Okay, the fluoride debacle was one thing. So far as rejection of science goes, it could be worse. Like, say, leading the country in not vaccinating your children.

Oh, wait.

This post over at Mother Jones highlights how and why American children aren't being vaccinated. Of course, there's large elements of Jenny McCarthyism at work, but some researchers think kids aren't getting their shots for an even shittier reason: Some parents just don't want to bother taking time out of their busy schedule to make sure their kid doesn't get sick. And indulging that level of "fuck it" is made easy by how simple it is to opt out of immunizing your children.

The full article details the steps some states (not Oregon) are taking to reduce this health risk. Hopefully legislators in the region are paying attention.