Why An Older Autism Mom Marched With Robert Kennedy Jr., Jenny McCarthy And Jim Carrey At Green The Vaccines

As a journalist by profession - and temperament- I have spent far more time writing about protests than joining them. But on Wednesday in Washington, D.C., I marched with a crowd - one of thousands - held a sign, chanted, even wore an angry tee-shirt. As a finale, I stomped off to see a powerful, long-term congressman whom I first met when I worked as a newspaper reporter.

Barbara Fischkin, left, with Lujene Clark, a parent activist and founder of No Mercury, Photo by Christine Heeren of Lighthouse Studios

Years ago I used to ask him questions and wait for answers, but time and children change things. Now he had agreed to be the one to listen.

"I am here because federal health officials are involved in a major conflict of interest," I told Congressman Gary Ackerman. "And they're still making kids sick because of it."

At that I knew I had his attention. Even if he wasn't buying it right away, he would think about it.

"Maybe this is what happened to my kid, too," I said. "Maybe it isn't. But maybe someone should check. Someone with good science and no agenda."

The congressman nodded. He's a Democrat from Queens, New York and a foreign affairs expert, but one who also understands what I call "the war at home." He's fought for immigrants and AIDS babies and kids with autism, too.

"It's as simple as Investigative Reporting 101," I said, remembering the reporter I used to be. "The Centers for Disease Control are supposed to promote vaccinations. But they are also supposed to check on vaccine safety. You can't promote the same thing you are monitoring."

As the congressman listened, alarms went off in the Rayburn, the congressional office building. An announcement urged everyone to stay inside: tornado warnings.

I knew that Congressman Ackerman had already taken a step farther than most by co-sponsoring the Mercury-Free Vaccines Act of 2007 - a bill that never made it into the Senate. The bill notes what quickie news reports about this complicated issue often miss. That kids could still get sick because while mercury is out of childhood vaccinations it remains in other vaccinations including those for flu which are routinely given to women of childbearing age, pregnant women and, yes, children. Nobody really knows how much mercury is too much for each individual.

An hour earlier in at that rally in front of the Capitol, Robert Kennedy Jr., the renowned environmental activist, had explained, with his family's signature passion and flair, that an amount equivalent to 60 percent of the mercury the CDC took out of childhood vaccines is still in flu shots. "That's the Thimerosal generation," Kennedy had told the crowd at the rally after Wednesday's march, as loud, angry cheers filled the air. "That's the vaccine generation and it's the sickest generation in the history of this country."

Outside Rayburn now, the rain still poured, although the next announcement said it was safe to leave the building. Congressman Ackerman, on his way to the floor to vote, urged me to take a train instead of a plane back to New York. I didn't listen to him and sat inside a jet at National Airport for hours which gave me plenty of time to reflect on what I had just done: Why I had marched?

The obvious, quick answer is that I marched on Washington this week for all the kids. I marched because I believe that the mercury preservative in vaccinations - vaccinations that are supposed to protect kids from diseases - have also made many of them very sick. It's a long complicated tale that begins in the late 1980s when babies and toddlers started to get many more vaccinations than they had in years past and hence way too much mercury. Given that mercury is still in those flu shots, and in other vaccinations it's sad but not surprising that the autism epidemic of recent years may indeed be getting worse. One in 150 children are now diagnosed with this biological illness; in New Jersey, the numbers are now 1 in 6o for boys. Autism causes communication, behavioral and social deficits. In the worst cases that can mean no speech, no toilet training and aggressive and self-injurious behaviors

I wish I could say this is the whole story. But the tale of mercury and why it and/or other toxic ingredients in vaccines could be causing this epidemic has as many zigs and zags as a kid with autism who has "eloped" from his parent's watchful eye. Click here for Autism One which has the most comprehensive video coverage of Green the Vaccines march and rally that drew thousands to Washington. Or read about the group Talk About Curing Autism, which led this march with autism mom and actress Jenny McCarthy at the helm, along with her partner, the actor Jim Carrey. Or visit NoMercury.org.

As for our family's story, it has its own zigs and zags too.

My older son, Dan, now 20, has had autism since he was three and a half. That's when he stopped talking and in many other ways fell apart. Something in the environment poisoned him. I suspected this, deeply, when it first happened, but back then there was nowhere to go with such information. Still, how else do you explain why, over a few months, and without any obvious provocation, a bright, happy kid who could switch between three or four languages became mute, "weird," sick to his stomach and unable to learn at anything faster than a snail's pace? How else do you explain that, as the years passed, the old Dan did not return?

Nobody really could explain it.

So for a long time, I let the idea of a cure rest. My husband and I put our energy into making Danny's school program as good as it could be for a kid so severely injured.

Then, about two years ago, prompted by some younger mothers, I started to read about mercury poisoning and other environmental toxins and about kids who were getting better by cleaning those toxins out.

Dan had spent two years of his life in Hong Kong, where we were foreign correspondents. As a toddler he loved to order raw jellyfish whenever we took him out to lunch or dinner. In a great, kid-friendly city like Hong Kong that happened often. Sometimes he'd say a word or two of greeting in Cantonese. Perhaps what he said in Chinese was "Please serve me some mercury."

And perhaps what he also got in Hong Kong or in Mexico City was a dumped vaccine from America, that had accidentally gotten too much mercury in it. "Hot Lots" are what they now call them.

Like autism, like the mercury story, this is only the tip of our iceberg too.

Late last year we took our son to a doctor who treats environmental toxicity and slowly as he gets cleaned out he is making progress, taking new steps. Literal steps. We can ask him to go upstairs and get his shoes on and he does. We don't have to follow him to the closet to make sure he gets there and gets it done.

He used to have eight bowel movements a day. Since he started treatment he usually has one or two. He seems more focused. His pediatrician who has known him since he was diagnosed saw him earlier this month for his yearly check-up and pronounced him "a different child."

We still don't know if he was mercury poisoned. But also can't tell if he wasn't. All we know is that we are on the way to finding out and the most important question I have for this new doctor is always the same one: What do we do next?

It is also one of the questions I have for our government.

I'd also like to ask them how we do it, so that the results are not as tainted as our children's insides.

Barbara Fischkin is the author of Confidential Sources.

Comments

[rng777]

Great article.Thank you for standing up and defending the kids.Most of the medical community,CDC and IOM only seem to want to defend mercury.

[lumardi]

Barbara,
What a wonderful piece! I was there too and I thought the day was amazing.
I'm glad we ran in to each other if only for a second. Thanks so much for writing this.
I can't wait to hear more about Dan!
~Michele

[msfiskvletterman]

6/8/08
3:16pm
Eugene, OR

It's about time somebody marched on Washington about this.

[Gatogorra]

Wish we could have been in D.C. with you. Thanks for telling your story, since it's so much like all of ours.

[WadeRankin]

Thanks to all the folks who were at the march. For each one who marched, there are several others who could not be in Washington for one reason or another.

[ThinkForYourself2]

"GRAPHICAL EVIDENCE SHOWS VACCINES DIDN'T SAVE US"


See it for yourself :

http://www.vaclib.org/sites/debate/web1.html


It's way past the time writers, bloggers and anyone else speak out about this. So for a while forget about Brad and Angie, forget about Hillary and yes, forget about O'Reilly and speak out about something more important. Let's make this change happen.

The kids depend on us. Their lives and futures are at stake.

[Linda on LI]

Barbara,
A great post on a critical topic!

Today, everyone knows someone who has a child with autism !

This epidemic must be given the attention it deserves.

Thank you for advocating for all children everywhere, and thank you for bringing this important information to this forum.........

Your article should be on the front page!!!

March on, Linda

[ousa]

What a beautiful article. Thanks for sharing your story!!
Peace.

[seeingisbelieving]

Thank you for your advocacy. I understand RFK Jr. said the tobacco science exonerating thimerosal was not only bogus, but also wasn't even "high quality fraud." I mean really, who could ever justify keeping mercury in vaccines at this point?

[mepazzo1]

Thanks for this great article and picture. I, too, was at the rally, coming from Rochester, NY to represent my family (especially my 9 year old grandson who was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2.5.). Your words express all that we have been saying/feeling since this nightmare began. That is the one thing that impressed me the most about this rally/march. The names and faces change but they all could be my daughter and her family, repeated again and again. We are screaming for change so that others will not have endure what these children have had to! Thanks for sharing and I am passing this article on to the younger moms. You are all an inspiration!

[andreamk]

Thank you Barbara for being with us at the rally. What an inspiring event it was. Even though my son is 12 and still severely affected and ill -we were there like you, for all the children. Like Jenny said - we don't want anymore people to join our club.

I'm so happy that Dan is progressing, it gives me hope for my son.

[Thrillcat]

Great article Barbara and glad you came down to DC to march with us "younger" moms. LOL.

It's awesome to hear about your son feeling better because of biomedical treatments. As you know, my son improves daily because of chelation, supplements and diet.

Keep up the great work!

[BarbaraFischkin]

Thank you so much! And may your son completely recover!

[Stagmom]

Hi, Barbara. With three kids with autism, including a 13 year old, I'm no longer a "young autism Mom" either. I have now over 31 years cumulative 24/7 autism experience. Still, our older kids are worth fighting for and I will continue to use biomedical interventions until I can no longer stir supplements into juice. Every bit of better functioning and health we give our children will help them navigate the world.

There was a Mom at the National Autism Association conference in November who started her forty-something son with autism on the GFCF diet. He uttered his first word shortly thereafter. Sadly, it wasn't "mom." It was "Reba McIntyre!" Mom didn't care - she'd helped her son to SPEAK! Our kids are treatable no matter what their age. To deny them treatment is a damn shame. You've told me first hand about Dan's progress. And I can see the hope and happiness on your face.

You're a dear friend, Barbara. I'm honored to know you. By the way, readers, Barbara's book Confidential Sources is a howl - grab a copy!

KIM STAGLIANO
HuffPo blogger
www.ageofautism.com Managing Editor
Proud mom to Mia, Gianna and Bella