I don’t believe I’ve ever predicted a more concerning year than I do as I enter 2025. This is a result of his inept choices for federal appointees as well as a vengeful president-elect. It is not consoling to adopt a “let’s see what happens” mindset.
One such candidate, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and his opposition to polio vaccines worry me.My early years were spent in the Midwest with my four brothers. We eagerly anticipated the three months of summer vacation, but my parents dreaded it—not because we spent all day at home, but rather because polio was so common during the 1940s summer months.
The pools were a breeding ground for the sickness, so we were unable to learn to swim. Large yellow signs identifying the communicable diseases were needed to be displayed in windows of homes. Before leaving for work, my dad drove around the neighborhood, noting any warning signs that were in the area. We detested having to retire to our rooms on summer afternoons for quiet time or a two-hour siesta. However, our parents realized that a healthy diet and rest were the only ways to help us avoid an infection of this severity.
Diseases we no longer fear claimed the lives of both of my grandparents. It’s difficult to believe Kennedy didn’t encounter this or be aware of it, given that I’m not that much older than him. Perhaps he just didn’t reside in our communities.
My Sabin oral polio vaccination card is still in my purse. This incident is too memorable.
Portland native Phyllis Duris
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