RE: The recently overturned vaccination edict of Texas Governor Rick Perry.

Governor Perry unilaterally issued an "executive order" mandating the HPV vaccine to be administered to all girls going into their sixth grade year. The vaccine, for those living in a cave, is supposed to prevent SOME types of HPV that have been shown to cause cervical cancer.

Governor Perry recently won a hotly contested re-election bid. One of his biggest contributors? Merck, the manufacturer of this vaccine.

In my applause for the legislature's decision, which cleared with a veto proof majority, I was chastised because of what one reader called Governor Perry's "Leadership".

Since when did dictatorship equal leadership? Allegedly, we are a democratically based government, and dictatorship was, in fact, the very government form our founding fathers wanted to avoid. Why? Because one person cannot possibly speak for millions as Governor Perry has done.

The ironic thing is this individual has blogged against laws banning certain foods. Well if one government official can decide what is best for you, why can't a legislature? And WAY more people die from obesity than die from cervical cancer. So using this logic, our governors should show "leadership", declare a state of emergency and ban all fast foods. Makes sense, right?

I have a feeling that had Governor Perry sent the proposal for adding Gardasil to the list of shots before the legislature, he might have gotten some support. Possibly even mine. Because I know that, despite what they tell you, moral and religious exceptions to vaccinations ARE allowed. And that ultimately the only people "forced" to have their kids vaccinated are parents who refuse to make a choice. But what Governor Perry did, and the way he did it, left a sour taste in the mouths of many Texans, myself especially and included. There are too many valid questions about the product, questions that proponents REFUSE to answer, calling our compassion into question for even ASKING those questions.

What Governor Perry did in Texas was not leadership, it was dictatorship. And it does not have any place in a Democracy. Maybe the legislature's action (brought about by a legislature in which HIS party holds the majority) will convince Governor Perry that he should work WITH our legislators, not around them.