As I pointed out a number of years ago in my own research into the CDC figures for fluoridation vs cancer deaths in the various states of America, (Blogger 6/10/2007-Black People Suffer More from the Effects of Fluoridation) it seemed obvious that black and hispanic groups were reaping even more drastic effects from fluoridation than caucasian communities. It seems that my feeling has been further backed up by research in the intervening years. I welcome the release of the information that hydrofluorosilicic acid (it is NEVER pharma-grade fluoride that is used in public fluoridation, just phosphate industry slop) attacks even more minority groups than originally believed. Maybe this will finally cause wilful and ignorant governments to finally pull the plug on their misguided fluoridation campaigns.
Daniel Stockin of The Lillie Center in Georgia, and FAN's Georgia state contact person, provides the following summary of the dramatic developments of 2011 pertaining to the growing awareness that minorities are more vulnerable to fluoride's toxic effects, and that the government is failing to offer warnings about this fact. We suggest that you print this summary and share it with the leaders of your cities and water districts.
2011: A Dramatic Year in the Fight Against Fluoridation
by Daniel G. Stockin
At The Lillie Center we have felt inspired to pursue the involvement of black and other minority communities to help end fluoridation. In 2006, we published our first article "Harmed Babies and Minorities: Acceptable Collateral Damage of Fluoridation?" Since then our focus on harmed minority groups has continued, and this year we have been fortunate in gaining the involvement of leaders across the United States in this effort.
We have worked particularly to involve leaders in the black community in Georgia and Tennessee, in the backyard of the Centers for Disease Control (the Oral Health Division of the CDC is the number one promoter of fluoridation in the U.S.). In 2011, Andrew Young, former Atlanta mayor and U.N. ambassador, and Reverend Gerald Durley, a nationally known civil rights leader and prominent Atlanta pastor, both released letters opposing fluoridation.
We were also pleased to work with Bernice King and Alveda King, the daughter and niece of Martin Luther King Jr., and they each released statements opposing fluoridation. In addition, prominent Atlanta resident Laura Seydel, daughter of CNN founder Ted Turner and a widely respected environmental advocate, was of great assistance in our efforts, and she also released a statement on her website, opposing fluoridation.
In addition to working with leaders in the black community, we also joined efforts with Nikki Kuhns and Henry Rodriguez from San Antonio, Texas, who worked tirelessly and with great sacrifice to secure the passage of a dramatic civil rights resolution opposing fluoridation by the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the oldest hispanic civil rights organization in the U..S.
The developments in Atlanta elicited a damage control response by the American Dental Association and the U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health. In reading the excerpts printed below from the minority community leaders who have now spoken out against fluoridation, one can see why fluoridation promoters are nervous (see also the quote from ADA below):
From former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young: "People are calling for investigative Fluoridegate hearings, and one can understand why, given the fact that the story about fluorides keeps changing. I am most deeply concerned for poor families who have babies: if they cannot afford unfluoridated water for their babies milk formula, do their babies not count? Of course they do. This is an issue of fairness, civil rights, and compassion."
From civil rights leader Rev. Gerald Durley: "I support the holding of Fluoridegate hearings at the state and national level so we can learn...why our government agencies haven't told the black community openly that fluorides disproportionately harm black Americans..."
From William Owens, President of the 5,000-member-strong Coalition of African American Pastors: "African Americans have more kidney disease and more diabetes, but nobody elected to tell us that kidney patients and diabetics are more susceptible to harm from ingested fluorides... We need to investigate this Fluoridegate mess. This is a civil rights and environmental justice issue.."
From Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr.: "Water fluoridation needs to end. It is good that organizations are lending their support to help push this outdated and harmful practice of fluoridation toward collapse."
From Alveda King, niece of Martin Luther King Jr.: "This is a civil rights issue. No one should be subjected to drinking fluoride in their water, especially sensitive groups like kidney patients and diabetics, babies in their milk formula, or poor families that cannot afford to purchase unfluoridated water. Black and Latino families are being disproportionately harmed."
From Laura Seydel, well-known environmental leader and daughter of CNN founder Ted Turner: "...the government should stop adding fluoride chemicals to our water immediately...Gerber is selling bottles of non-fluoridated water that parents can use for their infant children. However, as Atlanta leaders have pointed out, bottled water is not always an option for low-income families."
Attempts at Damage Control by Fluoridation Supporters
Here is the telling statement in a letter sent to Howard Koh, U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health, from the President-Elect and Executive Director of the American Dental Association: "...we have asked for your help in addressing the concerns raised by Former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young and Pastor Gerald Durley regarding the safety of water fluoridation for minority populations. We believe that this issue has the potential to gain traction."
Adding fuel to the fire later in the year, the resolution passed by the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) was fiercely resisted, removed from the LULAC website, and then later restored. The resolution stated, "LULAC supports efforts by all citizens working to stop forced medication through the public water system because it violates civil rights; and...LULAC demands to know why government agencies entrusted with protecting the public health are more protective of the policy of fluoridation than they are of public health."
The Message Reaches California
With key assistance from Patty Ducey-Brooks, David Kennedy, and others, nationally known black leader Bishop George McKinney and San Diegans for Safe Drinking Water hosted an event this past summer, a "Town Hall Meeting on Fluoridegate." Bishop McKinney issued a statement that, "Our state and federal elected representatives should convene FluorideGate hearings immediately and put people under oath...And we need to find out why minority community leaders weren't told that fluorides disproportionately harm Black Americans, Hispanics, and other people of color.."
The Vital Assistance in These Efforts from the Fluoride Action Network
At The Lillie Center, we are grateful that the Fluoride Action Network identified fluoridation as an Environmental Justice issue (also see FAN's submission to HHS). With FAN's wonderful connections and expertise, news about fluoride harm to minorities is now being used in city council meetings, in state legislative houses, in pieces published in the media, and elsewhere. We will be continuing our work of reaching out to black, hispanic and other minority leaders, and we recognize the vital role of Dr. Connett and the FAN team in helping to spread the word about this issue. The message simply won't go away. We are pleased that the top leaders of the American Dental Association are concerned about these efforts "gaining traction," and we look forward to even more awareness by minority citizens about their greater risk for harm from water fluoridation, and awareness of the fact that those promoting fluoridation are not warning them about their increased risk.
Thank you Dan for all the wonderful work you have done to help end fluoridation this year and for several years before. If ever the quote "one person can make difference" applies it applies to you. And thank you to everyone else who is making a difference on this issue. I have no need to tell you how difficult this task is but if we keep together as a worldwide team we will prevail.
Paul Connett,
FAN Director
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