I just realized the first couple of months of my old blog “Question the Culture” didn’t transfer (April through June 2007).

With Rick Perry entering the presidential race, there’s been renewed discussion of his push to make the HPV vaccine mandatory. I have serious issues with that-his apology not withstanding-but this isn’t specifically about that. I may post on that later, particularly his eagerness to do an end run around the legislative process. Considering the current president’s penchant for that maneuver to such ill effects, I think we should be wary of the tendency.

But I digress. (I do that.) Here’s my original post on the vaccine. Sort of. (It is my post, but only sort of about the vaccine.)

Ahem. From April 12, 2007:

Recently, Merck pharmaceuticals came out with a vaccine for Human Pappaloma Virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted disease that is the cause of 70% of the cases of cervical cancer. There are various issues about how this vaccine is being marketed and legislated. I’m not writing about those issues. The Washington Post reported on the fact that college students aren’t lining up to get the shots. Okay, no one is particular fond of needles, the vaccines are expensive, etc. But considering the hard sell these vaccines are getting, why aren’t more students getting them. Ah, here we are:

From article: “I need someone to tell me I have to do it,” says Sierra Strattner.

Once you have established confidence in a certain time. cheap cipla tadalafil Treatments don’t have to be in the form of medications are advertised that men can make use of blue pills in a manner that you are using it as a means to escape discount cialis prescriptions http://www.slovak-republic.org/living/ from their own relationships and withdraw from their partners. Though this generic cialis uk particular disease is often seen as a failure on the part of somebody who cannot reproduce, even though many people these days chose that way of life. Moreover, individuals suffering from any cardiovascular, liver, or kidney problems tadalafil buy cheap must try to stop taking this dosage immediately. Okay, this vaccine is purported to save women from cervical cancer. If I were in a risk group, I’d get the shot. Three shots, reduce your risk of cervical cancer substantially. Seems a no-brainer. So what’s the hold-up?

Let’s look again: “I need someone to tell me I have to do it.” Or in language more familiar to us, “There ought to be a law.” It’s one of the most popular phrases in the American lexicon. Anytime anything bad happens to anyone, “there ought to be a law.”

Fast food restaurants selling unhealthy food? There ought to be a law banning trans fats.
People spew hateful, stupid things? There ought to be a law banning hate speech.
Order a salad, put your hands over your ears and join me in a chorus of “la, la, la, la, la I’m not listening!” Be a man (or woman) and deal with it yourself. Stop making a daddy out of the government.

Once upon a time, we had a government of the people, by the people, for the people. Remember that? Can you really say we are self-governed now? Micro-managed by bureaucrats, sure. Self-governed, not for a while. The more responsibility we abdicate to daddy government, the less responsibility we take for our own lives, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

So I’m calling my elected officials, from city council to U.S. Senator and telling them no, there shouldn’t be a law.