Unsplash

'Concerned Moms' Are Outing Anti-Vax Residents With Letters To Their Neighbors

Some moms took it upon themselves to expose an anti-vaxxer mom in order to protect their children.

Extreme Actions

Cafe Mom

As a response to the return of treatable diseases like measles brought on by parents declining to vaccinate their children, one group of neighborhood moms in Wisconsin decided to take action. They decided to send out a form letter outing the anti-vaxx parents. The letter urged people to be careful when interacting with the individual in question.

"Please use caution when sharing work or personal space with this individual, eating foods prepared by this individual, or attending gatherings at this individual's house if you or the people important to you fall into medically at-risk categories."

Protecting Their Kids

Unsplash | S&B Vonlanthen

The letter goes on to explain the health risks, particularly for infants.

"People who are unvaccinated have caused outbreaks in Arkansas, Oregon, Washington, California, New York, North Carolina, Michigan, Virginia, Texas, Kanas, Illinois, Kentucky, Florida, Minnesota, Colorado, and Pennsylvania, with more outbreaks expected. Nearly all outbreaks of disease were started by unvaccinated individuals, who pass along vaccine-preventable diseases to those without adequate protection."

Did They Go Too Far?

Unsplash | Christin Hume

The letter ends with a warning to use "caution when interacting with these people."

"People who don't believe in vaccines often hold other views that are at odds with widely accepted facts related to science and medicine."

The letter eventually went viral on Imgur, sparking a debate over whether this was the right response of if these moms went too far.

People Agreed About The Anti-Vaxxers

Unsplash | Alexander Dummer

Many commenters agreed that this was not that extreme of a response. When protecting the health of your kids, you can't worry about other people's feelings.

"Yes, out them all!"

"Can we do this with flat-earthers, climate change deniers, and believers in trickle-down economics as well?"

"There are some times it’s f*cked up to shame people like this. But if they’re an antivaxxer, they deserve every bit of it."

Others Weren't Sure If This Was The Best Way

Unsplash | Edward Cisneros

Others pointed out that while these moms may have been in the right, public shaming like this probably wasn't the way to handle it.

"The author of this letter is completely correct, has good reason to be concerned, and is also an assh*le."

"I agree with everything in this, but bloody hell, have the courage and decency to sign your own name to a letter you write."

"I understand 'the goal' of this, but it seems like it could quickly devolve into an unsubstantiated witch-hunt."

Does Public Shaming Work?

Unsplash | Kelly Sikkema

The debate rages on, wondering where we should draw the line of civility. What do you think? Was the letter too far? Or are these angry moms in the right?

Filed Under: