Back in Watsonville, we have two hot issues: fluoridation and a florid council race. This is the second chance for Watsonville to reject fluoridation with Measure S, after tossing it years ago by a 70% margin.

We’ve been called ignorant for resisting mass medication. If so, we join a long list of fools worldwide, including Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, China, Japan and India who have banned fluoridation. That’s about half the world’s population, so at least Watsonville thinks globally.

In California, Modesto has rejected fluoridation on three occasions. But the anti-fluoridation champ is still Davis, California which has driven a stake into this undying beast five times. What part of “no” do fluoride advocates not understand?

Fluoridationists claim rejecting it will rot the mouths of Watsonville children, then accuse opponents of using scare tactics. They call opponents liars, then claim we’ll be forced to fluoridate even if Measure S passes. But has Santa Cruz been forced to fluoridate? Of course not, because California Health & Safety Code 116415 allows communities to opt out of the program.

Finally, on Oct. 25th “No on S” spokeman, dentist Jim Jacobson, even sunk to smearing opponents as “anti-fluoridation terrorists.” After recent atrocities, the epithet “terrorist” borders on blood libel. What desperation would drive an educated man to such a gutter insult? Well…

Tobacco corporations are paying billions of dollars in damages for an adult product we always knew was unhealthy. But fluoride is targeted at children, and declared harmless by trusted professionals in white smocks. If negative findings of fluoridation effects continue growing, American Dental Association members could face massive lawsuits for their fifty years of advocacy. I’d be sweating, too.

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