My point is this: If you have a vaccine its inherently non-political, its just a medical intervention. But when it becomes mandated now you introduce a process by which some people can decide for some other people what must be done. That is politics.
Autism is one of many strawmen that the antivax movement throws out. You may have only become aware of this under Trump, but the antivaxers in my family are a flavor of anti-establishment Christian fundamentalists (quiverfull-aligned) that are absolutely political, and have been (I attest as a first-hand witness) for decades, long predating Trump's rise to power.
Their grandma just died of covid, and while part of me would hope that it would be a wakeup call, the kids are all home-schooled, so they've probably swallowed the narrative that nothing different could have been done; it was just her time to meet Jesus.
I hope they don't get chickenpox, personally. I hope they get some life experience that opens their eyes to how ignorant they are.
I'm not implying they nor their family are ignorant. Chicken pox is easily survivable for children. Less so for older adults. My parents took me to a pox party of other kids specifically to be exposed.
Covid is also easily survivable for children, and adults in reasonably good health. I survived corona a year ago and now see no medical reason to get those jabs.
You don't have to say it, they're my family and I'll tell it like it is: they are ignorant, and deliberately so. Home schooling is all part of the plan. (This is not a generic statement about home schooling, just these particular home-schoolers)
Immunity to COVID wanes over time, in part because it can take hold on the surfaces of your respiratory tract to a certain point without triggering the ire of your immune system (which is why vaccinated people can spread COVID). To keep yourself from developing a serious case of it, vaccinations need to be periodic, like the flu. You could keep getting it every year or so if you want, but getting it this year isn't going to prevent you from getting it next year
just because some people disagree with a policy does make it "political". I know someone that opposes seatbelt laws but that doesn't make them "political".
That said I don't think it's productive to debate what "political" means.
All policy is political by definition. Also the shared etymology is a bit of a hint too. Observe thar policy-makers is used as a synonym for politicians.
