Anti Vaxers Are Murderers Rhetorical Analysis

In the article ‘Anti-vaxers are murderers’ by Susie O’Brien published in the Herald Sun Blog on March the 24th, 2015. Susie O’Brien expresses her thoughts on why all babies should be vaccinated.
Susie O’Brien starts of the article by asking the question, “HOW many dead babies will it take to make anti-vaccinators wake up and realise they are killing other people’s precious, loved infants with their ignorance and selfishness?” Straight away the reader understands that the author is strongly against those who don’t want to vaccinate their children. In the past six years 12 babies have died from

whooping cough which is a fully preventable disease. This is presented with the use of evidence and statistics. Susie then goes on to talk about the latest tragedy which was a ‘darling’ little boy named Riley Hughes, from WA who was just 4 weeks old when he died from the whooping cough. She then says “Imagine the agony of his family, who had to watch their little baby boy cough himself to death. Riley was too young to be vaccinated, so he was relying on the immunity of those around him”. Parents who are reading the article would put themselves in the family of that poor babies shoes and imagine how horrible it would be. There is a use of emotive language, anecdote, appeal to family and health and appear to fear. To top it off there is a photo of Greg Hughes (Riley’s dad) cradling his baby before he died. This is an appeal to family and a form of a visual to further connect readers to the story.

She then goes on to say that The Federal Government must force that all childcare centres across the country to bring in a “NO JAB, NO PLAY” policy that would see any unimmunised baby kicked out. Susie O’Brien then goes on to demand they put extra resources into ensuring school-aged children are fully immunised and if their parents object they should be pulled out of school. “let’s stop this conscientious crap. If you want to be at our state-run intuitions, you must play by our rules. This is a big attack, which may even be seen as a threat. She also speaks to the reader as an individual which makes them feel apart if the text and ask themselves do they want their kids being kicked out of school.

The author then talks about celebrities like TV chef Pete Evans and Author Sarah “I quit sugar” Wilson should arm themselves with facts or keep their mouths shut. Wilson caused a stir in 2013 with comments that research about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines was “not conclusive”. Coming from high profile people who think they know better than a legion of doctors and scientists. This is an attack to those who think they know better that experts. Also with the use of an anecdote and mocking tone. She then again says that “The hippy and hipster natural parenting adherents sure have a lot to answer for. They are not just trendy tree-changers and raw milk-drinking vegans, they’re murders as well.” This is a massive attack towards vegans and a generalisation as not all vegans are against vaccinations. The use of emotive language helps to further persuade readers.
In the article ‘Anti-vaxers are murderers’ by Susie O’Brien. She shares her opinion that non vaccines are murders and putting other children at risk. With the use of statistics, evidence, appeal to family/ safety, emotive language, anecdotes, imagery and colloquial language she makes a strong point about her beliefs.