Mavis Bliss wrote an article (“Moral Free-Riders” in Sojourners, May 2015) about the temptation to make exceptions for ourselves from moral choices.

What if you fear dangers from the vaccination of your children against childhood diseases and decide not to do it? When too many people decide not to vaccinate their children, the “herd” immunity given to society from a high vaccination rate lowers.

“In a public without herd immunity, the risks posed by disease far exceed the small risks associated with vaccination. In other words, free-riding does not work when everyone is doing it. Herd immunity does not require universal vaccination, but it does require vaccination of a sufficient majority.”

Bliss suggests that the following people should be exempt from vaccination: babies too young to be vaccinated and those with low or compromised immune systems, such as some elderly and cancer patients.

Deciding not to vaccinate a healthy child, Bliss says is a morally risky choice, imperiling the children of one’s neighbors.

Loving my neighbor as myself implies loving my neighbor’s child as I love my own. We seek what is best for us all, not just my child, my family, my community, my nation.