In the following message, Cathy Bergman (President of the EMR Alliance) reports on a courageous lady who has dared to question the actions of her employer, a distributor of cellular phones. Rather than be a party to the public health 'risk' that her employer is passing on to the public, she has resigned ... gone public ... and joined the ranks of those who are trying to protect the publics health...
Employer intimidation of employees on this matter is widespread -- threats to lose benefits like health care as well as pension rights. (There ought to be a law against that!!!)
At least one company has warned its employees not even to "listen in" on EMF-L. Still ... there are courageous people "out there" ... and we will hear from more of them in due time ... I am sure..........
Perhaps many of you remember the Joplin, Missouri case ... where the power company CEO was questioned in court about "special considerations" he was reported to have given to some of his friends (and his church) when it came to the routing of that line. He denied it when questioned in court. Nevertheless, he will likely face more court questioning on the matter in the future.
Again, some of his own employees have been talking???
The power line -- by the way -- has been completed. And, frankly, all one need do to spot the property owners who reportedly have been given "special consideration" is track the line as it crosses back and forth across Connecticut Avenue (and makes an unexplained sharp detour out on the edge of town)..............
Be sure you read about the courageous lady below.
Cheerio,
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 1997 13:53:24 -0500 (CDT)
From: Emrall@aol.com
Reply-To: emf-l@mail.llion.org
To: Multiple recipients of list <emf-l@mail.llion.org>
Subject: Industry Member Becomes Cell Tower Activist
June 18, 1997
In a move that has brought a smile to many activists opposing the unsafe siting of wireless communication facilities, Ann Shirreffs of Pepper Pike, Ohio, has resigned from her job as a cellular telephone saleswomen and has taken up the battle cry of "Just Say No" to cellular towers on the school grounds in her community.
Ann has gathered 950 signatures of residents in the community opposed to the proposed AT&T school yard cell towers and is leading a well organized opposition to the proposed facilities.
In fact, one piece of evidence Ann presented to the Orange School District authorities is a letter from Kathleen M. Fagen, M.D., the Medical Director of the Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine for MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland who writes:
"I strongly urge you to consider the possible health effects of RF exposure in the plans for the construction of the towers...These towers should be located so as to minimize exposure to people in schools, homes, apartments, offices and factories. Other alternatives should be considered before advancing in the plans to construct towers near schools. For example, collocation with other existing towers, building on landfill property, and other nonresidential areas are a couple of choices to consider before putting children at risk.
We clearly live in a time of rapid technological advance. With all the advantages that such progress brings, we have also witnessed all too often the adverse human health and environmental effects created by hurried, ill-conceived planning. I ask you to consider all the public health implications of the proposed microwave and RF transmitting tower."
Consumer activists welcome this cell phone dealer turned cell tower activist to the growing international network of individuals concerned about this very vital issue. Perhaps Ann's brave move to protect her children from the possible adverse health effects from the radiation from the proposed towers will encourage other industry members to examine whether or not they want their children going to school where towers are used as playground equipment. Until we are sure of the risks - why make our children the guinea pigs in this bio-effects experiment?
In other news from Ohio, at least a dozen communities neighboring Ann's Pepper Pike area are challenging wireless carriers who wish to erect similar towering facilities. In fact, just this morning an activist from Yellow Springs reported to The EMR Alliance that just last night a 6 month moratorium was unanimously approved to give the town time to prepare an ordinance to properly govern these facilities.
More news on this and other consumer activism within this debate will be reported in the Summer issue of Network News which is due out on June 30th.