interest:

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Educated Parents Respond to ER
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2001 12:45:12 -0600


thought yall might find this interesting. Parent are telling their views
about the recent ER show that a child died from not being vaccinated.



>Dear
PROVE Members,
>As you know, on February 15th, 2001, NBC's television
drama ER contained a
highly controversial story line about a family who chose not to
vaccinate
their children, and one of the children contracts measles and dies from
complications while the doctors on the show lash out at the mother and
categorically deny any risks posed by the vaccine.
>
>NBC's lack of responsibility, compassion and sensitivity
about a very real
problem is highly disturbing.  Measles containing vaccines do sometimes
injure and kill children.  A death or injury from a vaccine is just as
awful
as a death or injury from a disease.
>
>Anyone wanting to read some of the MMR vaccine adverse
event reports can do
so at   http://www.fedbuzz.com/vaccine/vac.html.
>
>Here
is one that would have been a more realistic basis for a story line.
>
>VAERS ID 105905
>State FR
>Vaccine Type
MMR
>Vaccination Name MMR II
>Manufacturer MSD
>Age in Years
1
>Sex M
>Lab Data biopsy brain measles inclusion bodies; Reported
Text pt recv vax
1997 & pt exp encephalitis & was hosp; COD encephalitis, viral & measles
inclusions bodies were found @ the brain biopsy;investigation found type
1
virus;
>Life Threating Illness
Y
>Died Y
>Recovered N
>Disability Y
>
>Families
across the country are lashing back in their letters to NBC.  I am
forwarding just a small sampling to our readers. As these letters
demonstrate, parents concerned about vaccine safety are hardly the
blubbering idiots portrayed by NBC's ER (which is supported with vaccine
manufacturers' advertising money).
>
>Pass this on to
anyone asking you questions about this latest
pharmaceutical stunt so the truth can shine.
>
>Also, it is not too late to send your letters to
NBC.  Go to www.nbc.com,
and on the right side there is a scroll box where you can select "your
favorite show".  Click on "ER" and then scroll to the bottom section
entitled "Contact Us", and click on "Email ER".  There is an online form
where you can let the producers know what you think about this episode.
>___________
>
>I've been a faithful ER fan for
years. It's the ONLY show I have ever been
able to say that about. Last night was my last viewing. I was actually
watching the show in my daughter's hospital room. She was admitted
suffering
from yet another side effect from one of the horrible treatments she
received for her autoimmune disease. An autoimmune disease caused by the
MMR
vaccine. I'm thankful she was so sedated from her pain medication that
she
missed the whole show. We usually watch it together.
>
>I found it sadly ironic that in the
same show you showed such compassion
for the man suffering from lupus, the disease that my daughter's
hemotologist believes she is developing. Are you even remotely aware of
the
connection between the vaccine and autoimmune diseases? You could have
at
least had the sensibility to catch that sad insult. After your
condescending
and reprehensible treatment of the parents, you cut immediately to a
vaccine
commercial. You left me spinning with nausea. Now I leave your viewing
audience.
>
>Shame on
you.
>
>Sara Smith
>__________
>As a pediatric physician
in the alternative health care field, I am
becoming increasingly alarmed by the growing incidence of chronic,
debilitating auto-immune and immunodeficiency diseases in my pediatric
patients. It is not merely coincidental that the disease symptoms
presented
by these helpless children, whose ages vary from six months to seventeen
years old, either started or became severely aggravated shortly after a
vaccination or series of vaccinations.
>
>It is very frustrating, if not infuriating, to
witness such a biased and
obviously unethically promoted view of vaccination in a recent ER. You
people have not done your homework. If, at a minimum, this promotion was
a
public service message courtesy of a government regulatory agency in
need of
more regulatory control over the lives of its people, your message is
little
more than propaganda for the sake of "the end justifies the means". If,
on
the other hand, this advertisment was an attempt to educate your
audience
about the benefits of vaccination, your message will end up benefiting
the
pharmaceutical industry far more than it will the millions of children
who
are at high risk for adverse reactions and/or long term consequences
from
our
>very reckless
mandated vaccine policy.
>
>For your information, there is not only
plenty of measurable scientific
evidence to suggest that our reckless vaccine policy is dangerous; there
also exists a number of ethical premises upon which the very notion of
health is predicated (such as: "Doctor, do no harm") that lead
intelligent
people to question whether the application of our reckless vaccine
policy is
flawed.
>
>Without considering or
weighing the pros and cons of vaccination, one need
only understand that the fundamental issue of importance in this vaccine
controversy is the right of consent. You have not only done a disservice
to
people by insulting our collective intelligence with your biased view
(and
incomplete facts) of this controversial medical procedure, you have
succeeded in leading us further down the slippery slope towards
political
expedience and moral decay by condoning the repression of our
constitutional
freedoms.
>
>This particular ER program was
another example of ignorance on display in
the media and another reason why more and more rational people are
turning
television off and looking for news in other places.
>
>Toni
Krehel
>__________
>
>I am a long time fan of ER but I was
shocked last night by the inaccuracy
of the measles story line. First of all to portray the parents in the
light
that you did is unconscionable. This is 2001. Not only do parents have a
right to make an informed decision for their child it is their
responsibility.   Did the people who wrote this story  have any idea
that
there are children being injured every day in the United States from
vaccine
reactions. In 1986 Congress passed a law to compensate these
individuals.
This government program has paid out over $1 billion to children who
have
been injured and killed by mandated childhood vaccines, including the
measles vaccine.  To flat out say there is no connection between autism
and
vaccination is a lie and disservice to your audience.
>
>There is evidence and studies are
ongoing at the National Institutes of
Health, the Institute of Medicine and the M.I.N.D. Institute to name a
few.
You have done a great disservice to your viewers by presenting such a
biased
story.   About the only thing that was accurate were the way doctors
treat
parents on this issue. Many parents are berated by health care providers
for
exercising their informed consent rights on the vaccination issue which
pushes parents away from their health care providers.  I would like to
know
why your producers would think that the life of a child that dies from a
disease is more valuable than the life of a child who dies
>or is permanently injured
by a vaccine?
>
>As a viewer I have to wonder who brought this
storyline to ER. I'm sure it
was only a coincidence that the first advertisement was for a new
childhood
vaccine, Prevnar. You sold out and you should be ashamed of yourselves.
>
>Kathi
Williams
>Co-Founder and Director National Vaccine Information Center
Vienna, VA
>
>__________
>You've gone too far. As a registered
nurse, disabled with an
'undifferentiated connective tissue disease' and severe peripheral
sensory
neuron disease because of multiple vaccines including: influenza, DPT,
hepatitis B and MMR series - mandated as a condition for clinical
practice -
I have a "desk job" which affords me the option of working flexible
shifts.
Uncharacteristically, I was home to see the 'ER' episode February 8,
2001,
including previews for February 15th promising something outrageous in
the
way of infectious diseases.
>
>'Lordie, what now?' I pondered. 'Small pox?' It was
obvious that the
Vaccine Machine had reached into their deep pockets and bought an
episode of
'ER.' I chose to work my usual preferred evening shift and avoid
watching
the exaggerated infectious disease scenario, to miss this episode that
promised further insult and condescension to vaccine casualties like
myself.
>
>It was my responsibility to do
professional fee abstraction for the ER at
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in 1997, and for 15 months reviewed
an
average of 150 pediatric' ER medical records per day, 5 days a week. I
never
read of one incident of death from wild measles virus presenting to
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's Emergency Room.
>
>On the other hand, there were
countless, daily reminders of the
pervasiveness of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism,
Asthma,
Diabetes, metabolic and other chronic disorders in this generation of
vaccine mutated children. Are we going to tamper and promote chronic
disabling conditions in our society by terrifying them with horror
stories
of infectious disease epidemics when we've barely shaken hands with
human
genome prototypes?  Your ties to your sponsors, the promoters of
Prevnar,
were shamelessly transparent.
>
>May I suggest, as a way of making amends with the
increasingly large
autoimmunity and otherwise vaccine-injured community - how about a story
line about Dr. Green's pathology report, owning up to the fact that his
malignancy is seeded with SV40? That Dr. Green was one of the hundreds
of
millions of citizens, 100 million in the U.S. alone, infected +/- 40
years
ago from the polio vaccine that was contaminated by Simian Virus 40. You
might win back a few of us, your Former Fans that you've offended.
>
>If it is sensationalism you're after. Give credit that
a few of us out here
can still appreciate subtlety in ethical issues.
>
>Disappointed RN, CPC
>_________
>I have been
wondering over the years why ER and other medical shows haven't
gone near this issue regarding the vaccination controversy.  You have
chosen
to air one side of the controversy.  Why not go to the Vaccine Adverse
Events Reporting System and select 1 of the thousands of reports of
children
who have reacted to a vaccination, been rushed to the ER in full blown
tonic/clonic seizures, brain swelling, projectile vomiting, edema, rash
all
over the body, fever, etc.  Have the ER crew valiantly try to save the
child
but fail.
>
>Then {the doctors would}
console the parents saying that most children that
survive this sort of vaccine reaction are left severely damaged and
maybe
this outcome was best for all. And as the parents slowly leave the
hospital,
Elizabeth Corday does a little research and finds that same lot of
vaccine
given to the child that died had 136 other reports of vaccine reactions,
of
which: 68 were rushed to the ER, 2 had life threatening conditions, 19
were
hospitalized, 1 was immediately and permanently disabled, 19 had unknown
recovery, 3 had no recovery, and 5 died, and the FDA new this, but
didn't
recall the vaccine.  Then Elizabeth Corday would throw down her
stethescope
in outrage and say "those bastards".
>
>Barabara Loe Fisher of the National Vaccine
Information Center could be
your medical consultant/expert.
>
>Michael Framson
>__________
>I am
writing to you today because of the ER episode in which a
non-vaccinated child died on your show.  My suggestion to you is that
you do
your homework on vaccines.
>
>You see, my son is vaccine injured. 
He is one of the victims of
vaccination. We should all be allowed to do our homework and decide what
is
best for our children and protect them the best way we know how.  The
way
you portrayed the family was wrong. I am an educated person from the
medical
field. The condescending tone you used to the family was disgusting.
>
>My son is severely and
permanently brain injured. He had many complications
following his vaccinations.  He eventually had an aneurysm rupture in
his
brain, he died three times and was resuscitated, his aneurysm ruptured a
2nd
time 10 days later. He was only 4 months old.  He was hospitalized for
over
4 months and he was not expected to live many, many times during this
stay.
No one can understand the pain that this can cause.  Since this happened
to
my son I have done extensive research and have been sickened by what I
have
uncovered.  My son will never receive another vaccine.  I will not play
Russian Roulette with his life again.
>
>I suggest that you do your homework, read the package
inserts, and
hopefully you will never need to deal with vaccine injury personally.
>I also noticed that you ran an ad for Prevnar during this
show. You can
view a 33 page research paper on this which shows all the conflicts of
interest in getting this vaccine approved. I would be happy to supply
you
with this research paper. It has killed children already. No child
should be
expendable in the name of the public good.
>
>When one child died from getting locked inside a trunk of a
car the world
was mortified and made changes in automobile manufacturing. The result
was a
release latch inside the trunk. One child's death was one too many.  Why
does this rule not apply to my child?  To the millions of vaccine
injured
children?
>
>Because shows like yours
mislead people about the truth.
>
>I am shocked that you would run
something like this and I am never going to
watch your show again. I truly believe that you owe the entire vaccine
injured community (there are millions of them out there) an apology.
>
>Tammy
Carrington
>__________
>
>How much research did the writers
for this script do on MMR's & Autism?
The actor, Anthony Edwards who plays Dr. Mark Green - (CAN - Cure Autism
Now
Board Member) was he ever asked about Autism?  Does anyone on one's
staff
have a child who has suffered from receiving a vaccination or even died
from
receiving one?
>
>I have a child who was born without traces of Autism. 
He developed
"normally"; however, after receiving his MMR shot at 14-15 months of age
-
within a few amount of weeks, he started to lose speech and as time went
on - he developed Autistic Traits.  Fortunately, today (3 1/2 years
>later), he still is weak in the speech area but has
dramatically improved
in other areas due to  our intense therapy approaches, supplementations,
testing, gluten/free - casein/free diet and other approaches as well.
>
>He has had a colonoscopy and an
endoscopy - he is currently having tests
run in Ireland which is a Measles Virus Detection Analysis Report.  He
has
had DMSA (heavy metals detoxification) treatments to remove the vaccine
parts of Mercury that is in the MMR shot.
>
>I understand that TV scripts cover only a short
version of the truths.
However, though my thoughts will more than likely be overlooked - I do
feel
that how one portrayed the family on the
>show which aired (Feb. 15, 2001) regarding MMR vaccination truly did
an
injustice to families regarding their decisions not to vaccinate.  If
one
really wants to pass judgement - then I suggest that one does an episode
on
Merck Industries the makers of vaccines and other drugs.
>
>Check on the legal levels of Mercury and other toxins that
go into vaccines
(aborted fetus tissue is in some vaccines).
>
>I
assure NBC that the network will be receiving numerous comments regarding
the airing of ER and MMR-Vaccines. Anthony Edwards - please help to
educate
in this area.  I'm sure you are aware of the effects and possibilities
regarding vaccines.
>
>Though I'm not totally
against vaccines, I'm against all of the additives
that are going into them and the increasing amount of vaccines that one
feels forced to give to such small children.
>
>To let one know, I felt somewhat offended due to
one's true lack of
knowledge regarding vaccines - today.  The toxin levels of heavy metal
incased in a vial and injected into an innocent child who doesn't
understand
what is happening.  As days go by this child could develop high fevers,
seizures, lose speech, or begin living a life of dazed looks and
withdrawing
from the world.  This is AUTISM.  My son lives it and so does his
family. We
are doing everything in the world to make his world a better reality.
He
will not ever receive another MMR vaccine.  His levels of MMR in his
blood
system (Titer's Test) are extremely above normal - meaning that his body
had
a reaction to that vaccine - the tainted MMR shot.
>
>Please ask one's self this
question, what if this were my child?  What
would I do to make a difference in his world?  Educate people about
vaccines
and the effects that vaccines could cause.
>
>Contact me for info.  I
am an advocate, consultant, and an educator
regarding Autism, vaccines, and disabilities.
>
>Darlene Carl
>__________
>Above, the
preamble says the you value opinion and feedback.
>
>I would like to
think that that is not some sort of platitudinous garbage
put in as corporate weasel-speak.
>
>No doubt in your intent as executive producer and
creator of ER - and as a
person who can do what you want, was to do your paediatrician a favour.
The
programme, about which I am sure you are heartily sick of hearing about,
concerns a boy who dies as a result of measles, because his mother makes
an
informed choice not to vaccinate him.
>
>The problem with this program is that it misrespresents the
truth in two
ways.
>
> Firstly, to my knowledge there has never
been a death of a child, by
measles, to a parent who has conscientiously chosen not to vaccinate.
That
is borne out by statements issued in the past by the FDA and CDC saying
that
the problem of vaccine uptake has nothing to do with choice, but
everything
to do with delivery of service.
>
>
>While children who are not vaccinated do get
measles, recent medical
articles facilely suggest  that we should not have exemptions, because
the
vaccinated children get it to.  What is a vaccine supposed to do?
Prevent
you getting "IT".  So why are fully vaccinated children getting measles?
Could it perhaps be.... that is doesn't work?
>
>In New Zealand, we recently had an interesting
double lesson.  Firstly, a
huge measles vaccination campaign using MMR to pre-empt a measles
outbreak.
Of the 150,000 children revaccinated, I have documented evidence of 8
children who landed up in ICU with encephalopathy between 8 - 14 days
after
the vaccine. One child died.  Every parent tells me that the medical
personnel tested for every "OTHER" thing that could have caused
encephalopathy and got a blank
>sheet.  Interestingly, not one child was tested for MMR
viral
encephalopathy.
>
>Such good science - good medicine, don't
you think? So naturally, my
documented evidence is classified as "anecdotal" and proves nothing.
Now,
why do you think that might be, Mr Wells?  That is real life - and would
portay reality far more accurately than your programme.  But ER is about
glorifying everything medical theory stands for, not showing another
reality, John,
>isn't
it.
>
>Shortly after this MMR campaign, I got involved with a family
near me,
whose 10 month boy got encephalopathy after MMR, and they did all the
right
things. But did they get a correct diagnosis?  No. He was misdiagnosed
as
microcephaly.  Fortunately I knew a thing or three, and the child, after
evaluation by a knowledgeable doctor,was correctly diagnosed.  Not only
that, the child now has government compensation, and is state supported.
That that child, also subsequently developed autism.
>
>But lets also talk about this measles epidemic that was
supposed to be
forestalled by this campaign - during which some children received their
third MMR.  The Health Department said the campaign prevented an
estimated
90% of cases that COULD HAVE HAPPENED.  They of course tell the future
and
have crystal balls which mere mortals don't...  But what they don't tell
you, is
>that of the thousands
of children who did happen to get measles, most were
appropriately vaccinated, and some had had 3 MMR shots.  And that some
of
the children hospitalised had severe measles. What they also don't tell
you
is that of the unvaccinated pre-school children, very few landed in
hospital, none had serious complication - and.... wait for it... most of
them caught it from the vaccinated children. That is actually the most
inter
esting thing about this epidemic - that the early notifications were all
in
vaccinated children.
>
>Right now, we are in the midst of a whooping cough
epidemic.  And guess
what.
>
>Nearly all the cases are in
fully vaccinated children.  Who by our
regulations, are allowed to stay at school, since according to school
records, they are protected.  This situation is compounded, because many
cases are diagnosed incorrectly, so that these vaccinated infectious
children, are erroneously at school with whooping cough, because idiotic
doctors who believe vaccinated children can't get it, won't test for it
-
they just prescribe steroids for asthma.
>
>And these vaccinated infection spreading children, whose
parents haven't a
clue that they have whooping cough, are spreading it to all the other
vaccinated - and a few unvaccinated children.  The Health Department is
aware of this.  Are they doing anything?  Yes, Showing an advertisement
of a
6 month old child with whooping cough and saying "Vaccination prevents
this..."
>
>My hope for you, and
your family would usually be for the best of health.
After this program, I  hope that circumstances in the future will bring
home
to you the reality of what hundreds of thousands of parents in USA are
now
suffering.  So please, make sure your children and grandchildren are
fully
vaccinated with all their boosters.  Without you taking this action, you
are
>less likely to share, or understand,
their pain.
>Unless a close friend wakes you from your present
torpor.
>
>Hilary Butler.
>__________
>I was
disappointed in the handling of the measles case in last night's ER
episode (2/15/2001).  It included distortions that can mislead the
public
and, ultimately, affect the health of children.
>
>The incidence of autism as well as other chronic,
auto-immune diseases
(asthma, diabetes, etc.) among children is growing at an alarming rate,
and
coincides with the increase in the number of vaccinations routinely
given to
children.  The possible relationship between these diseases and various
vaccines has been recognized for a generation.  Some physicians have
offered
>the explanation that
the chemicals included in vaccines tamper with the
body's immune system, both suppressing and over-stimulating, until the
immune system finally starts attacking itself.  New vaccines put forth
by
drug companies are being accepted by pediatricians and, in many cases,
mandated by state laws, without the necessary long-term studies to
guarantee
safety.
>
>In
last night's episode, the ER doctor dismisses these concerns with
statements that there is "no relationship" between vaccines and autism,
and
that "vaccines improve the immune system."  Parents who take the time to
study the risks and benefits, and make their own choice against
vaccination,
rather than leaving it up to the experts, are dismissed as "fringe
lunatics."  The statistic of "1 in 500 children die from measles" does
not
take into account the previous health of the child, management of the
disease, other complications, etc.  In fact, this type of statement is
often
used by doctors to scare parents who question vaccine safety and make
them
fall into line.
>
>I would
encourage you to balance the scales by presenting the other side of
the issue.  You might present an episode where a child dies or becomes
severely retarded following a vaccination.  The parents then decide not
to
give that vaccine to their younger child but are hounded by health and
child
welfare authorities because of state vaccination laws.  If you want to
study
some real-life cases for background information, the National Vaccine
Information Center at 1-800-909-SHOT or http://www.909shot.com/  could
surely provide them.  (Believe me, this situation is no more rare than a
health child dying of measles.)
>
>Martha
Fitzgerald
>__________
>I'm quite sad to say this, as a loyal viewer
and fan of ER, but I believe
the Thursday, February 15 show was the last one I'll ever watch. And,
unfortunately, I'll most likely give up Will and Grace as well as the
West
Wing and Law and Order and Law and Order SVU.
>
>In your thinly disguised propaganda piece for vaccine
manufacturers ER just
goes beyond anything a reasonable, fair-minded production should do. You
vacated the principle I wrongly believed was one of the tenets for ER.
>
>I have not always agreed with the story lines
of certain characters and,
frankly, this is the last
>straw.  When
you portrayed the woman who was into herbs as slighly kooky
and astral, I let that pass, when you have had highly medicated,
technical,
overly complicated births, I've let those pass. I mean after all, I
expect
you to portray the allopathic opinion as this is an "ER" docu-drama. But
the
vaccine episode was the end. The only accurate part of this story line
was
the condecension and pretentiousness as well as the closemindedness and
parroting of the physicians.
>
>This wasn't a
case of strong arguments on both sides where a doctor
disagrees with a patients desires or doctors differ about treatments --
those story lines catch you and make you think -- that is one thing I've
always admired about the show, it's ability to put people between a rock
and
hard place with no definitive answer.
>
>Not only was the vaccine information presented
inaccurate and highly
inflammatory, but it was
>delivered so
condesending and patronizing as to make me feel physically
ill.
>
>It only takes a short look to determine that
physicians are not always
correct in what they believe and do -- vaccine doses, administration
schedules and formulas are as different around the globe as the
languages
and colors of the people who inhabit this planet. This is not the
proven,
safe, effective treatment physicians would have us believe it is.
>
>In addition, your portrayal of this woman as a
blabbering ninny is
uncomprehensible and unforgivable.  In the time I have been researching
this
subject and making decisions (going on 11 years now), I have found
people
who opt out of the vaccine roulette game to be intelligent, educated and
VERY concerned about their children. They know and understand concepts
and
information that would make you shrink and hide in the closet. For most
of
us this has come at a dear price.
>
>For me, my first son became quite ill the day after his
first shot. I
thought he was going to die. From that day, until the time I quit doing
what
our pediatrician told us to do,he was one sick child.
>
>For many of us parents, this can be categorized under the
heading "More
than We Wanted to Know." I was brought up in a midwestern state by a
highly-educated mom who was a physical therapist and convinced me that
any
other approach was just quackery. I did not come to CHANGE my beliefs
easily
or quickly. (Which BTW, I think most of us conscientious objectors are
converts)
>
>It was only after much agony and
strenuous research I discovered the
dangers and issues associated with this process.  (11 years ago there
WAS NO
internet for us, just a few books and a couple of people willing to
question
this). Just like the woman in your story line I was LIED to! I live in
Minnesota where it is a parents' free choice to opt out of this
dangerous
and untested practice. Guess what?!?!? NO ONE, not one single person
advised
me I had the right to opt out of this. Why would the doctors and others
have
to lie if this was such a great, safe, effective thing?
>
>It is this dissociative,
mechanistic view of the world that causes the
problems. I too have been patronized by the John Carters, Deb Chens and
Cleo
Finch's of the world. In most cases I was well into adulthood before
these
children were out of their diapers!
>
>In this case, I have a free choice to discontinue
viewing a tv show
blatantly bought and paid for by big drug money.
>
>Celia Cezzium
>___________
>From Feat
href="http://www.feat.org:">www.feat.org:
>The Mean Spirit of NBC's ER
Episode
>Commentary and Letters
>
>     It
is perhaps, the most overused cliché in medical television drama.
The patient lies motionless on a platform in surgery or the emergency
room
surrounded by medical types in high drama. Everyone is racing to
resuscitate
a cardiac arrest.  "Clear!" shouts the rescuer.  Paddles are slapped
down on
the victim's chest.  The lifeless body arch in response to the thumping
>sound of electricity supplied with a jolt. 
The pulse is checked.  Nothing.
Again, "Clear" is shouted and another jolt is hopefully applied, this
time
with some success. "I'm getting a pulse!" shouts a tech or nurse.
Cautious
sighs of relief are passed around to everyone in room, and also to the
loved
ones observing from a distance.  Most of the time the viewer can guess
whether the patient is going to make it or not depending on the context
of
the plot.
>
>     On last night's episode of NBC's
ER, this cliché played out again with
a handsome blond-hair, blue-eyed, nourished, four year old boy with
morbid
complications from measles.   The mother explains that she intentionally
did
not have her children inoculated out of her concern over possible
vaccine
side effects.  Autism is specifically mentioned.  The boy gets his heart
restarted, but he remains unconscious and motionless.
>
>     "Is he ok?" asks the
frightened mother.  "Yea, he's doing fine," the
doctor sarcastically sneers back without looking at her.  Portraying the
mother as suburban and articulate highlights the contempt.  This is not
white trash operating from ignorance.  No sir, this is one of those
educated
moms who gets her information on vaccines and autism from questionable
sources on the Internet and not the family pediatrician. Every word of
dialog that addresses the mother from that point on is expressed with
utter
contempt.  The writers could have added the phrase "you stupid,
>irresponsible twit" to end of every sentence spoken to her. 
The boy dies
shortly thereafter. You couldn't make it any more heavy handed without
having the ER set morphing into a Smack Down Wrestling event.
>
>      Considering that this
publication is the most-read, highest profile
independent source of information on autism and vaccines on the
Internet,
the program's references are to you, our readers, and to us, the FEAT
newsletter.  We had a role in killing that beautiful, innocent little
boy,
is the implication.
>
>    The mean spiritedness of NBC's ER
message can only add heat, not light
to the public conversation now going on about the safety of vaccines.
The
desire for parents to make informed decisions about their children's
health
should be encourage, and not vilified with comic book theatrics like the
ER
production.
>
>    The autism community
demonstrates every day its commitment to a fair
handed and competent education of ourselves on the issue of vaccines and
their safety.
>
>    With the incidence of autism being at
its historical high, it is only a
matter of time before someone close in the family of an ER writer or
producer has an autistic child.  It is only a matter of time before
someone
in the family of a programming executive at NBC gets autism.  And when
that
happens we suggest that you avoid your own spin and theatrical
productions;
it won't help you much.  We suggest you come here to get a balanced
presentation of the facts on vaccines and autism.
>
>    When you come you will find a
responsible commitment to the facts, and
not theatrics and scare tactics, if you read this newsletter.
>
>      You will
find that we do not sneer sarcastically at families who
suddenly find themselves with disasters like autism or any of the other
possible side effects of vaccines, no matter where you come from,
hometowns
or Hollywood.  We won't bash you - simply because at the least, you have
now
become one of us.  It's just a matter of time.
>Lenny
Schafer
>
>P.S.
>      From the early
letters, a number of readers noted the contradiction
of ER Show star Anthony Edwards and character Dr. Green, being connected
to
this production.  Edwards is a high-profile supporter of autism research
and
works closely with Cure Autism Now (CAN).  Often it is asked, "Why
didn't he
say something to someone about this awful presentation of parents
concerned
>about autism?"
>
>Jon Shestack of CAN
provides following explanation of Edward's role.
>
>      I have spoken with Anthony
Edwards who did not agree nor endorse that
storyline and was in fact distressed by the patronizing dismissal of
family
concerns about vaccine safety. Evidence of this is that Tony's,
character,
Dr. Green, did not participate in that story.
>
>     The idea for
the episode rests totally with John Wells who is the
executive producer and creator of the show and who basically gets to do
what
he wants. That he was influenced by his pediatrician, the American
Academy
of Pediatricians, the National Institute of Child Health, and vaccine
manufacturers is possible and even likely but totally beyond Tony's
sphere
of influence.
>
>__________
>      First
the vaccine commercial with the episode (who say's advertisers
don't pay for Hollywood scripts), then the worst case of scare tactics I
have ever seen on TV. ER and those associated with that program should
be
ashamed of themselves. Bought and paid for to the highest bidder. At the
>very least
they should disclose in the credits the names of the
scriptwriters from Merck who wrote this fiction.
>
>     First Hollywood
makes "Rain Man" and tells us it's about autism, later
we find out the character the story is based in part, on someone who is
not
even autistic!  Now tonight Hollywood does it again, this time serving
as
the mouthpiece of the vaccine manufacturers and their cronies in the
public
health department telling us about autism and MMR, nothing based on
science
mind you, only scare tactics designed to coerce parents into vaccinating
their children at all costs.
>
>    Hollywood should stick to what it does
best: making cartoons.
>
>Rick
Rollens
>__________
>
>     
WOW!!  I can't believe what I just saw on ER tonight.  Did you do
your homework?  What a pathetic display of misinformation.  Do you have
any
idea of how many families are touched by horrible reactions to
vaccination
(including death)?  If your actors were aware of the truth would they
agree
to portray this information in the light it was presented?  I find the
timing of this program quite ironic with all the controversy over the
validity and safety of our current vaccination program.  I sure hope you
are
prepared to present the other side of this story.
>
>       A funny thing
happened to me about a month ago.  I was at one of our
local elementary schools to do a presentation.  During the two hours I
was
there two students presented to the school nurse, one with mumps and one
with measles.  Both were vaccinated.  What's up with that?
>
>You lost a viewer.
>
>Yvonne Wood,
D.C.
>__________
>
>    Parents of children of
with Autism are accustomed to humiliation.  For
thirty years, mothers were blamed and humiliated for causing their
children's illness.  These days parents face the humiliation of stares
and
comments from the misinformed public as we go about the concerns of
daily
living.  We are humiliated as we beg the medical community to turn their
attention to this long neglected area of medical research.  We are
humiliated as we beg doctors to look at our children's physical as well
as
behavioral symptoms.  We are humiliated as we beg educators to teach
rather
than baby-sit our children.
>      Last night you
ensured that thousands of parents would continue to be
humiliated, when you dismissed the possible nexus between vaccines and
autism and, by example, help make it publicly acceptable to treat
parents
who have concerns about vaccines with contempt and disdain.
>      I
challenge you, NBC, to do better.  Because of Anthony Edward's
support for autism research, we parents have looked to ER as a place of
comfort and advocacy.  Why not take a stand for our children, by
creating an
episode where regressive autism and what really happens to parents and
children on this journey are depicted in a realistic way?  And, having
profited from dismissing our children during sweeps month, why not share
those profits by making a generous donation toward Autism research?  It
is
not too late to put things right here.
>Heather Coburn
Snyder
>
>
>-------------------------------------------------------------------
>Dawn
Richardson
>PROVE(Parents Requesting Open Vaccine Education)
>
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>
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provides information on vaccines, and immunization policies and
practices that affect the children and adults of Texas.  Our mission is
to
prevent vaccine injury and death and to promote and protect the right of
every person to make informed independent vaccination decisions for
themselves and their family.
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