FAN 974: The world is watching GovernorJindal

[Guest guest]

FLUORIDE ACTION NETWORKhttp://www.FluorideAlert.OrgFAN Bulletin #974: The world is watching Governor JindalJune 20, 2008Dear Supporter,The world is watching Governor Jindal, not only because he is one of the possible running mates for John McCain in the presidential election, but also because he has the chance to stop a massive injustice being forced on the citizens of Louisiana. He can veto bill SB 312 which would force fluoridation on the state. Every community above 1000 will be fluoridated, unless citizens turn their lives upside down and get 15% of the voters to sign a petition to hold a referendum.But what makes this bill truly unfair is that the vast majority of the citizens of Louisiana had no idea that this was happening. The proponents (with the help of well paid public relations firms) were able to get this bill through with hardly any one hearing about it. Brilliant, but why so stealth? If this practice was a source of pride why didn't they present their case openly to the people and allow the legislators to hear fully from experts from both sides.The bill passed the Senate unanimously; passed the House 80 to 16 (with amendments); and a 6-person conference committee has just resolved the difference between the House and Senate versions of the bill. It is now only up to the Senate and House to vote up or down on the compromise package, which is expected to be a formality, and then it goes to Governor Jindal's desk. Assuming the worst, FAN has begun asking people to email Governor Bobby Jindal requesting that he VETO the bill. We are suggesting that he do this not on the merits of the bill but on the issue of fairness. As we indicated above, most people in Louisiana have little idea that this is being done to them (and that was the clear intention of the promoters who orchestrated this) and the legislators (particularly the Senators) only heard one side of the story. If the bill was put off till the next session it would give the people of Louisiana a chance to find out what is being done to them and it would give the legislators a chance to hear both sides. We have asked the professionals who signed the Statement calling for an end to fluoridation worldwide to help, and over 160 have already sent emails to him (including two members of the National Research Council panel (NRC, 2006). These have come from doctors, dentists, nurses, scientists and others from Australia, Austria, Canada, China, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, the UK and from many states in the USA. So when we say the world is watching Governor Jindal we mean it. Meanwhile, we have asked every contact in Louisiana to do likewise.Now it is your turn. Please let Governor Jindal know that you are watching what he does very carefully. Does he have the kind of caliber to become a national figure? Can he stand up to the dental lobby and say: what you want to achieve may or may not be right, but the way you did it was not fair. Most people did not know anything about something that will affect them every day - for good or ill - for the rest of their lives. Veto this bill so that it can be taken up in the next session. This will give time for the people of Louisiana to find out what fluoridation entails and for the Legislature to hear from experts on both sides of the issue.If you have time to craft your own message please do so. If you do not please use the message crafted below. Please make sure you fill in the blanks in the first sentence. Please also eliminate any paragraphs you are not happy with.

Dear Governor Jindal,My name is ............and I live in ................. and I have been concerned about water fluoridation for many years.I am writing in the hope that you will veto bill SB 312. Even though I do not live in Louisiana I am very concerned about the way the mandatory fluoridation bill has been pushed through your legislature. I am shocked and disturbed that most of the people of Louisiana have little idea that this practice is about to be forced upon them.Governor you have young children. Were you aware that the levels added to water in fluoridation schemes are approximately 200 times higher then the level in mothers' milk (0.004 ppm)? Were you aware that there are now 18 studies (three published last year alone) which show that fluoride can lower IQ in children at levels as low as 1.8 ppm? I suspect that you did not know this and I suspect most of your legislators did not know either. If it was any other governor I probably wouldn't even bother to write this letter but because you have come to national prominence and some see you as a future leader in our country, how you respond to this gross example of unfairness in your state will be watched very closely not only by me, but many others around the country and even in other countries.Let me be blunt. Do you have the wisdom and courage to stand up to the powerful and well-heeled dental lobby which slipped this bill through both the Senate and the House, with hardly any one knowing what was happening and without your legislators hearing experts from both sides? Sometimes, the greatness of a leader can be judged not in how they handle the big things like war, but how they handle the "little" injustices which they have the power to correct. Please veto SB 312 so that it can be taken up in the next session. This will give time for the people of Louisiana to find out what is proposed and for the Legislature to hear experts from both sides of the issue.Sincerely,

Please cut and paste this into a new email and add your name and other details in the first sentence. Please send to his Chief of Staff (Timmy Teepell) and Executive assistant (Sara Olcott) at timmy.teepell and sarah.olcott and to legisstudent. Please also bcc me at paul so that I can keep track of our progress on this.Thank you all.Paul Connett