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Seeking International Testimony on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

I refer to your article "It's all in your Head" [Feb 1994 article on multiple chemical sensitivity among Boeing workers] for which I commend you highly, the truth is a remarkable thing to report on. I would ask you to help however you can regarding this email and I am hoping you can spread this around so that all the Boeing workers who have been chemically injured and many others who suffered the same fate, will come forth with their input into the below enquiry by the South Australian Parliament.

On the 9th July, 2003 South Australia's Upper House, the Legislative Council, voted unanimously to support a motion by an Australian Democrat, The Hon. Sandra Kanck, requesting the Social Development Committee enquire into and report on MCS. The Social Development Committee is a standing Parliamentary Committee of six elected representatives, three from Upper House and three from LowerHouse, who regularly investigate issues of public concern. A Parliamentary enquiry into Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is a big step forward and a great opportunity for people with MCS and their supporters to tell their story and present their case to legislators. The enquiry will help to inform the basis for future public health policy and guide reforms in chemical regulation.

Submissions to the enquiry are now open but will not be formally considered until after February, 2004, and are open nationally and internationally--no closing date at this time has been mentioned--but certainly we have breathing space.

So people who suffer chemical injury/illness/sensitivity, may present their stories as they have to live them, and any documentation whatsoever supporting MCS and chemical injury /illness/intolerance can be submitted also. If anyone wants postal address it is: Ms Robyn Schutte, Secretary Social Development Committee Parliament House North Terrace Adelaide 5000 South Australia. The email address is: robyn.schutte@parliament.sa.gov.au.

The bottom line is to tell it as it is. They certainly want to hear everyone's story, the suffering, difficulty/impossibility of accessing any health care, home health care, home help or any help, isolation, the ridicule, abandonment. A lot of us here have done multiple submissions, and will continue to do so. Please take this opportunity to influence Australian national policy which will, in turn, impact upon other governments by example. Please take the time to inform these officials of the realities of chemical injury/illness/sensitivity to the best of your abilities. Let's make this New Year one in which we can be granted the recognition required for all people globally, who have suffered chemical injury/illness/sensitivity.

Diana Buckland for and on behalf of those persons chemically ill/injured/sensitive 4 Mia Street, Kallangur, 4503 Queensland, Australia dbucklan@bigpond.net.au

Toxic Fertilizer linked to Mad Cow Disease?

About three years ago the LA Times published an Associated Press article "Toxic Waste Used as Fertilizer on Farms Reported".

The article stated that in Seattle, toxic heavy metals, chemicals and radioactive wastes are being recycled as fertilizer and spread over farmers' field nationwide--and there is no federal law requiring that they be listed as ingredients.

The issue came to light in the central Washington town of Quincy, population 4,000, when Mayor Patty Martin led an investigation by local farmers concerned about poor yields and sickly cattle [see WA Free Press "Poisoning Ourselves: Toxic waste in fertilizer" Mar 2003 --Ed]. Unfortunately, at this time the use of industrial waste as fertilizer ingredient was a growing national phenomenon.

At that same time in Gore, Oklahoma, a uranium-processing plant got rid of low-level radioactive waste by licensing it as liquid fertilizer and spraying it over 9,000 acres if grazing land. And at Camas, Washington, lead-laced waste from a pulp mill was hauled to farms and spread over crops destined for livestock feed. While in Moxee City, Washington, dark powder from two Oregon steel mills was poured from rail cars into silos at Bay Zinc Co. under a federal hazardous waste storage permit. Then it was emptied from the silos for use as fertilizer. The exact same material.

The Federal and State Governments encouraged this kind of recycling, which saved money for big industry and conserved space in hazardous- waste landfills. However, the substances found in recycled fertilizers included cadmium, lead, arsenic, radioactive materials and dioxins. The wastes came from incineration of medical and municipal wastes, and from heavy industries.

Because I happen to run the newest state permitted medical waste treatment plant in California, and am acutely aware of the hazards of treating such waste, I ask: Why isn't this recycled fertilizer brought up now in the case of Mad Cow Disease. Why did are Federal and State Government allow such contamination and why did the farmers do this to their own land? Who is covering this up? Who benefited from this travesty? Who approved this in the first place? And why isn't anything being done to those who allowed this to happen to our nation's heartland?

I for one want answers. And I want those responsible for this to be brought to justice. They deliberately poisoned our nations food chain for profit, and should be punished as traitors to the American people.

Karl Niemiec, Director of Media Services, Sanitec West, CA

Immigrants Should Be Stopped At All Costs

The article titled "Do You Really Want Growth In Your Town?" [Nov 2003] advocates, apparently, reducing the US birthrate while still allowing a million immigrants annually.

Makes no sense to me. Most of our immigrants, unfortunately, are economic refugees from dysfuntional Latin American countries,primarily Mexico. They have brought California and Arizona to their knees, and should be stopped at all costs.

Are you perhaps forced by "political correctness" to overlook this?

P. Purdy

PS: No, I'm not including my address or phone because I don't want to be contacted by one of the crazies out there.

Even though you didn't send your address/phone for confirmation purposes, we went ahead and printed your letter because of your revealing PS. If I was Dear Abby, I'd say you seem to live a lot of your life in a paralyzing fear of people different from yourself, which is quite unfortunate for you. --Ed.

Bush Intent on Reinstating Draft

Well, Bush's appeal to the United Nations for financial and troop assistance in Iraq fell flat. It looks like Bush has finally achieved what his administration desired, an almost completely unilateral US policy towards the rest of the world.

Look how we trashed those agreements and treaties that took decades to negotiate including, but not limited to the Kyoto Treaty, the International Criminal Court and the ABM Treaty. So why isn't the administration happy? Could it be that the rest of the world is treating us like an outcast? Nah, we can take it! What about the hole Iraq is putting in our budget and our kids' future? No problem, cut taxes. My guess is that the administration is unhappy because it's running out of cannon fodder (US troops) to pursue this illegal and disastrous policy of world domination. After all, Bush has extended tours, called up reserve units and is now prepared to call up the National Guard. Bush has even enlisted non-citizen Latinos with the promise of US citizenship (if they survive).

But it's not enough! To raise enough troops to rule the world, Bush must reinstate the draft! Hence, the rumors about locating reputable folks to sit on local draft boards. Can Bush do it? Of course he can! The left wing is so demoralized as to be ineffective, the right wing is happy with the status quo and middle class America would willingly sell their children in order to keep their toys.

Howard Pellett

WWW Washington Free Press