The case is over but the fight is not

If you have been following Unfiltered News, you know I sued the Boeing Company for the negligent release of radioactive contaminants that caused over 130 disfiguring skin cancers on my face and body. Many of these cancers clustered around my right eye, disfiguring my eyelids, causing extreme light-sensitivity, and finally closed the eye completely. Needless to say, that has devastated my art career.
During the preparation of my lawsuit, I learned a great deal about the negligent release of radioactive contaminants into the environment at the northwest corner of Los Angeles County, a story that was covered up by the nuclear industry and government regulators alike. While researching this event, I discovered a “culture of concealment” that pervades the entire nuclear industry.
Although major nuclear incidents are hard to conceal — because they happen in plain view — the public often is totally unaware of the less dramatic “accidents”. Because of this, and because radiation poisoning is hard to identify, thousands of men, women, and children are suffering debilitating injuries without awareness of their cause. But, it’s worse than that. Even when victims are aware of the cause, industry and government are allowed to escape responsibility. My documentary film will bring these hidden facts to light.

Between 1959 and 1990, the SSFL had numerous accidents and caused many releases of radioactive particles that contaminated much of Los Angeles. The public was not told about it.
From 1996 through 2005, Boeing tried cleaning up the radioactive grounds of the SSFL by demolishing contaminated buildings, digging up soil, and shipping radioactive debris in unsealed, tarp-covered dump trucks. According to radiation expert, Dr. Chris Busby, this released massive amounts of contaminants, including enriched uranium, into the environment, up to seven miles from the SSFL. This, too, was kept confidential.
The vast majority of people living in the neighborhoods surrounding the SSFL, even to this day, have no idea they were exposed to deadly radioactive toxins. Cancer rates in the area are far above average. Children are sick and dying. In 2005, a class-action lawsuit filed against Boeing for negligently causing death and disease was quietly settled out of court for $30 million. The public was not told.

Between the SSFL meltdown in 1959 and today, numerous nuclear incidents around the nation have released deadly radioactive substances into the environment. You may have heard of the meltdown at Three-Mile Island. No big deal, right? The public was assured there was no threat to health. In truth, however, the damage to humans and animals simply was denied. Even now, the public does not know the extent of the real consequences. This, too, will be shown in my documentary.
Lesser-known nuclear accidents include Idaho Falls, Idaho; Montpelier, Vermont; Erwin, Tennessee; Buchanan, New York; Hanford, Washington; Rocky Flats, Colorado; and many others.
The purpose of my documentary is to put an end to this culture of concealment and, thereby, also stop the death and disease that follow from it.
Having served as Associate Producer on many of Mr. Griffin’s productions, I have gained the knowledge and expertise to produce this film. For the technical aspects of production, I’m working with a professional filmmaker who also has worked with Mr. Griffin on numerous video projects. So we are set to roll.
I was able to get amazingly far in my lawsuit against Boeing due to the generosity of those who donated to my cause and purchased prints of my art. For those who don’t know me, I am a commercial and traditional artist. During the 1970s, in my native Australia, I was a well-known landscape artist and sold over 1,500 paintings in seven years. During the 1980s, I worked as a fashion artist for Gottschalk’s department stores, based in Fresno, California. In the 1990s, I concentrated on my greatest passion—finely detailed, photorealistic wildlife paintings—many of which sold in galleries in Carmel and La Jolla, California. Below is an example of my wildlife art.

The rest of my work can be seen on my website but, unfortunately, because of the disfiguration of my eye caused by the radioactive dust from the Boeing facility, I am no longer able to do this finely detailed work.
However, the motivation for my documentary is more than just my cancers. I feel a responsibility to inform everyone about this story of negligence and concealment, but I need your help.

That is how the documentary will be funded. Please visit my gallery at www.printsbyjoan.com. Prices have been discounted in hopes of encouraging financial support for the documentary. Donations also are appreciated.
I hope you like my work—and thank you for your help.