It was a faith-based decision. Rita Palma and her husband made the decision to opt out of vaccines for their school age children. The Bayport, New York couple has had hell to pay ever since--lengthy interrogations by an attorney, a looming court battle, and three years of legislative effort. Rita spends all her spare time working to win laws to protect her children and other families from coercion of conscience and forcible vaccinations.
School District ShenanigansWhy are we always spending more tax dollars on education, if this is the way our money is spent? It seems the Bayport-Blue Point school district in her Long Island, NY community has a law firm on retainer. They must be spending huge sums on "sincerity tests" of religious objectors to vaccines, because even a Freedom of Information Act request by Rita couldn't turn up their legal fees. In an illegal move, the "vaccine sincerity legal work" budget item was magic marker-ed out by the School District before their financial papers were turned over to Rita.
The amazing thing about this, is that the same law firm took a Sincerity case to trial back in 1992 in the Glen Cove school district of Long Island, AND LOST! Religious sincerity is nearly impossible to prove in a court of law. And this school district has elected to fund this losing law firm's legal retainer for the last 12 years. Instead of trying these cases in court, apparently this legal firm has perfected the art of aggressive interrogation of parents and have trained the school district how to reject the parents' request for exemptions. All done outside of the courtroom!
Now, does this make you eager to pour more money into the coffers of the educational system? Remember this story next time you hear a campaign promise to improve education.
Rita is a momma bear on the warpath. She is fired up about this and is fiercely determined that no other family ever have to go through this kind of persecution. She has no money for a lawyer. So she is working very hard to get this case tried in the court of public opinion.
Rita explained to Hartke Is Online, "This is about health freedom choices--choices that affect the rest of your life. No government will tell me what to eat, what pill to take, what I put into my blood. That goes for my body and the little bodies I am responsible for!" I wish you could have heard the passion in her voice. She is loaded for bear, and, like the parable of the persistent widow in the Bible, I believe she will get justice!
If there is a law firm or attorney willing to offer this family assistance on a pro-bono basis, please contact Rita through her website.
A Mom on A Mission
See Rita's website to learn more about her mission to end Sincerity Testing of religious beliefs:
This Blogger Takes Action Cause I love Little Bears!Last week my blog gave the George Orwell Award for Big Brother-like behavior to New York State. Shame on them. How can they allow this intrusion into the sanctity of a family's health decisions in a free and open society? I am unable to have children of my own, but I have many nieces and nephews that I would not like to see wrested from the protective grip of their parents by the hands of the state, particularly when it comes to their health.
Witness the Orwellian Interrogation of The Palma's in this video!
If we let this happen to one family in America, where will this lead--to tele-screens in every living room with Big Brother watching? Will school nurses be strapping kids down to a gurney for a vaccine shot, while their "uncooperative" parents are restrained by armed men? Ludicrous? Yes. But, so are Sincerity Tests of people's values and choices. If the parents had wanted to say yes, they would have said sincerely, "yes". Period.
The Problem With VaccinesRita shared with me that pharmacuetical companies are actively promoting more and more vaccines into our school systems (can you say "marketing plan?"). The number of shots given to our children should give us pause. Rita says possible injuries from vaccines, include: autism, allergies, asthma, brain damage, Hepatitis B, brain tumors, childhood cancers, nerve damage, muscle damage, digestive issues and even death. Visit the website: NVIC.org for more information on the health risks. Rita also explained that school districts are giving the impression that some vaccines are mandatory, when they are not. Unfortunately, only the most aware parents know which are optional.
A Testimony to Rita's Faith
Rita believes the best way to resolve the problem is to change the law. So she has worked very hard to make that a reality. Both bills A880 and A883, one regarding medical exemptions, the other, religious, passed through a house committee by a comfortable margin. The bill sponsors are working on Senate support. Rita is sure if the laws are passed, Gov. Patterson will sign them.
The Weston A. Price Foundation, a nutrition education non-profit, has sent in a memo in support of the bill. It is encouraging the citizens of New York and other national organizations to do the same.
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