MEASLES: NOT SO BAD
RE: “One Day at a Time” [July 8], in which columnist Ann Romano recounts another anti-vaxxer gaffe, this time brought to the world by Jim Carrey.
DEAR MERCURY—In regard to Ann Romano’s comments concerning measles vaccines, I am reminded of just how much mainstream media shapes our public opinion. For about a year now, the media has been playing up the measles outbreak as if it were the bubonic plague, when in reality the spread of measles is at an all-time low and has been since the late 1960s, while at the same time the regimen for number of required injections has dramatically increased over the past few years. Death from measles is rare. When I was young, lots of kids caught the measles and [recovered] just fine. So why all the fear mongering and who’s behind it? Could it possibly be the pharmaceutical industry that stands to gain billions of dollars by pandering to the public’s fear?
M. Lewis
HOW TO HELP
RE: “The Same Old Plan” [News, July 8], about renewed efforts to curb panhandling in downtown Portland, including the argument that giving money directly to people on the street isn’t the most effective way to help.
What we need to do is put permanent signs with lockboxes for dropping in money around downtown. Signs that say, “Don’t give to panhandlers, put money in here in order to help local agencies.”
- DAVID BURTON / CC BY
Jesus fuck – do we have to point out what an ignorant ass M Lewis is more than once, pandering to conspiracy theory bullshit about vaccinations?
He (or she) should feel ashamed enough as it is without having to re-hash their own ignorance.