For an American citizen, Meryl Dorey, president of The Australian Vaccination Network pays scant attention to her homelands recent history.
The tragedies caused by polio were fierce and unrelenting. ‘‘It was an atmosphere of grief, terror, and helpless rage,’’ remembered a nurse who worked on the medical wards at a Pittsburgh hospital. ‘‘It was horrible. I remember a high school boy weeping because he was completely paralyzed and couldn’t move a hand to kill himself. I remember paralyzed women in iron lungs giving birth to normal babies.’’ [….]
Four of the boys got polio that summer. One day no one could find our head counselor, Bill Lilly. He took what happened to those boys pretty hard. The police were called and, after they searched all around the lake, they found that Bill had hung himself from a tree – hung himself. We were all huddled around the beach when the police came to tell us. I’ll never forget it.’’ [Source]
As is plain in the video below by 1950 33,000 polio cases in which 50% affected children under 10 were reported. Whilst it was uncommon to catch, remote to be injured by, and extremely rare to die from polio, Americans feared it almost as much as the atomic bomb. As one who claims vaccination had no impact on polio at all – personal hygiene, public sanitation, clean water and mama’s apple pie eliminated vaccine preventable diseases – this video holds a surprise for Meryl Dorey.
In the post war years clean water and public sanitation meant less prevalence of a milder, wild type of polio virus. Previously maternal antibodies and/or exposure to this wild type from very young ages had equipped the young with sufficient immunity. Polio is taken in orally and water or vapour are it’s most common mode of infection. In a more prosperous America exposure was occurring later in life, particularly during summer months. The virus itself was more virulent and within a few seasons was also striking adults severely.
In a nutshell, as described by eloquently by Dr. Paul Offit, as sanitation improved exposure occurred later and cases rose. And so pfft! goes another well worn antivaccination lie, recently peddled by Viera Scheibner on Sunrise TV.
Of course today, anti-vaxxers carry the burning Stupid as a beacon to light their way and tend to blame almost any outbreak on vaccination. Indeed only a day or so before the video below aired, Meryl Dorey refers to this viral polio outbreak in China as “vaccine associated polio”, blaming the vaccine. Even worse, she linked to the same article as here, which kinda informs the reader by paragraph two. Even worse… well no, actually so incredibly stupid it hurts to comprehend, Dorey thinks the file picture is an account of it’s own as to what’s happening. I shag you not. She writes;
What type of vaccine do they use in China – is it oral or injected? The picture looks like someone getting oral in which case, that is most likely where the outbreak is coming from
That’s our girl! “Australia’s leading expert on vaccines” looked at the picture.
A member of her Facebook page decided to point this out. The brave Emma Hill was banned, her comment deleted to make room for vaccine blaming and business briskly resumed. Meryl hates suppression of dissent or impinging on free speech as she often opines. She just has a unique way of showing it.
Pre Ban Hammer
Post Ban Hammer
As Emma notes the outbreak is caused by WPV1 spreading from Pakistan. But in defence of Meryl, we’re now getting into facts and that just won’t do. So, back to 1950’s America.
This doco looks at the impact of increasingly devastating outbreaks, infantile paralysis, the quest for a vaccine under Jonas Salk and the development of government quality control following the Cutter Incident. As documented well, also by Dr. Paul Offit poor quality control led to live virus vaccines being distributed and consequent infection in some cases. Program centres around Wytheville in the US.
The Drum panel discuss Nick Xenophon’s controversial use of Parliamentary privilege to name an Adelaide Catholic priest for alleged sexual abuse [Sept. 15th].
Later the panel discuss wider implications of abuse by clergy, pros and cons of the “Melbourne Process” and changes needed to support victims with Pam Kristic former Catholic school teacher and worker for advocacy group, In Good Faith.
Tim Palmer hosts a panel including Chris Berg from The institute of Public Affairs, 2UE’s John Stanley and Rhys Muldoon, actor and writer.
Catholic Abuse & Xenophon’s Parliamentary Privilege discussed on The Drum
The final report of Australia’s Fair Work Ombudsman [below] into the “church” of Scientology is welcome, yet unsettling in that the full scale of this criminal venture is overlooked.
For those keen to see some real action opening the way to revoke privileges in Australia to one of the globes most corrupt and abusive cults, the report offers mixed messages. On the one hand the pleas of Scientology that “volunteers”, are well looked after is shown up for the lie that it is. On the other hand the impact of the cult’s initiation, effect of abuse, forced labour and false imprisonment in perpetuating financial sleight of hand has not been taken into account.
It is not a secret that the cult uses a plethora of intimidatory tactics including imprisonment, degrading punishment, family separation and psychological abuse of members to ensure loyalty to intra-tribal mechanics. Specialists in casting the outside world as supremely dysfunctional and manifesting their own terminology to describe their sick brand of human nature, Scientology is beyond being a special case.
Thus it is absolutely unacceptable to read that the Fair Work Ombudsman;
…offers advice to persons giving their labour for free to any religious organisation that they should be mindful of their intentions in doing so and to the extent possible, protect their own interests and immediately withdraw their labour if they perceive that their relationship ceases to be truly voluntary.
To treat CoS entities which engage in trading activities as constitutional corporations for the purposes of the Fair Work Act and its predecessor legislation,
That a number of allegations raised by some witnesses fall outside the statutory time limit for consideration or cannot be sustained and are therefore unable to be pursued,
To continue to investigate allegations raised by one witness which relates to an entity known as Get off Drugs Naturally,
To refer to other relevant authorities allegations made against the CoS which fall outside its jurisdiction, and
To request that the CoS and its related entities conduct a comprehensive self-audit to ensure compliance with the Fair Work Act – and if employees are found to have been underpaid, for those underpayments to be rectified.
The impotence and hilarity of that last point “requesting” that the tin can brain auditors set about business auditing themselves in compliance with the law, cannot be overstated. The most significant defeat for Scientology is that;
The Statement of Findings says the Fair Work Ombudsman considered, but was not persuaded, by submissions from the CoS that the Fair Work Act did not apply because the church “is a religious entity … and there isn’t any worker relationship or employer relationship”. The Statement says documents and policies examined by Fair Work inspectors during the course of their investigation “plainly contradicted” this assertion.
The CoS described payments to church workers as being “a small amount to enable them to perform their duties by covering the cost of travel, babysitters, food and other expenses … not a reward for services rendered”. However, the investigation found several features of the arrangements within the CoS entities were not consistent with volunteer or voluntary work.
“In particular, witness evidence indicates that significant hours of work were imposed on workers. Further evidence indicates a significant level of control and direction was applied to workers by more senior church members who held positions of authority,” the Statement of Findings says.
The Statement says documents provided by the CoS indicate it is a “bureaucratised organisation” which appears to have imported practices and procedures into Australia with little thought to workplace relations laws.
They will, after trying every trick in the book, be held to some account and suffer some financial cost. In many ways of course, this also coaches Scientology in what not to get caught doing. They shall not make this mistake again.
Yet bizarrely the findings also offer a virtual free pass to Scientology. Indeed it’s enough bureaucratic bungling by the Ombudsman to have Xenu squirming as he orbits above in his battle cruiser.
We read that this global über-rich criminal powerhouse at whose feet Melbourne Lord Mayor, Robert Doyle fairly recently grovelled, may tidy it’s own room and, “…proactively undertake the self-audit at the earliest opportunity using a consultant that the Fair Work Ombudsman approves and who has no connection to the church”.
Oh, the LULZ dear reader, the utter LULZ of it all. I mean;
It requests the consultant be briefed to:
Review the procedures for the engagement of workers and to properly determine the applicable Modern Award and National Employment Standards for each individual,
Review the status of existing employees to ensure they are receiving their lawful entitlements,
Recommend the introduction of changes to record-keeping and issuing of play slips and the Fair Work Information Statement to ensure compliance with the Fair Work Act, and
Recommend a framework to the Church which enables the identification of relevant legislation relating to all employee entitlements, such as long service leave.
In regards to the unconscionable and widespread abuse at the hands of Scientology clones and beneficiaries (what the draft report called slavery, forced labour and false imprisonment);
Some claimed the use of unconscionable tactics by the CoS designed to retain their commitment. The Fair Work Ombudsman makes no findings in respect of those allegations, but advises that if workers providing services to religious or any other organisation consider that they are being subjected to intimidation or other illegal pressure to continue to provide their labour, they should contact police.
Which, along with “self auditing”, completely misses the point of ongoing and existing abuse within the criminal cult entire and is a rather pathetic anti-climax indeed.
Little wonder in the ever positive and innocent world of theta management, we hear from Australian president Vicki Dunstan, reportedly under investigation for her own illegal conduct surrounding human rights. Vicki has also disconnected from, and has nothing to do with her own sister for leaving the cult. Vicki’s daughter refers to the Scientology scam as “toxic” in that it tears families apart. Citing a deprived childhood she likens Scientology members to “cattle”.
So Vicki is perfect for an honest response to the report. She gushes;
Todayʼs decision is a terrific outcome for Australiaʼs charitable sector and for religious freedom. Our staff work hard to promote their religious beliefs and in a wide range of charitable programs in the areas of drug education, literacy, numeracy, human rights education and disaster aid. They do that knowing itʼs voluntary and do not expect to be paid for their efforts.
Charity doesn’t start at home for Vicki it would plainly seem. The Statement [below] included;
The Church has a long history in this country of fighting for human rights and religious freedom. Volunteers can help transform our communities for the benefit of all people.
Nearly two years has passed since baseless allegations run in the media prompted the FWO investigation. The Church now expects the authors of these allegations to apologise publicly to the Scientology community.
Far, far more work is needed post haste into this appalling scam. It’s close to grotesque that evidence bankrupt Narcanon and Crimanon – both recruitment front shops, remain active. Little surprise that Narcanon and Get Off Drugs Naturally comprise part of the Fair Work Agency investigation. Remember the Aboriginal drug bomb these fools came up with?
Worse is that the Senate Privileges Committee allowed Dunstanto respond in Hansard to Xenophon’s November 2009 allegations, lending a crucial soap box to the lies and scams of the cult in refuting allegations from brave ex-members.
So for now, the cult rolls on having already having transferred it’s registration from OFT to ASIC to circumvent further action under Fair Work legislation.
Lateline: Xenophon disappointed by Scientology report
Following revelations on ABC’s Lateline on September 13th about severe breaches of employment guidelines, it’s emerged Slater and Gordon have also been looking into the Church of Scientology practice of scamming workers.
Scientology have likened these workers, who signed employment contracts, received payslips and group certificates, to rural firefighter volunteers. Their statement is below. [C/O ABC Lateline]
Law firm Slater and Gordon is planning to take a class action against the Church of Scientology over claims the church has underpaid its workers.
Last night ABC’s Lateline programme reported on a draft report on the Church of Scientology from the Fair Work Ombudsman, detailing wages as low as $10 per week, forced labour and false imprisonment.
The draft report clearly states that breaches may pertain to the Criminal Code Act 1995 dealing with slavery. With respect to this criminal cult it would seem today’s word is Schadenfreude. This wouldn’t have happened back in Xenu’s day.
The Church of Scientology is facing the prospect of back pay claims that, on some estimates, could run into millions of dollars.
Losing In The Lucky Country 