Fundraising Update:

We have raised $18,082 from 99 donors.  This means that we are one away from earning a $1000 challenge when we reach 100 donors (see below). Also the 100^th donor will receive a free and signed (by Paul Connett) copy of “The Case Against Fluoride” by Connett, Beck and Micklem. The formula applies to donors #200, #300, $400 and #500.

Don’t forget that All donations will be doubled by a super-angel until we have reached $22,000. 

To add further excitement and fun to the proceedings a second super-angel has focused on reaching our other goal of getting 1000 donors -he will donate $1000 for each 100 donors we get up to 500, then $2000 for each 100 donors up to 900 and then a whopping $7,000 if and when we get to 1000 donors!

DON’T FORGET, for a donation of $51 we are offering the following: A signed copy of “The Case Against Fluoride” by Connett, Beck and Micklem along with a DVD copy of the videos:

• Professional Perspectives On Water Fluoridation;
• The Fluoride Deception, and
• David Kennedy’s Fluoridegate

For $61 we will send you two of these educational sets,
For $71 we will send you three, and
For $81 four sets!

To make a tax-deductible donation to the Fluoride Action Network, a project of the American Environmental Health Studies Project, you can either:

• Donate online using our secure server.  If you should experience difficulty in donating at our secure server, please call Network For Good at 1-888-284-7978and press option 3 to make your donation over the phone.
• Or by check – please make checks payable to Fluoride Action Network and send to: FAN, c/o Connett, 104 Walnut Street, Binghamton NY 13905

How Can These Fluoridation Debates Help You?

As someone who opposes fluoridation, sooner or later you’re bound to find yourself debating the issue with friends, family, colleagues, dentists, and local government officials.  What is essential is to know the issue.  To add to this, watch and study the experts from FAN as they take on the fluoride-lobby in the following debates captured on video.

After watching these debates, please share at least one with your local councilors, water plant employees, and state legislators.  Consider these debate videos a very powerful tool in educating local decision-makers about fluoridation, offering them both the scientific case against the practice as well as the rebuttals to claims made by proponents.  In fact, you should consider sharing these with officials as one of the first steps to take when initiating a local campaign.  Local officials will be more likely to reject fluoridation if they’ve already heard the often-repeated pro-fluoridation talking points debunked prior to holding any hearings:

From 2016:

• High Noon Debate: The fluoridation debate we’ve all been waiting for finally occurred in September.  FAN Senior Advisor, Paul Connett, PhD, and new FAN Director, Bill Osmunson, DDS, faced-offed against pro-fluoridation dentists, Steven Slott and Johnny Johnson, representing the American Fluoridation Society.  The debate took place in Cortland, NY at the request of the Mayor.  Download Paul Connett’s Powerpoint Presentation so you can follow along.  

• Thinking Green NZ Debate: The televised 30-minute debate in New Zealand between FAN Senior Advisor and co-author of The Case Against Fluoride, Paul Connett, PhD, and Professor Mike Berridge, PhD from the Malagan Institute.  Paul has been waiting over 12 years for someone to debate him in NZ. The more vocal proponents refuse to do so. While Berridge is a well known scientist in NZ, he is obviously fairly new to the fluoridation debate – and it shows. What astonishes me was how forcefully he defended fluoridation with very little in-depth knowledge of the practice. Also how willing he was to accept positions based upon the “authority” of proponents (like Sir Peter Gluckman) rather on the quality of the science they offered in the defence of this outdated practice.

• Fluoride Expert Loses Debate in Queensland: Merilyn Haines, director of Australia’s Fluoride Action Network debated dentist Michael Foley, chief fluoride expert for the Australian Dental Association, in September in front of the Mackay Council in Queensland.  The debate starts with Michael Foley at 1:18 and Merilyn at 1:32.  This debate resulted in a vote by the Mackey Council to end fluoridation at the end of September.

• Kennebunk Fluoridation Forum: While the video of the full debate is not available yet, or even the fantastic presentation by FAN Director Bill Osmunson, DDS, it does feature the presentation of Norm Labbe, the Supervisor of the local water district.  Not long after this debate, voters in the district voted to end fluoridation by a vote of 60-39%. 

Prior to 2016:

• East Brunswick Fluoridation Debate: Watch FAN’s former Executive Director and environmental chemist, Paul Connett, PhD debate periodontist and former President of the New Jersey Dental Association, Richard Kahn, DDS on the safety, ethics, and effectiveness of fluoridation in East Brunswick, New Jersey. The video also features legal expert David Lonsky, Esq, who reviews the U.S. legal issues stemming from fluoridation practice.  The important thing about this debate is that the dentist Dr. Kahn had probably used these comments in many communities and got away with them. But with Paul to rebut his arguments with the latest science he was far from convincing.  This would be a very good video to show a council before they hear from a posse of local dentists.

• The Arizona Fluoridation Debate: An unprecedented full one-on-one Lincoln/Douglas style debate with powerpoint presentations featuring FAN’s Director and co-author of “The Case Against Fluoride”, Paul Connett, PhD, squaring off against Arizona dentist and long-time fluoridation proponent, Howard Farran, DDS.  Dr. Farran had very little scientific input in response to Paul’s comments on fluoride’s neurotoxicity except stating that he didn’t trust any scientific research coming from China.

• Pennsylvania forum discussion on fluoridation: In 2015, a public TV station in Pennsylvania held this informative one-hour forum on fluoridation, featuring attorney Michael Connett, Michal Meyer of the Chemical Heritage Foundation, and Dr. Craig Collison.   It is clear in this debate that the doctor is rather shocked learning more science than he knew about this issue – and a hint that Michael Connett had changed his mind.

There is also a 30-minute debate that took place on a public radio station from Pennsylvania in 2015 where Michael Connett took on a dentist and two officials from the PA Department of Health. Fortunately the radio host knew the issue very well, which helped to balance out the 3 against 1 situation.

• The Great Fluoride Debate 2014: Held in Prince George, British Columbia, which later voted to end the practice. In this video Dr. Connett debates Dr. Todd Whitcombe, an Associate Professor at the University of Northern British Columbia.

• Boyne City, Michigan: Paul Connett shows how to win a debate with civility and class against a rude and demeaning opponent, who in this case is a water engineer. As in this debate and several others Paul applauds his opponent for having the courage to debate, in contrast to the  hundreds of others who promote the practice very vocally but don’t have the courage of their convictions and defend their position in open public debate.

• Austin City Council: In 2011, Dr. Paul Connett and Texas dentist Griffin Cole took on members of the fluoridation-lobby before the city council.  See part two of the debate.

• Portland, Oregon: In 2013, prior to the voters of the city significantly rejecting fluoridation on the ballot, members of Clean Water Portland, including FAN’s Campaign Advisor, Rick North, faced-off against members of the opposing pro-F campaign.  Rick is one of FAN’s heroes. He is a terrific organizer. He does his homework and is meticulous with his statements. He is also a model of restraint and politeness when dealing with opponents. In short he is a real winner. (Watch Part 2 / Part 3 of the debate)

Additional Resources:

• Response to Dr. Wu: Dr. Jay Levy, a practicing dentist in Portland, refutes the demonstrably false claims recently made by Dr. Phillip Wu in a video made by the pro-fluoridation advocacy group Healthy Kids, Healthy Portland.

• A Response to Pro-Fluoridation Claims: Chapter 25 from the book “The Case Against Fluoride” offers very helpful responses to 40 inaccurate or misleading arguments used by proponents.

• Register for December’s International Fluoride Free Teleconference: This is a great opportunity to ask the FAN team questions, like how to refute specific pro-fluoridation claims and whitewashed studies. This Saturday, December 10, at 5pm (eastern time) please join the Fluoride Action Network staff and team for this month’s International Fluoride Free Teleconference.  The call is free, and aside from providing an opportunity to ask questions, it will also provide a year-in-review of the fluoride issue.

• 10 Facts About Fluoride: These talking points are a must for all fluoride-free campaigners.  Attorney Michael Connett summarizes 10 basic facts about fluoride that should be considered in any discussion about whether to fluoridate water. To download the flyer that accompanies this video, click here.

Stuart Cooper
Campaign Director
Fluoride Action Network

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