Guest guest Posted July 4, 2004 Report Share Posted July 4, 2004 > Sun, 4 Jul 2004 18:57:45 +0200 > " Sepp (Josef) Hasslberger " <sepp > Fwd: Pinellas County Florida > > > > > " National Pure Water Association " > <Jane > ><sepp > >Pinellas County Florida > >Sender: " National Pure Water Association " > <Jane > >Sun, 4 Jul 2004 17:30:16 +0100 > > > > > >TODAY'S ARTICLE IN ST PETE TIMES (SECTION B) > > > ><http://www.sptimes.com/2004/07/03/Tampabay/County__Fluoridation_.shtml>http://\ www.sptimes.com/2004/07/03/Tampabay/County__Fluoridation_.shtml > > > >-- > >County: Fluoridation forum would really be a > protest > >Pinellas officials say the debate with fluoride > opponents would serve > >no purpose. " The people that oppose fluoride are > going to oppose it > >no matter what I say, " one official says. > >By MICHAEL SANDLER, Times Staff Writer > >Published July 3, 2004 > > > >--- > > > > > >CLEARWATER - It's being billed as " The Great > Fluoride Debate. " But > >only one side is likely to make an argument. > > > >Citizens for Safe Water, a political action > committee formed last > >year by fluoride opponents, has challenged Pinellas > County officials > >to defend a 2003 decision to add fluoride to the > county water supply. > > > >The group has rented Harborview Center in > Clearwater for the evening > >of July 8 and is flying in two chemistry experts to > make the case > >against the cavity-fighting chemical. > > > >So far, county officials have declined. They say > they are concerned > >the group is staging a protest disguised as a civil > discussion. > > > > " We are not going to convince those opponents, " > said Pick Talley, the > >county's utilities director. " They are pretty set > with their set of > >facts. I don't think there is any public purpose to > continue to > >debate the issue when it shouldn't be decided by > debate. It should be > >decided by scientific fact. " > > > >Last month Pinellas officials began adding fluoride > to the county's > >water supply, which serves about 600,000 people. > Pinellas officials > >say fluoride in the water is proven to help fight > tooth decay. St. > >Petersburg, Tampa and Hillsborough County have been > adding fluoride > >to their water for years, as have communities > serving more than 160- > >million people across the nation. > > > >County officials say they relied on the advice of > some of the > >nation's leading health authorities, including the > Centers for > >Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, the > American Medical > >Association and the American Water Works > Association. > > > >Dr. Paul Connett, a chemistry professor at St. > Lawrence University in > >Canton, N.Y., and William Hirzy, a senior scientist > from the U.S. > >Environmental Protection Agency, are prepared to > challenge that > >information. > > > > " I have made a blanket offer to any community that > is confronted with > >fluoridation issues to come down and debate, " > Connett said by phone > >from his office at the university. " But as you have > probably > >discovered, the proponents lack that confidence > when anybody knows > >something about the issue. " > > > >The two have challenged Talley and Dr. John > Heilman, director of the > >county health department. Both have declined. > > > >Talley said the county allowed ample time for > debate at public > >hearings prior to last year's vote. Talley > questioned why Connett and > >Hirzy have decided to make their case in Pinellas, > rather than with > >higher level public health officials. > > > > " One hundred and sixty million people are getting > fluoride now, " > >Talley said. " Why come to Pinellas and have the > debate here, when he > >is a lot closer to New York City or Washington, > D.C.? " > > > >Heilman said fluoride has been a " strong weapon " > against tooth decay > >since the 1940s and has been proven over time to be > safe in small > >doses. " The people that oppose fluoride are going > to oppose it no > >matter what I say, " Heilman said last month. " They > certainly aren't > >going to convince me otherwise. " > > > >Opponents say fluoride is dangerous, especially to > children, and that > >there are no health studies proving > hydrofluorosilicic acid, the type > >of fluoride being added in Pinellas, is safe. They > say fluoride is > >the byproduct of the phosphate fertilizer industry, > a fact that both > >Talley and Heilman do not dispute. > > > >Peter Glickman, president of Citizens for Safe > Water, and 14 others > >tried to get the county's charter review commission > to add language > >to the November ballot that would ask voters to > decide if they want > >fluoride in the water. The committee declined, > saying that was a > >proper policy decision for the county > commissioners. > > > >He said he hopes the county will see the value in a > spirited debate. > > > > " If I had it in my power, I'd love for them to send > the very best > >people who propose fluoride, " Glickman said. " I > wish they could fly > >someone in from the CDC. We really want the best > from both sides so > >some conclusion can be reached. " > > > >Connett teaches environmental chemistry and > toxicology and uses > >fluoridation to illustrate the intersection of > " science and > >politics. " He and other members of the St. Lawrence > faculty convinced > >the community in Canton, N.Y. to stop fluoridating > the water last > >year. > > > > " When we have a chance to talk with people who have > an open mind, we > >win hands down, " Connett said. " What's difficult is > when people have > >a closed mind. " > > > >County Administrator Steve Spratt said he is > concerned about the > >structure, saying he's not certain he wants to > subject anyone > >representing the county to what may be a hostile > environment. > > > >Glickman said he has contacted the League of Women > Voters, hoping > >they can send a moderator. He has yet to receive > confirmation. > > > > " What is the agenda? How is it supposed to work? " > Spratt asked. " If > >it's a demonstration, a protest event, we will have > to weigh that > >with what kind of contribution we can make. " > > > ><lettersletters > >************************* > >Send your comments to the Pinellas County > Comissioners and copy them > >to the St. Petersburg Times - > ><lettersletters > >Pinellas County Comissioners email addresses: > > btodd, > charris, > >rstewart, > slatvala, > >cmeinck, > jmorroni, > ><ktwelchktwelch > > > > > >Jane Jones > >Campaign Director > >National Pure Water Association > ><http://www.npwa.freeserve.co.uk>http://www.npwa.freeserve.co.uk > > > -- > > The individual is supreme and finds its way through > intuition. > Sepp (Josef) Hasslberger > > Personal home page on physics,energy technology, > social > and economic issues: http://www.hasslberger.com > > Health Supreme: http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp > > Antiprohibition and products made from cannabis as a > raw > material: http://www.unsaccodicanapa.com > > Communication Agents: > http://www.communicationagents.com/ > > La Leva di Archimede - freedom of choice > main site: http://www.laleva.cc > news: http://www.laleva.org > > Robin Good - " Understanding comes from exploration " > http://www.masternewmedia.org > > Trash Your Television! > http://www.tvturnoff.org/ > > Not satisfied with news from the tube and other > controlled media? > Search the net! There are literally thousands of > alternative sources > out there. Start with the following links. (But > there are many more > sites with good, timely information.) > > http://www.whatreallyhappened.com > http://www.joevialls.co.uk/ > http://www.padrak.com/alt/911DD.html > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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