Anti Vaccination Argumentative Essay

Vaccinations that protect against diseases and illnesses have become extremely common in the United States and other first world countries; however, beginning in the 19th Century, the anti-vaccination movement began to challenge doctors and medical advice with home remedies. The argument continues into the 21st century whether or not it should be the parents’ choice to vaccinate their children, or if it should be left up to the states or even the federal government (Vaccine Development).
In the United States, forty seven out of fifty states allow children entering school to be exempt from their vaccinations if they have religious reason. Eighteen out of those forty seven states also allow an exemption for personal or philosophical beliefs;
For instance, in “8 Reasons I Haven’t Vaccinated My Daughter,” James Maskell, an online blogger, states that he “doesn’t want his daughter to be a statistic.” He claims that since science and medical knowledge have proven itself wrong time and time again, he won’t let his daughter’s body be pumped with the “toxic” ingredients commonly found in vaccines; he also mentions side effects from vaccines such as brain damage, ovarian failure, and immediate discomfort that comes with getting a shot
These parents will risk their children contracting preventable diseases just to make sure they’re not handicapped in anyway, and in my opinion, that seems like bad parenting. In “Five Important Reasons to Vaccinate Your Child,” the author compares getting children immunized to the “importance of car seats” for babies, and I couldn’t agree more. If I were a parent, I would want to go to the greatest lengths possible for my child to give them the healthiest life possible, and I don’t feel that parents supporting the anti-vaccination movement are really doing