Vince Kean, Murwillumbah
Rohan Stewart (Letters 21/8/13) is right. I am passionate and more than ever infuriated by his contemptuous disregard for the rights of society’s most defenceless group. He appears to think this is some kind of civilised debate.
Unfortunately it is impossible to have a reasoned/civilised debate with the idiot fringe. They have ignored the evidence, however rationally presented, ever since the inception of the anti-fluoride campaign by far right wing (slightly left of loony) religious groups in the south of the USA.
No matter what evidence and reasoned scientific argument is put, there are always vague threats of terrible things to come (never realised) and specious denials of the overwhelming scientific evidence for the sensible use of fluoride to combat dental disease. As fast as one Aunt Sally is knocked over another takes its place.
It’s the technique honed to perfection by the cigarette companies and the oil giants to protect their narrow interests. It has nothing to do with science and everything to do with ideology overriding good sense and sound judgment.
Though they cloak their intent with reasonable words, the true measure of the idiot fringe’s position is the impact of their ideology on those least able to defend themselves. The idiot fringe can be confident that I have no intention of respecting differences. Ideologues who use fear to manipulate society and force their warped ideology on a poorly informed public are not worthy of respect. Those that do so at the expense of children who will be scarred psychologically and physically for their whole lives are worthy only of disgust.
I’ll continue to drink my fluoride-enhanced water with no ill effects. Rowan should get a conscience or a tank. I can never happily co-exist with those who abuse the health of children no matter what ideology they hide behind.
