Leslee Unruh: Cool with Cancer

I've just taken down my Christmas tree and assorted decorations. I'm doing a load of laundry so that when Bean goes to school tomorrow, people won't worry that he lives in filth. I did enough dishes to run out of hot water; the rest are sitting in what is probably now greasy, cold water, but at least the water is soapy. And I am even changing the sheets on my bed (I'd do Bean's, too, but he's got so many stuffed animals on there right now that I don't have the energy to bother. I'll get to his tomorrow.).

In a minute, I'll finish my syllabus and begin my class prep for tomorrow. So for now, here's a great column that had me rolling:

"Leslee Unruh loves cancer. Unruh, founder of the Abstinence Clearinghouse objects to vaccinating children against a disease that she claims is, "100 percent preventable with proper sexual behavior. Premarital sex is dangerous, even deadly. Let's not encourage it by vaccinating 10-year-olds so they think they're safe.'' Now, I know whenever I get my tetanus booster, I run around barefoot in fields of rusty nails because I assume I'm safe, but I have a feeling I'm in the minority there."

And if you're here in town, Avera McKennan is doing a special presentation on the vaccine for girls 11-18 at the YWCA on 69th and Ralph Rogers on Saturday the 10th from 10-noon. At first I wondered what sort of a presentation this would be, but then I read further and found that they'll be offering FREE IMMUNIZATIONS following "brief talks on the hour"!! Avera, it seems I may have misjudged you. (Well - not that it isn't easy to do. But still.)

And also: this vaccination is only the first of three that are needed. The other two are also free through Avera Women's Specialty Clinics (605-322-8920).

Seriously. It's nice to see a Catholic hospital doing something good for women in the area of reproductive health.

Edited to add: I would feel remiss if I didn't also link to this criticism of the HPV vaccine. While the site she links to initially is a biased, anti-vaccine site, I am aware (as the parent of a young child) that we (parents, but society in general) are rushed into vaccinating even when there are substantial risks involved. So I have a healthy suspicion of vaccines, though we do vaccinate in our family (on a slowed timeline, usually one vaccine at a time rather than the grouped ones). Anyway - I can't vouch for the veracity of this, but when it comes to vaccinations, the issue is so polarized that it's difficult to suss out what it true and what is false (hence the link).