Know-it-all in NJ: Life Lessons

I consider myself fairly educated. I have a high school diploma. I would say it's from what was I would consider a mediocre school in Bergen County NJ school district in the nineties. New Jersey has always ranked pretty high as far as public schools go, and Bergen County even higher, so even mediocre is probably pretty good in comparison to other places. I also have a Bachelors degree in Psychology from Rider University, with minors in Women's Studies (not sure if that's still a thing) & Social Work. Notice though, none of those say doctor. I am not a doctor. Of anything. So I don't try to play one.

When I was pregnant with E, I had been on message boards for ages already. I was already reading too much. And you actually CAN read too much. The internet is a double edged sword as we've learned. I chose a pediatrician based on not wanting someone old-school, that would push off any concerns I might have.

I chose a holistic pediatrician or something like that. I thought I had chosen the best. At first, it was great. Until it wasn't. My kid had real problems and his doctor was more interested in being on Good Morning America than being available. Then they thought they'd just solve everything with some tea tree oil and massage. Yeah, no, that wasn't going to cut it. But while I was still with them, it was also the height of the MMR shot = autism panic. And I remember those of us in the more holistic camp being in the "we'll do our own research" camp and being with this kind of practice because they spread out vaccines and weren't all gung ho about vaccines in the first place. I think they even took non-vaccinated kids. I don't know because I wasn't all that knowledgeable about the whole anti-vax movement at the time. I was only concerned about the MMR.

It's funny though, back then, those of us going to the holistic practice thought we were doing so much more, with our research bullshit, and being so careful, when it probably didn't do anything and it was just more money spent in co-pays. Back then, at least of people I knew, it were the more politically conservative/registered Republicans going to the old-school doctors and the more crunchy Dems going to the holistic guys. Funny how the tables have turned and it's the right wingnuts who are anti-vax now. Not particularly people I know, but in general. I don't associate with wingnuts of any kind as my social media friends list gets smaller and smaller....

All I can remember is that by the time E needed the MMR, the pharmaceutical companies weren't breaking up the shots anymore and he just had to get whatever he had to get. Maybe he got it a little delayed but he got it, and he was fine. I was nervous but it was what it was and it had to get done, probably for school. He was in preschool at the time. I left that practice shortly after because he had something wrong with him that they weren't figuring out or curing with tea tree oil or some other holistic measure, I could never see his doctor, and I was fed up with the whole scene.

Back to our own research. I learned a valuable life lesson. What research was I going to do, and where? The internet? The internet chock full of false information, information on any side of an argument I want to find? I realized- I'm not a doctor. I pick a doctor for a reason. I have to trust that doctor. Do doctors make mistakes? Sure. But generally speaking, they have more knowledge in their field than I do. And definitely more knowledge than the average person I went to high school with, that has ZERO higher education, who has spoken to NO doctors they actually know and trust, but getting their medical info from Dr. Internet. Or getting info from question quack doctors with shady reputations from the internet. Or from self appointed clergy somehow passing themselves off as some kind of medical gurus as well.

Even if you don't trust doctors as a general rule- We're still in a freaking global pandemic. Even if you think people who are dying under the diagnosis of Covid had underlying causes that ultimately made the Covid more deadly to them or whatever conspiracy you're swallowing, you still can't dispute that 4.41 MILLION PEOPLE ARE DEAD worldwide and it's COVID RELATED. Covid adjacent. In some way, Covid responsible. Covid is in there SOMEWHERE. So wouldn't it stand to reason that you might trust science a little more than a pastor, priest, Candace Owens, Dr. Google, your chiropractor (NOT A DOCTOR. By the way, notice chiropractors are notoriously anti-vax for years. Might it be…because THEY CAN'T PRESCRIBE MEDS?? I love a good adjustment, but still not an infectious disease expert in any way, shape or form. #sorrynotsorry)? Dr. Google told my son his stomachache last month was cancer, so.... #itwasnt

It wasn't bad enough my son had to lose all the special things of fifth grade. Which, by extension, we lost as parents. Then, sixth grade had to suck. Now, we're going to go into seventh grade, which I thought was going to be more normal, only to have the Delta variant of the virus and who know what other mutation, because people had to do their own research or none at all. We have people not getting the vaccine AND refusing to mask. Hundreds of thousands of people are DEAD, but they're still calling it a hoax, not that bad, a government created scam, and I don't know what. As it's still decimating businesses, filling hospitals, and killing people.

B and I got vaccinated in April. E is twelve and got vaccinated in June. We did what we were asked to do. What we felt was our civic duty to do. What was for us to be safe and for the greater good of all the people. I'm not mad that the vaccine didn't work. I'm angry that people have been so selfish, stupid, and short sighted that they didn't get it and now this thing has mutated and mutated to where what we did could possibly be practically useless. So, when I say, I don't care what happens to the unvaccinated, it seems callous and cold, but if everyone who could have gotten vaccinated did, as soon as they could have, we wouldn't be back to square one now. If they want to pissed at anyone that we're back to being asked or told to mask or being told to stay home again, they only have themselves to blame.

Speaking to those angry at being told or asked to mask again. I'm baffled by these people. I just watch their arguments. I don't feel I even need to get into it. I'm vaccinated. My kid is vaccinated. I have had two vaccinated friends who have tested positive recently. Breakthrough cases, as they're called. They've been sick, but they didn't need to go to the hospital and obviously haven't died. I feel like B, E and Me- we're vax'd - we won't die. So while I don't enjoy a mask, I've enjoyed not being sick of any kind until about three weeks ago, so if a mask kept sickness at bay, whatever, it's fine. We follow directions. If we're told to mask, we mask. If we don't have to, we don't. It's NOT THAT BIG A DEAL. I'd bet anyone, the KIDS don't care about wearing the masks. It's just the weirdo vigilante parents who have made it their pet cause.

However- when I'm watching their anti-mask crazy on social media, first, I want to ask when and where they got their doctorate. I don't know any of them to be any brighter than anyone else so I'm curious where the pulled this "it's their choice" out of their bunghole. No, no. It isn't really a choice. It's putting you, your kids, and other people at risk. I guess it's a choice, but it's a choice that affects others. Like smoking. Not like, it's my body, my choice, in terms of abortion which really only affects you and your family. Actually, NOT having abortions affects us all adversely. Because that's just more people, bigger carbon footprint, more money for resources needed, blah blah. But whatever. I'll stop on that one.

Second, for those with kids too young to vaccinate but still are anti-mask, you see the news, you see kids on ventilators. You see hospitals packed with kids now. Do you not believe your own eyes or ears? Do you just think your kids will magically escape it? Not get that sick? Not sure what the motivation is here. Like, what is worse about the mask than your kid on a vent in a hospital? Or with an illness that has unknown long term effects.

Lastly, some of these people I've seen all of a sudden vehemently anti-mask have never been political, or have opinions about anything of substance, at least publicly. I wouldn't even know if they vote because they've never posted or said anything either way. I'm fascinated, with all of the atrocities of the world- this, THIS, is the cause they decide to take up? One that doesn't even make any sense? I could see if they wanted to get all up in arms about Afghanistan....

The ones on Facebook though, putting up their lawn signs- At least give the reasons to back up why they're anti-mask. I haven't seen one good reason yet, that makes medical, parental, scientific, etc sense. I've seen "free the smiles" which is cute and all I guess. But I'm not really into freeing smiles at the expense of life. And again, I don't really care for my kid, personally. He's vaccinated! He's not going to die. He might get sick, which would suck. But he's most likely not going to end up on a vent in a hospital. At least at the moment, that we know. He has, from the medical information I've received, pretty decent protection.

The rest of these kids- little ones and the ones his age with no vaccine- they have NOTHING. Except what they do have- parents who believe stuff like microchipping, magnetization, and other conspiracies putting them in harms way, on some kind of farkakte dipshit mission to free the freakin' smiles. Oh, I think I read one of the reasons was some BS about breathing their own carbon dioxide? #debunked #stillnotadoctor #noideawhaturtalkingabout

*I just scrolled by a Facebook article or newsbreak that they're protesting in Wayne, NJ. That it's not about the mask, it's about being forced, choices being taken away... I've also heard parents use the argument that the government doesn't know better than parents. Uh, yes, yes they do. Clearly. Just being a parent doesn't magically make you smart. I can tick off a list longer than most kids Christmas lists of dumb parents I know. Parents that shouldn't be able to decide what to give their kids for lunch let alone make medical decisions that affect their kids and other people's kids. It's a piece of cloth. Get over it.

This mega-maga-moron I know, who IS political online, let's call her Eva Braun, because that's who I picture when I see her write anything, literally wrote on someone else's Facebook page: "There is going to be such an increase in depression and social issues in all these kids who don't see smiles at all during the day. It's no joke". Well, asshat, guess what would REALLY cause an increase in depression in kids?? DEAD FRIENDS, FAMILY, TEACHERS!! JFC, I can't.

You know what? If your kid needs to see smiles so badly, send them to sleepaway camp. If you need a recommendation for one where they manage to make a maskless, Covid-free bubble for seven weeks, I have a great one for you...they can openly smile to their heart's content in another ten months. *Unlike the ones that had to CLOSE or after days or weeks due to staff shortages from the ripple effect of Covid or had COVID itself running through.

The governor of NJ had to be responsible, as Covid cases are ramping up, and mandate masks for the start of school. People are furious and I've seen people I know ready to home school. They're angry and starting riots over keeping your children safe. Bye girl bye. You're on the wrong side of the debate. Someone is trying to keep your unvaccinated kids SAFE. Trying to keep immunocompromised kids safe. Immunocompromised parents safe.

Does someone need to hypnotize you with that information? Speak it in tongues? Get Tucker Carlson tied up and say it? WHAT??? What will get through to you?

This isn't like trying to get you to like liver and onions. No one should like that. No one LIKES masks. It's just a necessary evil thanks you people in the first place who want to do your own research. If you'd have gotten vaccinated in the first place - WE WOULDN'T BE IN THIS MESS.

But please, go ahead and homeschool! I'm thrilled for you to take your unvaccinated kids out of the schools. And for you to have to see how very f'ing difficult it actually is to TEACH CHILDREN. You know you can't just hand them an iPad and call it a day, right? RIGHT?? Good luck to you. I'm sure your homeschool pod will be very bright considering this brain trust you're getting your information from.

Then there are the ones threatening to move out of Jersey to Florida - to DeathSantis's state. BYE. Don't let the door hit you in the ass. I mean, personally, I think Florida should fall into the ocean, but whatever. Feel free to move to that maskless bastion of stupid any time you're ready. We can use less congestion.

I JUST saw on Twitter some other putz write something like- I didn't get vaccinated because we don't know the long term effects of the vaccine. This was in response to a story about some unvaccinated conservative radio host in grave condition, asking for people to pray for a miracle. *Update* He's dead now. No thoughts and prayers needed.

Well. Let's see. WE KNOW THE LONG TERM EFFECTS OF COVID CLEARLY COULD BE DEATH. So, which are you gambling with? I had the vaccine. So far, so good. No third boob. No extra horns outside the ones I was born with.

So why did I write this? I don't know. I know I'm not changing any minds. I just had to get it out I guess. Instead of yelling at people in the shower. Or yelling at them on Facebook. I get to say whatever I want here and I don't have to take any comments. Darwinism will take care of the rest.

And if instead, you need someone to be nice and stroke your hair as an appeal to you, which I apparently can't do, listen to this lady. She's nicer than I am.

Or you can read this one and see how doctors are feeling at this point - because this is how they deserve to feel.

Sure, if you don't want to get vaccinated, wear a mask, or have your kids wear masks, that's your "right". Just don't cite science, FOX News talking heads, Facebook research, and freeing the smiles as why. Come up with something....real.