Catholics for the Common Good Institute
Yesterday, on a party-line vote, the California Senate Judiciary committee passed AB499 without debate. The bill permits 12 year old children to give consent, without their parents' knowledge, for vaccines or other medication to prevent sexually transmitted diseases. Unbelievably, the only opposition at the hearing came from the California Catholic Conference, Catholics for the Common Good and one member of a local Tea Party organization. AB499 Links
Talking Points and CCG Letter
More Background: CA Legislature: Children Should Decide on Controversial Vaccinations
In a state of over 37 million people and thousands of associations, only three people were there to stand up against medical witnesses, state agencies, and others advocating for an end-run on parental rights to push a sinister agenda of sexualizing our children. If I had know that would be the case, I would have sent out a call for every able-bodied person within driving distance of Sacramento to show up and pack the hearing room.
Unanswered Questions
Recognizing that the committee was stacked in favor of passage, in my testimony, aside from the violation of parental rights to protect the welfare of their minor children, I appealed to the consciences of the members to consider flaws in the poorly thought-out bill and appealed to the committee to address the following questions:
The Center for Disease Control has reported deaths of 51 girls and 2 boys after being administered one of the vaccines covered by this bill (Gardasil). Why are there no assurances in the bill that children will be told that receiving these vaccines could cause them to die, although the risk is small. What about the other possible debilitating side effects of these vaccines?
How can a 12 year old evaluate risks and statistics? How do their brains process such information? Has there ever been a study on that?
Children can be easily intimidated or influenced by the authority of adults. There is money to be made by administering these vaccines and other drugs by the drug companies and service providers (like Planned Parenthood). What protects children from coercion driven by the profit motive?
If there are allergic reactions and other side effects to the vaccines, how will parents be
able to recognize them and act on them quickly if they don’t know that their child has received the vaccine? It is critical to react quickly to save lives and to prevent long-term consequences for the child.
No one on the committee asked any of these questions, not even the lone Republican who showed up for the hearing. The committee chairman, Senator Noreen Evans, said the bill was necessary because parents are not competent to make sure their children are protected from sexually transmitted diseases, so the state needs to step in. The statement made evident their intent to try to vaccinate every child they possibly can even though there was a public outcry when they tried to make such vaccinations mandatory in 2007.
I do not believe California parents have become so cynical and apathetic that they are ready to give up on their rights and the health and welfare of their children. We have got to do a better job of spreading the word and getting more engaged in opposing this bill as it comes to a vote on the Senate floor. We are a small apostolate with limited resources. We need your support and participation. Here is what needs to be done.
First, take out your checkbooks and write a tax deductable check to Catholics for the Common Good Institute. You can find the address or make an online donation at http://ccgaction.org/donate/CCGIdonation. The threat is ongoing, so please consider signing up for monthly donations. We are overwhelmed by the volume of legislation geared to undermining children’s understanding of love, relationships, family, and marriage. We need your help.
Write a letter or make a phone call to your state senator and ask them to vote NO on AB499. Find your state senator at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html.
Write a letter to the editor. Express your feelings about this bill and ask others to join you in opposing it. If you write a letter to the editor, also send it to CCG so we can share it with other letter writers. Send it to info@ccgaction.org.
Call radio talk shows to explain what AB 499 does and why people need to oppose it.
If you know doctors or other medical professionals who will oppose AB499, ask them to write letters to the editor or commentaries.
Make announcements about this bill at meetings and events in which you participate. We need to let everyone know about the pending threat to our children.
Send this email to at least 5 other people and ask them to get involved in this issue.
And, most importantly pray.
Talking points and a copy of the letter that CCG sent to members of the Judiciary Committee are available for your reference.
We will continue to keep you up to date on activities to oppose AB499. Don’t forget, please send copies of your letters to the editor to info@ccgaction.org.
For the Common Good,
Bill May
Chairman, Catholics for the Common Good
415 651 4171
415 738 0421 (Fax)
"Marriage unites a man and a woman with each other and any children born from their union.
"Recognized in their own ways throughout time by every culture, state, and religion, this is what marriage is. It is not a matter of faith, but a human reality. It is God's plan for creation, but is independent of belief in God."
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