"How to identify most antivaxxers with a simple question" by Orac in Respectful Insolence respectfulinsolence.com/2022/0

Good post but the header image (with a person holding a sign reading, "I'm not Anti-Vaccine; I'm anti-Mandate") bothers me, because I genuinely wish the position of, "Vaccines are generally good and you should get them unless you have a medical condition that precludes it, but they shouldn't be mandated," was more prominent.

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It's not because I agree with that libertarian sort of position, but rather because I think there needs to be a genuine political debate informed by the science, not a scientific debate in a political arena.

Also, it means one side can claim to be "pro-science" and advocate for particular policies under that banner, while portraying other policies as "anti-science," even though the disagreement is (or ought to be) a political one.

Same thing happens with climate change.

To be fair, Orac does acknowledge the possibility as part of a comment: "I suppose it’s theoretically possible to be provaccine but antimandate, but I’m struggling to recall the last time that I’ve encountered one." Which is basically the same as how I feel.

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