How Our Wikipedia SHOULD Read
Someone decided to do a poor write-up on Health Freedom Idaho on Wikipedia. Of course, it’s skewed, inaccurate, and bias. So, we made an attempt to update the listing with accurate information and citations. The update remained on the site for eleven minutes until it was reverted to inaccuracy. They don’t want the truth – just propoganda.
Remember your sources. Wikipedia promotes only what they want to promote. Having primary sources from the organization they are trying to describe would be too close to the truth for their comfort. The 3 hours of work it took to do this write-up with citation was reverted. The second attempt was made and it was just a matter of seconds to revert it’s inaccuracies.
Health Freedom Idaho is a grassroots health freedom organization dedicated to preserving the freedom of choice for health care decisions of all individuals, preserving parental rights, defending natural rights, and protecting citizens’ access to toxin-free living in the great state of Idaho. [1] They believe that mandates for medical procedures have no place in a free society supporting individuals’ freedom to make medical choices for their families with informed consent. Concerns about mask requirements[2], restrictions on the operation of businesses due to the COVID-19 pandemic[3], and vaccine mandates for employment[4] and other COVID pandemic reactions have the organization leaders, volunteers and members attending and speaking out at events across the state. Founded in May 2015, the organization describes its mission as including “preserv[ing] our freedoms regarding the health care of our choice.” While the group’s activities have mainly taken place in the Boise area, the organization has a northern chapter hosting several educational events in 2020-2021.[5]
Leadership
As of 2021, the organization has a long-standing executive board and was headed by co-executive directors Miste Gardner Karlfeldt and Sarah Clendenon.
Parental Rights
Health Freedom Idaho has worked to preserve the rights of parents in areas of vaccination, medical choice, and parental authority for medical treatment of minor children. Of significant concern is the intrusion of CPS on families and the traumatizing impact that results. Health Freedom Idaho brought to light numerous attempts of medical kidnap in North Idaho, initiated by hospital staff, after parents requested a second opinion or ask questions regarding an invasive treatment.[6] [7] [8] More than 80% of children removed from their homes in Idaho are returned to parents. Many families suffer trauma from separation and even abuse within the child protective system.[9]
Faith Healing
Health Freedom Idaho has opposed the changing of Idaho state laws regarding children and faith healing.[10] On October 3, 2016, several Health Freedom Idaho members attended a meeting of the Children at Risk of Faith Healing working group to provide testimony against changing the laws under discussion. The working group included state legislators and was formed at the request of then-governor Butch Otter to examine laws that exempt parents from the requirement to seek emergency medical care for a child in the case of a health emergency if they instead attempt to use faith healing. In the five years prior to the hearing, there were less than 3 cases of children dying per year in such circumstances with several of these deaths including newborns with unattended home births.[11] The working group ultimately opted not to submit a recommendation to the Idaho Legislature on whether or not to change the laws.[6]
Health Freedom Idaho has taken a strong stance for parental rights [12][13] opposing additional statutes citing the current statutes already place to protect children from abuse and neglect. HFI brought awareness to the legislators that the small political organization promoting legal change had the backing of a vaccine advocate, Paul Offit, who said numerous times that parents should lose their children if they don’t vaccinate.[14] There were serious concerns that the ‘faith healing campaign’ had a more sinister motive designed to undermine parental authority rather than protect children in Idaho.[15] [16]
Vaccination views
The organization holds the view that every parent should have the authority to choose what is for their family in regards to medical treatment, including vaccination. Health Freedom Idaho is frequently described in the media as an anti-vaccination group by the media. Promoting informed consent, the organization has hundreds of articles about the liability-free status of vaccine manufacturers[17], about the risks of vaccines[18] [19] [20], and the moral concerns about abortion-tainted vaccines.[21][22] [23] Health Freedom Idaho is additament about providing parents with the information to make vaccination choices for their own family, “education before vaccination.” hosted annual events to allow parents to hear from immunologists and doctors about the risk versus benefits of childhood vaccinations and the newly developed COVID vaccines. [24]
Health Freedom Idaho opposes to vaccine mandates. “It’s NOT about healthcare and safety or effectiveness of vaccines, it is about freedom of choice. It’s about personal bodily sovereignty. No person should have control over another’s body without their consent.”[25]
In 2019 the organization posted a video from an immunologist about childhood vaccines.[26][27] In 2021, they posted videos from immunologist Dr. Ryan Cole who speaks of reservations about vaccinations for the COVID recovered at the Idaho Central District Health Meeting.[28] In November 2016, the group’s blog posted a 2013 study, that the flu shot increases risk of fetal death.[3] The claim is contradicted by the bulk of research on miscarriage and the flu shot and the post was rated False by Politifact.[3] This post would go on to circulate widely on Politifact in 2019.[3]
During Idaho’s 2017 legislative session, Health Freedom Idaho advocated a bill that would hold schools accountable to the law allows parents to provide a letter written by the parent to exempt their child from vaccination requirements rather than using a school-provided form to do so.[18] The form created by the health department required parents to sign incriminating and to acknowledge that “I am aware that my child may contract a vaccine-preventable disease.”[19] The bill died without receiving a hearing in the Senate.[18] “The form developed by IDHW exceeded the scope of the Idaho Statutes (section 39-1118(2) or 39-4802(2), Idaho Code;). The state prescribed form based on IDAPA 16.02.15, is in violation of Idaho Code 39-4802 and 39-4804.” In January 2018, an Idaho Senate panel introduced a bill similar to the 2017 bill with the support of Health Freedom Idaho, which never received a hearing.[20] In 2020, due to the persistence of the organization and the legislators advocating on behalf of parents, the rules were changed to line up with the statute and amended to include the acceptance of a parent-signed statement.
In 2019, Heath Freedom Idaho opposed a new state administrative rule requiring students entering 12th grade to get a meningitis booster shot. [29] The rule was ultimately adopted.[21]
After years of advocating, a 2021 House Bill 298 passed requiring the schools and daycares to advise parents of their right to a vaccine exemption for religious, philosophical, or medical reasons. [30]
“School officials shall describe the exemptions provided in this section and provide a citation to this section in any communication to parents and guardians regarding immunization.” [31] See also Idaho Code 39-4804 which details that vaccines are not mandatory, may be refused, parents are entitled to information about complications, and that opting out may not be used against a parent in any way.
COVID-19 related protests
Health Freedom Idaho has organized, co-organized, and participated in several protests of health measures taken by the Idaho state government and the City of Boise in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These have included protests of the stay-home order issued by governor Brad Little in April 2020, of mask orders issued by the City of Boise, and of emergency legislation considered by the state legislature related to mail-in voting and protection from COVID-19 related liability for businesses and government bodies.[22][4][1][23][24][25][26][8] They also organized a demonstration at a hospital in which thousands of citizens lined the main thoroughfare in protest of the hospital’s decision to require staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19.[32]
They co-organized these protests with a range of other organizations including the Idaho Freedom Foundation, the Idaho Second Amendment Alliance, Ammon Bundy, and his supporters, American Common Law Academy, Arise Freedom 2021, and the John Birch Society.[4][28][29][2][22] These events featured speakers including Washington State Representative Matt Shea, Idaho State Representative Heather Scott, and Ammon Bundy and Dr. Ryan Cole, Senator Christy Zito.[7][30][24]
Health Freedom Idaho did not participate in protests that included demonstrations outside the homes of officials, such as those of governor Brad Little, the health officials participating in a Central District Health meeting, and a police officer who arrested former Health Freedom Idaho member Sarah Walton Brady for refusing to leave a park that was closed due to the pandemic.[1][31][32][33]
However, events coordinated other locations included the Idaho State Capitol, outside the Boise City Hall, and the parking lot of the Central District Health Center Offices.[2][25][23][33][34]
Some demonstrations included setting a fire in which masks were burned, and the open carrying of firearms was noted at protests which is common in Idaho.[25][34][8][5][28][7][4]
One of the more distinctive demonstrations was a call for a special legislative session supported by two dozen legislators who understood the governor’s response to the pandemic had exceeded expiration and extended past the 60-day limit.[2][35][36] The Health Freedom Idaho continues to advise citizens of the ‘state of emergency’ that as of October 2021, exceeds 580 days. [37]
Another notable event occurred on August 24, 2020, at the Idaho State Capitol. Citizens were attempting to enter the public galley to listen to the legislative floor debate. Officials attempted to lock out the public by closing the doors on them. While citizens chanted “This is our house!” officers tugged the door closed and citizens attempted to keep the door open, in the struggle glass door broke.[38] National news made a point to mention that some participants carried weapons (which is a common occurrence in Idaho) while attending the special legislative session to consider bills on early voting and shielding businesses and government bodies from legal liability related to COVID-19.[22][4]
Health Freedom Idaho’s executive director also urged group members to participate in a protest of Biden’s visit to the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise on September 13, 2021, a demonstration was on behalf of several causes, including opposition to the vaccine mandate announced by President Biden the previous week.[35]
