12/16 Letters: Vaccine ‘safety and efficacy’ called into question

My wife, Donna (a registered nurse) and I agree with “Let’s put our faith in vaccines, not exemptions” (Dec. 1) that says “the preservation of life, caring for others, and duty for the community” should be a positive outcome of such religious expression. We do, however, take serious exception to the forgone conclusion, upon which her whole argument is based, that all vaccinations are safe and effective and that, as a result, whole scale vaccination of the general populous will promote its health, through “herd immunity”.

A number of credible, peer-reviewed articles and reports cause one to question the assertion that vaccinations (currently 36 injections, by the age of 5) are safe and effective in promoting long-term immunity. A responsible response to these contraindications for vaccination should cause one to wait until all the facts, as indicated from the growing, current body of knowledge, are known.

Please do not move to take away our constitutional right of freedom of religious expression, as it pertains to the religious exemption from mandatory vaccination. Rather, please support an independent, unbiased, scientifically sound and exhaustively thorough reassessment of vaccination safety and efficacy.

Tax bill would hurt N.C.

Regarding “NC sets example for both sides” (Dec. 2): The proposed tax bill being crafted today does not address the needs of our country or North Carolina. The economic challenges we face – which are not being addressed by this bill – are a skills crisis not being addressed by our schools, a crumbling infrastructure that impacts our global competitiveness, employee wage stagnation and growing class and wealth inequality and potential increases to our already high deficits as baby boomers retire and leave the workforce.

The only beneficiaries of the tax bill are corporations and banks, both already flush with cash. The average North Carolina voter will never see any real tangible benefit from this legislation while being burdened with a dangerously high deficit for years to come.

Jerusalem ‘peace’

Regarding “Trump’s Jerusalem stance rules out Mideast deal” (Dec. 15): I envision a day when peace reigns in Jerusalem, and my vision is not the day of Armageddon. Instead, I dream of the time when the nations of the world will have embassies to the nation of Israel in West Jerusalem and embassies to the nation of Palestine in East Jerusalem.

At the same time, the holy places on the Temple Mount in between East and West Jerusalem will belong to all peoples: the Jews who revere the place where the Ten Commandment tablets were located, the Muslims who revere the place where Mohammed received parts of the Quran from God, and the Christians who revere the place where Jesus taught.

This story was originally published December 15, 2017 at 6:00 PM with the headline "12/16 Letters: Vaccine ‘safety and efficacy’ called into question."