[alethia]

Thanks for the post, ignatz_q. The thing that struck me about this information is that a smallpox attack against our country is an attempt to wipe out our future by attacking our children and our young people. Anyone who thinks otherwise is ignorant or a fool.

The gravity of this is almost too much to process. I had my vaccine back in 1956. My husband had his in 1955 or 1956. Our son, who is 22, was not vaccinated. I am totally enraged at the mere thought.

[ignatz_q]

I am totally enraged at the mere thought.

I can understand that, but I'm not so angry about the situation. For one thing, there is still exactly zero evidence that any smallpox exists except for two tiny, secure amounts in disease research facilities in the U.S. and Russia. For another, the disease does seem to be erradicated as a natural pathogen.

I'm not trying to downplay the possibility that it could be used for an attack, but the odds are much, much Even if Iraq or a terrorist group has smallpox, it's very hard to handle safely, and even harder to deliver effectively. I want us to start stockpiling vaccine to be safe, but I'm just not sure that mass-innoculation is the answer at this point.

[JenB]

Great. So I'll die, my brothers and sisters will die - but our parents and their contemporaries will be fine. Oh well; they've got enough time to have a couple more kids, then, and repopulate America. Of course, it'll really wreck the social security system!

Honestly, at the first sign of smallpox, I'm gonna go find some cows and vaccinate myself. Anyone have James Herriot's number, because I don't know what cowpox looks like.

[He Rides A White Horse]

The thing that struck me about this information is that a smallpox attack against our country is an attempt to wipe out our future by attacking our children and our young people.

Really shows the depth of the depravity exhibited by our enemy.