Folks, as a member of the military I was ordered to received the smallpox vaccine. I dutifully did (took me two times and 20 sticks with the forked needle to give it to me but I endured). The vaccine never took. In other words, I never got the nasty blister/pustule on my arm. I suffered no ill effects.

My friend, on the other hand, got an infection of the lining of his heart and to this day has problems. The vaccine may have caused it or may not have, they aren’t sure. Vaccines affect people differently and I’m guessing that there is quite possibly a 1 in a million or billion shot that a vaccine causes detrimental effects. I’m personally willing to live with that risk but then again, I wasn’t affected.

The level of discourse on this thread is heading dangerously close to the gutter. I think if we all agreed to disagree on some of these issues because they are so emotionally charged, we may leave the room as friends. Let’s save the vitriol for something worth it.