Johnathan D. Quick, MD, MPH and Hedi Larson wrote “The Vaccine-Autism Myth Started 20 Years Ago. Here’s Why It Still Endures Today” for Time Magazine in 2018 to communicate the necessity for childhood immunizations and address the fraudulent scientific claim that they cause Autism. At the time Dr. Quick was an instructor at Harvard University and a senior fellow at the nonprofit Management Sciences for Health while Ms. Larson was a professor of Anthropology, Risk, & Decision Science in London and Director of the Vaccine Confidence Project. Their backgrounds being both centered in academia and medicine, along with the intentional use of the word “Myth” in the title, lend the article immediately to a pro vaccination stance made by qualified medical professionals. However opening with references to click-bait headlines about the horrors of vaccines followed by “just a few examples of the fake science news stories shared this month on Facebook,” sets the tone for the subsequent language. The article was also published in Time and directed toward an audience of social media savvy parents, calling attention to any curiosity that may be felt when scrolling past such attention-grabbing stories. At this point it can be ascertained that the goal of the piece may not be entirely scientifically driven.

They begin by explaining that the vaccine-autism myth originated with an article written for a respected medical journal by Andrew Wakefield a former British MD. With Wakefield falsely linking the MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) vaccine to Autism. Later that paper retracted the article and he was de-licensed by medical authorities for deceit, yet the impact of his claim had lasting repercussions. The authors go on to catalog the resurgence of measles cases in the years following the publication and describe how an element of fanaticism came to surround Andrew Wakefield as he continued his platform “relentlessly” eventually making a documentary film that played in independent U.S. and European theaters. Showing how United States and Europe both had a significant increase in measles cases and measles related deaths after the now infamous article, due to parents choosing not to vaccinate their children out of fear and misinformation, is how Quick and Larson transition into what can be done to protect parents and their children going forward. They advise the general public to trust its primary healthcare providers, the medical community to double down on ensuring published scientific information has not been falsified and call for responsible and evidence-based reporting from print and broadcast media. Urging State health officials to enforce strict public health policies and finally asking parents and educators to help children ascertain critical thinking skills early in life so they may be prepared to discern fact from fiction as they navigate a new age of “social media, frequent distrust of authorities, and increasing epidemic threats.”

In their conclusion the authors reiterate that “we,” (the audience) “must be vigilant,” (the purpose) against “the dangerous long-term consequences,” (the central point) of “fake science,” (the exigence) “threatening the health and lives of everyone,” (the stance.) The article did not speak to any actual correlation between vaccinations and autism, past or present, nor did its writers seek to scientifically disprove the statement they used as foundation for their argument. This was, in fact,  just a propaganda piece.

I have chosen to analyze this short film representing the ongoing issue surrounding immigration in the United States. To briefly summarize, this informational video shows several real time moments where children from as young as 4 years old are taken to court in exchange for their hearing and place in this country. However, often these children do not have a lawyer present to defend them, this is where the issue comes into hand. Linda Freedman is a filmmaker who based this film on a reading made by another author [Anna Ciesielski, a young lawyer working for Immigration Counseling Service]. So far, this is the only film that Freedman has worked on. She wanted to bring light to this topic because it does not get the attention or aid that it deserves. She stated that she was also not familiar with this issue and once she learned about it, it quickly broke through her. The main point in this film being that the children must represent themselves, when by law everyone has the right to an attorney and if they can’t afford one the government must provide them with one. Which would you leave you wondering why can’t this be the same for immigrant children?  Freedman includes at least two minutes of how these court hearings usually happen: the child walks in and sits on the chair, they are handed a pair of headphones, set the mic and proceed to make eye contact with the judge. The headphones are given to them because they are at least given a translator that helps them communicate as much as they can with the judge because they are not able to speak back in English, I believe that at 1:40-2:25 is where this hearing becomes the most impactful part of the film. This video can easily inform the general public with why the issue is as bad as it sounds. It can also inform higher professionals that can help fix the problem such as attorneys, translators, and the government. This video was also made to persuade others because towards the end of the video, Freedman provides a link where people can donate to the organization leading these children [https://www.unaccompaniedchildren.org.] This is where her stance comes in because she is leading the reason for why others must help; her filmmaking can only do so much. After educating herself, Linda Freedman wants to educate the rest of America and do her part with her privilege in uplifting these children’s voices and their stories.  

Author: UNICEF is an organization dedicated to combating numerous issues faced by children in over 190 countries worldwide. Their mission is to “reach the most disadvantaged children and adolescents – and to protect the rights of every child, everywhere”. They dedicate their work to providing aid in healthcare, nutrition, sanitation, emergency relief and a helping hand in improving the quality of education that millions of children around the world deserve. UNICEF as a whole provides thorough information through their website  to showcase the everyday issues they oppose.

Rhetorical Situation: Education is a vital factor in shaping children’s lives worldwide. While many strive to succeed in school, a large-scale of others can not pursue their passions. From poor living conditions to discrimination, many children face obstacles that prevent them from receiving a formal education. UNICEF seeks to assist Latin America, being one of several regions that continue to face this dilemma everyday.

Audience: UNICEF intends to reach those concerned about the overall wellbeing of children. They target an audience who were fortunate to receive an education and those who have children of their own. UNICEF also targets those who dealt with similar dilemmas in their past but were able to overcome them. The organization seeks to appeal to those who relate to the issue and are willing to give back.

Purpose: UNICEF’s objective is to provide thorough reasoning towards why “investing in education” is essential for the future. UNICEF introduces the subject by revealing that “14 million children and adolescents in Latin America and the Caribbean are outside the education system”. They continue with a deeper layout of how children of different ages and backgrounds are being affected, including “those exposed to violence, living with a disability, facing gender and ethnic discrimination”. This demonstrates a variety of other remaining challenges within Latin America that factor into the educational dilemma. In order for UNICEF to work efficiently, they require funding that goes towards the necessities to resolve each individual issue one by one. By presenting this to a larger audience, the organization hopes to attract the help of people around the world through donations.

Genre:  UNICEF uses its website to display their purpose as an organization. Through this, millions around the world can obtain a glimpse at how they work to achieve its goals. People are able to view the organization’s research and reports, stories, and it informs on how anyone can be involved with helping resolve the issues that children are facing today.

Stance: UNICEF strives to assist children around the world. The organization expresses the idea that “education is a fundamental human right…that plays a vital role in building human capital, breaking the cycle of poverty, promoting economic productivity, and eliminating social disparities and inequities”. This shows us that UNICEF strongly believes if every child receives an education, it benefits their self development and the world. This relates to the idea that children are key to promoting development in the economy and society for the future. UNICEF also stands by the idea that investing in the future of children should be a priority for governments, corporations and businesses worldwide. They conclude by providing strategies the organization takes like working in partnerships with governments and other organizations to achieve the desired outcome. 

Source: UNICEF. “Investing in education”. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/lac/en/investing-education-0