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by Mark Maxwell Abushady, NYC FILM
In the December /January 2017 issue, Creations Magazine reviewed the film VAXXED which documented the widely (though disputedly) discredited work of Andrew Wakefield. Wakefield, a UK gastroenterologist, and a team of 12 other medical researchers, penned a paper for the UK medical journal, The Lancet, published in February 1998, which documented research into spontaneous symptoms of autism following the administering of the MMR vaccine. The paper included the following statement: “We did not prove an association between Measles, Mumps, and Rubella vaccine (MMR) and the syndrome described (Autism).” It went on: “Further investigations are needed to examine this syndrome and its possible relation to this vaccine.” This new film documents the systematic “take down” of Dr. Wakefield and one of his colleagues on the paper, Dr. John Walker-Smith, by the medical/vaccine “community,” with the assistance of the press. It includes the ultimate vindication of Dr. John Walker-Smith, but the continued persecution of Andrew Wakefield. For those of you who believe you know the story, let me offer the following: Andrew Wakefield continues to advocate FOR the administering of vaccines. He is against the MMR and other combined “super” vaccines because he’s seen evidence in his patients they are too much for the immune system of some children to handle, and believes single vaccines should be administered instead with a waiting period between each. He freely states this opinion is based not upon a study showing this to be the case, but, amongst other things, “an inadequacy of studies on the subject.” One of Dr. Wakefield’s supporters describes the results of the administration of the MMR vaccine to her 19 month old baby: spontaneously collapse of the baby in her arms, sleeping 14 hours, waking up “a different child” followed by a diagnosis of severe autism, the suggestion of lifelong institutionalization, and provision, by the hospital, of books on grieving to the mother. Dr. Wakefield’s parents were both in the medical profession. His father was a neurologist; his mother, a family doctor. They had shared a concern with their son: “medicine is changing: it’s becoming less about the patient and more about fulfilling the wishes and the interests of the pharmaceutical companies.” This statement will come as no surprise to those of us who have encountered medical professionals who dismiss ANY information we try to share with them as “self-diagnosis.” Such sharing of information and attempts at partnering in our own care are, inexplicably, an annoyance at best to many healthcare providers and, at worst, a cause for defensive behavior on the part of the physician (see Creations review of the film Making Rounds – Feb/March 2016 – for more on this subject). The term “fake news” gets bandied about constantly in this day and age. No, fake news is not news you don’t want to hear or don’t want to agree with! But fake news, as this reviewer defines, is half a story, “creative editing” to sell a point of view, emphatic declarations that “there is nothing to debate” and not presenting both sides of an issue, discrediting the other side of an issue and, at worse, denigrating, defaming, and attempts to destroy anything that doesn’t fit with the accepted paradigm. This last point begins to describe the case and story set forth in this film. See it, and decide for yourself. If it causes you to do more research on your own, all the better. This has been called, amongst other things, the age of responsibility (with a corresponding backlash of those not wanting to take responsibility). Let us all take responsibility for our health. Should the time come when we must make tough medical decisions, let us be armed with facts. Dr. Wakefield makes an interesting statement: “My duty is not to the public health. My duty is to the patient.” OUR duty should always be to our own health. If it is, public health will follow suit.
MUSIC
Endless Field is made up of bassist Ike Sturm and guitarist Jessie Lewis. They seek their inspiration in the wilds and natural settings, and it shows. Unending Season is a great opener, richly evocative of flowing water, flowing air…gentle movement, all positively forward. It is followed by Ember, a beautifully melodic piece, introspective yet insistent. Their music has been labeled by some reviewers as “genreless,” and this piece is especially good at illustrating and embracing that concept. Supermoon is, perhaps, a little more “jazzy,” with its celebratory, almost frenetic saxophone (Donny McCaslin) yet still grounded in the endless sky. These musicians are keenly adept at tone poetry and painting, beautifully utilized in A Run Through the Woods at Night, which includes a spirited Native American vocal line. There is a different logic to this music. It is at once obvious, and subtle; simple, yet complex, and accessible on several different levels. These musicians truly “speak” music as a fully expressive language, imminently capable of describing the tiniest detail as well as the grandest view of the natural world. Being a self-described “collaborative band,” the album includes contributions from tenor saxophonist Donny McCaslin, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, vibraphonist Chris Dingman, percussionist Rich Stein, pianist Fabian Almazan, and vocalist Misty Ann Sturm. Of note is that record company Biophilia seeks to encourage positive movement in the world, with all Biophilia artists engaging in Environmental cleanup projects and/or community service. Creations Magazine has reviewed many a New Age album; this one absolutely transcends the rest. I look forward to listening to this album many times over.
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THE PATHOLOGICAL OPTIMIST
Endless Field
