Gov. Rick Perry is still drawing a barrage of criticism for signing on executive order almost two weeks ago forcing Texan parents to vaccinate their adolescent daughters against the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus.Perry rationalized, according to the Houston Chronicle, "If the medical community developed a vaccine for lung cancer, would the same critics oppose it, claiming it would encourage smoking?"
I have considered that analogy myself. It is perfect. Lung cancer is predominantly caused by a destructive behavior, cigarette smoking, which also causes a myriad of other health problems.
So to answer Perry's question, everyone would welcome a lung cancer vaccine, but wouldn't turn around and say, "Great, let's all smoke!" Because we know smoking causes other cancers like laryngeal, esophageal, stomach and pancreatic as well as health problems like heart disease and infertility.
Furthermore, this behavior endangers the health of other people who come in contact with the smoker, like babies born with low birth weight.
Interestingly, the most ardent critics of smoking are lawmakers, who have increasingly sought to discourage this destructive behavior by making it more difficult.
HPV is also the consequence of a destructive behavior, sex outside of marriage.....
Continue reading my WorldNetDaily.com column today, "The link between HPV and smoking."
If you are pro-life you should support Governor Perry. The HPV vaccine could save 600 lives each year in Texas. The 16,000 member Christian Medical Association favors make the HPV vaccination mamdatory.
Roger,
Your statement about the CMA is inaccurate. I think you're referring to their Feb. 7 press release, which can be read here.
I just called the contact person on the press release, Margie Shealy, and she gave me this statement:
We do not oppose a mandate. It's not that we support it, but we do not oppose it, as long as there is an easy opt-out. It's not like we're encouraging a mandate.
The reason why we do not oppose it is many of the more vulnerable people who need the HPV vaccine wouldn't get it without it being mandated. With the mandate, it's more available through public health systems.
Sex outside of marriage isn't the only way HPV is spread. Anybody who claims to be pro-life should be supportive of a vaccine that has the potential to SAVE LIVES.
Joy, let's explore that. Share some ways and stats that HPV is spread by other means.