Vaccine opponents are passionate, persistent and science-averse

Two children hold up homemade protest signs last week at a rally against legislation that would strenthen California's vaccination mandate. On Monday, state lawmakers sent the bill to Gov. Jerry Brown for approval.Despite all the noise around mandating vaccinations for schoolchildren, most California adults -- some 67%, according to a recent poll -- think it’s a good idea.

We will soon know whether Gov. Jerry Brown agrees. Today, the Legislature sent him a bill that would end the personal belief exemption, a routinely abused loophole that has seriously eroded the immunization rates in many of California’s school districts. Children who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons would be…