Your headline is misleading. Governor Perry’s action requires the administration of the vaccine (according to chron.com) for entry into public schools. The use of the vaccine by the public has already been “OK’ed” by the FDA. Requiring the use of this vaccine that targets a pathogen that typically and usually is transmitted by sexual contact is quite different than requiring vaccines that prevent disease (e.g. whooping cough) that can be spread in social situations without direct physical contact or by casual physical contact.

Please get your facts right in your posting.

Since it’s caused by a virus, perhaps they should rename Cervical Cancer to something else. Then it wouldn’t be such a big deal, and only the really horny would feel compelled to get the vaccine.

Most jurisdictions that I am aware of require certain immunizations before that child may attend the public school. Most States, if not all, require children to be in a child or booster seat when riding in a car. When medical attention is denied by parents, including blood transfusions, the State may and does step in to assume custody of the child. When physical abuse is suspected the State again steps in to remove the child from the scene.

The common theme here is the protection of the child is paramount. In every case, the parent is expected to voluntarily submit their child to these protections. If the parent declines, regardless of personal or religious beliefs, the State will remove custody from the parents to effect that protection. Why? Simply because the welfare of the child takes precedence over any assumed right of the parent.

Is this socialism or communism? Nope. I would have to say it is the community’s concern for the greater good. Is the opposite, the parents absolute right to parent as they see fit, ever justified? Nope again, because in cases like this here, it is akin to child abuse.

meetsy, it is easy to see when a subject gets you going. Well put. My wife and daughter have uterus’s though.
Ima, I agree and you made your point quite well in my opinion.

Smith, if the government is only to protect us from outside dangers, then why am I not permitted to help myself to my neighbors lawn mower? By denying me the opportunity to “take” (steal), society is protected. By criminalizing the use of heroin or ecstasy, society is protecting us from dangers inside society. By limiting the powers of a parent, we ensure that children are safer. Maybe you lost a small piece of freedom, but you gave up that piece to join a society where everyone (theoretical) is equally protected.

When government revokes my right to choose, for myself or my family, it has stolen a piece of my freedom. It has also, in part, relieved me of accountability for my actions or those of my family.

And that, ~, is the downside of forcing immunization on anyone. By the way, I don’t believe a single poster stated that he or she would refuse to have their children vaccinated, so I don’t understand the purpose of your challenge.

It’s a question balancing priorities, and presuming Mr.Rudd speaks for the opponents of the vaccine in general, it’s apparent they’d rather have their abstinece message, er, unsabotaged than prevent a few thousand deaths a year.

It wouldn’t surprise me if some activists shortened it to “abstinence doesn’t work” because it makes a better sound bite, but if so, they haven’t thought it through very well.

And the reason some things are legislated is because some people don’t know how to care for their children, period. Any drug-addicted, abusive, nasty, neglectful, whacko out there can have a child. Someone has to protect them because the people in their life cannot. You have people who do not believe in medical treatment at all. Well if their child gets sick and dies because they refused to take that child to the doctor, they should be prosecuted with manslaughter. That’s personal choice too. It’s just a whacked-out one. You want to kill yourself by refusing medical treatment that’s your business, you kill you child, and it’s everyone’s.

[By the way, if you don't immunize your child against this and they get it, think the child could sue you? I'm guessing some smart lawyer could figure out a way to do that.]

Make a logical argument to me about why you don’t want your child getting a vaccine that has any legitamacy and I might change my mind, but if all you can scrape together is a “sky is falling” children-having-more-sex argument, that’s a little to small to matter compared to the protection of a child.

The radical religious Right is against stem cell research, in part, because it’s speculative.

Do you know the difference between stem cell research and embryonic stem cell research? Feel free to say no, since you obviously don’t.

Do you really think it is best to wish any disease on anyone for exercising free-will? That is a careless if not uncaring remark.

However, I agree with Tug’s comments 100%.

The difference between a sexually transmitted disease and any other communicable disease is that STDs occur between willing participants. If I refuse to get my children immunized for measles and there is an outbreak in the area, my children may get measles whether they were willing participants or not.

As far as this particular vaccination goes, I like Smith would gladly pay to get my children immunized against HPV. This is an issue for parents, not government.

Being a good parent means taking the necessary precautions to ensure your children’s health. It also means teaching your children to respect others and themselves. If that means abstaining from premarital sex, then teach them that abstinence is the only 100% way to prevent sexually transmitted diseases such as HPV.

“Promoting the general welfare” doesn’t mean usurping my rights as a parent to accept or decline medical treatment for my children. It doesn’t mean that the government can overrule my children’s rights to an education because they (the powers that be) feel they know how to raise my children better than I. It means that they make the research available and provide me with the options and knowledge I need to make my decision and perform my responsibilities as a parent. Which, as Ryan said, is to “Parent your kids and help them make good decisions.”