Much admired cartoonist Michael Leunig was being interviewed on ABC News Mornings this morning. I caught the interview on my mobile as hosts Michael Rowland and Virginia Trioli tried to shut down a discussion on anti-vaccinations.
Leunig’s cartoon of a mother and child pursued by flying syringes was published a few days ago in Fairfax Media newspapers, and has been interpreted as supporting parents who “stand up to the state” by refusing to vaccinate their children. The cartoonist has been widely critised, even though he holds no strong position either way. He says this issue is primarily a human rights issue.
Leunig
We have written about mother’s instinct before – Tasha David, mother of eight.
But The New Daily’s Advisor Editor Jackson Stiles writes:
“His (Leunig) sentiments directly contradict the overwhelming majority of health experts, who have criticised the growing anti-vaccination movement.”
Really!
The (US) Institute of Medicine (IOM) now admits:
“Vaccines are not free from side effects, or “adverse effects””
After a review of more than 1,000 vaccine studies, assessing the scientific evidence in the medical literature about specific adverse events associated with eight vaccines, a convincing causal relationship was found. The adverse events selected for IOM review were ones for which people had submitted vaccine injury claims to the federal Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP).
But any evidence or dialogue is side-lined and ignored in the seemingly orchestrated campaign pushing for mandatory vaccinations in Australia. And speakers like Dr Tenpenny, for example, are ambushed – as Gumshoe wrote here and here.
The non-debate has created division. This is what Oz comedian Hannah Gadsby has to say about Leunig’s cartoon.
I reported here that even prime minister Tony Abbott in 2006 did not want to allow his daughters to be vaccinated (against cervical cancer). Ms Gadsby, was your PM also a “dickhead” back then? But no more. Now, under Abbott’s watch, the government wants to financially punish those objectors.
Social Services Minister Scott Morrison and Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
Maybe Mr Abbott, Mr Stiles, Ms Gadsby and the hosts of ABC News Breakfast should visit the Watson-Jones family in Melbourne.
Woman paralysed after flu jab
The Herald Sun reported this morning that a fit and healthy mother was left paralysed from head to toe just days after having a routine flu jab. Kathy Watson-Jones was crippled by a rare condition – Guillain-Barre Syndrome – where the body’s immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system. Five weeks on and she has recovered the use of her facial muscles.
Back in 2013 it was reported that the Australian Medical Association called for mandatory proof of vaccination. AMA president Dr Steve Hambleton said parents who don’t vaccinate their children should be forced to produce a conscientious objection form. I wonder what Dr Hambleton would say to Kathy Watson-Jones’s daughters — Shannon, 13, Jamie, 12, and Zoe, 10 — who are no longer able to live with their mother.
Censorship
I listened to a Guns and Butter soundcloud called: Vaccines: What You’re Not Being Told, Part One – Gary Null (listen here). Quackwatch attempt to discredit Null here, and Activistpost reports on the censorship of Popular Radio Host and Host by Radio Station Over Vaccines. KafkaWinstonWorld posted a video on this.
Rima E. Laibow (MD Medical Director -Natural Solutions Foundation) wrote Speaking Truth About Vaccination “The Syringe of Death”: Coming Soon to a Police Station Near You (pdf here). She writes:
# 1: Vaccines are not safe: vaccines are dangerous. They are not even tested for safety.
# 2: Vaccines have not eradicated diseases: vaccines spread diseases.
# 3: Flu vaccines do not protect people from flu-related deaths.
# 4: Potential pandemic viral diseases like the Avian Flu do not have safe and effective vaccines to prevent them and there are no drugs to treat them effectively– but good nutrition and natural remedies are useful.
Why the push for vaccines?
Jon Rappaport, author of the Matrix series, in his article, Australia vaccine war update: the people, slaves to the State, writes:
“…the medical cartel, in the long run, is the most important branch of Globalism Inc. It builds a cradle to grave system for every person. Traveling in a half-light of multiple diagnoses and toxic drug treatments, the citizens live in parallel universe of debilitation and confusion, where they become too weak to resist what is happening to them.”
Apologies, I must sign off now. Late for my flu vax appointment.
Don’t do it! Don’t do it, Dee! Don’t jump off the bridge. You have your whole life ahead of you. (Well, some of it anyway.)
BTW, you mentioned that Quackwatch was denigrating Mr Null. To be smeared by Quackwatch is a badge of honor. It happened to most of the excellent doctors I reported in my book “Consider the Lilies: a Review of 18 Cures for Cancer.”
Note: the late Steven Barrett smeared only the very, very best.
This is a most peculiar interview. The host, Virginia Trioli, seems to see it as her job to put the cartoonist down, even going so far as to bring in a third-party’s comment that Leunig is a “dickhead.”
I would like to know what she thinks her job consists of. Was she saying that Mr Leunig should NOT take the position he takes in the cartoon?
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act of 1983 says “The function of the corporation is to provide within Australia innovative and comprehensive broadcasting service of a high standard.” The Act nowhere suggests that a host (in this case of News Morning) has a sort of policing role to make sure an artist does not say something that will harm “public health.”
When she shut him up he quite rightly retorted “So we don’t tolerate the outside voice?”
But really his voice is not that of an outsider. His cartoon accurately reflects the position of parents.
Thank you for grabbing the show on your Mobile, Dee, as these shows are not played again later.
Wow.
Dee, can you find out how the cartoonist was invited on the show? I’d like to know how the invitation was put. (Or maybe he sought the opportunity himself). Thanks.
Leunig on the front line fighting to just ask a question and having to submit himself to the classic ignorant self nominated
thought gestapo dressed up as journalists.
Fortunately he was humbly up to the task of wearing the humiliating treatment while defending his opinion.
What a performance by Virginia Trioli.
Quite a fascinating study of the journalism dynamic using overbearing physical body language.and the classical false authority “dickhead” smear.
Leunig, in a sense, pointed out what was happening.
Christopher – spot on. Leunig demonstrated that the he ABC – the people’s TV station – are not following their charter.
I think his cartoon of maternal instincts is more profound than even he realizes.
Good on Leunig and his duck. I can be sure the duck is not vaccinated. And Gadsby – stick to your ABC and your comedy.
I have worked in the Hospital system all my working life, including trauma and critical care. Medical practice is dictated by a legally rapacious animal called “Best Practice” which everyone worships as a god, and uses as a club to beat and marginalize those who deviate from orthodoxy. Naturally the industry loves to have its drug/procedure/device included in the arsenal of what constitutes “Best practice” on any given day, hence the money generously splashed around to totally not corrupt specialists, the trials fudged and manufactured, and the scathing, denouncing articles (see: Wakefield for example) that ensure that corporate shareholders maintain their stake in our “well-being” through ensuring their company has a protected place inside the lucrative clubhouse of “Best Practice”.
Arms and a man I sing….
Very good point PB. Yes, it is “best practice” that legally implies the medical professionals are following what is prescribed the best outcome from a specific treatment or procedure. Regardless whether that is a good option…
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