Those who resist vaccination are increasingly at risk of losing their right to free speech and the freedom to decide what medicines are injected into their bodies.

“Too often we hold fast to the clichés of our forebears. We subject all facts to a prefabricated set of interpretations. We enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.” — John F. Kennedy

The core principles of a free society include a range of individual rights. They must be shared by everyone to be effective. And in many modern democracies, there has been some movement toward greater inclusion of people from all races and across walks of life.

In government, business and society, discrimination has increasingly been recognized and addressed. In some places, policies are transforming in an attempt to create a genuine atmosphere of equality.

Proponents of diversity insist that the injustices of the past and continuing inequities must be recognized and corrected.

Any approach to building a better democracy demands that preconceptions are dropped, so that new ideas can be considered.

Attitudes are not simply shifted under pressure or with new laws. It takes empathy, flexibility and practice to begin modifying how we relate to, and integrate with, those whom we perceive as different.

Reducing prejudice must involve listening carefully to people who have different experiences or opinions.