2025-03-08 Saturday Peaceful Freedom Rally
11:00am - 12 noon Markham and Lawrence
RFK and “l’usure du pouvoir”
L’usure du pouvoir is a French expression often applied to the wearing out of a leader or a party’s political capital over time. The measles death of an unvaccinated child in Texas has lead to some apparent reversals from Robert F. Kennedy Jr. In an opinion piece published on Fox News Kennedy states
All parents should consult with their healthcare providers to understand their options to get the MMR vaccine. The decision to vaccinate is a personal one. Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles, but also contribute to community immunity, protecting those who are unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons.
This has lead to MSNBC captioning a video “RFK Jr. urges measles vaccinations after years of doubting efficacy” under a thumbnail of Kennedy beside a bottle of MMR vaccine and a syringe.
Del BigTree at the Highwire recognizes the political importance of this measles outbreak and death and again has dedicated measles segments responding to the Kennedy op ed here and here. Del, who was RFK’s communications director in his presidential campaign especially takes issue with the statement that vaccines contribute to community immunity. Del is concerned the measles vaccines may lead to asymptomatic carriers that may actually put children that can’t get vaccinated for medical reasons at risk. Del also points out that children born to vaccinated mothers have no measles immunity at birth whereas children born to mothers that had the measles naturally have some immunity to carry them through the first critical months of life.
It’s important to read the whole RFK opinion piece (just 1 page) because it has many positive points
stressing individual choice
presenting treatment options
stressing the importance of good nutrition
giving history and statistics - although Del takes issue with Kennedy’s death rate as well
It’s still light years ahead of our public health officials in Canada and the previous administration in the US. But it illustrates just how much work it’s going to take to alter course on vaccination. The Highwire, Children’s Health Defense and others advocating for vaccine reform are going to be needed for some time to come.
Rally at Markham and Lawrence this Saturday from 11:00am - 12 noon
Please bring a freedom related sign, flag, flyers etc. if you have them.
I will be at or near Markham and Lawrence, ending up directly outside Healthy Planet.