The Right to Abortion, But Not the Right to Protect My Child? A Parent’s Plea for Justice

As a parent, I should have the right to protect my child. But I don’t.

My name is John Coates, and I’m the founder of RF Safe. For decades, I’ve worked to educate the public on the dangers of radiofrequency (RF) radiation and advocate for safer technology. But today, I’m not writing as an advocate—I’m writing as a father. My seven-year-old daughter attends a school where a cell tower stands just 465 feet from her desk. I know the science. I know the risks. And I know that I have no legal right to protect her.

The BioInitiative Report, one of the most comprehensive meta-studies on RF radiation, recommends that cell towers be placed at least 500 meters (1,500 feet) from schools to reduce children’s exposure to RF radiation. Yet here I am, powerless to challenge a tower that sits less than a third of that distance from my daughter’s school. Why? Because of Section 704 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, a federal law that strips local communities of the right to protest cell tower placements on health grounds.

This is the paradox we live in: you have the right to abort a child, but you don’t have the right to protect the child you choose to have.

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A Broken System That Fails Parents and Children

The Telecommunications Act of 1996, specifically Section 704, was written to speed up the deployment of wireless infrastructure. But in doing so, it silenced communities. Under Section 704:

• Local governments cannot deny cell tower permits based on health or environmental concerns if the tower meets outdated FCC guidelines.
• Courts cannot consider health evidence in legal challenges against wireless infrastructure.

This law directly violates both the First Amendment—by stifling public discourse on health concerns—and the Tenth Amendment, which reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to states and localities. The result? Parents like me are left without a voice, even when credible scientific evidence shows that these towers pose a risk to our children.

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Outdated Guidelines and Unmet Legal Mandates

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) relies on safety guidelines established in 1996, long before smartphones, 5G networks, and Wi-Fi became ubiquitous. These guidelines only account for thermal effects (tissue heating), ignoring decades of research showing non-thermal effects, such as:

• DNA damage
• Oxidative stress
• Neurological impacts

In 2021, the FCC lost a lawsuit brought by the Environmental Health Trust and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., where the court ruled that the agency had failed to justify its reliance on outdated standards. Yet, no meaningful updates have been made.

Compounding this failure is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is legally obligated under Public Law 90-602 (Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act of 1968) to conduct ongoing research into radiation safety. The FDA has neglected this mandate, allowing the FCC to continue enforcing obsolete guidelines while the public remains exposed to increasing levels of RF radiation.

The final blow came when the Biden administration cut funding for the National Toxicology Program (NTP)—a program that, during President Trump’s tenure, released a landmark study showing clear evidence that RF radiation causes cancer in lab animals. This research was poised to inform updated safety standards, but its abrupt defunding has left critical questions unanswered.

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Abortion vs. Protection: The Hypocrisy of Local Rights

This brings me back to the question that haunts me as both a parent and an advocate: Why are local rights upheld for abortion but denied when it comes to protecting children from RF radiation?

We live in a society where people demand the right to terminate a pregnancy at the local level, yet those of us who choose to have children are denied the right to protest cell towers that jeopardize their health. This is not just illogical—it’s unjust.

“You want the right to abortion. I want the right to protect my child.”

These words aren’t just a statement of frustration. They are a call to action for every parent, every citizen, and every leader who values public health, local autonomy, and constitutional rights. If states and local governments are empowered to decide deeply personal matters like abortion, then they must also have the authority to regulate wireless infrastructure in their own communities.

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What Needs to Change

1. Repeal or Amend Section 704

Local governments must have the right to regulate cell tower placement based on health concerns. This requires repealing or amending Section 704 to restore local control and uphold the First and Tenth Amendments.

2. Update FCC Safety Guidelines

The FCC must replace its 1996 standards with modern, evidence-based guidelines that account for non-thermal effects and reflect the realities of today’s wireless technologies.

3. Enforce Public Law 90-602

The FDA must fulfill its legal mandate to research RF radiation’s health impacts and ensure the public is informed of potential risks. This includes funding new studies and collaborating with independent scientists.

4. Restart NTP Research

The National Toxicology Program’s cancer research, halted under the Biden administration, must be restored. Its findings could save countless lives by informing updated safety standards.

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A Parent’s Plea

My daughter deserves better. All our children deserve better. As a parent, I should not have to accept a system that prioritizes corporate interests over my child’s health. I should not have to watch as my government violates its own laws, silences communities, and fails to protect the public from known risks.

It’s time for change. We need leaders who will stand up for local rights, enforce the rule of law, and prioritize public health over profit. Until then, parents like me will continue to fight—not just for our children, but for the future of every family in America.

John Coates
Founder, RF Safe
Father, Advocate, and Citizen