This Is Not About Her!

​By Erin K Costello

Earlier today something must have upset MAM  and  caused her to make couple of posts in both her Facebook group and on her personal “Kate Tietje” Facebook page concerning people who criticize her, her choices, and those who attempt to “infiltrate” her Facebook group. As usual Kate plays the victim and believes these actions are centered around her and happen because of her. I suppose that’s how most things go in Kate’s mind. Everything is about HER

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In this image Kate says that we are “lame, ridiculous, and sorely in need of a life.” To be honest, we simply do not care what Kate thinks of us or our actions. I find it more troubling that she accuses us of needing a more meaningful life than one spent trying to advocate on behalf of others, primarily children. No one desires to argue with anti-vaccination advocates as a way to troll people. If our interests were trolling we would seek out racists. She is correct about one thing though, we do take screen shots to post to our Facebook pages. However, we don’t do this to mock people. If we did then when we posted the screen shots we wouldn’t bother to redact any names or pictures. Our reason for taking screen shots and posting them is to spread awareness of the ideas, beliefs, and actions of the anti-vaccine and anti-medicine community. This is made obvious by the fact the only information we leave exposed and post on our Facebook pages is the comment itself that expresses the ideas, beliefs, and actions. The reason why we do this is because the beliefs and actions of the anti-vaccination community are dangerous. This danger extends to everyone since the consequences could contribute to the spreading of a vaccine preventable disease. However, our concerns aren’t just for the community. Our concerns are also largely on behalf of those too young yet to have a voice, or those too sick to have a choice.
    We are sorry if anyone may see this as bullying or narcissism. We are not going to stop mind you, but it’s a shame that others believe our actions are centered around them or that we only do this because we wish to attack them. This is not personal. For example, Kate may be a wonderful person. She may be a caring friend, a loyal wife, and an attentive mother. I do not know her personally nor do I have any animosity toward her as a person. This is not about her. This is about the dangerous advice she believes to be qualified to give to people. This is about the blatant disregard she shows towards other families and their children. This is about her overwhelming, and almost comical, ignorance. If Kate no longer actively aimed to lower vaccination rates and herd immunity, or insisted other parents ignore or create the suffering of their children, then we would never care to address Kate and her posts again.

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 For someone who is this upset because others take screen shots and care about some choices they make, Kate sure seems awfully preoccupied on what choices other people make. Why does she care if people take their children to see a doctor, even unnecessarily? Why does she care if people treat tummy aches and sniffles for children at home or in a clinic? If the concern is for the child to get better, then should it really matter where this happens? Also, what is this “proper place” she wishes to put western medicine? And why does she aim to do this using her children and yours as her weapons?

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  Personally, I found this post especially troubling. Primarily the fifth paragraph where Kate states, “....[doctors] are not authorities in our lives and we should not have to ask them for permission to make decisions about our bodies.” I find this problematic because no one is concerned with the choices people make about THEIR OWN health care with their own bodies. This is not about them. Our concern lies with the health risks they feel entitled to cause for their minor children, and the community at large. If Kate, or anyone really, were to find out they had cancer tomorrow and chose to treat it with chemotherapy, or chose to treat it with prayer, we would not care. We would hope they chose wisely for their sake, but we would not even imagine to try and take their right to choose away from them. It is when they insist on making disastrous choices, or push their ignorant views on to the bodies of others, primarily children, that we choose to involve ourselves. They regularly ignore science, evidence, and proof because they want to believe they are right. This need they have to be right is greater than the need they have for a healthy child. We realize there are some people who may not consider it our business to inquire about their choices let alone comment on them, but we would have to respectfully disagree. Anytime harm, or potential harm, is knowingly inflicted or risked to minors it should become everyone’s business. These choices should be exposed in hopes safer choices can be made in the future. We do not have a right to go much further than this though. We don’t wish to assert our will on to anyone, only to speak up when it is warranted. 
  I wonder what life would be like if Kate were to get her way. Can you imagine a world where preventative health care no longer existed? Where the expectation and responsibilities of doctors existed only during times of extreme sickness or injury? How many of our children would end up dead due to a missed medical diagnosis caused by no longer bringing them to a doctor for well visits? How many of us would be worse off because we missed out on learning valuable healthcare advice during our routine well visits? 
  There is no requirement for any of us to regularly see a physician. There is no oppression or dominance inflicted on us to obtain and obey instructions from our doctors. Her concern here sounds extremely paranoid. The health care she aims to rid us all of is...well, just health care. She seems to want to become everyone’s witch doctor in place of our actual doctors. Why else would she care about the relationship other people have with their physicians? If she is a champion of medical choice like she claims to be, then why does she so badly wish to take a choice away from everyone else?
​  In an ideal world no one would need to be advised on which food is healthy, or what exercise is safe. Everyone would also instinctively know which supplements they should take because their body would tell them. But this isn’t an ideal world. We can’t look inside ourselves and see how much stress our hearts can endure from exercise, we can’t see a pie chart of our vitamin and mineral levels, and we do not have an alarm inside of us that alerts us when cancer cells are beginning to cluster and form a tumor. I find it horrific that anyone would desire to end these privileges humans have in today’s modern medicine. If you wish to turn down these options for yourself, then that’s fine. But what is it you despise about medicine so deeply that you wish to take these life saving and life altering advantages away from children and everyone else?

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 In this post Kate exposed her true agenda; to free her followers of pharmaceutical drugs. This is what Kate is obsessed with, pharma drugs. She is not preoccupied with the health of children, or the health of her followers, nor does she wish to help people feel better in life. She is after pharmaceutical drugs and those who prescribe them. I understand why she wishes to discredit pharma drugs. They are her competition after all. But, I have yet to venture a guess as to why she harbors such hate and disdain for doctors. I am open to any and all suggestions!
  It is at the end of this post and another post that I find at least one answer to my questions. She reveals, “This Fourth of July we’re celebrating Freedom From Pharmaceuticals. And we’re doing it with a rare 15% off *store wide* at Earthley. (July 3 and 4 only.) We want everyone to be able to afford the health-promoting products that they need!” If you’re familiar with MAM and Earthley then you will know that there’s nothing rare about a 15% discount. She routinely creates ways to shill her products and often offers this discount. You’ll also know that it is of no coincidence MAM just happens to make posts condemning modern medicine, has banned all discussions about modern medicine from her group, and insists everyone choose to persistently treat a myriad of illnesses and injuries at home instead of with a doctor, regardless of how much pain and suffering this may cause a child. It is not happenstance that Kate expresses her hate and vitriol towards effective medicine while also offering her own products in their place. This is calculated, purposeful, and by design. The only thing I question is if this is solely for momentary gain, or if this also serves a need to feed her ego. I realize her inflated sense of authority exists to feed her ego. But, when it comes to her products, she seems primarily concerned with making a sale rather than basking in the glory of positive reviews.

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  Regardless of why it is that MAM posts the things she posts, the fact remains that her views and her advice are dangerous to children and society. So long as this danger exists, we and others like us will be around to combat these dangers and those who feel entitled to create them.