Meryl Dorey and supporters of the Australian Vaccination Network are showing their true colours and it’s not a pretty sight. On the 1st of June this year I witnessed first hand the AVN poisoning the minds of concerned parents who came to the Perth AVN Seminar expecting to receive some useful information about vaccines. Unfortunately for them Meryl was only interested in pushing absurd paranoid conspiracies and making all sorts of false claims such as citing a lack of evidence for the effectiveness of vaccines. Of course anybody old enough to remember Polio or smart enough to conduct some research at the Library will discover that Meryl’s claims about vaccines are complete and utter crap.
I wrote about my expirience at the Perth Seminar here. Apparently my presence did not go unnoticed.
Buzzard, I was perfectly well aware of your presence and that of your 2 little friends as well.
The library excluded the television cameras – not us. They said that due to the threats they had received from people you associate with, no media were allowed at the seminar.
We welcomed cameras and welcomed your presence too. We hoped that if more people are able to access information from both sides of this issue, they would be better able to make an informed choice about vaccination for their children and for themselves.
Remember Buzzard-you Skeptics are the ones trying to deny others access to both sides of this debate-not the AVN.
Oh, also, we had to pay an extra $100 to the library for extra security due to the threat posed by the Skeptics. Maybe, since you Skeptics are responsible for that expense, you might have one less case of beer this week and instead, donate the funds to the AVN to make up for the extra expense you’ve caused us?
On second thought however, don’t bother. You’ve done our cause a great favour. Because of all the extra publicity due to your group’s ravings, instead of just talking to 100 people in some quiet little church hall, we spoke to twice that many in a gorgeous venue at the state library and have at least that many again who have already expressed interest in our next seminar in Perth so-well done and we’ll call it even.
I do want to ask you though, while we are on this subject, How does it feel to be associated with a group of bullies who force organisations like the State Library and the AVN to have to hire protection just to enable us to exercise our right to free speech? Does it feel good to belong to the thought Gestapo? To be associated with the anti-democracy SS?
Lastly,we have taped the entire seminar and will be publishing it free of charge on the Internet so watch this space. If your own recording was not of good quality, you are free to listen to ours.
Yours in health,
Meryl
This is odd for the simple reason that there where only two Skeptics in the auditorium. Unless Meryl know something that I don’t which seems unlikely given the crap this woman comes up with. You will notice that she wastes not time in launching accusations, all of which are unfounded. An email was sent to the Library requesting comment on Meryl’s claims. If she is going to make such accusations towards us then of course we are going to follow up on those claims. However after some inquiry no evidence has been found to establish if any threat was even made let alone where it may have originated from.
Did a threat ever exist? If so did it originate from anyone with whom I associate? Did it originate from anyone who associates with the Australian Skeptics? In the absence of any evidence and the AVN’s unwillingness to cooperate in backing up their claim I have reached the conclusion that Meryl is once again inventing stories so she can play the sympathy card to her supporters.
Her post is titled “You can judge an organisation by their actions“
But it’s not just her spitting venom; now her supporters are showing their true colours and it is not a pretty sight. On the AVN Facebook Page; Susan Jones writes: “They really are an anti choice hate group. A despicable bunch of thugs really.” and Joanna Jow Hellier write: “Skeptics that don’t believe in freedom of speech or freedom of choice – thats just not right.“. Joanna’s response could easily be misconstrue in a number of ways. So I won’t elaborate on it; but you should go and check out the page of comments yourself.
I highly recommend checking out the AVN’s Facebook Page because it will give you an incite into their members. I will allow you to draw your own conclusions but the group as a whole seems very anti-skeptic. Which is bizzarre coming from an organisation that goes on and on about “informed choice”. Another interesting quirk is the way the AVN claims to be open to debate, just try commenting on their Blog or Facebook Page
I will however agree with Meryl Dorey on one thing; you can judge an organisation by it’s actions. We skeptics do it all the time, much to the frustration of this anti-vax AVN.
Oh god… I don’t even know where to begin.
One Response to “You can judge an organisation by their actions”
I agree says:
June 16, 2010 at 1:31 am
Yes, these so called ’skeptics’ are hate filled vigilantles and are not skeptics at all – they are all for any program the Government or Industry puts forth…do not be scared of them – as a true, proud & honest human fights face to face in debate, not attacks like a pathetic coward from the shadows…
Just record their communication in a file and when you feel it nessecary, report it to the Police.
This is my response still waiting ‘moderation’ (think I’ll be waiting a while…)
Freedom of speech says:
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
June 16, 2010 at 2:55 am
I didn’t see anything here to suggest the person was underhanded. I understand you probably do recieve some horrible emails but this person seemed polite enough in the email you posted here. This is a perfect example of freedom of speech and freedom of choice – which you fiercely fight for right? I am guessing you have made the freedom of choice NOT to buy Dick Smith products as he is a vocal supporter of immunisation. This person has done the same thing, they feel this organisation is harming children just as you feel the opposite. They have made their free choice so if you want the same respect afforded to you or the government to take you seriously I suggest this type of blogging isn’t productive.
This is my response just after the user calling themselves "I agree". Still awaiting moderation which is where I expect it will forever remain.
@I-agree, that is an interesting point coming from someone who comments in complete anonymity.
I have my doubts about the accuracy of the events detailed in this blog post. The AVN has previously made allegations on this blog that the Library of WA received threats from persons associated with Australian Skeptics Inc.
It is my understanding that an email was sent to Margaret Allen requesting confirmation of these threats, this email was also cc’d to Meryl so that she would have the opportunity to respond to it.
However so far I have not seen any evidence of threats from anyone who is associated with either Australian Skeptics Inc or myself. If such threats do exist and are found to originate from associates of Australian Skeptics Inc, I am sure they would like to know about it.
These alleged threats do not follow the values of the majority within the Skeptical community and it is an error to place all Skeptics in the same group with the same values and methodology.
yep typical – and just facilitating her own reality that she is the underdog fighting a battle against the world. It is like she has to reduce everyone to the same level as her so that it ‘appears’ she is fighting fair.
Yet she is always asking for evidence when her members are acting poorly and it is often provided to her – nice if the skeptics were afforded the same respect.
It comes down to logical thinking really…if there were threats made then it would be sent to the police.
Just Meryl over simplifying things to suit her world view – 100’s of letters to the state library saying don’t let the AVN host there = death threats, hmmm bit of a stretch…but not for her.
We hoped that if more people are able to access information from both sides of this issue…
Let’s see. One side is pro-vaccination and the other side is anti-vaccination. The authorities (and sceptics) are on the pro-vaccination side of the issue – so where does that put the AVN? Right where they always claim not to be.