Did you know that most murderers do not get punished even though their victims die slow and painful deaths? Most murderers are never even charged or brought to trial. Did you know that many victims include not only adults and teens but young children and babies as well?

Do you know who some of these murderers are? They are your butcher (antibiotics, steroids, and growth hormones in meats and dairy), your baker (dyes, preservatives and artificial ingredients) and your candlestick maker (synthetic perfumes and fragrances manufactured out of petroleum products).

There are even murderers in professions which include the EPA, the boards of health, state and federal legislators, your city, the pentagon (Gulf War Vets), judges (repaying favors to campaign contributors), the non-organic agriculture industry, the grocery industry, dry cleaning industry, chemical and pharmaceutical industries, perfume and fragrance industries, hospital, surgical and medical care industries, the plastics industry, factories and plants which produce and emit toxic and hazardous particulates, automobile and truck manufacturing pollution control standards, the natural gas and heating oil industries, home and industry heating appliance manufacturers, building material manufacturers, and yes, even your child’s school

No, these are not the categories of murderers who are shooting, stabbing, bludgeoning, or driving while intoxicated. That type of murderer is at least in a category that society recognizes and sometimes punishes. We are referring to those who get away with the literal murder of thousands of people by not doing the job they are supposed to do at all or by not doing their jobs correctly and with a conscience. These murderers ignore common sense, sound reasoning and safety, manipulate, and ignore laws and deny reality, all for the sake of a dollar bill. They attempt to deceive us into believing that we are not being harmed at all, and are quite good at their deception.

They’re the murderers who are poisoning all of society with toxic chemicals all the while quietly brainwashing us into thinking that all is well and everything that is toxic is within safe limits for our protection. And, for everything that isn’t well and safe as evidenced by the ever escalating statistics for asthma, cancers of every variety (especially breast, lung, prostate, and brain), newer diseases (such as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Lupus, Chronic Fatigue, and Fibromyalgia), Parkinsons, Alzheimers and numerous other diseases known and proven to be caused by chemicals, we are led to believe these diseases arrive out of the blue and without cause. We are led to believe they are uncontrollable and are our fault anyway because, after all, we have bad genes! Purportedly, these diseases are easily fixable by taking pills, which may cause other severe health problems, or by expensive -- and even experimental -- treatments and surgery.

Mary Pinkerton and the rest of her family became severely ill from formaldehyde exposures in their new home. Mary, as a result of this exposure, developed Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) and experienced asthmatic symptoms whenever she was near any chemicals. Even though the manufacturers of the wood products and their hired expert-witness scientists and testers attempted to minimize her exposures and health damages, Mary was awarded medical expenses, property losses and over $16 million in punitive damages by an outraged jury. Within a year and a half of the verdict, the family stayed at a hotel they later learned had been sprayed with insecticides. Mary died from this exposure. (Toxic Deception, Fagin and Lavelle, 1996. Available at most libraries.)

While we do not intend to insult anyone with our slogan, “It’s the Chemicals, Stupid” we do want to get your attention and give you a wake-up call. How many more people will have to suffer and die until something is done? Fighting in a courtroom after the injury is virtually impossible. Mary’s case is the exception. Most injured people never have their “day in court” because the tactics and laws orchestrated by industry have stripped us of all rights to a trial by jury. Judges now have the power to decide whether or not our cases -- and therefore our injuries -- have enough merit to even go to a jury and whether or not the injured parties’ expert witnesses can testify. (Daubert v. Merrill Dow Pharmaceuticals, 113 S. Ct. 2786, 1993). “Junk science”, an invention of those protecting the interests of their pocketbooks is unfortunately prevailing in the courtrooms. The burden of proof is placed on the injured person who doesn’t have the money or clout to plead their case or to provide the required toxicological evidence, which is virtually impossible and tremendously expensive to prove, let alone have the health, stamina or energy required to fight. Most of the government agencies designed to protect us have not been doing so and we are dying by the thousands as a result of illnesses and diseases that could have been easily prevented through awareness and education.

Recent statistics document that the fourth major cause of death in the U.S. is acute drug reaction (Journal of American Medical Assoc., 1998 279 (15): 1200-1205). The eighth leading cause of death is currently being attributed to medical error in a news release issued by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, Nov.29, 199.9. Most medical school curriculum does not adequately address physician education in toxicology. Nor does it define the nutritional deficiencies which can be caused by chemical exposures, except perhaps as related to chemotherapy. Lack of knowledge in these critical areas many times leads to the misdiagnosis and improper medication of patients who have been injured by chemicals.

Our children are suffering the most, not only because of their yet undeveloped immune systems, but because they most often have no choice or control over the numerous toxic chemicals used in their environments. Their parents, schools, other organizations, and even the law, decides whether or not fire retardants that may be causing their asthma are used in their pajamas, mattresses and sofa materials; whether or not pesticides are included in their foods or sprayed in their classrooms causing cancers, learning disabilities, attention deficit or behavior disorders; or what kinds of cleaning and remodeling chemicals are used in their presence. Ohio Child Day Care Center Licensing Rules prohibit the spraying of aerosols in a daycare nursery, (Ohio Law, ODHS 1286(10) (Rev. 6(95). But who is protecting the children at home, on the ball field, in their schools and on the bus?

Unnecessary chemical exposure is an overwhelming and very serious problem. And who do we blame? Let’s start with ourselves. We are the ones who are purchasing all of the toxic products, pesticiding our homes and our lawns, voting incorrectly (or not at all) thereby allowing the favorite candidates of the chemical industry to decide our futures. We are ignoring our responsibility to our children and ourselves in matters of food quality, safety, nutrition and health.

Parents and others who choose to use products that are toxic around children and ignore important facts about chemicals, which are so easily obtained by reading a label or doing just a little bit of research on the internet or at any library, are failing. We are permitting others to injure us because we are “too” busy or “too” lazy to educate ourselves about the toxic products we are addicted to using. WE are failing to take responsibility for our own actions that lead to illness. Helpless children are being poisoned by OUR carelessness, blamed and then drugged with more chemicals, the pharmaceuticals. THIS is murder in the worst degree.

“But these things don’t bother me, or my family"” you might say.

Our response is “not yet”

If you think you can’t make a difference as “only one person”, remember, that“s exactly what industry is counting on!