(Publisher's note: It's time for Davenport's city leaders to carefully and seriously review the requirements, terms, and benefits of a 60-year-old contract that has resulted in the practice of medicating nearly the entire Scott County population with an industrial waste byproduct. The fluoridation of our water supply is happening without informed consent, and even if one wished to be medicated through the water supply, the current practice does not even use medical-grade materials. This issue is no longer fringe. Modern science points to the folly of fluoridation, much like science caught up with the folly of claiming the health benefits of cigarette smoking. What follows are the prepared remarks delivered by Joe Amato to the Davenport City Council Public Works Committee on July 17. The video of this presentation, and subsequent additional public comments, is online at RCReader.com/y/amato. (The documents provided to the city council are here as a pdf.) Fluoride-Free Quad Cities has a meet-up at the Bettendorf Public Library on Tuesday, September 3, at 6:30 p.m.)

Good evening. My name is Joe Amato. On behalf of the coalition Fluoride-Free Quad Cities, I would like to thank you for giving us this time to speak.

We are here tonight to present to you evidence that ingesting fluoride by drinking fluoridated water is definitely harmful and only insignificantly effective, and to request that you, as the responsible legal authority, pass an ordinance to cease fluoridating the public water supply.

Author & Environmental Toxicologist to Address Fluoridation of Public Water Supplies at Two January Speaking Events in the Quad Cities

Dr. Paul Connett, PhD Speaking at the
Bettendorf and Moline Public Libraries January 14th and 15th

DECEMBER 27, 2012 - IOWA & ILLINOIS QUAD CITIES |  Quad Citians concerned about the health and well being of their families and all who must rely on the public drinking water supply in Scott and Rock Island counties, have established a public awareness campaign they are calling "Have the Debate" and launched a website called HaveTheDebate.com.

The website asserts that there are many people in the Illinois and Iowa Quad Cities region who are concerned with the dangers of the decades old practice of fluoridating our public drinking water supplies.

"Many of us wish the practice to cease and believe there is compelling evidence that the medication of our water supplies does more harm than good and the intent of such medication (preventing cavities) is achieved through other means such as oral hygiene, regular dental visits and proper nutrition.

In addition, there is new, more modern scientific evidence emerging that proves the dangers of medicating the water supply with toxic chemicals like fluoride, especially to infants and babies," reads the website. The new science the site refers to is the Harvard study published in July of 2012 which found that, "The children in high fluoride areas had significantly lower IQ than those who lived in low fluoride areas."

As part of the Have the Debate public awareness campaign, Dr. Paul Connett will be speaking at two free and open to the public presentations, Monday and Tuesday January 14 & 15, beginning at 6:30 p.m. each evening. The first presentation is on Monday January 14th at the Bettendorf Public Library (2950 Learning Campus Drive, Bettendorf) and the second presentation is on Tuesday January 15th at the Moline Public Library (3210 41st Street, Moline). Neither event is sponsored by the respective libraries.

Dr. Connett, who is a retired professor of chemistry and environmental toxicology, co-authored the 2010 book "The Case Against Fluoride" and is the executive director of the twelve year old Fluoride Action Network (www.FluorideAlert.org), headquartered in New York state.

"We are very fortunate to have the caliber of scientist and author that Dr. Connett is to help us launch this public debate about an issue that impacts nearly everyone living and working in Scott and Rock Island counties," says campaign co-organizer Michael Angelos.  "This is not a partisan issue and if we can't have a public and adult discussion about the chemicals going into our drinking water, then we are going to have an even harder time addressing what many consider partisan issues."

The two evening speaking event schedule is designed so that Dr. Connett publicly presents his case against medicating the populace by fluoridating the public water supplies, on the first night Monday January 14th. The second evening is available for anyone who wishes to, publicly debate Dr. Connett about the case he has presented.  HaveTheDebate.com has, thus far, failed at securing anyone willing to debate Dr. Connett, including attempts with local dentists and an educator at the University of Iowa School of Dentistry.

"We're very encouraged by the results that a public debate can have on the healthfulness of a community," says Angelos.  In the November 2012 election, voters in Wichita, Kansas, with a population nearly the size of the Quad Cities, voted overwhelmingly to cease medicating the water supply with fluoride.

What: Have the Debate About Fluoride in our Water Supply

@ 6:30 p.m. each evening

Where: Monday: Bettendorf Public Library
& Tuesday: Moline Public Library

Who: Dr. Paul Connett, PhD, Exec Director Fluoride Action Network

How Much: FREE & Open to the Public

More Info: www.HaveTheDebate.com, www.FluorideAlert.org

Anyone interested in presenting the benefits of fluoridating the public water supply is encouraged to email info@havethedebate.com or call Michael Angelos at (563) 324-4716

Local Contact: Michael Angelos (563) 324-4716 | info@havethedebate.com

Fluoride Action Network Contact: Stuart Cooper stuart@flouridealert.org

Dr. Connett Interview Requests: pconnett@gmail.com or (607) 217-5350

# # #