Opinion by Consumer Advocate Tim Bolen
I was five days, four nights, at the Chicago events – first the National Health Freedom Coalition on Wednesday night, and Thursday, then the Health Freedom Expo on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Thank the Lord I can sleep on airplanes. One minute I’m leaving Chicago, the next I’m climbing down the rear staircase at Jet Blue’s Long Beach Terminal.
The Coalition meeting was interesting to say the least, and a lot was accomplished. I’m not going to say what all, just yet, but it was good seeing everyone once again.
Anthony Stefan, from Canada, came, and we had lunch the day of the event. Many of you will remember Tony’s efforts from the famous Truehope v Health Canada case where Tony successfully argued that his supplement EMPowerplus, a powerful anti-bipolar product, was a “necessity” for Canadians. In short Tony frog marched Health Canada through the Courts – a tactical lesson for us all.
“[111] The Defendants are not guilty of Count #3 in the Information. The Defendants are entitled to rely upon the defence of NECESSITY, which once raised was not disproved beyond a reasonable doubt by the Crown. Furthermore, this being a strict liability offence the Defendants are entitled to the defence of due diligence. On a balance of probabilities the Court is satisfied that the Defendants took all reasonable care that would be expected of a reasonable person in the circumstances to comply with the Food and Drugs Act and Regulations as evidenced by their considerable efforts to obtain a Ministerial Exemption or agreement during 2003. The findings that the Defendants had no reasonable legal alternative and took all reasonable care to comply with the law in the circumstances are supported, in part, by the fact that by March 2004 the new Minister of Health entered into an agreement to permit the sale and distribution of the supplement and the operation of the Truehope program, which agreement continues to the present day.”
Everybody in the Health Freedom Movement knows I am promoting an alliance between the Autism world and our group – and it is working. So, although I was there not just to see my friends, but to make sure that both groups mingled, and met each other. So I was busy with that the whole time. At the Coalition conference I sat between Ginger Taylor of the Canary Party and Teri Arranga of AutismOne. Just to Teri’s right was Gretchen DuBeau of the Alliance for Natural Health – USA. And so it went, around the circle.
That night at the banquet I presented an Achievement Award to my buddy, attorney Rick Jaffee. Rick is an interesting character, for sure, working out of Houston, Texas but maintaining a Manhattan bite none the less. Read his book description “GALILEO’S LAWYER.” It says it all. For those of you that don’t know Rick, personally, let me tell you something about him. A few years ago a new client of mine was in deep trouble with the Feds, and had, in my view, some of the dumbest attorneys on Planet Earth. I recommended their replacement – forthwith. I recommended the client pick from two attorney choices, and I carefully explained how each choice would work. Those choices were Rick Jaffee and Bob Shapiro (OJ’s Dream Team attorney). The client picked Rick, and he got the outcome he wanted – as simple as that.
How Well It All Worked…
I headed a Panel at the Health Freedom Expo in Chicago, Saturday at 5:00PM on Health and Vaccine Politics. On the panel I had Mark and David Geier, experts in the Thimerosal in Vaccine issue, and Andrew Wakefield, expert in the MMR Vaccine issue.
I am waiting for a copy of the video, so I can write an entire article about it, and show you segments on YouTube – for the information revealed there was VERY important. In short, these two leader segments outlined the Causes of Autism and then, very clearly told us what needed to be done to solve the problem.
I had prepared, basically, two question sets for them and told the audience why, in the introduction, I was asking those questions. I had, of course, briefed Andy, Mark and David ahead of time where we were going – except for the surprise questions. I wanted to get, from them, a surprise reaction.I had surveyed the audience right at the beginning, asking for a show of hands and had found that the attendees were about three-fourths from the Health Freedom Movement and one fourth from the Autism world. Of note too, was the fact that all of the Autism people sat for the most part, hesitantly, in the back of the room.
I had explained to the audience, in the introduction, that Wakefield and the Geiers represented the two main Causation of Autism arguments addressed in the US Vaccine Court – (1) MMR vaccines and (2) Thimerosal in vaccines, and that I would be asking them, one at a time, what their areas of interests were, exactly. Then I would ask them, one at a time, what needed to be done to solve the Autism problems. Their answers, each, were detailed, thorough, and showed a significant depth of understanding. These really are the experts.
But it was the surprise question that made, for the Health Freedom Movement I’m sure, the largest impact.
The Surprise Question…
I embarrassed them with it. I asked each of them how they felt about the simple fact that their attempts to solve the Autism problems had, in fact, virtually ruined their lives, their professional careers, and their economic circumstances. Their answers were magnificent. In short, they all said they’d do it all again just the same, and have no intention of quitting their efforts.
I was watching the look on Andy Wakefield’s face when I surprised him with that question. I asked him first, for I had, long ago, asked that same question of the Geiers. Consider that Andy Wakefield had a very comfortable life at the top of the British medical system and gave it all away, whether he wanted to or not. Mark Geier didn’t bat an eye, saying they could have everything as long as they got rid of mercury in vaccines.
People in the Autism community are not used to seeing their cutting edge doctors under attack, but that is the norm in Health Freedom. Not only do we see it, but we deal with it. Streeter, for instance, got his license, and his practice back – and the people who damaged him got called out by the court system. You can read about that here.Sitting in the audience, in about the third row, was another friend of mine, Cal Streeter DO, and when I asked that question he was the next person I looked at, for he, Cal Streeter, knows very well, personally, what I was talking about. In his book “A Doctor Goes to Prison” Cal tells the story. Cal sat there nodding his head.
The Autism world is picking up our tactics. Look at how well the Texas lawsuit by Andy Wakefield against triple-sleazy Brian Deer, and the clearly corrupt British Medical Journal is going.
On the Health Freedom front the Doctor’s Data versus Stephen Barrett federal court case is going so badly for Stephen Barrett and the NCAHF Board that the Defense has totally given up trying to beat the accusations and is focusing only on reducing the estimated $5,000,000 damages, and the additional $15,000,000 in punitive damages.
The Expo was, as usual, well attended…
Teri Arranga, from AutismOne, tells me that the speakers she arranged were very happy with their audience. It was so busy, with so much going on, I didn’t have time to see Kevin Trudeau, Marilu Henner, and any of the others. George Noory and I were just able to wave “hello” as we passed in the hallway
And Joel Wallach still says that “Dead Doctors Don’t Lie…
Stay Tuned…
Tim Bolen – Consumer Advocate