For the past several weeks, the newspaper has been swamped with pro-vaccine columns, cartoons and letters, but there have been few opinions to the contrary. Most recently, a pro-vaccine letter writer (Chris Asch, “Unvaccinated kids a serious public health issue,” Feb. 14) insinuates that those of us who oppose mandatory vaccinations for this “measles epidemic” are medically ignorant or even dangerous because of our stand.

More information is available, though, for those who wish to seek it out and judge for themselves. CDC records reveal another truth. While no one has died of measles in the last 12 years, many have died in that same 12-year time period from adverse reactions to the MMR vaccine (www.medalerts.org/vaersdb/index.php). Our own Kennebec Journal (Sept. 18, 2014) reported that 15 Syrian children died, “…some just babies, all exhibited signs of ‘severe allergic shock’ about an hour after they were given a second round of measles vaccinations.”

Also, Dr. Lee Heib, past president of the Association of American Physicians & Surgeons, stated that: “If you believe absolutely in the benefit and protective value of vaccination, why does it matter what others do? By all means, vaccinate your child and yourself. Why should you even be concerned what your neighbor chooses to do for his child — if vaccination works.” (www.wnd.com/2015/02/measles-vaccines-kill-more-than-measles)

Mounting evidence tells us that vaccines may not be the medical miracle that we were once led to believe. So therefore, in deference to Asch, I also ask, why should we “jeopardize the health of the rest of our children”?

Pat Truman

Hallowell