Anti-fluoride campaigner tries to silence chemistry experts!

Stuff reports:

University of Waikato boffins have been told to keep scientific facts out of the ongoing debate over fluoride.

Roger Stratford – an anti-fluoride campaigner and aspiring Hamilton City councillor – wrote to the university’s chemistry department this week to protest at “the degree of casual support emanating from the chemistry department in local papers in support of the practice [of fluoridating water]”.

“At Fluoride Free Hamilton we intend to limit the debate to the social science and public health aspects of fluoridation,” he writes.

“It would be appreciated if we could receive some confirmation from the chemistry department that it will remain publicly neutral on the matter.

Yes how dare we hear from chemists on chemistry. Next they’ll want to ban doctors speaking on the medical impact. Or anyone who has a different view to them.

Michael Mucalo, a senior lecturer and chairman of the university’s chemistry department said it was important for people to have scientifically accurate information on fluoride.

That was why the faculty would continue to respond in print to letters to the editor that called the science of fluoride into question.

“We have a moral right as academics to give our opinions on this,” he said.

“We want to comment on the science. If claims are made that seem outrageous, then we would like to speak up and give a balanced view.”

So they anti fluoride people want to make outrageous claims, and not have anyone respond to them?