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Aug 6th, 2008


Scroll down for John Kriesel’s story.

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In addition to my core issues of national security, law enforcement/public safety, and illegal migration / border security, I want to be a voice for the diverse issues, concerns, and causes of Sixth District residents.

LittleRock-TMDL_07-29-08
Aubrey Immelman listens to Little Rock Lake residents at the Little Rock Lake TMDL Public Meeting and Open House at Sauk Rapids-Rice Middle School, July 29, 2008, to learn about water quality issues on Little Rock Lake in Benton County.

I’m committed to providing an open forum on this site for Sixth District constituents to advocate on issues that matter to them. Publishing these opinions should not be construed as personal endorsement of those views; they constitute the personal opinion of the writer.

Elsewhere on this blog, I have given voice to the water quality concerns of Little Rock Lake residents and stakeholders.

Today, I provide a forum for Sauk Rapids resident Jason Krueger, who volunteers as the Minnesota representative for the Fluoride Action Network, to express his views on the issue of water fluoridation.

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Water Fluoridation

By Jason Krueger

Water fluoridation enjoys a widespread reputation as a miracle drug. Mothers of newborns, for example, are told that it will prevent their children from developing cavities and thus spare them from painful visits to dental clinics.

Yet, many questions persist in the quest for truth on water fluoridation. There is such a disparity in the facts from both sides of the issue that it could leave the experts themselves wondering which to believe.

The American Dental Association (ADA) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are among the biggest supporters of fluoridation. Both web sites tout fluoridation as “one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century that is a “safe, beneficial and cost-effective way to prevent tooth decay.

The ADA did not always support fluoridation. In 1944, the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) stated,

“Our knowledge of the subject certainly does not warrant the introduction of fluorine in community water supplies. We do know that the use of the drinking water containing as little as 1.2 to 3.0 ppm of fluorine will cause developmental disturbances ” and we cannot afford to run the risk of producing such serious systemic disturbances in applying what is at present a doubtful procedure intended to prevent development of dental disfigurements.”

When our state representatives decided to fluoridate every statewide municipal water supply in 1967, their decision was based on disputable science and political pressure. If such a measure were put to a House vote in 2006, perhaps appropriately titled, “Do you support untested involuntary medication via municipal water supplies, you can bet the bill would get quickly defeated regardless of the medicating agent in question.

For those interested in a purely political debate on the matter, fluoridation is forced medication. Although it isnt as intrusive as a flu shot or other preventative health measures, the concept is the same. Public outcry would be fervent if we were herded up and flu shots were administered against our will. The intention to preserve health is valiant, but involuntary medication is ethically wrong and against the law.

Most of the world has rejected fluoridation. Only America, where it originated, and countries under strong American influence persist in the practice. Less than 5% of the worlds population is fluoridated, and more than 50% of that population lives in North America. Leading developed countries including Germany, Japan, and China do not permit fluoridation. Our tooth decay rates are similar, if not worse, than theirs today.

Logistically, community fluoridation is poorly conceived. Few people drink water from the tap, and less than 1% of all household water used is consumed “ leaving the remaining 99% to water plants, flush toilets, or wash dishes. If fluoride was meant to enhance our teeth, this surely illustrates a lesson in futility.

One can determine the type of fluoride added to Minnesota’s water by referencing a citys annual Consumer Confidence Report available to the public. The City of Sauk Rapids boldly describes fluorides source as “discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories.

EPA Office of Water Deputy Administrator Rebecca Hanmer qualifies this in a statement made in 1983:

“In regard to the use of fluorosilicic acid as a source of fluoride for fluoridation, this agency regards such use as an ideal environmental solution to a long-standing problem. By recovering by-product fluorosilicic acid from fertilizer manufacturing, water and air pollution are minimized, and water utilities have a low-cost source of fluoride available to them.”

This statement is very important. It both establishes fluoride as an environmental contaminant and identifies its origins as an industry byproduct. Instead of fluoride polluting our water and air ecosystems, it is “safely routed directly into our drinking water.”

Our state lawmakers must read this statement and act promptly to remove fluoride from our water.

Permanent link and sources (scroll down to bottom of page)

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IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST

Changed Forever

St. Cloud Times / The Associated Press
August 6, 2008

http://www.denverpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/20080802_042330_nd03longhaul1.jpg?w=600
Sgt. John Kriesel plays cards with his two sons, Elijah (left) and Broden at their home in Cottage Grove, Minn., April 7, 2008. Kriesel lost both of his legs in a roadside bomb attack while patrolling near Fallujah, Iraq in December 2006. (Photo credit: Jae C. Hong / The Associated Press)

Full story (Part 4 of 7)

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UPDATES

CBS’ Cynthia Bowers talks with John Kriesel, who lost his legs in Iraq. John recalls the day he was injured and how it felt to welcome his company home. (YouTube; 06:15)

Rep. Kriesel’s Full Speech On Gay Marriage, Bucking The GOP

Minnesota Rep. John Kriesel (R-Cottage Grove) is one of the few Republican legislators to oppose a proposed Minnesota constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. He explains how he came to that position. (Saturday, May 21, 2011)

5/21/2012 Update

Friend,

I joined the military at 17 because I love this country, I love this state and I love what they stand for.

In Iraq, I nearly died because of an IED explosion. Laying there in the desert, convinced my life was ending, I thought only of my wife and kids. My love for them kept me fighting; it pulled me through.

We’re facing a constitutional amendment this fall that threatens families. It aims to tell Minnesotans which committed couples are worthy of marriage in our state — and worse, which ones aren’t.

One year ago, I pleaded with my colleagues in our state House of Representatives not to put this amendment on the ballot. I lost that battle — but in the fall, we can still win.

To do it, we need thousands of grassroots donors to step up. Defeating this amendment won’t be cheap, and if we don’t meet our goals, we risk permanently tarnishing our great state.

Click here to do the right thing and contribute today so we can meet our crucial goal. We cannot let opponents of freedom decide the fate for thousands of loving Minnesota families.

I told my fellow legislators last year that this amendment didn’t represent the America I went overseas to defend. America has always been about expanding our rights and freedoms. Unfortunately, my protest fell on deaf ears.

The sad truth is that this amendment would take away basic freedoms from thousands of Minnesotans, and that’s unconscionable. That goes against all our values.

I’ll tell you what: I’m determined to defeat this amendment.

I need you to join me. We cannot afford to miss a single fundraising goal. We have to defeat this harmful amendment.

Click here to contribute right away to help us reach our critical fundraising goal. If we don’t act now, we’ll be in danger of losing one of our most fundamental freedoms.

Thank you for everything you do.

Sincerely,

John Kriesel
State Representative

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Related report on this site

The John Kriesel Story (Dec. 2, 2012)


John and Katie Kriesel at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., for a football game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012.


Photo taken in Iraq on December 2, 2006, showing Staff Sgt. John Kriesel with his arms around the shoulders of Sgt. Corey Rystad (on his right) and Sgt. Bryan McDonough (on his left). It was taken just two hours before Rystad and McDonough were killed in an IED blast in which Kriesel lost both legs.





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