vaccination saves lives

I’ve been on the campaign trail for the last couple of weeks. My mission (which I chose to accept) was to help persuade the organizers of the Woodford Folk Festival to remove the notorious anti-vaccination propagandist, Meryl Dorey from their program. On Christmas Eve, we had a win, if not a total victory. The organizers agreed to change the format from a solo appearance to a panel discussion involving immunologist, Professor Andreas Suhrbier and moderated by Dr John Parker from Doctors without Borders.

But, members of the Stop the Australian [anti] Vaccination Network group weren’t content to leave it at that. They came up with an ingenious, yet humorous way to protest against Dorey’s continuing presence at the festival – and have the last word.

My article about Dorey and the SAVN’s ‘scathingly brilliant’ plan which ‘takes off’ at 1.45pm today can be read on Online Opinion.

Here’s how it begins:

I’m a down to earth kind of girl; not much given to looking heaven-ward for good advice. In fact, I’m the girl-least-likely to suggest you should gaze into the stratosphere in search of the answers to life’s more vexing questions.

But, if you happen to be in the vicinity of the Woodford Folk Festival this afternoon and there’s any chance you might be swayed by the rapid-fire, baffle-them-with-bullshit stylings of anti-vaccination virago, Meryl Dorey, I have a suggestion.

Stop for a moment and cast your eyes aloft ; for there, my friends, you will find the truth revealed:

You’ll have to be quick. Heavenly apparitions are, by nature, fleeting; even the Virgin Mary doesn’t hang around at Medjugorje all day. But, this afternoon, during the two hours surrounding Ms Dorey’s anti-vaccination diatribe, you’ll hear a distant hum and then, miraculously – almost as if it was planned …. [more]