Stop the Spread of this Dangerous Epidemic!

Urgent news!

An epidemic disease of truly cataclysmic proportions has been reported. It threatens to plague the wider community like no other pandemic in history.

Forget about measles. That’s small time. This disease is far deadlier. It leaves victims paralyzed and blinded in its destructive wake.

Everyone is at risk!

Even worse, as of this writing, no effective vaccine has ever been developed to stop this deadly disease from spreading. 

No one is immune!

It’s threatening to destroy our communities. 

Do you know what this ugly malady is called?

It’s called “Sinat Chinam” [senseless hatred].

Here are some recent examples of it.

These are actual comments I gleaned from Jewish discussion groups on social media. 

The individuals who made these odious remarks are all ostensibly upright members of their communities:

• Every shul should ban anti-vaxxers. They are not practicing Judaism and are actually heretics. Their kitchens should be deemed to be treif and they should be put in real cherem -- for the safety of the community.

• For all those conspiracy theorists out there who like to accuse Jews of spreading disease, you [people who don’t vaccinate] sure are proving them right.

• The truth is that the anti-vaxxers are din rodef* and it would be a mitzvah to kill them all were it not for the fact that secular law makes that illegal. They are that much of a danger.

• I agree. I don't wish them harm, but I do wish they would be rounded up and vaccinated.

• You [people who don’t vaccinate] are truly vile.

• Enjoy your dangerous, selfish life!

• Not vaccinating is the moral equivalent of drunk driving.

• [People who don't vaccinate] should be arrested.

• Not vaccinating your kids is the worst form of child abuse.

• People who don’t vaccinate their kids are dangerous child abusers.

• They’re murderers.

• [People who don’t vaccinate] say the same thing that the Nazis said. They’re saying that kids with autism are better off dead so should we gather all special needs kids and have a mass genocide??

• Tired of the selfish people who are putting everyone's health in risk because of their loony toonies. Enough of that!

• You (people who don’t vaccinate) are choosing to promote disease and hurt people.

• Stop killing people.

• Murderers!

• Rod’fim!*

• They may have a legal right (i.e. to decline some vaccines), but they do not have the moral right. By doing so they are endangering their children and others' children. That legal right should be taken away because of the extreme danger.

• Parents have no right to endanger their children or others' children by refusing to vaccinate.

• It's people like you who are responsible for this [a death due to measles]. There is illness and death on your heads.

• Liars!

• People like you should be banned from society.

There you have it, folks.

Hate speech. Plain and simple.

As I mentioned, these comments were boldly posted on otherwise reputable Facebook discussion groups. One is even called “Jew in the City.” Is this the way a Jew speaks? 

Does a Jew sit silently while others speak this way?

It’s truly shocking that the moderators allow these vile comments to remain. Does that mean they agree with them!?

We have truly hit a new low in Jewish community.

Government might act as it chooses, and people might react with legal recourse, but we cannot afford to allow this sort of hateful and divisive rhetoric to fester among us.

This post is not about vaccines effectiveness or safety.

This is about the real and present dangers of senseless hatred.

We must not allow it to rear its ugly head.

Measles kills one out of a thousand, but Sinat Chinam kills millions. It is highly contagious, much more so than measles.

Don’t listen when haters say: “It’s not senseless, because they [people who don't vaccinate] really do deserve to be hated…” 

Every hater gives a rationale to his/her hatred. Don't fall for it.

It’s time to say NO to Sinat Chinam.

Don’t allow it in your midst. 

Remove it from your social media pages.

Shun it from your synagogues, schools and mikvas.

It must be quarantined.

It must be silenced.

It must not be given a voice.

Act now, before it is too late.

Don’t say you weren’t warned.

Peace.


*PS: rodef means someone who is actively pursuing an innocent victim with intent to murder or rape. The din (law) of rodef is that a bystander is required to attempt to save the life the pursued by killing the pursuer. Hence, invoking din rodef on a parent who doesn’t vaccinate is an ad hoc death sentence.

ה' ישמרנו