this post was submitted on 16 Mar 2025
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Summary

A father whose unvaccinated six-year-old daughter became the first U.S. measles death in 10 years remains steadfast in his anti-vaccine beliefs.

The Mennonite man from Seminole, Texas told The Atlantic, "The vaccination has stuff we don't trust," maintaining that measles is normal despite its near-eradication through vaccination.

His stance echoes claims by HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., who initially downplayed the current North American outbreak before changing his position under scrutiny.

Despite his daughter's death, the father stated, "Everybody has to die."

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[–] Etterra@discuss.online 10 points 48 minutes ago (1 children)

Translation: my beliefs mean more to me than my dead child ever could.

[–] InverseParallax@lemmy.world 3 points 32 minutes ago

He can contort himself with the knowledge that he actually pulled off the sacrifice of Abraham.

[–] HawlSera@lemm.ee 10 points 59 minutes ago

Sadly now that she's dead he has no choice but to defend his stance, because admitting the truth would mean being left with the knowledge that he killed his own daughter.

[–] Doctor_Satan@lemmy.world 10 points 1 hour ago

"The vaccination has stuff we don’t trust"

I would bet money this man could not name a single ingredient in a measles vaccine.

[–] npcknapsack@lemmy.ca 25 points 1 hour ago

This shit ought to be considered negligence and reason to at least remove any other kids from the home. Poor six year old was failed by her family and the state.

[–] Saledovil@sh.itjust.works 1 points 8 minutes ago

I sort of think we should be really mean to these people.

[–] curiousPJ@lemmy.world 2 points 38 minutes ago

I wonder what the wife thinks.

[–] FordBeeblebrox@lemmy.world 2 points 51 minutes ago

Everybody has do die

Maybe we make one codfin size S and one XL in this case

[–] cool@lemmings.world 4 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

Texas are a whole 'nother breed of stupidity.

It's impressive how proud they are of it. And scary.

[–] FordBeeblebrox@lemmy.world 2 points 50 minutes ago

They fought a war to keep slavery. TWICE. The only state in the union to do so

Everything is bigger in Texas, including my middle finger to Texas twice

[–] thingAmaBob@lemmy.world 33 points 9 hours ago (1 children)
[–] TheTurner@lemm.ee 32 points 8 hours ago (4 children)

He's Mennonite. They don't believe in any English medicine/science. If someone dies, it's God's will.

[–] starman2112@sh.itjust.works 11 points 2 hours ago (2 children)

I'll never understand the position. If a deadly disease is God's will, then so is the vaccine which prevents it.

Mennonites have no problem using blades to cut their hair, wearing glasses when their vision is faulty, or using soap after wiping their ass. Why are they against medicine?

[–] A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world 12 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

Because they don't like it, and like all religious groups... if They don't like it, then its against gods will. And if they like it, then it is gods will.

Which is why god hates vaccines, but loves child rape and wife beating, at least for these Amish-type religious communities. (and probably most of the republican party....)

[–] InverseParallax@lemmy.world 1 points 28 minutes ago

It's because you can't control doctors.

The leaders of their community can control everything, except doctors who follow their own rules.

Rather have children die than anyone who could defy them.

[–] cool@lemmings.world 1 points 1 hour ago

"It's easier to fool a man than to convince him he'd been fooled." - Mark Twain

big difference between Mennonites and the Amish I'm pretty sure you're thinking of

[–] iceonfire1@lemmy.world 2 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

There are many kinds of Mennonites. Most that I know are pretty scientific and well-educated.

[–] cool@lemmings.world 2 points 1 hour ago

Most that I know are pretty scientific and well-educated.

Then why are they mennonites?

[–] Tronn4@lemmy.world 62 points 10 hours ago

Hope he told his daughter she had to die to make liberals cry

[–] brezel@piefed.social 31 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Obviously his god didn't want him to procreate.

[–] ZeffSyde@lemmy.world 3 points 1 hour ago

He must have been a sinner, in that case. Mennonites tend to have enough children to tend to a farm, then they have enough children to attend to those children.

It's not so bad if one is taken by disease, you just make another one and hope it's less weak.

Women love bearing children, so it is they who are blessed in the end.

/S

[–] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 14 points 9 hours ago (3 children)

Yeah, this fucker should be arrested, kids taken away and he should be housed in a care facility where he slowly can be weaned off the conspiracy theories until he's normal again

Yes, I'm advocating for forced treatments of these fuckers. Hell, I'd deport and quarantine them in a remote island where they can slowly die of diseases and what not, I don't care.

If in 2025 you still need to believe in dumb shit like unicorns, skydaddies, and conspiracy theories like a 5 year old then you don't have the right to live liek any other healthy adult, you should be considered mentally deficient and treated as such. Sorry, you are not competent to raise children, these poor kids deserve better.

Lock em um

I'm sorry, but I'm not sorry. These people habe been ruining this world since forever and it has to stop. I'm out of are, I'm out of mercy, I'm out of patience

[–] starman2112@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

Downvotes from people who don't like this authoritarian stance.

Fuck em, this is one authoritarian stance I share. If your kid dies because you made the active decision to feed them nothing but fruit, you get arrested. If your kid dies because you made the active decision to leave them in a hot car, you get arrested. If your kid dies because you made the active decision to not get them vaccines, you should be arrested.

[–] ZeffSyde@lemmy.world 1 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

Once Cheeto-Christ is allowed to rampage his way down his list of enemies, I'm sure the Amish and Mennonites are hovering just after 'gypsies' (Romani) in the Purge Order.

[–] cool@lemmings.world 1 points 1 hour ago

I see those few downvotes, but I agree with you.

Unchecked stupidity is dangerous, and even deadly as we see evident right here.

These people should not be allowed to make decisions for others.

[–] njm1314@lemmy.world 39 points 12 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago) (1 children)

He should have died too

Actually no, instead of.

[–] underisk@lemmy.ml 15 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago) (1 children)

I bet he was given the measles vaccine.

He's a Mennonite, so probably not

[–] CeeBee_Eh@lemmy.world 42 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

The conundrum here is that admitting his stance was wind would take a level of intelligence that would have had him vaccinate his child in the first place.

I know that's oversimplifying it, but the point still stands.

[–] Bread@sh.itjust.works 17 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

At this point, I can't say I would blame him for still refusing to accept it on an emotional level despite all evidence otherwise. As stupid as it is, how might you cope with knowing you are the sole reason that your daughter is dead? That if it weren't for your arrogance, you would still have a child?

I don't agree with it, but I understand. I don't think I could live with myself if I accepted reality if I were in his situation. Shutting down might be his method of coping. It is a sad situation that was easily preventable.

[–] cool@lemmings.world 1 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

This is why it's easier to fool someone than to convince them they'd been fooled.

They don't want to admit they were wrong and taken for a ride. It's embarrassing, it's humiliating. They would rather carry their misconceptions to the grave than admit they are incorrect.

It's a vicious cycle that at least 30% of Americans are going through.

[–] imvii@lemmy.ca 60 points 14 hours ago

You know what else has stuff I don't trust? The fucking measles.

[–] MehBlah@lemmy.world 47 points 14 hours ago (8 children)

You can only hope one day the asshole realizes he killed his kid and can't live with his failure.

[–] ZeffSyde@lemmy.world 1 points 1 hour ago

He will just rape his wife and make another hate -baby.

Problem solved.

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[–] Coreidan@lemmy.world 117 points 16 hours ago (5 children)

“I don’t trust science so I will choose death instead”

Fucking brilliant people. No doubt they are Trump supporters.

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