The Greatest Scientific Fraud Essays - Water Fluoridation

The Greatest Scientific Fraud Essays - Water Fluoridation The Greatest Scientific Fraud Miriah Killam Writing 122 David Rothgery October 12, 2000 The Greatest Case of Scientific Fraud I have been told I have a beautiful smile, and I once thought it was true. It is big and quick, the kind that flashes across a whole face to reveal pearly whites. The sad truth is, I have become slower to show my Colgate smile as I have watched the most important part of a smile, my teeth, become less and less dazzling. For years I couldn't understand; I brushed twice a day, flossed once a week, stayed away from staining beverages, and I didn't smoke. My dentist attributed my brittle teeth to the fact that I have some Native American heritage, and they are known to have less resistance to sugar. As I was offered no other plausible, I accepted it and continued my good dental habits. Then, last year I was browsing through the archives of alternative press releases, and one headline in particular caught my attention. The article was titled, EPA Whistleblowers on Fluoride. It stuck in my mind because as a child, the same dentist who told me my teeth were naturally more prone to decay pre scribed a once a week brushing routine with straight fluoride in combination with my use of nightly fluoride toothpaste. He said that I needed to take extra precautions because I moved into an area where the water was not fluoridated. My Grandmother told me the dentist was ridiculous; she claimed I received the proper amount of fluoride from the foods I ate and the amount that occurred naturally in water. I dismissed my Grandmother as behind the times', and diligently applied the nasty paste. Yet, as I read though the article, I was confronted with information that contradicted everything I and every other child had been told from birth. The article claimed, Fluoridation is the greatest case of scientific fraud of this century, if not of all time, (Earth Island Journal, Winter 1998). I became determined to be more informed and started researching all aspects of fluoride. My findings were shocking. For more than sixty years the United States Government has been telling the American public that fluoride compounds (generally referred to as fluoride) are safe and beneficial chemicals that reduce cavities- especially in children. Municipalities add it to drinking water, manufactures add it to beverages and food, and our dentists recommend that we use only fluoride-fortified toothpaste. What has all this led to, you might ask. What it has led to is the over-consumption of what is now recognized as a highly toxic, corrosive pollutant. Now, in fact, those on dialysis and nursing mothers are not recommended to consume any water containing additional fluoride because of its toxicity. Declassified papers of the Manhattan Project-the ultra-secret US military program that produced the atomic bomb state that Fluoride was the key chemical in atomic bomb production. One of the most toxic chemicals known, fluoride emerged as the leading health hazard of the US atomic bomb program, both for workers and for nearby communities. Much of the original proof that fluoride was safe for humans in low doses was generated by A-bomb program scientists who had been secretly ordered to provide evidence useful in litigation, because you see, the first lawsuits against the American A-bomb program were not over radiation, but over fluoride damage. Paul Connett is a professor of chemistry at St. Lawrence University in New York State and an international authority on environmental toxins. I realize that, because the pro-fluoride lobby has successfully portrayed the anti-fluoridationists as a bunch of crackpots, people have been kept away from this issue. And in fact, once I looked into the literature I was, quite frankly, appalled by the poor science underpinning fluoridation. I have grave concerns about the wisdom of putting this toxic substance into our drinking water. In the US, at the same time that the first fluoridation scheme was being introduced, scientists were admitting (in documents hitherto secret, but now disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act) that they had no idea what the effects of low-level exposure would be. The first such scheme was introduced in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1945 as a long-term pilot study. Over a 15-year

7 Disadvantages of Joining a Fraternity or Sorority

7 Disadvantages of Joining a Fraternity or Sorority The benefits of joining  a fraternity or sorority are many, and its important to realize that Greek life in college has a lot of impressive things to offer. Its also important, however, to realize that there might be some challenges. So just what do you need to be aware of before officially pledging? You Might Be Stereotyped by Peers Even if you had a great impression of fraternities and sororities before you came to college - and an even better one once you learned about all the great initiatives your schools Greek organizations do - not all students share the same perception. Ignorant or well-informed, your fellow students might stereotype you once they know you belong to a certain Greek house. And while there might not be much you can do about that, its important to at least keep in mind. You Might Be Stereotyped by Faculty You might be having an amazing, life-changing experience as a member of your fraternity or sorority. But your professors - who were, after all, college students themselves once - might not have had as great of an experience during their own undergraduate years. Or they could have had problems in the past with students from your particular organization. While you are your own person and should be judged accordingly, just be aware of the perceptions some faculty members might have about how you spend your time outside of class. You Might Be Stereotyped by Future Employers While your Greek organization might be dedicated to, say, the study of biology or to social justice, an employer might not realize that while quickly skimming resumes. And while belonging to a fraternity or sorority with a large network can be an incredible asset, there might also be some challenges along the way. Being Active Can Be a Major Time Commitment Does this necessarily have to be a drawback to membership in your house? Of course not. But it is something to be aware of in advance, especially if you struggle with time management or you know that your time is going to be extremely limited during your college years. Joining Can Be Expensive While there often are scholarships available to students who need them to remain members of their Greek community, theres no guarantee those scholarships are going to come through. If finances are tight, make sure you are aware of what financial obligations youll have to your house. Ask about joining fees, dues, and other expenses - such as helping fund an annual event - that youll be responsible for. There Can Be Strong Personality Conflicts This, of course, is inevitable whenever youre involved with a group of people. And youll undoubtedly encounter personality conflicts in everything from your Chemistry study group to your rugby teammates. Keep in mind, however, that personality conflicts in a fraternity or sorority can get especially tense, given that people spend so much time together and often live in a shared space for several years in a row. You May Sometimes Feel Stuck in Routine and Commitments This years Halloween party might seem like the most amazing thing ever. But after working on it for months in advance, three years in a row, the Halloween party during your senior year might lose some of its ​luster. There can be ways to branch out and try new things within your fraternity or sorority, and a good one will encourage you to do so. Just be aware of what it will mean to pledge the rest of your college experience to one particular group.