I have been reading with interest the continuing dialogue on the introduction of fluorides into the Pinellas County water supply. Before I added my voice to the debate, I waited until I had checked some facts with my 88-year-old mother. She is our family genealogist and historian. So here are my opinions on this issue.
My wife and I have lived in Pinellas County for 24 years and raised our daughter here as well. For all that time I assumed that fluorides had been in the water. Why did I assume this? Because this particular issue had been settled in my home area - Bangor, Maine - in the years 1949-1950 when the debate ended, as it has here, with the approval to add fluorides to the water supply.
Although I was just 9-10 years of age, I remember all the arguments presented by the "anti" forces in public discussions and newspaper articles. And believe me, recently it has been deja vu, with one exception.
The strongest argument presented by the "anti's" in 1950 was that the fluoridation plan was, in fact, a communist plot to poison American water supplies and defeat the free world. I kid you not. And I'll bet there are others of your readers from other regions of the country who also can remember this fact as a part of the process of debating the introduction of fluoride into water supplies.
Now it would be absurd to use the communist plot argument because too much time has passed and communism no longer is relevant in our contemporary world. Likewise, too much time has passed since the introduction of fluorides into water supplies, some going back to the mid 1940s. These water supplies have provided a longitudinal observation concerning the effect of fluorides on the consuming public, in some cases a full 60 years.
I have heard anecdotal testimony from the dentists I used in the five states where I have lived throughout my life affirming the positive effects of having fluoride in the water. I have never, in all those years, read of any instance where fluoridated water led to physical harm to the consuming public. Have you?
-- Dr. Wallace F. Witham, Belleair Bluffs
Fire all the commissioners who refuse to listen to us
Re: Fluoride.
Our county commissioners are serving because we, Pinellas County citizens, voted for them to be there. Six out of the seven commissioners ignored and tried to silence 150 people speaking against fluoridation.
We are the ones who got them there! Would you accept your landscaper, whom you hired, ignoring the way you want your lawn? Would you accept your architect, whom you hired, ignoring how you want your house built?
Pinellas County voters need to remember that the commissioners work for us. Adding something to our water, whether they think it is dangerous or not, without our permission, is criminal. But trying to silence 150 people, calling them "uneducated" and ignoring their requests for scientific research, is insubordination and they should be dismissed immediately.
Pinellas County citizens need representatives who will gladly take their responsibilities - of the people, for the people, by the people - seriously.
-- Tammy Cihak, Palm Harbor
Support Palms of Largo's excellent health care work
Having been an active resident of Pinellas County, particularly Largo, for more than 50 years, I have seen many businesses come and go. Of those that have prospered and done well is an outfit known as the Palms of Largo.
The Sage Co. and the Goodman Group have developed one of the most progressive and complete multi-generational health care facilities that one could imagine. It has grown into a multiple series of facilities covering some 98 acres. It also has the second largest number of employees in the city.
With the dramatic growth in our senior citizen population and the ever increasing need for their care, we can and should support all of the institutions in our area that are addressing this phenomenon.
-- Edwin I. "Ned" Ford, Largo
Times needs some quality control for messy papers
I have traveled to many areas of this country and have read many newspapers and have never seen a paper such a mess as I have seen delivered to my home. I have seen your paper delivered page upon page wrinkled and impossible to read. Today I received the metro section torn, cut, pages with no print, etc. Who is in charge of quality? I would like to know. I think this is a quality we should not have to accept.
-- William Tutsch, Largo
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