Mississippi must give religious exemption on vaccines: Judge

 

 

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Last month, we wrote to you about our extraordinary legal victory in Mississippi to restore the religious exemption rights for all children in the state.   This win is ICAN's biggest legal win to date and highlights the importance of our organization and our mission as America's Public Health Watchdog.   And because this win was SO BIG, I need to tell you what happened, how it happened, and what we will do with this massive win in the weeks and months ahead.   I also want to introduce you to some of the real people whose lives were changed because of this victory.   But before I do, I need to set the stage for you.   You see, in 1979, Mississippi became the first state to strip an individual's right to opt out of its mandated childhood vaccine program on religious grounds. This happened for many reasons, but at the end of the day, the citizens were ill-informed and duped by so-called health authorities.   In case there was any doubt, the Health Department website said it would consider medical exemptions but not religious ones.   Mississippi's exclusion of religious objections was intentional.   ICAN attorneys seized upon this legal contradiction -- as they pointed out that by taking this action, the state singled out religious adherents for worse treatment by publicly announcing that religious exemptions are categorically excluded from consideration.   The consequences could be severe for parents who choose not to vaccinate their children on religious grounds. Loss of public-school access--guaranteed by the state--and for failing to educate their child, parents faced criminal prosecution.   At the end of the day, ICAN argued that Mississippi could not demonstrate that the public interest requires Mississippi families to discard their religious convictions and their constitutional rights so their children can benefit from a formal education.   This egregious constitutional violation of parent's fundamental freedom of religion had stood for forty years.   Think about that for a moment. Let that sink in. Forty years.   Helping ICAN make our case were the salt of the earth people, Christians and Catholics, who served heroically to help us win.   Here is the testimony of a few folks who stepped up . . . My wife and I began to ask questions and study vaccines back in the late 90's. Over the next few years, we realized that aborted fetal tissue was used in some vaccines, which caused us to look deeper at all vaccines. My faith compels me to avoid vaccines for myself and my children... — Pastor Paul Perkins   The abortion fetal cell lines used in vaccines were obtained from a dismembered prebirthed child or children...I cannot endorse the use of aborted babies in the production of vaccinations by injecting them into my body or my children's bodies." — Amanda Bosarge   I also researched vaccinations as I sought the Lord in making this decision and found that many have been manufactured using fetal cell lines obtained through...aborted children, either in the materials of the injections themselves or in the development and testing of those materials. — Kimberly Harrell After the final witness and the judge closed all arguments, we waited. Then we received the bulletin from the Associated Press Newswire, and it struck all of us here like a thunderclap:   "MISSISSIPPI MUST GIVE RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION ON VACCINES"!!!!!!!   The victory in Mississippi was not just a legal triumph but a resounding testament to the power of dedicated individuals like you, standing up for what they believe in.   Thanks to your ongoing support, we can continue this fight for medical freedom and the right to choose for our children.   We've seen the positive impact we can make together, but the battle is far from over. Countless families in California, Connecticut, Maine, New York, and West Virginia still face restrictions on religious and personal belief exemptions.   With your help, we can take our fight to these states, ensuring parents and children have the freedom to make informed choices about vaccinations. Be Brave! Del Bigtree P.S. — The legal victories we achieve and the progress we make are only possible because of the generosity of individuals like you. Every contribution, regardless of its size, contributes significantly to upholding parental rights and medical choice. Take action by making a generous donation of $25, $50, $100, $250, $500 or more today!

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