Arizona Lawmaker Says Mandatory Vaccine Laws are ‘Communist’ Amid a Nationwide Measles Outbreak

Despite a spike in measles cases across the country, some lawmakers are doubling down on their anti-vaccination beliefs. On Wednesday, the Republican Governor of Arizona Doug Ducey told reporters that he was “pro-vaccination” and “anti measles” and stated that he would not sign three bills passed by the Arizona state legislature designed to complicate and weaken state vaccine protocol. One of the bills would allow individuals to refuse a mandatory vaccine on religious grounds. In response, Arizona state representative Kelly Townsend released a statement on Facebook, claiming that mandatory vaccine laws are “Communist” and expressed dismay that the people of Arizona “are prepared to give up our liberty, the very sovereignty of our body, because of measles.” After facing criticism for her remarks, Townsend reiterated her stance in a second Facebook post, claiming that required vaccinations violate individual sovereignty. “The point is whether or not your body is sovereign or if the government can force you to be injected against your will,” Townsend said. The Republican representative continued to express anti-vaccine sentiment in an interview with the Washington Post, attributing health problems experienced by her 22-year-old daughter to vaccines she was given as an infant. Townsend also demanded that government should focus on “discovering what in these vaccines is causing so much injury,” stating, &ldqu...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized onetime public health Source Type: news