Wasatch Rambler: Courage of convictions has gone by the wayside in
Davis fluoride debate

Thurs, Dec 9, 2004

By CHARLES TRENTELMAN
Wasatch Rambler
An open letter to 510 fluoride-hating people:
Dear People,
I can't write to you personally because your names are secret. That's
a shame, but then again, maybe not.
This way I get to tell the world what you are.
I'm having trouble finding precisely the right word. I'm torn between
"cowards" and "weasels."
Yeah, I know, those both sound pretty harsh, but bear with me here.
Consider "weasels."
You have all filed complaints against doctors who opposed efforts to
get fluoride removed from drinking water in Davis County. Those
doctors had the temerity to write letters published in this newspaper
that voiced their opinions. Their opinions were supported by good,
proven science provided by the American Dental Association, among
others.
And they signed their names. Clever you, that's how you caught them.
You have filed your complaints with the State Division of Professional
Licensing, claiming they are bad doctors because you doubt their
science.
The division keeps names of people who file complaints private. This
protects patients from doctors who might retaliate against them.
That's fine, but you are not these doctors' patients. If you were, I
can't see you using them anymore, considering your opinion of their
abilities.
What you are, for sure, is their opponents in a political matter, so
your protection in this is completely misdirected, if legal.
In short, you are using a technicality in the law to hide while you do
your best to harass and intimidate them and anyone else who might
oppose you, running up their legal bills and threatening their ability
to feed their families.
Sounds weasely to me.
As to "cowards," this is America, folks. This is the land of freedom.
Young men and women are dying in Iraq and Afghanistan to defend that
ideal, expressed most eloquently 228 years ago by people who filed a
complaint that told the King of England where he could stick his
pointy little crown.
Because they were brave men, those people signed their names. John
Hancock is a cliché today because he wrote big. He wrote big so the
King's henchmen would know whom to look for.
Charles Carroll of Carrollton, Maryland, was another. There were two
Charles Carrolls and he wanted to make sure there was no confusion, so
he added his address.
That's courage, my friends.
Sadly, anonymous crud like this stunt you pulled is becoming a
mainstay of Davis County politics. Hardly an election goes by without
some unsigned poison-pen missive going the rounds.
This newspaper requires all letters to be signed so people can't do
precisely what you are doing. As a result, our letters section has
seen some amazing courage over the years. The young man in South Ogden
who revealed that he was gay, and signed his letter even after we told
him he didn't have to, is just one example.
And then there's you, safely hidden away.
Cowards or weasels?
"Weasel" implies being crafty, and this is not that. This is just
mean, gutless spite over political loss.
So, cowards it is. You may disagree, and that's fine. Call me and
we'll talk about it. It's still a free country, at least until people
like you manage to take charge.
Sincerely,
Charles Trentelman
Of Ogden
Wasatch Rambler is the opinion of Charles Trentelman. You can reach
him at 625-4232, or e-mail at
ctrentelman@standard.net.