Unreasonable Choices

To Dye For, the documentary film about the effect of synthetic food dyes on the behavior and mental health of children, helps to explain why there is such a vast mistrust of the U.S. government. In Europe, these dyes are banned because they can cause cancer, but in the United States, they are allowed in school lunch foods and prescription medicine. They have no nutritional value, but they look pretty.

One thing noted in the film that focuses on children who--due to higher sensitivity to dyes--have experienced severe behavioral and mental health problems is that they are literally unable to think. Even if your child is not particularly sensitive, this should prompt others to avoid dyes, which are on food labels.

The fact that the federal government allows carcinogenic additives to our food contributes to the general mistrust of federal agencies charged with protecting public health, and combined with the many other betrayals of trust by our public institutions helps to explain the unreasonable social movement against vaccines. When citizens have to go to other sources to learn the truth, they don't always use reason.