We all know that the measles outbreak in California can be linked to predominately white and affluent anti-vax parents who believe vaccines will give their children autism, or something, but according to the hosts and guests of Newsmax TV, the real culprits are immigrant children.
The progenitor of the “death panels” lie appeared on Newsmax TV yesterday and said that the federal government has not taken “any responsibility at all for preventing people who are carrying measles from entering the country.”
Newsmax host J.D. Hayworth, for his part, heartily agreed.
via RightWingWatch
J.D. Hayworth, the former Arizona congressman and host of “America’s Forum,” was eager to blame the measles outbreak on immigrants as well, particularly the Central American children who fled to the southern border earlier this year who, as far as we know, have absolutely no connection to the measles outbreak that started at Disneyland. (In fact, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, where most of the children came from, have higher measles vaccination rates than the U.S.)
“You’re just talking about legal immigration, and you take a look at the last year and the influx of juveniles from Central America and obviously we have problems, so there are a couple of reasons at work,” Hayworth said.
We discussed this last year when the media and conservative politicians were busily crapping their cages over Ebola and scabies, but Central American children actually have higher rates of vaccination than American children.
UNICEF reports that 93 percent of kids in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador are vaccinated against measles. That’s better than American kids (92 percent).
Furthermore, it’s absurd to claim that the U.S. has eradicated measles while Central America has not. In fact, measles outbreaks have resurged in some American cities. By contrast, according to the World Health Organization, neither Guatemala nor Honduras has had a reported case of measles since 1990.
The only reason to blame homeless immigrant children for a measles outbreak at Disneyland (how did these poor children make it to the magic kingdom?) is if you’re a racist.