May 27, 2004
Mr. Paul Hoeffel
Chief, NGO Section
Department of Public Information
Room S-1070L
United Nations, New York, N.Y. 10017
RE: World Chiropractic Alliance: Violation of NGO status
Dear Chief Hoeffel:
I would like to file a complaint about the NGO status of the World Chiropractic Alliance.
I believe the World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA) headed by Dr. Terry Rondberg has subjected the DPI to a scam when it was given NGO status and has since misused its NGO status for personal profit and political demagoguery by its leadership. The facts will also show the DPI has been terribly misled by this fringe group to promote its various business interests and to further its own political agenda.
For those of us who understand the sordid history of the WCA, this deception typifies the leadership of the WCA that has misrepresented itself badly to your organization as a democratically elected non-profit association rather than an “alliance” of business and political cronies and it has behaved contrary to the four NGO criteria as I will illustrate. I urge the DPI to withdraw the NGO status of the WCA upon review of these issues. Indeed, if you allow this deception to continue, it will certainly taint the image of your fine organization.
Let me explain that I am a practicing chiropractor myself, not an attorney or elected official, but I am a conscientious professional who understands the misuse of the NGO status by the WCA entrepreneurs. My goal with this letter is not to libel or slander anyone, but I do want to reveal to the DPI how it’s been misused and how the WCA has misrepresented itself to you and the chiropractic community in numerous ways.
Please don’t discount this as merely an internal squabble within the chiropractic community for the facts will clearly show that the WCA is a group of businessmen who inappropriately pose as spokesmen for the international chiropractic healthcare profession when, in fact, they are a fringe group of vendors whose main goals are profiteering and political demagoguery. Since Rondberg is a publisher, his own written words and actions will clearly make the case against him and his WCA organization.
WCA Ethics & Honesty Questioned
For your information, the WCA is not a democratically elected organization as it pretends to be. It is an “alliance” of a small group of radical chiropractors-entrepreneurs led by its president-for-life, Terry Rondberg, a salesman who uses this WCA as a front for his CBS malpractice insurance company and other commercial services. His free newspaper, The Chiropractic Journal, is not a peer-reviewed scientific or professional medical indexed journal as you might assume by its name, nor is it “fair and balanced” in its news reporting; it is equivalent to a supermarket tabloid used to sell his products, promote his rank ideology, defame his political rivals, and to foster the business interests for him, his family, and friends.
Not only is it apparent that Rondberg has many conflicts of interest using his WCA as a front for his for-profit enterprises, but his modus operandi has come under attack for repeated unethical behavior which includes a patient solicitation scam and charges of political bribery, as mentioned in this article written by an attorney who is actively involved in chiropractic issues: www.chiroweb.com/archives/09/15/14.html
The Silence Is Deafening
“Terry Rondberg has founded and promoted a number of enterprises that he has urged the chiropractic profession to endorse. Rondberg has primarily promoted and defended these enterprises through his newspaper, the Chiropractic Journal: His World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA) has been pitched to the profession through the Chiropractic Journal as an ethical national association in which both straights and mixers could live and let live. Rondberg’s Arizona Chiropractic Alliance (AzCA) was supposed to supply these same things to chiropractors in Rondberg’s home state of Arizona.
“Rondberg also founded a patient solicitation scheme known as the Vertebral Subluxation Research Institute (VSRI). Despite the fact that VSRI has been almost universally condemned as teaching illegal and unethical practices within the chiropractic profession, Rondberg has continually claimed through the Chiropractic Journal that VSRI’s practices are legal and ethical.
“The scandal that rolled over the state of Arizona has left the Chiropractic Journal, WCA, VSRI, and AzCA under a cloud. AzCA’s lobbyist was recently arrested by the Phoenix police for bribery and for laundering political contributions. AzCA’s lobbyist is charged with obtaining votes from Arizona legislators by either bribing them or by laundering large contributions through a list of individuals in order to avoid Arizona’s $200 limitation on contributions. The AZCA lobbyist broke down large cash contributions into numerous $200 money orders drawn in names of the people on his list. Rondberg, his wife, and other WCA principals were all on the list. Further, the Phoenix police have played a taped telephone conversation between the AZCA lobbyist and a WCA officer during which he clearly appears to be giving permission to participate in the money-laundering scheme.
“These accusations raise basic questions as to Rondberg’s honesty and ethics. The chiropractic profession has a right to know whether or not WCA, VSRI, AZCA, and the Chiropractic Journal are the outlaw organizations that some claim that they are or if they are beyond reproach as Rondberg claims they are. Since Rondberg has the luxury of owning a chiropractic publication, he is in a unique position to tell the chiropractic profession their side of the story. Yet, when the most recent issues of the Chiropractic Journal have come out, Rondberg has simply claimed that he is being unfairly smeared without giving any explanation himself about his apparent involvement. The chiropractic profession is owed an explanation. It is still waiting.”
Michael J. Schroeder, Esq.
Santa Ana, California
Not only does the “chiropractic profession has a right to know whether or not WCA…and the Chiropractic Journal are the outlaw organizations that some claim that they are,” but so does the DPI need to understand the truth about the history of the WCA and its autocratic leader, Terry Rondberg. This ruse of implied authority of the WCA from the UN with its NGO status by this demagogue cannot continue!
According to Webster’s dictionary, a demagogue is a “political leader who gains power and popularity by arousing the emotions and prejudices of people.” This best describes the leadership of the WCA. Rondberg has been accused of yellow journalism on many issues within the chiropractic profession when he attacked rivals on numerous occasions:
- he has repeatedly interfered with legislation in other 14 countries,
- he has been reprimanded by his state association,
- he repeatedly has committed journalistic fraud by presenting his inflammatory opinion as fact,
- he routinely perpetuates a propaganda campaign to discredit his political and business rivals,
- and he has manufactured stories, including a fictitious letter- to-the-editor aimed at his chief rival, as noted in an article in Dynamic Chiropractic, “The Chiropractic Profession Has Been Defrauded!” www.chiroweb.com/archives/08/20/24.html
As you will learn for yourself, neither he or his WCA shares the principles of the UN nor has the WCA in practice fulfilled the four criteria set forth by the DPI. What the DPI may have been told by the WCA to qualify for NGO status stands in stark contrast with its actions to supplant the legitimate voices in this profession to further his own vested interests. Moreover, not only has Rondberg misused his NGO status to further his political and business interests, but I believe a case can be made that he has repeatedly violated the criteria of the DPI that should be cause for revocation of the NGO status.
Misuse of NGO status
The lengths to which the WCA and Rondberg have gone to misrepresent their importance is best illustrated with its constant reference to NGO status in the United Nations. A simple search on the WCA website www.worldchiropracticalliance.org will reveal that Rondberg has mentioned the NGO status in his tabloid at least 51 times since it was granted in 1998, which equates to 10 times annually, nearly monthly. If you were to read any of these articles, it becomes obvious his intention is to make it appear as if the WCA was chosen to be the diplomatic liaison for chiropractic in the United Nations and WHO.
Regrettably, the WCA remains a loose canon unwittingly empowered now by its NGO status. In effect, Rondberg has now used the NGO status as a stamp of approval as a UN authority to attack rival chiropractic groups and their officers. Nowhere is it stated that the NGO status enables the WCA to thrust its agenda upon the world community or to attack the mainstream leaders of the chiropractic community as he has repeatedly done. Indeed, this NGO status has created a monster in the WCA.
In many cases, such as the following example lifted from his tabloid, Rondberg suggests to his readership that the WCA voice carries the weight of the UN to force itself upon the worldwide chiropractic community, as these excerpts from his article indicate:
“Marching forward into the 21st century:” www.worldchiropracticalliance.org/tcj/1999/oct/oct1999rondberg.htm
“Now that the WCA has been recognized as an NGO by the United Nations, we have the responsibility to bring subluxation-based chiropractic to as many parts of the world as possible.
Nothing could be further from the truth and in the same article he also illustrates his demagoguery and implied authority to blast the leading international chiropractic organization, the WFC, and its leadership:
“Also, we have to take appropriate steps to counteract the efforts of international organizations such as the World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC), headed by former ACA president Louis Sportelli.
“In addition to having Dr. Sportelli as its president, this organization, founded in 1988, boasts many of the most notorious ‘medical chiropractic’ proponents in the profession, including Drs. Scott Haldeman, Reed Phillips, and John Triano.”
For your information, to illustrate the depth of demagoguery that Rondberg has stooped to when he labeled these men “the most notorious ‘medical chiropractic’ proponents in this profession,” Drs. Sportelli, Haldeman, Phillips and Triano are giants in the chiropractic mainstream community as a college president (Phillips), honored researchers (Haldeman, Triano—both PhDs) and a past chairman/president of two associations (Sportelli).
Does the status of an NGO include unfair attacks upon rivals by a demagogue? Rondberg is obviously using his NGO status inappropriately with his newfound implied authority to attack his rivals, plain and simple, which is a gross injustice done to these fine professional men. This act alone should be reason enough the DPI to remove the NGO status of the WCA, but there’s even more evidence of chronic misuse by the WCA, such as meddling in the legislative affairs of other countries.
Worldwide Meddling by WCA
Indeed, the DPI has been terribly misled by the WCA and its autocratic leader, yet the WCA continues to use its NGO status to suggest it now has worldwide influence with the WHO to determine the legal role of chiropractic, as mentioned in another article about the WCA plans:
“World Chiropractic Alliance plans chiropractic projects with the World Health Organization.” www.worldchiropracticalliance.org/tcj/2000/oct/oct2000j.htm:
“Assist in the development of an international model law for chiropractic. This is particularly important since chiropractic is only now being introduced into many emerging nations.”
This suggestion that the WCA will be involved in the development of international law for chiropractic is a gross intrusion on the sanctity of individual nations and, ironically, is equivalent to the al Qaeda developing laws for Mideast nations! Let me remind you the WCA is not a democratically elected organization—it is a private club run by a handful of entrepreneurs in which Rondberg has appointed himself president-for-life!
Furthermore, you may not be aware of complaints from many foreign countries concerning the WCA’s previous meddling in their private affairs according to an article, “Canada among 13 International Assoc.’s Demanding Halt to Interference,” published in the Dynamic Chiropractic. www.chiroweb.com/archives/11/05/19.html
“While it is not possible to know how many countries the WCA has contacted via these means, the World Federation of Chiropractic and national associations from around the world have written the WCA to express their disapproval and anger. To date, chiropractic associations in 13 countries have written WCA President Dr. Terry A. Rondberg to demand that these incursions be “dropped immediately”: Australia, Canada, Cyprus, France, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Panama, Portugal, Singapore, Trinidad/Tobago, and the United States.”
Obviously the WCA under the leadership of Terry Rondberg has overreached its role as an NGO with this abusive behavior interfering with the political affairs in many countries. Regrettably, it seems the NGO status will further empower Rondberg to meddle in other countries’ issues. I doubt this meddling is what the DPI had in mind when it granted the WCA its NGO status, but the following responses to Rondberg’s interference clearly reveals the animosity from the leaders of these foreign associations.
- “WCA Attempts to Influence Prime Minister of Trinidad/Tobago” www.chiroweb.com/archives/11/01/13.html
“Chiropractic leaders of the Caribbean island nation of Trinidad and Tobago have reacted strongly to what it considers outside interference from the World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA)… Reacting to the WCA article and letter, President Graham of the Chiropractic Association of Trinidad and Tobago said that ‘chiropractors in Trinidad and Tobago were appalled’ by the WCA’s article. The WCA article stated: ‘Project Trinidad needs help bringing philosophy, science and art of chiropractic to people who know little or nothing about it…
Dr. Graham concluded: ‘Chiropractic can do without them. The Rondbergs of this world must be stopped. They seem to know nothing about principles or ethics.’”
- Apparently this warning from the president of the Trinidad and Tobago chiropractic association wasn’t enough for Rondberg, so another letter was sent again: www.chiroweb.com/archives/11/04/10.html
“Dear Dr. Rondberg,
“Despite our formal request that you desist form interfering in the affairs of the Chiropractic Association of Trinidad and Tobago (CATT), you continue to meddle. We do not want to believe that you are attempting a coup against established chiropractic in this country to further your own cause, but you actions to date do not leave us much alternative to think otherwise.
“The stage having been set, you then follow up by sending our Prime Minister a copy of your letter to the WFC, completely ignoring and bypassing the recognized body representing chiropractic in this country…It would appear that your intention is to turn all our efforts of the past two years against us, and to use our time and expense to the personal advantage of your pet scheme. We find that you intervention at this critical point is not only distasteful and unprofessional, but also calculated, and can only cause confusion for chiropractic in general…CATT certainly has no intention of becoming embroiled in any personal disputes you may have with the WFC. However, we will not sit idly by and allow unwarranted attacks to go by easily. Such underhanded methods betray the high standards adhered to by the majority of the profession. We deplore the tactics that you have so far employed.”
Yours sincerely,
Chiropractic Association
of Trinidad & Tobago
Learie G. Graham, D.C.
President — CATT
- The Norwegian Chiropractors’ Association also has strongly responded to meddling by the WCA as excerpts of the following letter reveal from the NCA president, Kyrre Myhrvold, D.C., who flatly told Rondberg to “Stop your actions”: www.chiroweb.com/archives/11/04/10.html
“Re: Correspondence from World Chiropractic Alliance to WFC and foreign health authorities.
“It is with deep sorrow for our profession that the NCA has received copies of the correspondence of the private alliance “World Chiropractic Alliance.”
“In spite of the giant steps organized chiropractic has taken forward the last five years one feels desolated that such a great profession still is vulnerable to primitive ideas of a few fanatics.
“World Chiropractic Alliance does not represent the national organizations of the countries of the world. Democratic chiropractic does not want any interference from any self-appointed associations or organizations.
“The Norwegian Chiropractic Association has warned our authorities against such associations. They have used such private enterprises against us in our struggle for authorizations for years. Now as an authorized health profession we work together with the authorities against such schemes.
“Other countries, however, struggling for recognition will be set back years in their endeavors if independent chiropractic missionaries take upon them to “convert” foreign health authorities.
“Stop your actions.”
- The Singapore Chiropractic Association also condemned Rondberg and his WCA for meddling in its affairs with a strongly worded response from its president, Janet Ruth Sosna, D.C.: www.chiroweb.com/archives/11/04/10.html
“Dear Dr. Rondberg:
“I have read the flurry of correspondence between you and the WFC and its affiliates. I find myself more than a little stunned by your naiveté.
“Sheltered in your little American town you would probably not realize that in the developing and newly industrialized world, patients expect their doctors to make a diagnosis. If you don’t, they will find someone who can (or think they can). That is why your attitude is so inane. It is a question of sophistication. Chiropractic has existed for 100 years in the USA. Here it has been established only a few years.
“Please do not sabotage the growth and development of our wonderful profession in the second and third worlds with your straight vs. mixer rhetoric.
“The leaders of the world’s National Chiropractic Associations have banded together to form the WFC to represent the profession. You live in a democracy. Learn how the theory works. The majority wins, then everybody works together for the common good. Learn to work within the system.”
- The Israel Chiropractic president also criticized Rondberg and the WCA for its meddling: www.chiroweb.com/archives/11/05/19.html .
“Dear Dr. Rondberg:
“It was with a sense of increasing horror that I read through copies of your letters to the governments of Trinidad and Japan.
“We have just finished the most difficult year our profession has ever experienced in Israel. It was due entirely to the irresponsibility of others like you in the Straight Chiropractic World.
“Your arrogance in meddling in the affairs of other countries is exceeded only by the damage you can create.
“If you have any plans to approach our government we demand they be dropped immediately. We are in the middle of delicate negotiations and cannot afford to have the waters muddied with the importation of mindless philosophical posturings.”
Sincerely,
David S. Greenblatt, D.C.
President, Israel Chiropractic Society
These complaints but were a handful of numerous ones from countries around the world that have had their internal affairs tainted by the meddling of the WCA. To learn of other complaints against the WCA by foreign countries, logon to www.chiroweb.com/archives/11/05/19.html .
US Interference by WCA
Rondberg’s meddling not only occurred in the affairs of other countries, but his WCA also was caught meddling in many federal bills affecting the chiropractic profession.
- The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research here in the United States. The AHCPR’s mission was to establish federal guidelines on healthcare matters, including low back pain.
“AHCPR Responds to WCA’s Misleading Announcement: Director Dr. Clinton States ‘There Is No Relationship.’” www.chiroweb.com/archives/10/18/04.html
“After an announcement by the World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA) that they were to ‘chair an AHCPR subluxation panel,’ an inquiry was made by the Dynamic Chiropractic editorial staff to get the details of the new panel. Upon discussion with senior administrators of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, it was discovered that there was no such panel sponsored or supported by the agency.”
- As if one denial by the AHCPR was not enough for Rondberg, his WCA printed a second article that was also denied by Dr. Clinton of the AHCPR: www.chiroweb.com/archives/10/20/07.html
“AHCPR Responds to WCA’s Second Misleading Announcement”
“Chief Medical Officer States: ‘We don’t have any intention of supporting them (WCA) or giving them guidance or leadership.’
“A second article has appeared in the World Chiropractic Alliance’s (WCA) Chiropractic Journal regarding a ‘Subluxation Panel.’ In the August issue, a front page headline story declared: ‘WCA to chair AHCPR subluxation panel.’ A subsequent interview by Dynamic Chiropractic staff with the director of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR), J. Jarrett Clinton, M.D., revealed that there was no such panel sponsored by the AHCPR.”
- The WCA was also involved in sabotaging the efforts of mainstream American chiropractic organizations in their attempt to expand chiropractic services in the VA program. Rather than adhering to the consensus of the legitimate chiropractic associations, the demagogues at the WCA broke its agreement, placing in jeopardy this important legislation, which the following excerpts from the leaders of the American Chiropractic Association indicate: www.chiroweb.com/unity/acaletter/index.html
“Dear Drs. Rondberg and Humber:
“As you know, during negotiations that took place last year over the proposed content of legislative language to mandate the inclusion of chiropractic care within the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) health care system, the ACA, ACC, ICA and WCA jointly agreed to support the appointment of the chiropractic members of the DoD Chiropractic Oversight Advisory Committee…
“Your decision to break this important agreement constitutes a flagrant breach of faith and trust that in no way can be justified. It is an egregious and irresponsible action that is wholly unworthy of organizations that purport to represent the best interests of the chiropractic profession…
“Your failure to support their representatives now sends a strong signal of disunity to the DVA and lessens the likelihood that these organizations and the chiropractic profession will be sufficiently represented on the DVA Advisory Committee, and you have “politicized” a process that should have remained above politics…
“Unfortunately, your organizations are now serving those forces – including a hostile DVA bureaucracy – which would prefer, above all, to see the profession represented on the DVA Advisory Committee in a fractured and divided way.”
Conflicts of Interest
Not only has Rondberg misled the profession about the role of his NGO status and meddled in other countries’ affairs, he also has misled the DPI inasmuch as he is simply a businessman who uses his WCA to promote his wares—malpractice CBS insurance brokerage, a spurious telemarketing scheme, and his advertising tabloid, to name a few of his business interests. Rondberg has admitted these conflicts of interest in an article written by him, but he sees no problem and continues unabated with his demagoguery and profiteering:
“CBS — Separating fact from lies: A special message from Terry A. Rondberg, D.C., president of the WCA and CBS.” www.worldchiropracticalliance.org/tcj/2001/jan/jan2001b.htm
“Christopher J. Quigley, D.C., an ICA board member, made a similar accusation in a letter to ICA Representative Assembly members. He wrote: “Dr. Rondberg is looking to pad his pockets with the dues and malpractice insurance dollars of our members and … uses his newspaper as a promotional vehicle for those efforts.”
“Do I make money from CBS and TCJ? Yes, I do, just as every full time employee of any business makes a profit. Do I use TCJ to promote CBS and WCA? Of course!”
He also denounces the WFC once again in the same article:
“The World Chiropractic Alliance also is the leading and most vocal opponent of the repressive and anti-chiropractic policies of the World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC), which the ICA continues to support.”
For your information, the recognized worldwide, democratically elected chiropractic organization is the World Federation of Chiropractic, comprised of associations from 80+ nations. Here in the USA, the American Chiropractic Association is the primary spokesman for this profession, not the WCA. To have the WCA anointed as an NGO is equivalent to a guerilla organization of radicals proclaiming itself a representative to the UN. Indeed, some view the WCA as the al Qaeda of the chiropractic profession.
Even the International Chiropractic Association has challenged the divisive nature and demagoguery of the WCA, spurring a response in an editorial by Rondberg, “Who profits from the WCA?” www.worldchiropracticalliance.org/tcj/2000/sep/sep2000rondberg.htm
“The ICA Board member…came right out and said, ‘I don’t see anything that you’ve ever done as constructive for subluxation-oriented chiropractic. I do see you as divisive and self-serving. I see you as a self-promoter disguising his for-profit businesses as having altruistic purposes.’… ‘I don’t see provisions for any real elections or choices in who runs the association.’”
While the WCA may be on paper to be a non-profit organization, its free tabloid, The Chiropractic Journal, is used by him to promote his CBS malpractice insurance brokerage and his other for-profit enterprises and those of his board members. Making no bones about his use of the TCJ to promote his WCA, Rondberg’s free tabloid is replete with advertisements and solicitation efforts, such as, “Are you a player or a spectator?” www.worldchiropracticalliance.org/tcj/1999/feb/feb1999rondberg.htm
“The first step in becoming a chiropractic team player is to join the WCA. Just call 800-347-1011 and let us put your $500 membership fee on your credit card (if you prefer, we’ll charge your account $100 per month for five consecutive months). Or, if you’re already a member, you can help even more by making a one-time donation to the WCA to help in its efforts.”
Rondberg has constantly demonized rival malpractice insurance companies, such as the leading malpractice insurer, the National Chiropractic Malpractice Insurance Corporation (NCMIC), in his TCJ for obvious reasons. A simple search on the TCJ website will reveal 83 anti-NCMIC and anti-Lou Sportelli (president of NCMIC) articles, including “So, when are YOU going to switch?” by Dr. Terry A. Rondberg. Constant themes in his thread of articles denigrate NCMIC coverage as he vilifies anyone who may interfere with his profits or anyone who exposes his conflict of interest.
The bottom line on his conflict of interest is clear: Rondberg’s CBS company is nothing more than a brokerage firm owned and operated by Rondberg and his family, his TCJ is nothing more than a supermarket tabloid fronting for his businesses as it also disseminates his WCA demagoguery, all of which stand in direct violation of the non-profit status required by NGOs.
Violations of NGO Criteria
A case can easily be made that Rondberg and his WCA have violated the four criteria of NGO status:
Share the ideals of the UN Charter;
Not only is the WCA a front for Rondberg and his cronies to sell their wares, perhaps the most offensive element of the WCA is its lengthy history of demagoguery to obstruct progress in the chiropractic community around the world as we’ve seen with the WCA’s meddling in foreign and domestic legislation. Rather than an inclusive attitude like the UN, the WCA and Rondberg have repeatedly shown its exclusive position by rejecting cooperative efforts with real chiropractic organizations. To align his WCA with the UN’s efforts on “peacekeeping, conflict resolution and reconciliation” is laughable and contradictory, yet it illustrates the depths to which he will deceive the DPI.
It is easy to illustrate the exclusive and divisive nature of the WCA’s president-for-life, Terry Rondberg, in an editorial in his tabloid, “What are they afraid we’ll do?” www.worldchiropracticalliance.org/tcj/2000/jan/jan2000rondberg.htm , where he and his right hand man, Chris Kent, denounce the leadership of the WFC with unproven inflammatory allegations, certainly in violation of the spirit of the UN:
“Dr. Christopher Kent said it best recently when he stated: ‘The greatest threat to subluxation-based chiropractic on an international level is WFC.’
“That threat is real and it is confronting us now. We have to do everything in our power to stop the WFC in its tracks. The first step is to make sure the school or organization you support does NOT support the WFC. If it does, urge it to discontinue that support.”
In another derisive article written by Dr. Kent in the WCA’s tabloid, “Commitment and Morality,” www.worldchiropracticalliance.org/tcj/2000/aug/aug2000j.htm he once again attacked the major international chiropractic organization:
“Our profession faces great challenges from those who seek to destroy our unique culture. In recent years, the World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) has attempted to re-define chiropractic as ‘A health profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system…’ and a scope of practice which ‘includes the management of patients with acute and chronic headache, neck pain and back pain and other neuromusculoskeletal disorders.’”
Ironically, this definition Dr. Kent condemns is exactly the accepted legal scope of practice held by the vast majority of nations and states, unlike the radical belief by these demagogues that chiropractic is a cure-all for all diseases. Indeed, this fringe WCA now uses its NGO status as implied authority to disrupt progressive legislation here and abroad.
In another article published in the same tabloid, “WCA president interviewed on ICA/WFC issue,” Rondberg again denigrates both the WFC and ICA with unproven allegations, and when questioned about his extremism, he actually defends it rather than any attempt to ameliorate this constant antagonism. http://www.worldchiropracticalliance.org/tcj/2000/may/may2000b.htm
“Do you agree with some who say your position is extreme?
“Answer: Perhaps Barry Goldwater said it best: ‘Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice…moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue!’”
Operate solely on a not-for-profit basis;
As already shown, Rondberg constantly promotes his for-profit enterprises such as his CBS malpractice brokerage firm in his Chiropractic Journal, even to the point of using the NGO as a stamp of approval. His main associate, Chris Kent, is another businessman using chiropractic to sell his wares, as evident in three enterprises: EMG Consultants, Inc., as a co-founder of Paradigm Partners, Inc., and the Chiropractic Leadership Alliance, Inc. Both use this NGO status to enhance their image as implied authority within the chiropractic business world although neither are legitimate spokesmen for this profession.
By Rondberg’s own admission he does not operate on a not-for-profit basis:
“Do I make money from CBS and TCJ? Yes…Do I use TCJ to promote CBS and WCA? Of course!”
Have a demonstrated interest in United Nations issues and proven ability to reach large or specialized audiences, such as educators, media representatives, policy makers and the business community;
The only people Rondberg reaches with any authority are the approximate 240 non-voting WCA members, certainly not the 60,000+ DCs or the 500,000+ MDs in the US. As show, his free tabloid is neither a peer-reviewed journal nor a fair and balanced news publication, so the legitimate policy makers and educators within the worldwide healthcare community do not take his tabloid seriously whatsoever. Instead, his Chiropractic Journal is simply viewed as a supermarket advertising tabloid to front his CBS malpractice insurance to consumers and as a mouthpiece for his demagoguery. Needless to say, he does not reach any “specialized audiences” or “policy makers” with his biased and self-serving viewpoints.
As the ICA leadership wrote about Rondberg and his WCA:
“ I do see you as divisive and self-serving. I see you as a self-promoter disguising his for-profit businesses as having altruistic purposes.”
Have the commitment and means to conduct effective information programmes about UN activities by publishing newsletters, bulletins, and pamphlets; organizing conferences, seminars and round tables; and enlisting the cooperation of the media.
Rather than “organizing conferences, seminars and round tables” as the NGO criteria urges, Rondberg and his WCA have steadfastly opposed conferences among various chiropractic organizations, as illustrated by his refusal of an invitation to participate in an upcoming conference headed by the World Federation of Chiropractic. Instead, the WCA only attends conferences where it acts as the main spokesmen for the entire worldwide chiropractic profession, which is a total ruse.
Rondberg’s refusal of an invitation by the WFC to participate in an Image and Identity conference is another example of the WCA’s violation of the NGO’s criteria. Rather than demonstrating a “proven ability to reach specialized audiences such as educators… and policy makers” within this profession, Rondberg has flatly refused to participate in such conferences in obvious violation of this stated NGO criteria.
Indeed, the WCA appears similar to Iraq when it repeatedly defied the UN sanctions by snubbing its nose at the worldwide requests to cooperate. Again, let Rondberg’s own words prove this point of non-cooperation. In the November, 2003 edition of TCJ, he explained his refusal to participate in this worldwide professional effort, “WCA disputes WFC’s role in determining chiropractic’s ‘identity.’” www.worldchiropracticalliance.org/tcj/2003/nov/nov2003p.htm
The following excerpts from this article clearly summarizes his violation of the NGO criteria to participating in a “peace making” conference:
“As such, the actions taken by the WFC are a reflection of only one segment of the profession, with no consideration given to other opinions or philosophies. While the formation of an association of ‘like minded groups’ is neither unethical nor uncommon, such association cannot purport to represent the entire profession or speak for it.”
Oddly, the WFC is comprised of 80+ organizations from around the world. To suggest as Rondberg has that this represents “only one segment of the profession” is as ludicrous as suggesting the UN represents only one segment of the worldwide community. Apparently majority rule doesn’t apply to chiropractic’s issues according to Rondberg, again demonstrating his exclusive rather than inclusive attitude, obviously in direct violation of the spirit of the UN and the purpose of a NGO.
“For this reason, the WCA strongly opposes any effort by the WFC to portray the proceedings or findings of this ‘consultation’ to the global health care committee as an official position of, or document reflecting the positions or conclusions of, the chiropractic profession as a whole.”
Does this sound like a UN-spirited response? It doesn’t matter to Rondberg that over 90%+ of the worldwide profession is represented, but if he doesn’t have total control, then he suggests it’s not a democratic or an “official position.” Coming from this WCA demagogue, this is just too ironic!
“While the WFC will no doubt portray its invitation to the WCA as an attempt to be ‘inclusive,’ history has taught us that participation of a few ‘token’ subluxation-based doctors does not translate into equal representation or input.”
Ironically, as the WFC graciously extends its hand to the WCA despite being a non-democratic alliance, similar to the UN extending cooperation from dictatorships, Rondberg still refuses to cooperate, and then criticizes the WFC for its “token” gesture. Although a minority is a minority, Rondberg’s autocratic nature of “equal representation” thinks his minority should take the lead; after all, he now has the implied authority of the UN as its NGO liaison! Sadly, his misuse of the NGO status has empowered his exclusive position.
“For all these reasons, and more, the World Chiropractic Alliance refuses to be a participant in the WFC’s meeting and calls upon the organization to abandon this ill-conceived attempt to prove the legitimacy of its oft-stated positions.”
Obviously these sentiments are in direct opposition to the inclusive nature of the UN spirit and the DPI/NGO criteria. If you were to investigate further the deception by Rondberg and his WCA group, you would prove to yourself the deception he has perpetuated on the NGO.
Indeed, his poisoned pen may now lead to his own demise. In these many articles written by Rondberg and published in his tabloid that I’ve cited, you can easily see that he has violated all four of the NGO criteria. These obvious indictments are not my personal opinion, but they are Rondberg’s own admissions of guilt:
The WCA does not share the ideals of the UN Charter as an inclusive organization that promotes peace-making activities with opposing groups, instead we have read of the WCA’s insistence to destroy them;
The WCA’s publication, The Chiropractic Journal, is simply a free tabloid that fronts for his for-profit enterprises in obvious violation of the not-for-profit basis required by the NGO,
The WCA has not demonstrated an ability to reach large or specialized audiences, such as educators or policy makers within the healthcare community who disregard his tabloid as his voice of demagoguery as the ICA leadership wrote about Rondberg and his WCA:
“ I do see you as divisive and self-serving. I see you as a self-promoter disguising his for-profit businesses as having altruistic purposes.”
The WCA has not made a commitment to conduct effective information programs; in fact, the WCA has openly refused to participate in conferences, seminars and round table discussions with opposition groups by refusing to cooperate in the WFC conference of international chiropractic organizations, and, moreover, has meddled in many foreign countries legislative affairs.
Conclusion
Obviously Rondberg is in violation of the NGO criteria and the DPI should revoke its affiliation since the WCA has failed to support the four criteria outlined. It’s apparent that the hidden agenda of the WCA in attaining the NGO status has been to use this affiliation as a stamp of approval of implied authority in the eyes of the chiropractic profession and also has misrepresent itself to the world community as having a special status as the UN chiropractic authority to interfere with foreign countries’ affairs. Again, this is in clear violation of the NGO regulations:
“Association of NGOs with DPI does not constitute their incorporation into the United Nations system, nor does it entitle associated organizations or their staff to any kind of privileges, immunities or special status.”
We in the chiropractic mainstream profession who know the ignoble history of Terry Rondberg can easily see how he and his WCA have misrepresented itself on diplomatic issues and how his WCA’s actions stand in direct conflict with the NGO criteria. He has misled the readers of his TCJ into believing that his WCA has been given “special status” by the United Nations and WHO when, in fact, it hasn’t. And now we can easily see his actions stand in direct opposition to the spirit of the UN with his exclusive, autocratic and non-cooperative stance on the WFC’s Identity and Image conference.
I call upon you to withdraw the NGO status of the WCA immediately inasmuch as it clearly stands in violation of the four criteria required for NGO status.
Regards,
JC Smith, MA, DC