Gore as a pathological liar

[Guest guest]

> Someone has sent me (again) the series of " lies " told by Al Gore. While it

is apparent that through a lifetime of politics Al has learned that

exageration is a useful tool (at least in the short run), I have to comment

on at least one claim in this litany of " lies. "

> FICTION: Al Gore said he was the first to discover the Love Canal nuclear

accident.

> FACT: The incident was already discovered, being investigated, and covered

widely in the press for many months before Gore was aware of it.

Real facts:

> The Love Canal was not a " nuclear accident, " but an unfinished canal near

Niagara Falls that became the site of an industrial dump (it was named for

the man who tried to complete it, Love). In 1978 it was discovered

that the site was leaching chlorobenzene, chloroform, trichloroethane,

toluene, and about 80 other known mutagenic toxins into the soil. The result

was that miscarriages and birth defects were significantly increased in the

neighborhoods surrounding the area. A governmental inquiry and subsequent

epidemiologic study of the effects of the toxic waste dump resulted in a

massive clean-up effort, and the site has become poster child for

industry-caused public health disasters.

> D Freeman PhD DC MPH

> Forensic Trauma Epidemiologist

> Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine

> Oregon Health Sciences University School of Medicine

> Mailing address: 2480 Liberty Street NE Suite 180

> Salem, Oregon 97303

> phone 503 763-3528

> fax 503 763-3530

> pager 888 501-7328

>