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In Memoriam: Jane Jones (1938-2004) |
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IN MEMORIAM: Jane Jones died Friday, September 3, 2004, from breast cancer. Jane was the tireless and indomitable Campaign Director for the National Pure Water Association in the UK for the past ten years. She helped communities in their fluoridation fights throughout the world. We will update you on events to celebrate Jane's life as we receive them. FAN is dedicating the following memorial page to Jane and we will add the comments you send us to this site. From the NATIONAL PURE WATER ASSOCIATION (UK): For ten years as campaign director for the NPWA, Jane waged war on those who would attempt to violate the basic human right of every individual to refuse medication or treatment via fluoridation of the drinking water. She continued to work over the past six months while in pain and weakened by the cancer. Only three weeks before her death, did Jane reluctantly lay down her sword as she could fight on no more. She did her last radio interview from home in the geranium garden she dearly loved. While Jane was, and always will be, remembered for her relentless battle against fluoridation, to her it was symbolic of much broader issues - It was about HUMAN DIGNITY, HUMAN RIGHTS and JUSTICE for all people. For the many thousands of people Jane touched across the past ten years, as the campaign director for the NPWA, she will be remembered for her fearless tenacity in facing the most powerful adversaries and showing limitless compassion to those in need. Jane's presence will be missed by all who knew her, but her legacy will be carried on by all who listened to her words. Jane Jones is survived by her husband, two daughters, a son, and two grandchildren. Her funeral memorial service will be held in Whiston, South Yorkshire on September 14th. By coincidence, Whiston was the last place that Jane spoke publicly! For those wishing to send flowers, Jane would wish that the money go to the Park Attwood Clinic. A fund has been set up to purchase a reverse osmosis system as the area is fluoridated.
For those wishing to attend the memorial service, send an e-mail for the time and directions to: info@npwa.freeserve.co.uk. There will also be a demonstration at Parliament Square, London, on Tuesday September 14th 2004 at 8.30am onwards. Jane would wish that everyone should participate in the demonstration rather than attend her funeral - that would be the ultimate tribute to Jane Jones. Just because one warrior has passed on - it is no reason to interrupt the assault! For information about the demonstration contact: John Graham, NPWA, London REMEMBERANCES: When the president of the state dental society claims that "in the last 55 years, there has never been any peer reviewed juried articles that show any harm from fluoride, period" -- rage, rage against the dying of the light. When both the president of the county medical association and the county health officer claim that "fluoride is not a drug because it is an element which occurs naturally" -- do not go gentle into that good night. When your congressional representative for almost 20-years refers to your concerns with the terms "looney bin, padded cell" and "robotic imbecility" -- rage, rage against the dying of the light. When a peer review journal prints that those countries which presently have the lowest decay on the face of the earth need to become fluoridated by the WHO because "it is anticipated that the incidence of caries will increase due to changing living conditions" -- do not go gentle into that good night. And, when you may think the cause is lost and no point in continuing the fight -- remember JANE. And, the words of Margaret Mead, which are a most fitting memorial and testament -- "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the ONLY thing that ever has". T.C. Schmidt It is with great sorrow that I inform you of the passing of
a true champion - a person who has passionately striven for each
person's right not to have their Human Rights trampled upon; especially
by being medicated via their water supplies. Ailsa Boyden When I met Jane it felt like I had known her for years, she knew who I was too, not in person but in character. Campaigners Share that - common cause for justice and what is right, no edges and no games. Just get on with the job and win the campaign. Whatever it takes. Jane had the gift of empowering people by allowing them and encouraging them to believe in themselves. In an age of control and people who control this is very rare, many try to diminish our self-belief. Jane was an exception and exceptional. We must all now encourage people to believe in themselves and empower them. Show them the dream and the direction, then let them do their best. We could not do, or ask for more. This is the tribute to Jane and her work that we should pay. We were in Parliament Square as Jane was laid to rest, exactly where she would expect and want us to be. Take comfort though, we have lost our leader, but her spirit is alive and well and leading from the front, she was with us today and will be wherever we are. In love and peace Jane Jones, Campaign Director, U.K. National Pure Water Association died 3 September 2004. For 10 years as the Campaign Director, Jane waged war on those who would attempt to violate the basic human rights of every person to refuse medication or treatment with fluoridated water. I became a close friend of Jane at the beginning of her entry into the battle against compulsory medication with fluoridated water, some 10 years ago. We agreed that the actions of the medical, dental and politically aggressive fluoridation adversaries could only be corrected by the power of omnipotent truth, never to be compromised or exaggerated, because on these principles we cannot be scientifically defeated. Jane never joined the world-wide group of spin doctors, even though their power is backed by the media, pockets of fellow travellers in responsible positions of public trust, together with subservient politicians who seem descended from the past custom of signing correspondence – “Your obedient servant”. Jane lectured on fluoridation throughout the U.K., attended conferences overseas, published articles and letters to the press, but at all times upheld the dignity and scientific respectability standards long established in the N.P.W.A. with its strong scientific foundations of honesty and reliability. Jane was constantly inundated, day and night, seven days a week with telephone, fax and email calls for help, none of which were ever denied. Jane upheld, without equivocation, a policy of Human Rights that in reality are law, but not operative because commercialism with its dollars has changed honesty into self-opportunity. Jane never failed our appeal for help in Australia. Jane sent letters, articles and Government Submissions on Fluoridation to the media and to governments, all containing her principle of honest science, and her appeal for Human Rights. Jane’s last message was her insistence that the Government cannot take away Human Rights. Human Rights are the inalienable rights of the people and cannot be taken away, interrupted maybe, but impossible to “take away”. The Jane Jones epitaph in appreciation, love and affection of Australian people would read: JANE JONES, THE SELFLESS, ULTIMATE HONEST FORCE IN HUMAN RIGHTS. Our sympathy to Jane’s husband George Glasser and her family whom we know will join us in Thanksgiving for a wonderful lady. With great respect and sadness, Glen S. R. Walker The death of Jane is for me a shock and a feel a deep sadness. She was always helpful and the information she gave was absolutely
reliable. When the information came from Jane I was sure: it did
not need double checking. Dear All, I am deeply sadden by the passing of Jane Jones. I consider her one of the biggest patriots for human rights that I have ever communicated with. I remember when the Colorado Springs fluoridation fight was going on that she and George Glasser were a huge help to Lisa McLaughin and the other grass root fighters. In my own fight in Cumberland and Frostburg, MD., Jane specifically helped me with this portion below, when I wrote a five page letter to our former Mayor John Bambacus, about how I viewed his attempts to fluoride the water supplies. I loved Jane Jones for the wonderful person that she was! God, is smiling brightly on Jane Jones now because she was a loyal in her service to humanity by warning them about the evils of this poison. She has touched my life with her spirit and intellectual honesty. She will be sadly missed by all of us. May she help guide us to victory from above. With love, admiration and deep sadness, Bernard W. Miltenberger There is one word that comes up every time I think of Jane Jones: indefatigable. I am not sure how the dictionary defines that word, but I know how I do. It means: state your case with a moral certainty and allow no deflections from your course of action. Jane knew with an absolute certainty that fluoridation was morally wrong; that it was a violation of individual and human rights. This was her moral compass which steered her - and the thousands of people she touched and influenced - through the minutia of arguments about how many tooth surfaces might be saved or IQ points lost. Not that she didn't know these arguments, she knew them very well, but her priorities were crafted by her insistence that the first and primary argument was the ethical one: a patient has the inalienable right to choose his or her own medicine and under no circumstances should this right be taken away from them. Sadly our so called "leaders" in medicine, dentistry and government do not have such a well defined moral compass. I first met Jane Jones in the UK in 1996 - in the very early days of my involvement in this issue - when she challenged the leadership of the British Fluoridation Society to provide just one of its members to debate the issue with me in Oxford (famed for the debates that it hosts) but they failed to do so. This was a shock to me at the time but not to Jane. She knew, better than I, who and what she was dealing with. While we ponder on what Jane's loss means to us, both personally and also for the larger cause which she so valiantly served,the memory that shines most forcefully in my mind was when we heard that George Glasser, the tiger from Florida, had tied the knot with Jane the centurion tank from the UK. This was a really happy day for all of us. When I met them both in a hotel in Leicester (I believe it was) a short time after their marriage their beams lit up the place! We can only hope that George and Jane had many happy days together before this tragedy struck. For those proponents of fluoridation who might think Jane's early death might ease their efforts, think again. Unless they believe that there is no afterlife, they can expect some very well aimed thunderbolts from heaven. Meanwhile, the rest of us, who she touched in so many ways, will carry her inspiration with us wherever we take the arguments against this misguided practice. Paul Connett For the past 12 years I (and Anne before her death) had continuing
contact with Jane by telephone, fax and email. She was always helpful
and full of encouragement. The descriptions that she supplied of
the demonstrations that she organized were a delight and an inspiration. My condolences to George with whom I have also had contact over
the years and Richard Foulkes I knew Jane only through her e-mails. This is a great loss not only to her husband and friends-the pure water folks in the UK, but to the entire movement. In sorrow ... RIP ... Ralph Blois I am very sorry about the loss of another caring and committed human being. While I never had the opportunity to meet Jane personally, her influence and rational voice in the face of so many irrational positions gave me courage and hope. Jane's character is again evident in Mr. Glasser's account. I shall mourn her loss in my own personal way and draw strength from the memory of her unyielding efforts to make the world a better place for all humankind. Joseph W. Tinko Chris Holdcroft
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