A Parental Nightmare is Now Upon Us

James Maughan | Guest Article | The Daily Knight

There was a film released in 1982 called Sophie’s Choice starring Meryl Streep. The film was nominated for 5 Academy Awards with Streep winning Best Actress. The story was a horrific, heart wrenching tale of a Jewish woman prisoner at Auschwitz forced into an incomprehensible decision by a sadistic Nazi Doctor (presumably Dr. Mengele). The “choice” it turns out was she was required to decide which one of her 2 children would die. The powerful movie based on the novel of the same name by William Styron was a story of the ultimate parental nightmare. Can you imagine having to determine which child will live and which child will die? The viewer only finds out in the end she chose her son to live. Sobbing, we see Sophie utterly destroyed as the 7-year-old daughter is lead away.

Can one imagine the resulting devastation of being forced into such cruelty? Forced to decide the fate of 1 of her 2 children or it was a certainty all 3 (mother and BOTH children) would die. There is nothing more valuable to most people than their children. Children are the very reason many strive daily to achieve. They are our precious gift. Sophie's Choice was such a powerful movie because the narrative stabbed our heart in the most vulnerable place; our children.

The Covid-19 pandemic may have some commonalities with this movie. Specifically, the possibility of a compulsory vaccine in exchange for our children’s education has presented many parents with a difficult and profound choice. Not as horrific as the choice Sophie was forced to make however, the consequences could possibly be as dire. Parents today in certain states, are being forced to make a decision that could possibly have as much at stake.

Last month Governor Gavin Newsom announced proudly at a San Francisco school, California would be the first state to require students to be vaccinated with the Covid-19 vaccine.

“The state already requires that students are vaccinated against viruses that cause measles, mumps, and rubella – there’s no reason why we wouldn’t do the same for COVID-19.”

Actually, Governor Newsom, there are some extremely compelling reasons as to why we wouldn’t do the same. Let’s begin with the empirical evidence with respect to the risk of both mortality and serious illness to children due to Covid-19.

Consider today in the United States the risk of children and serious health risks associated with Covid-19.

There are 73 million children in the United States.

Less than 600 have died from Covid -19 since the beginning of the pandemic according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

This number probably may come as a surprise to most people given the distracting obsession by the main stream media with its relentless call to arms regarding “infection rates.” Infection rates in children (unless they have serious underlying preexisting conditions) rarely emerge into serious illness.

Covid Cases in Kids Soaring. In Tennessee Most Remain Unmasked and Unvaccinated. The Oct. 5, 2021 Washington Post screamed. The article goes on to say:

“Since the start of the pandemic, more than 5.7 million children have been infected, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. More than 540 Americans up to the age of 18 have died, federal data show.”

Excuse me, did you say 540 children have died?

540 right?

This represents 0.00000822% chance if dying.

The CDC will not provide data on whether there are other pre-existing conditions in these reported deaths.

What this article and most other articles addressing this topic lack sadly is the all important concepts of both context and honesty. You see, according to the CDC since the pandemic started 50,000 children under 14 have died of ALL causes since the start.

The cause of deaths predominately are:

· Accidents (unintentional injuries)

· Cancer

· Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities.

· Suicide. This arguably contributed to by the horrendous covid lock down requirements.

Governor Newsom (and presumably others will follow suit) is requiring residents of CA to have their children vaccinated for Covid 19 or they cannot attend school? As a concerned parent, how can one ask a question or offer an objection? This is a mandate. Apparently, there is no discussion. The only discussion seems to be from the main stream media where we are condescendingly and relentlessly chastised “to follow the science” or that we are “responsible for people dying?” Following the “science” certainly seems like a reasonable consideration. Particularly when science adheres to the scientific method and avoids being politicized. Yet, sadly, many cannot think this to be true regarding the Covid vaccine debate in children.

Now consider just one of the many sobering voices appearing in a Washington Times piece by Dr. Robert Malone, inventor of mRNA vaccine and Peter Navarro article dated Aug 5, 2021 entitled:

“Vaccine Inventor Questions Mandatory Shot Push. Biden’s Covid-19 Strategy. Vaccination ‘arms race’ could prove dangerous to the general public”

Dr. Malone states, “Yet scientists, physicians, and public health officials now recognize risks that are rare but by no means trivial. Known side effects include serious cardiac and thrombotic conditions, menstrual cycle disruptions, Bell’s Palsy, Guillain Barre syndrome, and anaphylaxis.”

Consider a most chilling thought:

Imagine for a moment, what if you agreed to have your child vaccinated for Covid-19? What are the chances your child would suffer a severe reaction to the vaccine? Are you confident in the objectivity of the information out there regarding the dangers? Has anyone else noticed that those who ask questions about the vaccine are routinely dismissed as “Vaccine deniers,” “conspiracy theorists,” or plane old “Trump voting deplorables?”

Then ask yourself the REALLY horrible question:

First, after you have mathematically digested your child’s death from Covid-19 is HIGHLY improbable. So far so good. With this statistical probability in mind, what about the vaccine? How would you live with yourself were your child to develop serious medical complications or die from the vaccine? Yet, as each day passes, Governors like Newsom are REQUIRING your child to be vaccinated or they will not be allowed in school.

Wait! There are valid concerns:

What about the issue of informed consent regarding the vaccine. OSHA apparently is NOT REQUIRED to report adverse reactions regarding Covid-19 vaccination until May of 2022. (See link)

This has opened up the question of the transparency of reporting side effects. There are many health care professionals who claim to have silenced when they attempted to speak publicly. There are numerous stories all over media sources of Doctor’s who have been silenced or their medical license put in jeopardy for daring to question the vaccines safety. YouTube regularly removes videos addressing this very topic as “medical misinformation” and a violation of its community guidelines.

Then there’s the reporting VAERS system. Its veracity is being challenged from many fronts with no substantive information offered in rebuttal. An obligation to understand the facts before agreeing is essential. At Nuremberg the notion of informed consent was presented as a basic human right. How exactly is this different?

The point is there are many questions that are legitimate and should be answered. Until this issue has been sufficiently discussed where BOTH sides of the medical community are considered in open debate. Until the proper amount of data and clinical observation is accumulated documented and studied as to the safety of the vaccine. It’s irresponsible to disavow one’s moral duty as parent for the political ambition and expediency of guys like Gov Newsom (or Joe Biden for that matter). Particularly, given the low probability of serious illness to a child with Covid-19. If a parent carefully examines the available evidence regarding the vaccine and his child and has determined the risks outweigh the rewards, for now at least. What does that parent do?

So, like the movie Sophie’s Choice it certainly appears government is forcing you to make a choice. This choice is not as overtly horrific as the movie but, is it? Imagine agreeing to this vaccine to just get your child back to school. Imagine if the worst happens and you were the parent who agreed to this. You trusted the authorities. Now, exactly like Sophie you are forced to live with the consequences and haunting memories the rest of your life. All because we would not allow a perfectly reasonable approach to slow down the process given the facts we know at this time. Parents have a right to answers regarding the vaccine and their child. Especially, when we consider the child stands a far greater chance of serious injury or death just driving in a car to go to school than dying from Covid-19.

No parent should be put in this position and forced to make such a decision.

There simply is no urgency or compelling medical reason to do so. Parents have the right to investigate, ask questions, do research and get answers before they decide. The very thought of forcing a parent to choose in this manner in exchange for the continuation of a child’s education is not only reckless but, like the movie illustrated powerfully, it is arguably inhuman and cruel.

Guest Bio: James Maughan is a board member and regular podcast contributor to the Lepanto Institute as well as former Managing Director of trading at BB&T Capital Markets.