Three Cheers for Texas
It is not often I have a kind word to say that eminates from the State of Texas. Sure I know and read a few sane bloggers from there. But normally I blame TX for unleashing on the world the likes of Bush Sr., Dubya and Tom Delay on the world. I blame them for the Grassy Knoll. I hold them accountable for having a baseball owner that offered out the richest contact in baseball history. Hell, I even blame them for my parents requirement of being home and in front of the television for years just to watch Dallas. (Can I point out how annoying it was to go through High School with the initials J.R. after the whole “Who Shot JR?” thing.)
But for a change today, I get to praise Texas and Republican Governor Rick Perry. Texas became the first State to require the HPV vaccine.
Ms.
Though Governor Perry is known as a social conservative, his press secretary, Robert Black, told The Dallas Morning News, “He came to the conclusion it was the right thing to do. You don’t have opportunities like this where you can certainly prevent a cancer. It’s never happened before, so it would be irresponsible to walk away from it.”
I have written before about how this vaccination which can help erradicate cervical cancer caused by HPV has been controversial? How is something that has been proven 100% effective in clinical trials controversial, you may ask. Usually it is concerns about long term side effects and safety concerns (which is always valid). But in this case, the controversy stems from religious extremists, that somehow come to the conclusion that a girl getting a vaccine in the (approximately) 6th grade is somehow going to “encourage” promiscuity.
Portland Press Herald
Cathie Rossignol wants the best for her two girls but won’t vaccinate them against a virus that causes cervical cancer when the shots become widely available this fall.The vaccine targets the sexually transmitted disease responsible for most of the cancer cases, making the lifelong Catholic from Brooklin feel like she would be “giving the OK” to premarital sex if her daughters were inoculated.
Presumably this shot is so strong, that any of life’s lessons taught by a parent to a child from the 6th grade on is simply lost on the child because they had this inoculation.
While, I agree that I think this is a ‘no-brainer’ I do not take lightly the political considerations that Gov. Perry had to consider. I can only hope now that the ice has been broken, that other states will quickly follow suit.
Update: It is important to note, that the Executive Order signed by Governor Perry provides the ability for parents to opt out for religious or philosophical reasons. So taking into consideration the fact that you can opt out, can anybody please explain to me a valid reason why the “social conservative” crowd is fighting so hard to stop this?
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7 Responses to “Three Cheers for Texas”
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Very interesting. I haven’t been paying attention to this, but with 2 girls maybe I should. What I would like is this vaccine combine with a virginity vaccine that will keep those nasty boys away for another 25 years or so. Is that too much to ask?
As for the religious freakos, don’t even get me started. It’s a subject that contiues to boggle my mind.
Ok rolling at “I blame them for the grassy knoll”
Amen to the vaccine - good stuff - a preschool teacher at my son’s school had cervical cancer at 24 - hopefully this can prevent so many more of these cases..
Yes, but then Texas proposes something like fining parents for missing teacher conferences. I guess the parents in TX need to parented, too.
Found you through a random link - liked your blog name - and enjoying reading your content.
I can understand that yes, it has been proven effective in trials, no it will not encourage girls to sleep around but I still don’t like the idea of the state making it mandatory for all girls to get it. There’s something about the gov’t. telling me what I can and can’t do with my body or my child’s body that I don’t like. Although on the other side of the coin if it wasn’t for mandatory inoculations we’d still have things like Polio & Small Pox. I guess it’s just one of those things that I need to find out more facts about it before I can wrap my head around it.
Thanks. I’m glad to know somebody got it.
Kelly,
I understand the concern about the Government sticking its nose in where it doesn’t belong. Believe me, I am one to usually fight against such things.
As I said, it is always valid to be concerned with health effects, side effects and such, but that isn’t the issues being put forward. Nobody (so far) is questioning the validity of whether the inoculation is effective, only that it “should be” avoided because it is “like giving permission to be promiscuous” and other such clap trap.
Unfortunately, only by making it a mandated vaccine, can we ensure that the economies of scales help keep it affordable, and to ensure all insurance plans cover it.
[…] have made my opinion known on what I think about mandatory vaccinations for HPV. Mr. Big Dubya over at DadCentric gives the […]
I was surprised and overjoyed with Perry’s requiring the vaccination for all girls.
Now I’m upset that a vaccine for cervical cancer has morphed into a controversy about teenage sex.
The Texas State Legislature overturned Perry’s order.
This has nothing to do with a parents’ right to discuss sex with their kids. It has to do with a girl’s right not to get cancer.
I wrote an article about it at http://www.traceesioux.blogspot.com and http://www.blogfabulous.com.