Andrew Young Views Fluoridation of Water as a Civil Rights Issue
Civil rights pioneer, former mayor of Atlanta, and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Andrew Young has sent a letter to the governor of Georgia calling for hearings to investigate why water fluoridation is continuing despite numerous reasons for ending the practice.
“This is a civil rights issue,” Young says, “and the people have a right to have the full story given to them, rather than highly edited, misleading talking points.”
The letter was also sent to American Water Works Association CEO David LaFrance.
For decades, most messaging about fluoridation has focused on the goal of cavity prevention, with little discussion about fluoride risks to tissues outside the mouth. Young points out that the story offered by promotors of fluoridation has changed over the years. “When someone’s story keeps changing, there are quite often motivations behind their changed stance that may not be aligned with the best interests of the public,” he says. “Are we sacrificing the health and safety of our communities simply because dentists don’t want to be embarrassed, or sued?”
Dental industry influence and control over the messaging points about fluoridation received by the public and officials is one of a number of issues surfacing in the public health scandal that many are now referring to as Fluoridegate.
Another issue is that adding fluoride chemicals to drinking water is a practice fraught with uncertainty, as there is no way to monitor or control the dose of fluorides individuals will receive, including kidney patients, diabetics, thyroid patients, persons in low income and minority communities, and workers in certain professions.
Those who consume large amounts of water because of outdoor work in hot environments, Young says, are especially at risk. Outdoor workers are a “susceptible subpopulation,” who may be especially at risk for fractures because of bone deterioration brought on by excessive fluoride consumption.
The uncontrolled dosing and selective messaging of points about fluoridation are not lost on attorneys arming themselves for a number of types of fluoride harm litigation.
“Fluoridated water presents a very wide array of legal problems on the personal injury side, and of course there are civil rights, consumer protection, employee injury and right-to-know aspects also,” says attorney Chris Nidel.
“Fluoridegate hearings and upcoming legal cases will put people under oath about all this.”
Influential public figures such as Erin Brockovich, Dr. Mark Hyman, Alveda King and other leaders are also calling for Fluoridegate hearings. Dr. Hyman is a nine-time New York Times bestselling author.
