Vaccines, Mainstream Narratives & Compassion for Differing Views
There’s a quote that’s been floating around the internet the last few years, and I think it captures something deeply important, especially in today’s climate:
“The ability to change your mind when presented with better information is a sign of intelligence, not inconsistency.”
In a world where changing your stance is often viewed as weakness or betrayal, we need to reclaim the value of growth, learning, and humility. That means staying open-minded, even when the truth hurts to hear. We all make mistakes.
As you read, I simply ask that you keep an open mind. You may not agree with everything I share here—and that’s completely okay. My intention isn’t to convince you of anything, but to offer a perspective that may prompt deeper thought and sharpen your discernment about where your information is coming from and why.
For perspectives aligned with the mainstream narrative, resources like the CDC, HHS, and major news outlets are readily available. Since those views are widely represented and easily accessible, this article will focus on the lesser-heard side—specifically, the reasons why some individuals are hesitant or choose to decline vaccination.
A Flood of New Information
Over the past 2 years, our government has been investigating our governments response to the COVID19 pandemic as well as looking at how we can improve our processes to better handle future pandemics. The report for this investigation was recently released and contains revelations surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, the origins of the virus, and broader questions about medical freedom and the loss of institutional trust. This, along with the appointment of Robert F Kennedy Jr as HHS secretary, and Dr Suzanne Humphries episode on Joe Rogan, are prompting deep conversations about vaccinations—and a fair amount of heated conflict between opposing views.
I want to start by saying: I know and love people on both sides of the debate on vaccinations. People who genuinely believe they are doing the right thing, whether that means taking vaccines & mRNA injections as an act of protection or avoiding them completely for the same reasons. These are not stupid people. Both sides of this argument are thoughtful, caring, and—like all of us—trying to navigate a world of uncertainty.
I see so many posts and comments online full of hate for people who ask questions or choose not to vaccinate. The truth is, when we treat people like they’re ignorant or stupid because they haven’t arrived at the same conclusions we have, we shut the door to productive dialogue and block any chances of mutual understanding. And we make it that much harder for anyone to shift their perspective—even if the facts warrant it.
In my opinion, you can’t really claim to be educated on this topic unless you know both sides of the debate well. Unfortunately, sources sharing properly-conducted studies, historical data, inherent risks and possible downsides of these therapies have been systematically censored, deplatformed and delegitimized which I’ll explore later in the article. Studies promoted by the CDC don’t hold up to scrutiny, while anecdotal reports of adverse reactions explode on uncensored platforms online. As a result of all this, it can be very difficult and time-consuming to sift through all the information become truly informed.
So Why Are People Questioning CDC Studies?
Many critics of the childhood schedule argue that the CDC’s vaccine safety studies leave several important questions unanswered. In college I was on track to major in psychology, which involved classes on research methods, constructing a study and interpreting study data, which has really come in handy in my work as an herbalist and researcher. Let's break down a few of the main things found lacking with these CDC studies:
Lack of Comprehensive, Placebo-Controlled Trials:
There are no long-term, randomized, placebo-controlled trials comparing the entire recommended infant vaccine schedule with a completely unvaccinated group. Using active comparators (like other vaccines or adjuvants) instead of inert placebos like saline may mask potential side effects.Limited Evaluation of Vaccine Combinations:
While individual vaccines are often tested separately, questions remain about the safety of multiple vaccines given simultaneously, which is common practice, leaving uncertainty about potential combined effects. Parents are instructed to give only one new food at a time, but catching up with multiple vaccinations at one appointment is fine?Reliance on Observational Studies:
Many safety assessments are based on observational studies that compare vaccinated and partially vaccinated children. These studies can be affected by confounding factors, such as differences in health-related behaviors (like breastfeeding, home births, nutrition) and demographics, making it harder to isolate the vaccine’s impact.Short Follow-Up Periods:
Some trials only monitor short-term outcomes, possibly overlooking adverse effects that might appear later.
No Liability for Vaccine Manufacturers
Another major issue that is often brought up about vaccines can be traced back to 1986, when the U.S. government passed the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act (NCVIA). In doing so, the government officially classified vaccines as “unavoidably unsafe” — a legal term acknowledging that they carry inherent risks due to the adjuvants which are necessary to stimulate the immune system and produce immunity to the pathogen. Rather than addressing those risks, this law granted vaccine manufacturers immunity from liability, even in cases of serious injury or death. Not exactly reassuring.
“No vaccine manufacturer shall be liable in a civil action for damages arising from a vaccine-related injury or death associated with the administration of a vaccine... if the injury or death resulted from side effects that were unavoidable.”
— 42 U.S. Code § 300aa–22
What Prompted This Law?
This legislation was enacted after pharmaceutical companies threatened to stop producing vaccines altogether due to mounting lawsuits, particularly involving the older DPT (diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus) vaccine. In response, the government also created the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) — a special legal mechanism designed to protect the industry while compensating the injured using funds from excise taxes on vaccines. Many argue that this program is inadequate and in serious need of reform, especially in light of the significant increase in adverse reaction reports following the rollout of the COVID-19 mRNA shots.
Source: VAERS Data via BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making
Ingredient & Contamination Concerns
One of the most common reasons for vaccine hesitancy is concern over the ingredients. While vaccines are widely promoted as safe and effective, many parents are surprised to learn what they actually contain — and how they’re made. These include:
Aluminum adjuvants, added to enhance the immune response. Aluminum is a known neurotoxin, and its safety has not been thoroughly evaluated when repeatedly injected into infants during critical developmental windows.
Formaldehyde, a known carcinogen (causes cancer), used in trace amounts to inactivate viruses or bacteria.
Polysorbate 80, an emulsifier that allows other substances to cross the blood-brain barrier. This additive is associated with many health injuries, including anaphylaxis, infertility, and cardiac arrest and can be found in ~60-70% of scheduled vaccinations available today.
Residual DNA from human fetal cell lines, used in the production of some vaccines like MMR and varicella. While this raises ethical concerns for some, others are concerned about the potential for immune reactions or genetic implications.
Animal cells, egg protein, and antibiotics, which can trigger allergic responses or contribute to long-term immune system sensitization. These are used during vaccine production, especially to grow viral particles. I discuss this further in my article about SV40, linked below this section.
Risk of contamination with viruses or foreign genetic material, particularly from the animal cell lines used during manufacturing. A well-documented example is SV40, a virus originating from rhesus monkey kidney cells used to grow the polio virus. SV40 contaminated polio vaccines administered to millions of people between the 1950s and early 1960s — and troublingly, it has also been detected in modern vaccine samples, including COVID-19 shots. Despite advances in screening technology, viral particles are incredibly small and difficult to fully remove, especially in large-scale production. Some researchers argue that complete sterilization of biologically-derived vaccines is technically unachievable given current methods.
For many, the concern isn’t just about the individual ingredients, but about the cumulative and poorly understood effects of injecting these substances directly into the bloodstream — particularly when combined and administered on an accelerated schedule. These exposures bypass the body’s normal immune filtering and detoxification systems via the gut and lungs.
Autism (ASD)
One of the most controversial aspects of this debate is whether or not vaccinations cause autism. Autism rates have increased in tandem with the number of recommended immunizations on the schedule and went from 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 31 in the span of just a few decades.
What I can say is that there are a lot of studies showing a correlation between those who received the vaccine and then subsequently regressed intellectually in a way that resembles autism, while there are no (well-designed) studies showing that there is no link. There aren’t any studies that I have seen comparing autism diagnoses between completely unvaccinated children and vaccinated in order to prove a causative relationship. Here are some of the studies showing correlation:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3878266/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21623535/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21058170/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22099159/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3364648/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17454560/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19106436/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3774468/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3697751/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21299355/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21907498/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11339848/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17674242/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21993250/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15780490/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12933322/
There are genetic factors that may also play a role. Some scientists suggest that those who develop autism after vaccinations may have an MTHFR genetic mutation, which is basically where their bodies are less able to detoxify the adjuvants and other ingredients, which leads to a buildup of the neurotoxic elements from vaccinations, causing neurological symptoms that can closely resemble autism spectrum disorder.
Anecdotally, there have been several doctors who did such studies in their practice by comparing patients who were completely unvaccinated with those who received the full schedule, and after publishing the results had their medical license revoked or were blasted by corporate-funded media companies.
Essentially all of these studies shown above say more research is needed in this area, and I have to agree with them. My question is: if more research is needed, shouldn’t that have been done before these treatments were mandated/put on the schedule?
The COVID-19 Pandemic
Follow the Money, Follow the Truth
What’s the difference between a conspiracy theory and a fact? About six months.
All jokes aside, let’s not pretend our institutions are completely neutral arbiters of truth. We saw clearly during the recent COVID-19 pandemic and rollout of the novel mRNA-based platform, "The Science," government regulators (on both sides of the aisle), and the medical establishment are all entangled—financially and politically—with pharmaceutical companies (among other corporate monopolies). That alone should give anyone pause in blindly accepting their words at face value.
Deception & Suppression During the Pandemic
We now have clear evidence of deception: from misleading statements about vaccine safety and efficacy (as shown in the video above), to the coordinated suppression of questions about COVID’s origins. Freedom of Information Act requests from the emails of Dr. Fauci and other prominent health officials have revealed evidence of a possible coverup of the fact that this virus likely came from a lab that was funded by EcoHealth Alliance, which used U.S. taxpayer dollars to fund gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Several states are now investigating these same officials over their roles in this massive breach of public trust.
Social Media Censorship of Dissenting Views
And thanks to the work of independent journalists like Matt Taibbi and others involved in the Twitter Files investigation, we now have proof that government agencies were actively pushing social media companies to censor medical professionals who dissented from the official narrative—even when their views were evidence-based and later proven correct. Many of these voices were experts in their fields, raising early warnings about risks, alternatives, and potential misinformation coming from within the government itself. But instead of engaging with those perspectives, the response was to silence them in an Orwellian fashion.
Is it Fascism?
This level of collusion between tech companies, pharmaceutical interests, and federal agencies should concern anyone who values our legal rights to free inquiry and informed consent. It also begs a larger question: if the truth is so solid, why the need to censor?
“Given the recent track record of the mainstream consensus, a willingness to depart from the experts is a prerequisite to basic reasonableness, let alone serious thought.”
—Dr. Bret Weinstein, PhD
Millions of people are now waking up to the reality that many so-called “conspiracies” were never that far-fetched—they were just inconvenient for those in power and/or the large corporate interests that fund them. Obviously, it goes without saying that not all conspiracies are true — we know some are spread deliberately by the CIA and FBI to obfuscate the real ones (e.g. Operation Mockingbird, COINTELPRO, and Operation CHAOS to name a few examples from recent history).
Media Fear vs. Medical Reality
Reality is not always as it seems if your only source for news is mainstream, corporate-funded news media.
Take the recent case of the Mennonite child in Texas who was widely reported in the mainstream news to have died from measles. Media outlets ran with the headline, but after her records were independently reviewed by several highly credentialed doctors, it was revealed that she actually died due to a medical error. At the time of death, the measles had already cleared. The true cause was being administered the incorrect antibiotic for her post-viral bacterial pneumonia—a risk that can follow any viral infection, regardless of vaccination status.
But because the child was unvaccinated, that has become the story spread by the media. The nuance and the truth of what happened was buried under fear-based pro-pharmaceutical messaging. This extremely sad medical error could have happened to any child, yet most of the comments about her death I have seen are so full of anger and hatred towards “anti-vaxxers”.
History Tells A Different Story
It’s important to remember that before vaccines were rolled out en masse, most infectious diseases were already on the heavy decline. 19th century Improvements in sanitation, clean drinking water, waste management, improved nutrition, labor laws, and basic hygiene policies had already done most of the heavy lifting in terms of reducing illness (Humphries & Bystrianyk, 2013).
SmallPox In Europe
One striking example of this comes from Leicester, England. In the late 1800s, after public backlash against compulsory smallpox vaccination, the town shifted away from vaccines and instead focused on improving hygiene, isolating cases, and upgrading sanitation infrastructure. This approach—later called the Leicester Method—worked remarkably well. By the 1890s, fewer than 5% of infants were vaccinated in Leicester, with some years dropping as low as 1.3%, yet the town still saw significantly fewer deaths during outbreaks than cities that maintained high vaccination rates but lacked similar public health measures.
During the 1892 smallpox epidemic, for instance, Leicester recorded just 19 deaths, while cities like London and Birmingham—both with much higher vaccine compliance—saw hundreds. Their success highlighted something simple but powerful: clean environments, quick isolation, and community health practices can do a lot to control disease—sometimes more than vaccines alone.
Ok But What About Polio?
Polio is one of the most feared diseases of the 20th century, however most of the cases of Polio we see today are actually vaccine-derived (AP).
That’s right: the live-virus vaccines, especially in parts of the world still using oral polio formulations, are causing most outbreaks (NPR). It is extremely rare to have a case of natural origin polio these days due to improved sanitation and nutrition, yet these vaccines are promoted without reservation or proper informed consent.
"...any possible doubts, whether or not well founded, about the safety of the [Polio] vaccine cannot be allowed to exist in view of the need to assure that the vaccine will continue to be used to the maximum extent consistent with the nation's public health objectives."
— Federal Register, Volume 49, Number 107, page 23007, dated June 1, 1984
Informed Consent
I am currently reading the meticulously researched book Dissolving Illusions: Disease, Vaccines, and the Forgotten History by Dr. Suzanne Humphries, MD (affiliate link), and it is clear that much of the historical context surrounding vaccines—including how they were developed and manufactured—has been left out of mainstream discourse. The book contains nearly 500 pages of historical research, studies, raw data, graphs and quotes from government documents as well as physicians through the ages.
This book shines a light on the fact that true informed consent is exceedingly rare. I have never received the legally required informed consent for any prescription, and especially not vaccines, and honestly I am doubtful that my providers were even informed enough to provide it. It’s also worth noting that true informed consent must also include the freedom to decline—meaning these treatments should never be mandated.
We urgently need more independent research, free from pharmaceutical ties, to ensure people can make genuinely informed decisions about their health. In the meantime, the best we can do is stay curious, seek first-hand sources, and approach these conversations with humility, allowing space for differing views without resorting to judgment or ridicule.
Compassion First, Always
Before you go blast someone—whether online or at the dinner table—about their stance on vaccines, public health, or any other controversial issue, pause.
Ask yourself honestly: Would I want to be spoken to this way?
Would I feel open to hearing more—or would I shut down and walk away?
It’s easy to forget that behind every opinion is a person. A real human being shaped by their own lived experiences, traumas, information access, and influences. If our goal is to connect, share truth, or encourage real critical thinking, then how we show up to those conversations matters just as much as what we believe.
Before stepping into the conversation, consider asking yourself:
Have I read any firsthand sources—like the original studies or documents—or am I relying on filtered, secondhand and potentially biased interpretations from corporate news?
Have I taken time to think through this issue from first principles? Or am I building on assumptions I’ve inherited from culture or media?
Do I understand the other person's position well enough to explain it fairly?
Am I speaking from grounded clarity, or from fear, ego, or frustration?
Is my intention to connect and exchange—or to dominate and “win”?
Would my tone and words make me feel respected if the roles were reversed?
Kindness is not weakness. And compassion is not compliance. You can hold strong convictions and offer grace. In fact, it may be the only way to create space for someone else to grow—because real change, whether personal or cultural, only happens when people feel safe enough to rethink what they thought they knew.
And if we all applied just a little more firsthand sourcing and first principles thinking?
We might find we’re not as far apart as we think.
That kind of change doesn’t start with power.
It starts with presence.
And it starts with us.
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Humphries, S., & Bystrianyk, R. (2013). Dissolving illusions: Disease, vaccines, and the forgotten history. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
Speicher, D. J., Rose, J., Gutschi, L. M., Wiseman, D. M., PhD, & McKernan, K. (2023, October 19). DNA fragments detected in monovalent and bivalent Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna modRNA COVID-19 vaccines from Ontario, Canada: Exploratory dose response relationship with serious adverse events. https://doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/mjc97
National Vaccine Injury Act (1986)
https://www.congress.gov/bill/99th-congress/house-bill/5546
DPT Vaccine Mounting Lawsuits in the 1970s & 80s — National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act
https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/national-childhood-vaccine-injury-act-and-supreme-courts-interpretation/2012-01
Vaccine Injury Compensation Programs Overwhelmed and In Need of Reform
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/06/01/vaccine-injury-compensation-programs-overwhelmed-as-congressional-reform-languishes-00033064
https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-15-142
https://administrativelawreview.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/04/Fixing-the-Flaws-in-the-Federal-Vaccine-Injury-Compensation-Program.pdf
National Research Council (US) Division of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. Vaccine Supply and Innovation. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1985. 6, Liability for the Production and Sale of Vaccines. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK216813/
Guardasil Lawsuit Discussing Ingredients & Health Outcomes
Aluminum is a Neurotoxin
Exley C. What is the risk of aluminium as a neurotoxin? Expert Rev Neurother. 2014 Jun;14(6):589-91. doi: 10.1586/14737175.2014.915745. Epub 2014 Apr 30. PMID: 24779346.
Aborted Fetal Cells Used to Manufacture Vaccines
Brumbaugh J, Aguado BA, Lysaght T, Goldstein LSB. Human fetal tissue is critical for biomedical research. Stem Cell Reports. 2023 Dec 12;18(12):2300-2312. doi: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2023.10.008. Epub 2023 Nov 16. PMID: 37977142; PMCID: PMC10724055.Millward G. Vaccinating Britain: Mass vaccination and the public since the Second World War [Internet]. Manchester (UK): Manchester University Press; 2019. Chapter 2, Smallpox. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK545998/
MTHFR Genetic Mutation
https://documentinghope.com/mthfr-mutation/Notices of Determination by Jurisdictional Agencies, 49 Fed. Reg. 22975 (June 1, 1984).
Report on COVID-19 Origins from House Oversight Committee Investigation:
https://oversight.house.gov/release/final-report-covid-select-concludes-2-year-investigation-issues-500-page-final-report-on-lessons-learned-and-the-path-forward/
Full PDF of Report:
https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2024.12.04-SSCP-FINAL-REPORT-ANS.pdf
Dr Anthony Fauci Freedom of Information Act Request
https://oversight.house.gov/release/wenstrup-requests-access-to-dr-faucis-personal-email-and-cellphone-investigates-secret-back-channel/
Covid mRNA Vaccine Components “Shed” to Others After Vaccination
https://www.midwesterndoctor.com/p/what-weve-learned-from-a-year-of
https://pierrekorymedicalmusings.com/p/shedding-of-covid-mrna-vaccine-components
Study — mRNA can alter DNA using LINE-1 reverse transcriptase, an enzyme present in human cells
Aldén M, Olofsson Falla F, Yang D, Barghouth M, Luan C, Rasmussen M, De Marinis Y. Intracellular Reverse Transcription of Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 In Vitro in Human Liver Cell Line. Curr Issues Mol Biol. 2022 Feb 25;44(3):1115-1126. doi: 10.3390/cimb44030073. PMID: 35723296; PMCID: PMC8946961.
“Measles” Death in Texas — Medical Error, not measles
https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/medical-error-death-6-year-old-girl-pneumonia-after-measles/
Oral Polio Vaccines Cause Polio
https://www.npr.org/2019/11/16/780068006/how-the-oral-polio-vaccine-can-cause-polio
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2023/04/10/1168141163/the-dream-of-wiping-out-polio-might-need-a-rethink
“More polio cases now caused by vaccine than by wild virus”
https://apnews.com/article/health-united-nations-ap-top-news-pakistan-international-news-7d8b0e32efd0480fbd12acf27729f6a5
Most Corporate Media is Funded by Pharmaceutical Companies
https://mediaengagement.org/research/ad-spending-on-primetime-news-coronavirus/
States Currently Investigating Dr. Fauci
https://ground.news/interest/anthony-fauci
Matt Taibbi Independent Journalist — “Twitter Files”
Twitter Files Investigation Statement to US House
https://docs.house.gov/meetings/FD/FD00/20230309/115442/HHRG-118-FD00-Wstate-TaibbiM-20230309.pdf
Twitter Files Thread from Matt’s Substack
https://twitterfiles.substack.com/p/twitter-and-the-fbi-belly-button?utm_source=publication-search
https://twitterfiles.substack.com/p/stanford-the-virality-project-and?utm_source=publication-search
https://twitterfiles.substack.com/p/the-censorship-industrial-complex?utm_source=publication-search
Simms, A.M., Kanakia, A., Sipra, M. et al. A patient safety knowledge graph supporting vaccine product development. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 24, 10 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-023-02409-8
SV40, a polyomavirus once discovered in monkeys and now controversially used in COVID-19 mRNA treatments and gene therapy, has been linked to various cancers in humans. This article critically examines the safety concerns, ethical implications, and regulatory oversights surrounding the use of SV40 in modern genetic therapies.