Flu Shots

Political partisans often throw barbs of anti-Americanism at their opponents. Often this is directed on topics of war and about how America is represented in the world. Many rightly argue that simply criticizing our country is not anti-american nor unpatriotic.

But Americans seem to be non-partisan in their dislike of laws that mandate their individual choices, especially regarding their health. New Jersey passed a law--from the state's public health commission--mandating all pre-school children must get a flu shot to attend any of these schools. The response has been predictable. Reports the AP, "Opposition to the policy is vehement."

Said one of the organizers of the rally against the vaccine law, "This is not an anti-vaccine rally — it's a freedom of choice rally." Americans tend to value individual choice more than the more abstact public benefit . Efforts to take choice away from families on vaccines may be the real anti-Americanism.