>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

Fiorito

The fact that state Rep. Greg Smith, R-Heppner, knows little about the subject of vaccines, as reported in the Aug. 1 edition of The Observer, concerns me.

How can an elected official not be informed on one of the most controversial issues of late?

All one has to do to become informed on almost any issue is “Google” it. I just “Googled” “dangers of vaccines” and got more than 818,000 hits. The articles that come up are from all sides of the vaccination issue — pro, con and undecided.

Your article failed to enumerate any of the reasons why this issue is so controversial these days, only saying that Union County rates low on the number of 2-year-olds and under who have been vaccinated in the county.

I wonder if we are also rated low on the number of children who have had health complications or died as a result of vaccines.

The article also failed to mention that no vaccinations are mandated by law.

A favorite guilt trip that pro-vaccinators, many of whom make lots of money from vaccines, will lay on you is: If you do not vaccinate yourselves, you are putting the rest of us at risk. This logic is basically flawed. If vaccinations are so safe and work so well, then how are the un-vaccinated a danger to the vaccinated?

I am no expert on medicine, but I know how to research issues that are of importance to me or my loved ones’ health. People, including Rep. Smith, need to educate themselves about this issue as well as many others and not believe everything the pharmaceutical companies or the government tell you about what you “should do.”

Dan Fiorito

Union