Argument

Student Sample

Negative Manuscript Final

Introduction

Attention Getter: Archibald MacLeish, an American poet, writer, and the Librarian of Congress, once said, “Freedom is the right to choose; the right to create for oneself the alternatives of choice. Without the possibility of choice and the exercise of choice a man is not a man but a member, an instrument, a thing.” (www.goodreads.com)

Thesis: Because I agree with Archibald MacLeish, I must negate the argument that the federal government should implement a law which requires everyone to get vaccinated.

Preview: First I will remind you of the affirmative’s argument, then I will explain why I disagree with the argument, and finally I will discuss the costs of the affirmative’s argument.

Transition: First, I will remind you of the affirmative’s argument.

Body

The affirmative noted that the solution to people refusing vaccinations is to implement a law that will require them to be up to date on their vaccinations unless they have a medical exemption.

They argued that both personal beliefs and religious reasons have been used to get exemptions for a long time and that there has been a drop of exemptions in California since personal belief exemptions were removed.

The affirmative also argued that the law they offered as a solution was necessary because vaccines save lives and reduce the chances of spreading disease.

Transition: I disagree that this solution will work for several reasons.

The number of medical exemptions have actually increased since California got rid of personal exemptions for vaccines.

According to Amina Khan from the LA Times on September 5, 2017, “the percentage of California kindergartners with medical exemptions was mostly stable, generally rising only slightly every few years. For example, in 2005 the rate was 0.15%; in 2015 it was 0.17%. But from 2015 to 2016, the medical exemption rate jumped from 0.17% to 0.51% — an unprecedented threefold increase in the rate.” (para. 9-10)

Although a drop in exemptions may have occurred right after the removal of personal-belief exemptions, it seems that a loophole has been found in order to avoid getting vaccinated.

Not only that, but the increase in medical exemptions was mostly centered in areas in California which had previously high rates of personal-belief exemptions.

It has also been found by JAMA Network on September 5, 2017 that because medical exemptions were mostly centered in these areas, parts of California will remain vulnerable to “vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks in the future.” (para. 7)

Moreover, Amina Khan from the LA Times on September 5, 2017 also stated, “The increase in the number of [medical exemptions] granted in 2016 further weakens the immediate effect of SB 277 and may limit its long-term benefits if sustained.” (para. 17)

Therefore, not only are the number of medical exemptions rising, but parts of California are still in danger of contracting dangerous diseases because of it, which means that the rest of California could possibly be put in danger as well. This, then, means that the law wouldn’t be making the change it was intended to make.

Transition: In addition, the costs would outweigh the benefits.

Implementing a law like the one the affirmative has proposed will lead to parents choosing to homeschool their children and unethical doctors, which will only cause further implications.

According to Anita Chabria from The Guardian on August 26, 2015, “With the passage of a new law this summer mandating vaccines for school kids in California, home school advocates and organizations say they are seeing surging interest in off-campus education options that would exempt them from the requirement.” (para. 1)

Lynn Elliot, a parent in northern California, stated that although she thinks it’d be “more beneficial for her daughter to be in public school,” she isn’t willing to take the risk of vaccinating her. (para. 8)

The whole point of a law that requires everyone to get vaccinated is for them to actually get vaccinated, so if parents are choosing to homeschool their children, then those children aren’t getting vaccinated if their parents don’t want them to.

Also, keep in mind that California is one of only three states (out of 50) that doesn’t allow for religious or personal/philosophical belief exemptions from vaccines. If this law were to be implemented, it’s highly probable that many parents in various states will turn to homeschooling in order to avoid vaccinating their children.

Therefore, the number of students in public schools will likely decrease by a large number. Schools get money based on the number of students, so if enrollment is low then schools lose money and if there’s not enough money, then schools will be forced to shut down.

Furthermore, Doctor Bob Sears, a pediatrician who exempted his 2-year-old patient from all childhood vaccines without evidence of a medical issue, wrote on Facebook on June 29, 2018, “Isn’t it my job to listen to my patients and believe what a parent says happened to her baby? Isn’t that what ALL doctors do with their patients?.” (para. 4)

According to Gabrielle Karol from ABC 10 on January 30, 2018, “There are a handful of websites that have published lists of names of California doctors who may be more inclined to sign off on exemptions. Some of these doctors’ websites appear to advertise medical exemptions.” (para. 7)

This goes to show that a law like the one proposed will only force doctors to choose between listening to their patients and lying or following the law and obtaining the proof needed for a medical exemption. Several would rather go off of their patients’ word and lie by signing off on medical exemptions without proof of a medical issue.

But if they would lie about this, what else would they lie about? Whether it be a lie for their patients, or to their patients, there is no telling what these lies can be. This will lead to a mistrust in doctors, and if people don’t trust doctors, they won’t go see them. If people don’t go see them, they won't keep up with their health, which can lead to more sickness and a possible increase in death rates.

So tell me, is a vaccination law really worth losing schools and an increase in sickness and death rates?

Transition: Now that I’ve established the costs, let me conclude.

Conclusion

Review: First I reminded you of the affirmative’s argument, then I explained why I disagree with the argument, and finally I discussed the costs of the affirmative’s argument.

Restate Thesis: Thus, I disagree that implementing a law that requires everyone to be up to date on their vaccinations unless they have a medical exemption is the solution to vaccine refusals.

Closing Thought/Clincher: Wouldn’t you want the freedom to choose what you feel is best for yourself and your family?

Works Cited

“Archibald MacLeish (Author of J.B.).” Goodreads, Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/author/

show/11154.Archibald_MacLeish.

Chabria, Anita. “California Home School Interest Surges as Parents Look to Sidestep Vaccine

Law.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 26 Aug. 2015, www.theguardian.com/

education/2015/aug/26/california-home-school-vaccine-law.

Delamater, Paul L. “Immunization Exemptions After Elimination of Personal Belief Exemptions

in California.” JAMA, American Medical Association, 5 Sept. 2017, jamanetwork.com/

journals/jama/fullarticle/2652640.

Karol, Gabrielle. “Loophole in California Vaccine Law Leads to Rise in Medical Exemptions.”

ABC 10, KXTV, 30 Jan. 2018, www.abc10.com/article/news/local/loophole-in-california-

vaccine-law-leads-to-rise-in-medical-exemptions/103-490980059.

Khan, Amina. “After California Got Rid of Personal Exemptions for Vaccines, Medical

Exemptions Went Way Up.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sept. 2017,

www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-vaccine-medical-exemptions-20170905-

story.html.

Sears, Bob. Medical Board Case Against Bob Sears. Facebook, 29 June 2018, https://

www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1835023183202824&id=116317855073374&

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