BACKGROUND: In the March/April 2013 issue, The Next STEP newsletter (a toxics newsletter) published an article on the toxicity and ineffectiveness of community water fluoridation, the result of our impartial research on both sides of the issue. For all of March, we received only one reader email disagreeing with this article. Most reader feedback on this article has been extremely positive, finding it fair, factual, useful, and entirely appropriate for a toxics newsletter. Then on April 5, the Press Democrat (PD) wrote an article questioning its appropriateness, without even mentioning key facts about the newsletter's intent, history, and design. You can see that article, my response, our original fluoridation article, more about the history and design of the newsletter, and other related information at www.healthyworld.org/SCFluoridation-APD.html.

In this page, I seek to show that the vast majority of reader feedback to our original article was strongly positive. Most readers are clear that the mission of this newsletter is to let folks know about hidden toxics and how to avoid them, in order to protect our shared health, water supply, and environment. That goal is easy to discern, as the masthead says that STEP stands for the "Sebastopol Toxics Education Project." This is just one of the key facts not mentioned in the PD article. It's also not mysterious because the design of the newsletter was created through a collaborative process with all the stakeholders, and each year gets an approval rating from readers of 85 to 90%. (You can see more about that here www.healthyworld.org/STEP-HistoryDesign.html.)

After the PD article came out, I received three negative emails that used the language of the PD article and clearly didn't know the stated mission of the newsletter. In a calm and friendly way, I provided them with that added information. All three thanked me, apologized, and spoke their encouragement for our work. One even invited me out for coffee!

This to me supports my feeling that the Press Democrat's article is an outsider not bothering to understand this project but unilaterally telling us it should be different.

But we in Sebastopol have created a cool project to educate ourselves about toxics -- and we have a right to do so!

TYPICAL SUPPORTIVE COMMENTS I'VE RECEIVED AND SEEN POSTED "The newsletter in question is called: The Next STEP Towards a Healthier Future (STEP meaning: Sebastopol Toxics Education Program). Why wouldn't an article about the dangers of fluoridation be appropriate for this newsletter? " • • •  "Hi Patricia -- I think it's patently absurd that your perfectly appropriate article (in this toxics newsletter, for cryin' out loud) got targeted. This is just so typical…. Go get 'em!" • • •  "Patricia -- I would like to support you on the Fluoride article. Let me know what I can do…. Your investigative, or just informative, writing is just what it should be. Thanks for all you do." • • • "Regarding information available to the public about fluoridation of water, I believe that Sebastopol is lucky to have Patricia Dines enlightening us via the STEP newsletter. I hold her research in high regard, having observed her trail of publishing and public speaking over the past 18 years. The case supporting fluoridation of county water is flimsy indeed. It is an industrial waste product, after all. If it has any use at all, it is in controlled and topical application, on a seven or eight-year old, in a dentist's office, not taken systemically. It is a poison.... We do not all have a fluoride deficiency. We should be encouraging citizens to drink tap water, not adding something questionable to it (besides chlorine). Purchasing water in bottles that must be recycled has created a mounting environmental problem." • • •  "I just read your excellent comments on the P.D. comment board regarding fluoride and other sensitive issues. They are intelligent, well-stated and inspiring. ...Please keep up the good work, and please don't ever be afraid to keep us informed in the future on other issues of environmental concern which have the potential to adversely affect our health. I have always found your columns forthright, credible and informative. Thank you." • • •  "Thank you for your work and volunteer effort on behalf of the City. Anytime we put ourselves out there, we invite criticisms. Stand strong and don't stop, time will reveal an appropriate response and outcome. I appreciate your position and insight!" • • • "I totally support Patricia Dines in writing this article filled with FACTS that our supervisors seem to be uninterested in even researching. My concern is that these five people are making decisions that will affect hundreds of thousands of people and they aren't willing to do complete research on it? This is the height of irresponsibility and arrogance. I will never support forced medication of a populace with an FDA "Unapproved drug." This is a civil rights issue; we have the right to refuse forced medication. If this goes through I will work to make sure none of the supervisors who supported it are elected again." • • • "It is very important to get science based information to the Supervisors and the public. Thank you to Patricia Dines for offering more information on this important topic. Adding anything to our water supply is a very serious issue. Also, in these times of budget challenges, going to great expense to add a probable toxin to our water supplies, when there are so many positive things we struggle to find adequate funding for, makes this being considered even more frustrating. The cancer rates in areas that fluoridate should be of huge concern." • • • "Like all those who have no facts or evidence, they attack the messenger. Fluoride is a toxic substance.... read the box your fluoridated toothpaste comes in. Even the Federal Government has had to admit that fluoride is a poison -- hence the need to call your nearest poison control center if any of this toothpaste is swallowed. Wake up! Most of Europe and many other industrialized nations have banned fluoridation because of its known SERIOUS health effects. The PD is -- again -- siding with the establishment that has no interest in telling people that they've misled the public for years on this issue." • • • "I appreciate Patricia Dines' article in the latest STEP newsletter. Her articles are normally about toxics so what's the hoopla about this one? "Personally, I am appalled at the behavior of the supervisors in refusing to even look at any information other than what they have been spoon fed by the local "health officer." They are making decisions that will affect literally hundreds of thousands of people and they aren't willing to do complete research? What's wrong with this picture? This is the height of irresponsibility and arrogance. "Nearly all of Europe has stopped fluoridation due to health problems. There are many independent studies showing harm to humans and the environment from water fluoridation. "Sonoma County doesn't need this! " • • • "I am glad to see a discourse here on adding fluoride to our drinking water. Up to now there has not been one. The County is intending to fluoridate drinking water as a policy rather than bringing it to its citizens like a referendum allowing a true debate on the pros and cons of fluoride. Worldwide this is a controversial issue and for good reason. What may be (or may not be) safe for an average healthy person can be unsafe for a smaller person (including babies) and people with health issues. The dosage cannot be controlled so the labeling will be invisible.... There are plenty of mainstream studies that both show impacts of fluoride to babies and to those with compromised health. There is no good reason to risk impacting the health of a significant portions our citizenry when there are good alternatives with promoting flossing and brushing that don't hurt anybody." • • • "As you stated, Patricia, "We have a right to make an informed choice before this goes into our water, bodies, local food and beverages, and environment!" Thank You for your factual reporting! • • • "You did a good thing by including info about the dangers of fluoridation in your newsletter. All the statements you made are true. Perhaps, having the article printed in the newspaper will ultimately serve a good end by generating more public awareness about the issue…. Sorry for the added stress you're having to weather because of this. Courage m'dear! Good luck!" • • • "Love your newsletter, Patricia Dines. Well written and science based. Should be easy to defend." • • • "thank you for caring enough about human beings to want them to make good choices, and all the time you spend helping them. You go, Patricia Dines" • • • "As a former Sebastopol resident (now in Forestville) and once Chair of the Sierra Club's Toxics Committee, I am very aware of the invisible toxic chemicals that can impact all of us and especially the very young, old and health impaired. Because of this invisibility and the potential impacts, Patricia Dines' articles, that also appear in various other publications, are an invaluable public service using current scientific information and studies. Dines' piece on the issue of adding fluoride to drinking water is similarly important for educating everyone that could be impacted from fluoride, including the very young, old, and health impaired in an unsuspecting way. On all private and public taps throughout the county, there would be no labels or no warnings. I understand that city staff is contemplating putting a counter article, a pro-fluoride one, into the next residential water bill mailing. This seems very inappropriate and I think a precedent that Sebastopol would deeply regret. Instead, I urge the city council members and staff to research the fluoride issue using the latest scientific independent, peer reviewed studies…. By taking the time to look at this issue more carefully, I think you will find that there is not sufficient solid evidence to change from the status quo condition of our current drinking water. There is a good reason why most of the rest of the developed world does not fluoridate or changed their minds about fluoridating their drinking water. Thank you for your immediate attention on this issue."   NEGATIVE EMAILS Before the Press Democrat article came out, the STEP newsletter with the fluoridation article had been out over a month and I'd received only ONE negative email about it. After the PD article came out, I did get a few negative emails, but they used the language of the PD article, and clearly hadn't actually read The Next STEP and didn't know that it was a toxics newsletter. When I responded in a kind and friendly manner, just giving them additional information, ALL THREE completely reversed their opinion, complimented me on my work, and encouraged me to continue doing it. One of them even invited me out to coffee! All of this to me is clear evidence that the PD did not accurately present the basics of our newsletter and did not accurately represent the feelings of Sebastopol's residents.   EXAMPLE ATTACK EMAIL AFTER PD ARTICLE "STOP PUTTING YOUR POLITICAL OPINIONS in city water/sewer bill I get. You are politically offensive and with ideas that often have no scientific foundation. "   I CALMLY PROVIDED KEY INFORMATION ABOUT THE NEWSLETTER AND TOPIC HE RESPONDED "You're right. I shot from the hip (usual style)…. "It's a complicated problem w/ good&bad sides. "But the medical value of imposing fluoridated water on all of us is not like requiring important vaccinations for public health. It therefore should be a matter of choice. Too many of our freedoms have been or are being eroded by Big Government! "One can argue that the elite can make an informed choice. What will you do about the poor/ill informed, low income people? I don't know. Their presence is biblical. "So I now agree and know you'll keep up the dissemination of info for as wide an audience as you can muster." PD NOTE: I was so impressed that he was willing to listen. But isn't that an incredible turnaround of opinion, from attack to agreeing, just because he was given the key facts that were NOT in the PD article -- but WERE in my original article and the link I provided there for people to get added information and citations.

* For a summary of more positive feedback we're received over the years, see www.healthyworld.org/STEP-Accolades.html

* For more about The Next STEP's history and design, see www.healthyworld.org/STEP-HistoryDesign.html.

* For actions you can take on fluoridation, see www.healthyworld.org/StopSCFAction.html.

* If you want to get announcements when each STEP newsletter is put online, I invite you to sign up on my very low email list at www.patriciadines.info/EList. You don't have to live in Sebastopol to receive these!

Also, I have an option there for you to sign up for a STEP priority action alerts list, so you be informed if there any future developments in this process or STEP in general.

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Page last updated 5/30/13
www.healthyworld.org/SCFluoridation-Responses.html