Holly Robinson Peete's Freshmen Convocation

[oddboyout]

Holly Robinson Peete speaking at Freshmen Convocation (Anti-Vax)

I recently found out that Holly Robinson Peete is speaking at my university, California State University Nothridge, next Thursday for the Freshmen Convocation. This freshmen class is part of a common reading program in which they are all reading “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” by Mark Haddon. I've seen Mrs.Peete's opinions on the vaccine-autism link range from full support to apologetic, where she claims her son's autism was caused by certain circumstances during which he was vaccinated.

I would like to pass out pamphlets or fliers during the event (it'll most likely be held outside as long as the current heat wave doesn't persist). I also plan on writing a letter to the editor of our school newspaper.

I have a few questions: Does anyone have links to some rad fliers/handouts? (The Hug me! campaign's fliers looked cool.)
What do you think the likelihood is that she'll bring up the anti-vaccine sentiments? I've never seen her speak before.
Am I moving too quickly on this? Going about it the right way?

PS: I tried to include links but I'm a new member to the forum. Maybe I can work around... blogs.csun .edu/news/2010/08/freshman/

 

[bokonon]

Do you think anti-vax is likely to be a big part of her speech?

From this link it seems that her primary concerns are impacts on the families in which someone has been diagnosed with autism.

If there's a Q&A, I expect there will be a question or two on vaccines, so if you think you know what she might say, getting the opposing viewpoint into the hands of those in the audience might be a good idea.

It might be a good idea to make your fliers about autism and vaccines, and not about the speaker, because you may not know what she'll say at all.

ETA: It seems that her stance on vaccines is reasonable: Don't listen to actors, go to experts.
From http://abcnews.go.com/Health/AutismNews/story?id=5483159&page=1:

Frankly, I feel that parents who don't vaccinate their children are parasites.

 

[Loss Leader]

I think you can probably expect her to firmly hit the themes of working hard, cherishing true friends and taking advantage of the opportunities that are offered to you.

She may, if she has time, relate a wonderfully hear-warming story about the time Johnny Depp wouldn't come to the set of 21 Jump Street because he thought a particular line was undignified and she and Peter DeLuise played eight uninterrupted hours of backgammon while waiting for him.

The one thing she is not going to say to the incoming freshman class is that vaccines cause autism.

 

[Lucian]

Do you think anti-vax is likely to be a big part of her speech?

From this link it seems that her primary concerns are impacts on the families in which someone has been diagnosed with autism.

If there's a Q&A, I expect there will be a question or two on vaccines, so if you think you know what she might say, getting the opposing viewpoint into the hands of those in the audience might be a good idea.

It might be a good idea to make your fliers about autism and vaccines, and not about the speaker, because you may not know what she'll say at all.

ETA: It seems that her stance on vaccines is reasonable: Don't listen to actors, go to experts.
From http://abcnews.go.com/Health/AutismNews/story?id=5483159&page=1:

Regarding your ETA: That's Amanda Peet, not Holly Robinson-Peete.

 

[bokonon]

Regarding your ETA: That's Amanda Peet, not Holly Robinson-Peete.

Ha, good catch. I googled "peete autism vaccine" and didn't read closely. I'm also too old to really know who either of these actresses are, and apparently share Steven Colbert's inability to see race. Thanks!

 

[oddboyout]

Yes, be careful not to confuse those two. They get in fights, so sometimes they are in the same article.

Holly Robinson Peete has a blog on Huffington Post. Here is an excerpt from her blog entry "A Response to Sally Pipes" October 14, 2008:

First you must acknowledge that suffering in the autism community cannot be overstated. Your show of sympathy amounted to a cold short sentence; so let me share my personal story with you. In 1999, I brought my typically developing toddler into my pediatrician's office and asked the doctor to consider postponing or perhaps breaking up the controversial MMR shot he was scheduled to have that day. Because my little guy just came off a round of antibiotics after an ear infection and I suspected his immune system was weakened, I worried that he wouldn't be able to assimilate this heavy viral load. (MMR shot contains no thimerasol or mercury but a cocktail of 3 potent live viruses). The doctor ignored my fears and belittled me for even questioning him. I felt humiliated and powerless. Despite my "inner mommy danger meter" on full tilt, I allowed my boy to be inoculated. Ms. Pipes, unless you have watched your son get this shot, have heard him cry and scream "no mommy!" (words I didn't hear again by the way until years later), held him through the night while he battled fevers for days afterwards, and then disappear into autism you could not begin to understand my position.