Texas state Rep, Jonathan Strickland is a dedicated anti-science Republican who also rejects the notion that vaccinating children serves any purpose whatsoever, and now he’s in hot water for daring to attack a noted pediatrician who has spoken in favor of vaccinations.
Strickland launched his attack on Dr. Peter Hotez, who just so happens to be the dean and chief of pediatric medicine at Baylor College of Medicine National School of Tropical Medicine, alleging that vaccines are “sorcery” and that diseases can only be controlled by God, because only “The Lord God Almighty is in control.”
In response to that posting, Dr. Hotez, provided a graphic showing that the increase in reasons to exempt people from vaccines in Texas has grown dramatically in recent years, and that children in the state “have been placed in harm’s way for the financial gain of special & outside interest groups.”
New #vaccine exemption @TexasDSHS numbers tell much of the story. I’ll tell the rest: Children of #Texas have been placed in harm’s way for the financial gain of special & outside interest groups. Calling on our TX elected leaders to say “NO MAS” and stand up for our children! pic.twitter.com/60coHonYtx
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) May 7, 2019
Those facts led Strickland to assert that Hotez was in the pocket of vaccine manufacturers:
You are bought and paid for by the biggest special interest in politics. Do our state a favor and mind your own business. Parental rights mean more to us than your self enriching “science.” #txlege
— Jonathan Stickland (@RepStickland) May 7, 2019
But Hotez was ready for that allegation:
Wow that’s impressive, from a member of the Texas House of Representatives. Sir, as you know, I don’t take a dime from the vaccine industry. I develop neglected disease vaccines for the world’s poorest people. And as a Texas pediatrician-scientist it is most certainly my business https://t.co/xcEWxYhC8t
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) May 7, 2019
Perhaps sensing he had lost the debate, Strickland tried to pull the God card:
Make the case for your sorcery to consumers on your own dime. Like every other business. Quit using the heavy hand of government to make your business profitable through mandates and immunity. It’s disgusting.
— Jonathan Stickland (@RepStickland) May 7, 2019
And when a cancer surgeon joined the fray to call out Strickland, the lawmaker called slammed him as a “communist.”
I will fight-with everything in me-against the big government you desire. One where you can force me to do things against my will. One where the state owns my children. Take a hike communist.
— Jonathan Stickland (@RepStickland) May 7, 2019
If people don’t want to vaccinate their children, they should be required to sign a legally binding contract saying they will never enroll them in any public school or allow their kids to associate with any others. Better yet, every parent should vaccinate their children or not become a parent in the first place.
Featured Image Via NBC News
