Fast-talking, deep-voiced 12-year-old Marco Arturo posted a two-minute clip on his Facebook page last week: "Vaccines do cause autism." "We've all been lied to," he starts, "by doctors and pharmaceutical companies about vaccines. And after a lot of research I realized vaccines do and will cause Autism."
But just before you think this kid's been lost to the anti-vaxx movement, he holds up his folder of "EVIDENCE THAT VACCINES CAUSE AUTISM" to reveal…every sheet of paper is blank, and then spends the final half of the video ripping the anti-vaxxer argument to shreds.
"It's not just your child," he says. "It's everyone's child. It's also everyone's child you're putting in danger because you read some poor-worded email." (Good burn.)
The anti-vaccination movement, of course, is no laughing matter: After the United States effectively eliminated measles in 2000, hundreds of children were diagnosed with the disease in 2014 and 2015, the worst measles epidemic in 20 years scientists largely attributed to parents forgoing vaccines for their children. It makes sense, then, that Arturo’s video was shared more than 66,000 times—he’s putting a face to an issue affecting kids just like him.
Ashton Kutcher? He loves it.
Of course, our friend Marco attracted some haters in the comment sections of some recent posts.
All part of wading into the murky anti-vaxxer waters, Marco.
Marco even addressed some specific criticism over the origin of his accent:
I've received a ton of questions and comments regarding my accent. A ton of them. Some love it, others hate it. Some people think I'm Swedish, others think I'm French, British, Spaniard, Irish, Belgian, Brazilian, Argentinian and French Canadian. But I'm surprised that absolutely no one has gotten it right yet. Absolutely no single person. Turns out, I'm actually Mexican. Yes, I know, it doesn't make sense to you, but I really am. I was born in Mexico and I've ALWAYS lived in Mexico.
The haters are not getting to Marco, it seems. Good on this child.
Michael Rosen is a reporter for Fusion based out of Oakland.