In 1996, when we first got involved with this battle, I thought it was going to be easy. It’s now 20 years later and we are still struggling to end this reckless practice. We continue this struggle year after year because we know that we are right and no matter how much power and money opponents have to muddy the waters we will never give in. So once again we print our favorite cartoon.
We bring to this battle what we brought to the battle against the building of waste incinerators in the 1980s and 1990s. Virtually all governments were FOR incineration and worked hand-in-glove with industry to build them everywhere. However, between 1985 and 1995 we (Work on Waste, USA) helped citizens defeat over 300 incinerator proposals. Since 1997 ONLY ONE new incinerator has been built in the USA and some of those that were built have since been closed down.
We are using the same formula in our battle against fluoridation. Our advice:
1) Learn the issue by doing your research
2) Form a group and work together to educate your community, media and politicians
3) Network with other groups by learning from one another and sharing successes
4) Have fun while your doing it
This battle has proved much harder than fighting incineration because, a) people saw the threat of incineration more clearly and b) this foolish idea of fluoridation has taken almost hypnotic control of the US dental, medical and publish health establishment. In U.S. regulatory agencies this policy has fossilized with disastrous consequences to scientific integrity. When policy is king, science becomes its slave. In short, there are many reputations and livelihoods that depend on this practice continuing.
But this battle is easier in one respect. Communication technology from the video camera to the lap top computer makes communication easier, cheaper and faster. When “truth” is at stake this helps to level the playing field. The other side is trying to play catch-up here but their task is so much more difficult than ours: we want to reveal the truth they want to hide it! Nearly every new study helps us, but hurts them.
The one sentence – that will eventually bring down fluoridation is: Fluoride is neurotoxic. It borders on insanity for a society to knowingly expose the next generation –womb to grave – to a substance that can interfere with the development of the brain.
Our task then is to get this message out to more and more people – with little help from the mainstream media. We don’t have the money that our opponents have but we have more creativity. That is why it is so great to have Michael back with FAN full time. He loves all this technological stuff and these modern ways of communication. By reaching out to a lot of creative young people we can deliver our message as never before. In the next few bulletins he will be giving you some exciting new examples.
Meanwhile, it is critical that we raise enough money to do this. Ours is a huge team effort. We need your financial support more than ever to put Michael’s ambitious new strategy into action so please give us generously as you can today.
Fundraising update
Yesterday was a slow day for us. We raised just $565 from 13 people, which was doubled by a benefactor, bringing our total to $72,122 from 324 supporters.
We are going to need a little miracle today to reach our mini-goal of $75,000 by midnight Christmas eve. Either we are going to need a large number of small donations or a few very large ones. It is not the end of the world if we don’t reach this mini-goal today, but it will be a huge morale boost if we do because our ultimate goal of $200,000 from 1000 donors is very daunting indeed. So large or small please donate what you can today. Put your money where your heart is.
Paul Connett, PhD
Coordinator of FAN’s 2015 Fundraising campaign
Donation Details
Have you thought of entering our grand “12 days of Christmas” competition? Its very simple just make a donation of $20 or more and send us your guess of the total for donations and donors we will reach by our deadline (email: info@fluoridealert.org ). The closest to this total dollar amount will win (in the event of a tie the one closer to the total number of donors wins).
There are TWELVE prizes (one added each day like the carol, 12 days of Christmas). So far we have the following prizes
1) A presentation by Michael or Paul Connett in your community (FAN will pay air fare anywhere in North America and half anywhere else).
2) 10 copies of the prize-winning videotapeFluorideGate, donated by Dr. David Kennedy.
3) 1 deck of playing cards donated by FAN’s Science Director Chris Neurath. These cards have on their playing surface 52 reasons for ending fluoridation, with two jokers who disagree (the ADA and the CDC).
4) A copy of The Case Against Fluoride signed by co-author donated by Paul Connett, Senior Advisor to FAN.
5 – 12) FAN will continue to add to this list daily BUT we invite you to do the same with a fun or exciting gift of your own (don’t send it just email us a description of what you would like to donate to info@fluoridealert.org )
We urge you to get together with friends and families to coordinate your efforts. Only one guess per person is allowed. Meanwhile please consider a donation today to get us closer to our mini-goal of $75,000 by midnight Christmas eve.
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 1-888-284-7978 and 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
See the many GIFTS available for your donation!
See all FAN bulletins online