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"Between 1900 and 1963, death from measles declined by 98% in the U.S., due to advancements in living conditions, nutrition, and health care. This significant decline happened before the measles vaccine was introduced in 1963."
Taking this quiz on measles, prepared by a group of physicians who merely want transparency and full information to the public, will cost nothing but 3 minutes of your time, and the chance to assess what you know about measles. What's to lose?
Once again, I'm happy to engage in conversation, but only civil discussion that is on topic
. I am greatly saddened by our culture's lack of ability to have civil discussions on vaccines, without name calling, red herring, straw man, and so many other basic logical fallacies. Laughing at the other side, making sweeping claims and assumptions - none of this adds to the discussion. There are doctors on both sides of this debate; there are parents on both sides of this debate. My family doctor (M.D.) does not administer the MMR vaccine, though he fully supports parents who choose to vaccinate, and helps them to find a place to do that. Where there is a risk, there should be a choice, which is why I fully support parents who do vaccinate and those who don't. I'm here to inform and challenge ideas, not judge parenting decisions.
To say that you choose to vaccinate is something I can respect, and I will not mock that. But saying that "the science is settled" does nothing to add to the discussion except confirm that you are not open to discussion or defense of your views, and possibly that you haven't actually done much reading on the CDC website, websites that house peer-reviewed medical journal articles, or sites like the Physicians for Informed Consent site that houses the measles quiz - nor have you listened to the millions of parents crying out that something is not right with this generation's children.
For that matter, I question how widely-read and studied by the general populace the vaccine inserts are, that come with the vaccines themselves. Not the "cheat sheet" short version the doctor hands the parent, but the lengthy one that lists so much more info, like the human diploid cells (aka aborted fetal cells) that are in some vaccines, the cautions concerning pregnant women, miscarriage and the flu vaccine, the cautions about shedding of live virus vaccines and precautions necessary after vaccination, and all the other delightful tidbits that are written in extremely small font on ~30 pages of info, that most parents are never actually handed, but can be found for free on the FDA website.
I am not implying in any way, shape, or form that
IF you spend hours on the CDC website and
IF you read beaucoup articles on vaccines on medical journal sites and
IF you listen to your "crazy anti-vax friends" and their sob stories about their chronically ill children and
IF you read the vaccine inserts in full,
That you will then become an "anti-vaxxer." I really don't even like that term, nor do I subscribe to it. Science requires interpretation of data, and different people react and interpret it differently, including scientists in white lab coats.
I do think it more likely that you will realize that scientists are fallible just like the rest of human beings, that there are arguments for and against vaccines that are held by intelligent people, including physicians, and that possibly, the science is not quite so settled in all areas, for all vaccines, as you originally thought. Possibly you will find the science convincing enough to continue to vaccinate yourself, or maybe you will rethink your own choices. But my prayer is that you will realize the diversity of info out there enough to respect those who disagree, and to work towards a continued conversation, instead of a shut-down of communication.
Peace in the name of the search for truth, folks. May we all find it. 
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