My Letter To The SDUT: About Their Beer Article

A newspaper article came out in early March of 2010 praising the benefits of drinking beer. It was in the San Diego Union Tribune, Health section..........yes........Health section! I couldn't believe it. I couldn't take it. I had to write a letter of response to the SDUT. They have published some of my opinions, but not this one. However, in all fairness to them, they did send me a personal response. The response was unsatisfactory to me because it did not really deal with what I told them and asked them.


From: Robert Dominguez Subject: Nutritional qualities of beer
To: health@uniontrib.com
Date: Tuesday, March 9, 2010, 3:53 PM

It seems like clockwork. Every several months we are subjected to headings in the newspaper like the article in today's Health section, right under the words: "fitness and wellness." "Nutritional qualities are a beer bonus." A bonus? A bonus to what? Drunkenness? Why is an article of this nature written in your newspaper? Are you promoting the consumption of liquor? I understand beer commercials and ads. Their function and motives are obvious. But what about your article? What is the point? Is there remuneration involved by publishing these so-called "revelations" under the guise of "scientific research"?  Some of your buzz words are "antioxidant qualities," "highest fiber content," "bone mineral density," "lower hip bone density," and "gluten-free option." Are you kidding me? Beer advertisements attempting to create a sort of social sophistication connected to the consumption of beer. Of course it is a deception. Your article appears to try to create a "health and wellness" sophistication connected to drinking beer. This is also a deception. Two countries are cited in the article. Germany and Spain. Both of those countries have far too many alcoholics. No problem. Beer companies are amoral. They just want to sell their product. Now they want the health industry to help them. What is fair is fair. They have helped provide much clientele for the health industry. Particularly in the areas of heart disease, cirrhosis of the liver, cancer and mental health; just to name a few. What about the crime, accidents and broken homes? That is just a tip of the "beerberg." I hope I am wrong, but I predict that your next article about the "greatness of liquor" will be about wine and "how good it is for your heart."



Robert Dominguez