Civil Rights Violation Regarding Forced Medication

WHEREAS, the League of United Latin American Citizens is this nation’s oldest and largest Latino organization, founded in Corpus Christi, Texas on February 17, 1929; and

WHEREAS, LULAC throughout its history has committed itself to the principles that Latinos have equal access to opportunities in employment, education, housing and healthcare; and

WHEREAS, LULAC advocates for the well-being of, but not exclusively of, Hispanics throughout our country; and

WHEREAS, safe drinking water is a necessity for life; and

WHEREAS, the purpose of a public water supply is to supply water to the entire community which is composed of people with varying health conditions, in varying stages of life, and of varying economic status; not to forcibly mass medicate the population which is a civil rights violation; and

WHEREAS, fluoridation is mass medication of the public through the public water supply; and

WHEREAS, current science shows that fluoridation chemicals pose increased risk to sensitive subpopulations, including infants, the elderly, diabetics, kidney patients, and people with poor nutritional status; and

WHEREAS, minority communities are more highly impacted by fluorides as they historically experience more diabetes and kidney disease; and

WHEREAS, minorities are disproportionately harmed by fluorides as documented by increased rates of dental fluorosis (disfiguration and discoloration of the teeth); and

WHEREAS, the National Research Council in 2006 established that there are large gaps in the research on fluoride’s effects on the whole body; a fact that contradicts previous assurances made by public health officials and by elected officials, that fluorides and fluoridation have been exhaustively researched; and

WHEREAS, a growing number of cities and health professionals have rejected fluoridation based on current science and the recognition of a person’s right to choose what goes into his/her body; and

WHEREAS, the CDC now recommends that non-fluoridated water be used for infant formula (if parents want to avoid dental fluorosis – a permanent mottling and staining of teeth), which creates an economic hardship for large numbers of families, minority and otherwise; and

WHEREAS, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), founded in 1929, has historically been a champion of the disenfranchised and a leader in the fight for social and environmental justice; and

WHEREAS, City Council Districts I-6 of San Antonio (predominantly minority districts) voted overwhelmingly that the public water supply should not be contaminated with fluoridation chemicals; and

WHEREAS, the election to fluoridate the water, essentially disenfranchised the right of these minority Districts to safe drinking water for all; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Health and Human Services and the EPA (January 2011) have recently affirmed the NRC Study results that citizens may be ingesting too much fluoride and that the exposure is primarily from drinking water; and

WHEREAS, the proponents of fluoridation promised a safe and effective dental health additive, but the San Antonio Water System’s (SAWS) contract for fluoridation chemicals proves a “bait and switch”; as SAWS is adding the toxic waste by-product of the phosphate fertilizer industry, that has no warranty for its safety and effectiveness for any purpose from the supplier (PENCCO, Inc.) or the source (Mosaic Chemical); and

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that LULAC commends efforts by organizations that oppose forced mass medication of the public drinking supplies using fluorides that are industrial grade, toxic waste by-products which contain contaminants (arsenic, lead, mercury) which further endanger life; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that LULAC supports efforts by all citizens working to stop forced medication through the public water system because it violates civil rights; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that LULAC opposes the public policy of fluoridation because it fails to meet legislative intent; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that LULAC demands to know why government agencies entrusted with protecting the public health are more protective of the policy of fluoridation than they are of public health.

Approved this 1st day of July 2011.

Margaret Moran
LULAC National President