OH the DRAMA! Kerfuffle with Erin Elizabeth & Dr. Mercola’s followers over Lead in Mercola’s pans & my husband’s choice to get the COVID-19 vaccination.
Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF technology (a scientific method used by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) to test consumer goods for toxicants (specifically heavy metals — including Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Antimony, and Arsenic). Tamara’s work was featured in Consumer Reports Magazine in February 2023 (March 2023 print edition).
Sunday — March 28, 2021, 12:32 p.m.
Introduction
Facebook deleted a post I wrote in the wee hours this morning.
After a LONG day of being cyber-bullied on Facebook (simply because I shared that my husband got the first dose of the CoViD-19 vaccine) by followers of Dr. Mercola and Erin Elizabeth, as well as members of the Health Freedom Group on Facebook (and — FYI — all of that bullying is still up on my Facebook page as evidence of the nonsense) — I wrote the response below. Then, those very same people (the cyberbullies) reported ME for bullying, and my post was taken down by Facebook (yet they were not sanctioned or censored for their bullying)!
In this post (which was taken down from Facebook but you can read it in full below), I shared a screenshot of the public profile side of the main person (Beth Ann) who initiated the bullying via posting in the Health Freedom Group (no more information than could seen by any reader on all of her dozens of posts on my page from yesterday) and a screenshot of one of her posts in that group sharing lies about my work (that a reader had sent me).
Some of the comments on that post asserted that I was not (legally) allowed to share this public information (which is an especially outrageous assertion given the degree to which she and her associates were bullying me and my readers, plus all the lies and misinformation they were sharing about my work).
What I find particularly amusing about most of what went down yesterday is that when I mentioned about my husband’s vaccination the other day, I did so with the knowledge and understanding that Facebook had ceased to be useful/functional for Lead Safe Mama as a paradigm (as I mentioned in an earlier post, Facebook wasn’t showing Lead Safe Mama posts to anyone, so what I upload there doesn’t seem to matter). Then … all of this blew up on Facebook — which was pretty funny! (Link with more details.) I really do have little use for Facebook at this point, and the censorship and cyberbullying are outrageous.
Facebook has now sent me a message detailing how I am no longer allowed to monetize my Facebook page. This is also hysterical because I have NEVER monetized my Facebook page!
Here is Erin saying I was “bullying” and “unhinged” after her minions literally spent the entire day posting hundreds of comments attacking and bullying me, my readers, and followers:
One other minor thought before I share the original post with you: While I don’t know whether-or-not this is true, a reader also sent me some information suggesting that “This woman” (Facebook name: Beth Ann, referenced below) is actually just another alias for Erin Elizabeth on Facebook (and that she actually has several aliases from which she trolls and cyberbullies). Even if it isn’t her, the woman referenced is an admin of a group that Erin Elizabeth and Dr. Mercola are heavily involved in (as several of the Admin profiles for the group are, in fact, clearly Erin Elizabeth with different profile names). Regardless of her actual identity, as she is admin of the group in question and posted the disparaging post about me and my work, it is appropriate to continue with sharing her name.
And with that, here’s the original post…
First, I share with you an image I shared alongside this post. This is a screenshot shared with me by a reader, referencing me and my work in the Health Freedom Group on Facebook. The post was written by Group Admin Beth Ann:
The post (below) is exactly as I wrote it and published it last night on Facebook, with the text unedited. The only “edits” are noted and are referencing related images/ screenshots (in response to the screenshot above with sentiment which was expressed on my Lead Safe Mama page yesterday — in the form of cyberbullying — hundreds of times).
I learned tonight that this woman (first picture – eta: you can see her picture in the screen shot above), with this group (second image – eta: same screenshot above) was responsible for most of the trolling (and lies and vitriol) here on this page yesterday (3/27). It’s incredible the impact (the damage and personal attacks and hatred) one person (who is an admin in a group with more than 69,000 people) can generate with a few strategically placed lies.
One mother (a long time follower of this page) PM’d me today and told me that the attacks by these people (on a comment she made) left her crying for three hours. This is not ok. This is orchestrated cyberbullying. I have politely asked Beth Ann to stop harassing me (& thereby stop harassing the people I love in this community too.) I told her I likely have enough screenshots (from all of you, thanks everyone) to sue her for harassment if I chose to. That’s not my plan, my plan is to get her (and her followers) to stop the harassment, stop the lies and stop the bullying.
I won’t stand for this behavior especially from people who harass my readers to the point of tears. This is not o.k.
My understanding is this health community that Beth Ann administers was founded by Erin Elizabeth and her husband Dr. Mercola. My understanding is that Beth Ann (group Admin there) inspired her friends and the members of her group to attack me and my work (spreading a host of really funny lies actually – see below for the funny details) because she was upset that I called out Mercola for never publishing a public statement or recall and never offering refunds to his followers who bought his branded pots and pans under the assumption that they were Metals free (based on advertising materials) when they were, in fact, positive for 14 metals when tested with XRF technology. To note (as followers of my page know) my findings are accurate, science-based and replicable.eta: see screenshot below
Erin also said (in a comment yesterday, eta: see screenshots below) that she was proud that Dr. Mercola donated $10,000,000 to charity. It seems that Beth Ann and her friends and group members were also upset that I suggested he could use some of his money (if he has that much to donate) – money earned at least in part from selling pans with 14 metals – to offer refunds to people who bought the pans specifically with the understanding that these products were Metals free. Refunds would be a tax deduction just as much as donations to charity would be – and it would go a long way in restoring the faith of the people who purchased these products.
My response
These group members and followers of his also appear to be upset because they assert that since he stopped selling these pans (which I understand happened a while ago – and possibly shortly after he learned of my test results) that it is no longer an issue. And that “stopping selling the pans” was “doing something” about the problem. I disagree. These pans are still in use in people’s homes and most of those people are unaware of the concern for metals found in these pans. The people who bought these pans (3, 4 or 7 years ago) have a right to know that they are NOT metals free, so they can do their own research and choose for themselves to continue using them – or to stop using them. As with EVERYTHING with heavy metals – being INFORMED and given the opportunity to make a CHOICE to have it in our life (or not) should be fundamental to the conversation.
Some of the outrageous lies Beth Ann and her friends have shared about me (which has had us cracking up over here most of the day actually):
Lie #1.
My children have been taken away from me. MY THOUGHTS: Well… I guess on one level my two eldest sons have been “Taken Away” from me… actually. if you consider going to music college on full scholarship “taken away”… I’ll give you that one – lol. Colescott was “taken away” 5 years ago (when he started at a presidential scholar at Berklee College of Music). He graduated last May with honors at the top of his class. A.J. was taken away in September – when he started at Berklee College of Music as a freshman on full scholarship. I miss them terribly. AND REGARDING MY YOUNGER SONS… PLEASE … I BEG YOU… if you know ANYONE who would take my two youngest sons away from me (even for a couple of hours!) I could really use a break. I have had children underfoot ALMOST every day for MOST days – ALMOST 24/7 for MOST of the past nearly 25 years that I have been a parent. (eta: screenshot aded + photo of my boys!)
Lie #2.
That I am homeless. Well Beth Ann (& others) – you obviously don’t follow my page! There are LOTS of pictures of my home, videos of my home – and I talk about my home all the time. As of April 16, 2021 we will have lived in the same home for 14 years. It is a 4 bedroom 2 bath home in Portland, Oregon. How long have you lived in your home? When we bought this home I owned a total of five homes actually – but sold them off after the market crashed (so we could pay all of the expenses for those children who were taken away.) (eta: screenshot below followed by photo of my house!)
Lie #3.
I sell LEAD. WTF. No actually WTF. This is so hysterically funny for Beth Ann and her friends to allege – I am not even sure how they came to that conclusion. I suspect (from some of the screenshots I have read of their exchanges) that they believe that since there is CYA (CYA stands for COVER YOUR ASS) Prop 65 labeling on some of the products I recommend that those products might have Lead (even though they don’t – or I wouldn’t recommend them – but my readers know that!) I think it is really funny that a main point that is at issue (her “gurus” selling products with Lead) is what she is accusing me of – lol! [Talk about gaslighting!] (eta: screenshot below is from full screenshot above).
another comment from one of her readers (LOL!)
Lie #4.
That I urinate on people. No kidding. I have SCREENSHOTS alluding to this. I have NO IDEA what this is referring to. So funny. I did wet my pants pretty bad today belly laughing pretty hard over some of this nonsense. I am also a “person” … so if you consider wetting my own pants while laughing too hard “urinating on people” perhaps that is true… hmmm – maybe she is psychic? (eta: screenshot below).
and another from Jenn
…and another (name left to show these are different people)
Lie #5.
That I am a criminal and grifter… with a long rap sheet… and mug shots everywhere. No kidding. That does’t even need to be addressed really (I have addressed my illegal arrest on false charges ad nauseam here and on my website)… and there was only ever one mug shot (and I have only ever been arrested that one time in my whole life)…and you all have seen the mug shot and all the details on my site (& latest update: In 2019 I sued the State of Oregon in Federal court for these Civil Rights violations perpetrated against me at the hands of State and local agencies). That’s my big lawsuit (my only lawsuit). Last month I actually started negotiating with the State (for them to pay me for the damages they caused to me and for them to pay all of the cost of my related/linked legal battles)! Yay!!! Hopefully we will come to a reasonable settlement soon – and i will use that money to directly pay back everyone who has helped me through this trauma over the past five years! *Special thanks to all of you! You know who you are… there are 22 of you.*] (eta: screenshot below).
and another screenshot
and the rest of that
and some more from Erin
Lie #6.
That I am on drugs (or mentally ill, unhinged, or losing it — and other disparaging comments about my sanity). Nope, not mentally ill. I just like to say FUCK alot and I am not afraid to talk about SEX especially when your whackadoodle friends suggest that my husband can never have sex again after he got the vaccine. (GAH!) We are grownups here. I really think I should talk about sex more often, eh? I should add a few more posts to my series of posts about sex toys at least… don’t you think? (eta: screenshot below).
Lie #7.
That Mercola’s pans never had Lead. Simply not true — see above (eta: screenshot below is from full screenshot above).
Lie #8.
That I was “attacking” people. Nope. I never attacked anyone (although my comments might have gotten a bit more snarky and punchy towards the end of the day after reading over 5,000 comments on my page!) I only told the truth about a product having Lead – and offered solutions for the company to handle the problem (in their legacy products) in a respectful and responsible way. This is not an attack on her people even though she may have perceived it as an attack (Fun Fact: people often perceive things as attacks if it might impact their bottom line. Follow the money.) Sharing TRUE FACTS and SOLUTIONS to problems (giving companies free advice about how to move forward after doing testing on their products that did not cost them a penny) is not an attack. (eta: screenshot below is from full screenshot above).
There are other lies and defamatory comments she (and her friends and group members) made but I will leave it at that.
I want to conclude by saying that I am truly thankful for the kind words all day and the amazing support of my community here and for your support of my work over the past 15+ years since I have been doing this sort of thing.
It is sad actually when trolls like this person (and her friends and group members) distract me from my work for an entire day — a day I that could have been better used helping families with Lead poisoned children.
Erin Elizabeth – if you are reading this I hope you seriously consider removing Beth Ann as admin of your group – it doesn’t look good for you to have someone with this level of hate attacking another advocate on a personal basis (and with so many lies!) and coordinating efforts to bully others online, especially given that other advocate is also working in areas that align so closely with yours (even if those areas of focus diverge on some subtopics – like vaccines and supplements) towards public health goals and corporate responsibility and transparency in the area of healthy living.
Erin, if you choose to leave Beth Ann in this position of power (as your group admin) you are making a statement, you are complacent in the bullying and trolling she represents and engendered in your community. I know you are better than that. If you do remove her from her position of Admin in your group — I invite you to be fully transparent about it — to make a statement as to why (and not to just do it quietly and push it under the rug as Dr. Mercola did with his leaded pans).
Tamara Rubin
Owner
Lead Safe Mama, LLC
Portland, Oregon
P.S. You can’t fix stupid.
Since this post was taken down from Facebook this morning MORE outrageous fabricated statements have popped up and I will share those below — mostly because they are too funny not to share! (Stand by, I will publish more of those shortly!)
That I make $116,000 a month selling 64,000 Leaded pots and pans in a month! (OMG!) — See screenshot below:
I can’t keep up with all the drama. But thank you for everything you do in your crusade against lead. Because of your informative posts I have removed all my old dishes and mugs from my home and purchase non toxic items from which to consume food and drinks. The china and crystal inherited from my mother, which I love for purely sentimental reasons, are on display only and not used. If I had never read your posts I would be ignorantly using these items to feel closer to my mother. She is now gone. She drank from crystal for many years and I am convinced it had a part in her kidney ailments and the cancer that eventually killed her. I have old Fisher Price toys that are precious to me, but my children will never touch. Thanks to you!
Posting old articles is helpful to anyone just finding your site and pages who might not know where to look. So please continue that because if you help raise awareness in even one more person that may save lives.
Keep doing all you do. Your haters are your biggest fans but just ignore them and carry on.
I just came across your website when doing a bit of research on Andrew Cutler. You see i used to be a holistic dentist in the UK and i have crossed swords with a woman who co wrote his Andrew Cutler Chelation protocol book. She was saying it was the only way to detox heavy metals. I disagreed with her and also explained telling everyone to have all their amalgams removed isn’t always a good idea as it can be prohibitively expensive and may lead to many more problems. You may not agree with me but whilst i accept there are people that really should have their amalgams removed, is not something everyone needs. Its not just dental materials that cause problems, the bite teeth being wrong can cause many health issues too. And if someone cant afford it they will worry isn’t good for their health.
Anyway at the moment i have been seeing amazing results with a product called clean slate and wondered if you’ve heard of it. It is unlike any other detox product and appears to safely and passively detox the body from heavy metals, glyphosates, viral particles, bacterial bio-toxins, mould spores and volatile, organic pollutants. As you appear to be incredibly switched on i’d love to hear your opinion. If you don’t know anything about it i can send you information should you wish.
Keep us the good work and stay in your power. Marina x
I don’t know you in person, or any of the people commenting on you, having said that, first of all, it is admirable that you have such strong boundaries that none of this seems to affect you, secondly it is shocking what some people can say about total strangers without any reserve or second thought, thirdly, if I had bought a pan by any company and it had turned out that there was some lead in it and that company issued a public statement about it, I would have thought that they had been misled themselves, that they were ok people and they had their clients’ best interest on mind by informing their clients, public recall or not. Sometimes companies don’t look at the human aspect of it.
Truly horrifying, the level of nastiness and dishonesty and defamation that they’re willing to commit, just because they feel threatened by the truth of your work. Really disgusting. I just heard an interesting “The Daily” podcast, which detailed the years-long harassment and defamation that a mentally ill woman was perpetrating against a family which had at one time employed her and had to let her go because of her mental instability and illegal acts. She was arrested and charged for harassment and defamation. So if Miss Beth Ann/Erin/whomever is persistent, there is always that road. Keep documenting their harassment. Let people know in this way, in case they decide to drag your husband or children into it. The internet empowers these people in really harmful ways, and I’m sorry that it came down on you. Fuck them. I’ll never buy anything from Mercola, if this is the way his significant other and cheerleaders behave. You have always been professional and standing on truth. You got him on his back foot, and he didn’t like it.
The appropriate lawsuit to file against her would be a defamation lawsuit … specifically libel. What she’s done to you is despicable and I would love to see her held accountable.
(& latest update: In 2019 I sued the State of Oregon in Federal court for these Civil Rights violations perpetrated against me at the hands of State and local agencies). That’s my big lawsuit (my only lawsuit). Last month I actually started negotiating with the State (for them to pay me for the damages they caused to me and for them to pay all of the cost of my related/linked legal battles)! Yay!!! Hopefully we will come to a reasonable settlement soon – and i will use that money to directly pay back everyone who has helped me through this trauma over the past five years! *Special thanks to all of you! You know who you are… there are 22 of you.*] (eta: screenshot below).
I can’t keep up with all the drama. But thank you for everything you do in your crusade against lead. Because of your informative posts I have removed all my old dishes and mugs from my home and purchase non toxic items from which to consume food and drinks. The china and crystal inherited from my mother, which I love for purely sentimental reasons, are on display only and not used. If I had never read your posts I would be ignorantly using these items to feel closer to my mother. She is now gone. She drank from crystal for many years and I am convinced it had a part in her kidney ailments and the cancer that eventually killed her. I have old Fisher Price toys that are precious to me, but my children will never touch. Thanks to you!
Posting old articles is helpful to anyone just finding your site and pages who might not know where to look. So please continue that because if you help raise awareness in even one more person that may save lives.
Keep doing all you do. Your haters are your biggest fans but just ignore them and carry on.
I just came across your website when doing a bit of research on Andrew Cutler. You see i used to be a holistic dentist in the UK and i have crossed swords with a woman who co wrote his Andrew Cutler Chelation protocol book. She was saying it was the only way to detox heavy metals. I disagreed with her and also explained telling everyone to have all their amalgams removed isn’t always a good idea as it can be prohibitively expensive and may lead to many more problems. You may not agree with me but whilst i accept there are people that really should have their amalgams removed, is not something everyone needs. Its not just dental materials that cause problems, the bite teeth being wrong can cause many health issues too. And if someone cant afford it they will worry isn’t good for their health.
Anyway at the moment i have been seeing amazing results with a product called clean slate and wondered if you’ve heard of it. It is unlike any other detox product and appears to safely and passively detox the body from heavy metals, glyphosates, viral particles, bacterial bio-toxins, mould spores and volatile, organic pollutants. As you appear to be incredibly switched on i’d love to hear your opinion. If you don’t know anything about it i can send you information should you wish.
Keep us the good work and stay in your power. Marina x
Hi Marina, thanks for being in touch. I haven’t yet heard of that product! Please feel free to send me some additional information.
Tamara
Team Tamara!
I don’t know you in person, or any of the people commenting on you, having said that, first of all, it is admirable that you have such strong boundaries that none of this seems to affect you, secondly it is shocking what some people can say about total strangers without any reserve or second thought, thirdly, if I had bought a pan by any company and it had turned out that there was some lead in it and that company issued a public statement about it, I would have thought that they had been misled themselves, that they were ok people and they had their clients’ best interest on mind by informing their clients, public recall or not. Sometimes companies don’t look at the human aspect of it.
Truly horrifying, the level of nastiness and dishonesty and defamation that they’re willing to commit, just because they feel threatened by the truth of your work. Really disgusting. I just heard an interesting “The Daily” podcast, which detailed the years-long harassment and defamation that a mentally ill woman was perpetrating against a family which had at one time employed her and had to let her go because of her mental instability and illegal acts. She was arrested and charged for harassment and defamation. So if Miss Beth Ann/Erin/whomever is persistent, there is always that road. Keep documenting their harassment. Let people know in this way, in case they decide to drag your husband or children into it. The internet empowers these people in really harmful ways, and I’m sorry that it came down on you. Fuck them. I’ll never buy anything from Mercola, if this is the way his significant other and cheerleaders behave. You have always been professional and standing on truth. You got him on his back foot, and he didn’t like it.
The appropriate lawsuit to file against her would be a defamation lawsuit … specifically libel. What she’s done to you is despicable and I would love to see her held accountable.
Thank you.