Part Six: Who’s Looking Out for Chiropractors?
The WCA: More Deceptions
By
JC Smith, MA, DC
The recent string of events in the “straight” world of chiropracTIC continues unabated. The recent Great Debate at Palmer may have been the last straw that broke the back of Palmer’s BOT that led to the Great Departure of Guy Riekeman. Some early reports have mentioned he had “Shermanized” the campus with many faculty recruits from his former connections at that little Southern hotbed of radical fundamentalists in Spartanburg. Other rumors suggest he was “too scientific” for the curmudgeons on the Palmer BOT, and some suggest administrative and financial irregularities. Time will tell all, hopefully.
Certainly this straight soap opera will continue for a while to bring us more entertaining events, online rumors, yellow journalism from the TCJ, and inflammatory rhetoric from the ICA, WCA and Chiro Coalition. Their spin will be interesting to read and the accusations are already flying if the Internet diatribes are indicative of things to come.
As I already mentioned in a previous commentary, perhaps the Palmer BOT finally tired of a charismatic vendor’s concept of chiro education. Realistically, Riekeman is not a professionally trained administrator of higher education, which has never stopped other straight colleges from hiring presidents without training, but full of chiropracTIC ideology, such as at Life, Life-West, or Parker. Instead of indoctrination, perhaps the BOT wanted a return to education.
Another factor may have been the presence of the WCA at the Great Debate since the WCA is a phony “alliance” posing as a democratically elected, reputable “association” like the ACA. Indeed, one must wonder how Matt McCoy earned his spot in this debate when the WCA represents approximately 0.004% of 60,000 DCs. As we now know, the WCA is simply a small band of vendors selling services/products under the guise of a member-driven national association. As we’ve seen, the TCJ is not a reputable “journal” with peer-reviewed articles, double-blind studies, or RCTs. It is simply a free supermarket-styled advertiser and a publisher with a demagogic attitude.
The Palmer BOT knows this to be true, as do all college presidents and leaders in this profession. The only people Rondberg et al. have fooled are the 0.004% of chirovangelists who’ve fallen for his propaganda. Perhaps the mere presence of this bogus WCA representative at the Great Debate was the last straw that broke the back of Palmer. If the BOT was afraid its campuses were being “Shermanized,” no doubt it was terrified of The Fountainhead’s students becoming “terrorized” by Rondberg and his band of chiropracTIC entrepreneurs.
A Call to Arms
In fact, the Great Debate took place just two weeks before Riekeman’s Great Departure, and another little known event took place in the same meantime that may have sent a strong signal to the Palmer BOT when the WCA sent a shot across the bow with its intention to recruit young disciples from Palmer for its own chiropracTIC jihad.
Recently an advertisement for the WCA appeared in The Beacon, Palmer’s student newspaper, in which Chris Kent, VP of the WCA (and owner of the “so what” Subluxation Station) made more outlandish claims and deceptions of the truth. This signal was a clear announcement to indoctrinate students to the WCA propaganda and may have been a strong signal to the BOT to cut bait ASAP before more damage was done by our radical fundamentalist chirovangelists.
“Dr. Christopher Kent’s
TOP 10 REASONS for JOINING THE WCA.”
“The World Chiropractic Alliance has become a powerful force in national and international chiropractic. The reason is our steadfast defending the rights of chiropractors and the patients we serve. WCA’s vision is one of world leadership in healthcare.
“I choose to work with the WCA because of the many positive accomplishments that I have been privileged to participate in:
1. WCA was the first chiropractic organization to be accredited as a NGO (non-government organization) by the Department of Public Information, affiliated with the United Nations. As the Main Representative, I have access to the secured areas of UN Headquarters, and attend briefings at UN Headquarters in New York City.
2. WCA presented the first chiropractic program ever at the International NGO Conference in Seoul, Korea, featuring Drs. Ralph Boone and Graham Dobson.
3. WCA has established working relations with the World Health Organization, and has a DC liaison in Geneva.
4. WCA and the NGO Health Committee co-sponsored the firs ever chiropractic program at UN Headquarters in NY on the Role of Chiropractic Care in Women’s Health and Quality-of-Life, presented by members of the WCA Council on Women’s Health.
5. Dr. Veronica Gutierrez, a WCA Board member, is the only chiropractor appointed by the President of the United States to serve on the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy.
6. Noted scientists, including Dr. Robert Blanks, Professor of Anatomy and Neuro-biology at the UC Irvine Medical School, Dr. Allan Combs, editor of the Journal of Integral Studies, and world-renowned brain researcher Dr Karl Pribram, participated in the Summit.
7. WCA was actively involved in the development and dissemination of the Council on Chiropractic Practice Guidelines, which were accepted for inclusion in the AHCPR National Guideline Clearinghouse.
8. WCA has established a Council on Women’s Health and has undertaken a project relating to chiropractic care and fertility.
9. WCA has an Advocacy Council to assist members who are having challenges with regulatory agencies, third party payers, and malpractice cases.
10. “We can turn on a dime” with our organizational structure, and respond quickly to the needs of our members.
“These accomplishments speak for themselves. WCA is a powerful voice for bringing chiropractic’s vision to the world. I am very proud of WCA’s accomplishments.
In the US, the Supreme Court justices are appointed for life, so that they may apply the principles of law, particularly the Constitution, without fear of political reprisals.
WCA has an International Board of Governors (IBOG) which represents the will of the organization. This governing board meets annually to consider resolutions, and to develop strategies for addressing the profession’s challenges and opportunities.
Thus, we can respond to strategic needs from a principled position. Our governing structure is one of our most powerful assets.
Members need not fear that we will sacrifice principles for short-term political expediency. Our politics are driven by principles—not the converse.
Those who concur with our principles should join us. Your decision to join WCA should be on the basis of enlightened self-interest, not the misinformation spread by our detractors.
Compare our list of achievements to those of other organizations. Consider what WCA will do for YOU and your practice. Then join us. Your future and that of the chiropractic profession may depend on it.”
God forbid if the future of this profession depends upon the designs of these WCA vendors and demagogues. This ad is so full of misinformation it’s laughable but, regrettably, naïve students at Palmer or any campus are unaware of the actual truth in these matters.
First of all, the WCA is NOT “a powerful force in national and international chiropractic.” It has failed on every domestic legislative bill it introduced in Congress and it has been warned from meddling in foreign affairs, as you see later in this commentary.
“The reason is our steadfast defending the rights of chiropractors and the patients we serve.” The WCA has done nothing to increase our access, parity or increase our marketshare. In fact, the WCA’s limited version of chiropracTIC care has enabled our medical foes to limit our status in VA to a second-tier level due to the WCA’s insistence of a “non-diagnostic, non-therapeutic, detect and correct VSC only” position. The WCA has also repeatedly fought against payment for physical therapeutics done by the vast majority of DCs, except, of course, for the “so what” Subluxation Station sold by Kent.
“WCA’s vision is one of world leadership in healthcare.” “World leadership” or world domination? The real vision of the WCA’s group of vendors is to mold this profession to a limited role where everyone could only “detect and correct VSC” and buy Kent’s “so what” Subluxation Station. Never does he address his obvious conflict of interest.
Kent conveniently forgets to mention that the WCA’s great leader, Rondberg, is a non-elected president-for-life. Nor does he mention the huge difference between a real “association” and his non-voting “alliance” controlled by a handful of sock puppets.
Kent also overplays the NGO status of the WCA, which has no special privileges or power. It is merely a voluntary non-governmental organization that is suppose to disseminate information and to bring people closer together, which definitely has NOT done by this group of rogue vendors posing as diplomats.
Although Kent mentions a few WCA councils, they are pale in comparison to the eight reputable Councils in the ACA. Nor does he mention the ACA’s staff of over 40 professionals as well as the ACA’s lobbyists who have been rated in the top 25 lobbying groups in healthcare. The lobbyists for the ICA and WCA were not even rated since they are so small and inept.
His belief that the WCA can “turn on a dime” is questionable, but indicative of a sock puppet “alliance” where all decision-making is done by a handful of unelected cohorts—Rondberg, Kent, Gentempo and McCoy.
His mention of the Supreme Court justices alluded to the non-democratic nature of the WCA sock puppets. Rather than mentioning the autocratic nature of this “alliance,” Kent suggests it’s a benefit to be “appointed for life so that they may apply principles…without fear of political reprisals.” I might add “without fear of accountability” too. So, this is how Rondberg and his ilk rationalize their permanent roles to their non-voting members—very clever, but misleading for sure.
Never has he actually delineated on the “principles” they stand for, but Kent mentions, “Those who concur with our principles should join…on the basis of enlightened self-interests.” Are the “principles” he speaks of simply “enlightened self-interests” or is he rationalizing his own self-interest, the “so what” Sub. Station, or Rondberg’s CBS insurance?
Even in this ad, Kent cannot contain his demagoguery to vilify other real associations when he states, “not the misinformation spread by our detractors.” Just what misinformation is that? The fact that the WCA is a non-democratic group of vendors who have obstructed nearly all efforts by the ACA, ACC, CCE, WFC? If this isn’t the pot calling the kettle black, what is?
This ad is so ridiculous and deceptive it begs a response. I would add that ethical chiropractic colleges student newspapers might cease to allow the placement of such inflammatory ads or the distribution of the TCJ inasmuch as it’s not a reputable newspaper with fair and balanced articles–it is simply a supermarket-styled tabloid published by a vendor “with an attitude” who promotes his peculiar ideology and his own services and products and those of his cohort venders.
To allow this inflammatory journalism on campus is equivalent to the KKK’s newspaper, The White Cross in Your Yard, being distributed at Notre Dame. Since the TCJ is merely a front for the WCA and Rondberg’s financial interests, it cannot fall under the freedom of speech since it is simply a free advertising rag with a self-serving attitude. It’s time to end the deception and put an end to the misinformation fomented by this yellow journalist by removing it from all chiropractic campuses.
If the Palmer BOT is willing to give Riekeman the boot for “Shermanizing” its campus, it must continue to clean house by ridding the campus of Rondberg’s demagoguery. As an example of Rondberg’s deception on chiro campuses, in the current issue of The Chiropractic Journal, there is a front-page photo with the caption “Logan students form first SWCA chapter.” This text states “members of the Logan SWCA chapter gather at their first meeting.”
Reportedly, my sources there tell me the students from Logan who are shown in the picture are very upset about this picture taken six months ago because they were only at a meeting to hear Rondberg speak. They had no idea that they would be listed as “members” for simply going to the off-campus meeting. They are not members, have no intention of joining, and did not agree to be in a picture for this purpose. But this deception illustrates the journalistic fraud Rondberg is prone to do to enhance his WCA image to the entire profession.
Nonetheless, here’s my TOP 10 REASONS NOT TO JOIN THE WCA.
- The WCA is not a democratically elected “association” like the ACA or WFC. Members have no voting privileges and Rondberg selected himself to be its prez-for-life, an issue that Kent forgot to mention.
- The WCA is not a member-driven organization that represents the viewpoints of its members as much as it is an “alliance” that solely represents the “enlightened [business] self-interests” of Rondberg, Kent, Gentempo and other vendors.
- The WCA has politicked against the mainstream chiropractic associations to thwart the broad scope methods that over 90% of DCs practice.
- The WCA has been reprimanded by many foreign associations for meddling in their affairs.
- The WCA has misrepresented itself to the United Nations as a voice of mainstream chiropractic.
- The WCA has worked via legislation to mold this profession to meet the financial interests of Rondberg, Kent, and Gentempo under the guise of “principled” chiropracTIC.
- The WCA’s vision of world health will set back chiropractic practice to the 1950s.
- The WCA has fought against raising CCE educational standards to those of other professional colleges.
- The WCA’s image on Capitol Hill is one of rogue and self-serving vendors who misrepresent their power base to Congressmen. (0.004% of the 60,000 DCs)
- The WCA has fought against unity, merger, access, and parity or embraced the sage advice of Joe Janse to “legislate as broadly as possible, and practice as narrow as you want,” as you will read later in this commentary.
I could continue with more than ten reasons to ignore the WCA, but the remaining part of this commentary will elaborate on more deceptions. Lastly about this ad, let me warn students that the WCA should stand for the Wrong ChiropracTIC Alliance to join. Don’t be fooled: this group of WCA ideologues/vendors is only looking out for themselves, not the welfare of this profession.
Deception at the United Nations
The lengths to which the WCA and Rongberg will go to misrepresent their importance is best illustrated with the WCA’s NGO status in the United Nations, its pride and joy of implied authority. While Rongberg proudly announces the NGO status in nearly every edition of his TCJ, he fails to make clear exactly what this means, implying that the WCA has become the spokesman on chiropracTIC in the United Nations. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth and a case can be made that Rondberg has consistently violated the criteria for NGO status, as per the very definition of the role of an NGO.
“Organizations eligible for association with DPI must share the ideals of the United Nations charter, operate on a not-for-profit basis, and demonstrate an interest in United Nations issues. In addition, they must have a proven ability to reach large or specialized audiences with well-developed information programs.”
http://www.worldchiropracticalliance.org/un/ngo.htm
First of all, I find it odd that Rongberg believes his WCA fulfills the UN ideals inasmuch as he and his group of hate-straight chiropracTORs have become the biggest and most divisive wedge to unity in this profession. Rather than an inclusive attitude like the ACA or the WFC, the WCA and Chiro Coalition have repeatedly shown their exclusive position: either their chiropracTIC way or no way! Rather than a “live and let live,” democratic attitude, Rongberg and these groups have thwarted every attempt to expand chiropractic care beyond their simplistic “detect and correct subluxation-only” mindset.
Moreover, the obvious conflicts of interest by the WCA vendors/leadership is in direct conflict with the non-profit status of the NGO criteria. While Rondberg may argue his WCA is a non-profit, his role as a vendor stands in direct conflict since his free tabloid TCJ is simply a front to sell his wares and those of his cronies.
More ironically, to align himself with the UN’s efforts on “peacekeeping, conflict resolution and reconciliation” is laughable and contradictory, yet it illustrates the depths to which Rondberg and Kent will deceive the profession and the UN. These men are shameless as well as deceptive.
While Kent, Rongberg and his WCA suggest that the UN has appointed the WCA as the chiropractic diplomatic liaison to the UN, nothing could be further from the truth according to the UN website. http://www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/brochure.htm
“Please note: 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.”
Obviously we cannot trust Kent or Rongberg to tell the truth on this or most matters as we’ve just read where Kent prides himself as the “Main Representative” with “access to secure areas of the UN Headquarters.” What this actually means is he gets to use the private lavatory rather than the public one.
To clarify this issue, let the UN website describe the reality of this matter.
What is an NGO?
“A non-governmental organization (NGO) is any non-profit, voluntary citizens’ group which is organized on a local, national or international level. Task-oriented and driven by people with a common interest, NGOs perform a variety of services and humanitarian functions, bring citizens’ concerns to Governments, monitor policies and encourage political participation at the community level. They provide analysis and expertise, serve as early warning mechanisms and help monitor and implement international agreements. Some are organized around specific issues, such as human rights, the environment or health. Their relationship with offices and agencies of the United Nations System differs depending on their goals, their venue and their mandate.
“Over 1,500 NGOs with strong information programmes on issues of concern to the United Nations are associated with the Department of Public Information (DPI), giving the United Nations valuable links to people around the world. DPI helps those NGOs gain access to and disseminate information about the range of issues in which the United Nations is involved, to enable the public to understand better the aims and objectives of the world Organization.”
“What are the Criteria for NGOs to become associated with DPI?”
Organizations eligible for association with DPI are those which:
· Share the ideals of the UN Charter;
· Operate solely on a not-for-profit basis;
· 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;
· 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.
Obviously to become a NGO is simply to appear to meet these standards rather than a selection process based on merit or accomplishment. In other words, this NGO status is not the Pulitzer or Nobel Prizes as one might think after reading Kent’s misinformation. As you will learn, the WCA has repeatedly violated these 4 criteria despite its PR to the contrary.
Not only did Kent misrepresent the NGO status of the WCA to the chiropractic community, Rongberg also did his classic “sock puppet” routine by anointing his crony, Chris Kent, as the supposed chiropractic ambassador to the UN.
“Upon hearing the announcement, Rondberg asked Christopher Kent, D.C., to serve as the WCA liaison to the U.N. “I know of no other person so well qualified to act as our profession’s representative to the world community,” he noted when informed of Dr. Kent’s acceptance. “Dr. Kent offers a unique combination of credentials, expertise and communication skills which will help the WCA, and chiropractic, make the most of this great opportunity.”
What Rongberg doesn’t hide is Kent’s obvious conflict of interest to this non-profit NGO by citing his many for-profit enterprises. Indeed, the NGO specifically states that NGOs must “operate on a not-for-profit basis,” but apparently that doesn’t apply to the WCA’s officers’ numerous profit-making schemes that Rongberg proudly mentions. Plus, I can think of a few notable representatives to the world community other than Kent, a sock puppet himself, such as Scott Haldeman, Lou Sportelli, Jerry McAndrews, Reed Phillips, Bob Mootz, Jim Winterstein, Jay Triano, to name a few of legitimate spokesmen who’ve earned their awards by merit, not by sock puppet cronyism.
“Kent is president of the Council on Chiropractic Practice and was named ‘Chiropractic Researcher of the Year’ by the World Chiropractic Alliance in 1994, an award he also won from the ICA in 1991. He is director of research for EMG Consultants, Inc., and a co-founder of Paradigm Partners, Inc. and the Chiropractic Leadership Alliance…Kent co-produces — with Dr. Patrick Gentempo — a monthly audiotape journal, “On Purpose,” covering current events in science, philosophy, and politics of vital interest to the practicing chiropractor.”
Not only is Kent not a credible researcher if RCTs, double-blind studies or peer-reviewed articles (not reviewed, that is, by the WCA sock puppets) are an indication of a real researcher, a simple online search of Kent’s contributions bare little fruit. The same might be asked of Matt McCoy, editor of the JVSR, head researcher at Life and WCA spokesman, who has no degrees in higher education or research methodology. After a few visits and, perhaps, a contribution by Rondberg to the Life campus after the fall of Williams, new prez Ben DeSpain fired without explanation notable educator and researcher, Skip Lantz, DC and PhD. Apparently cronyism, hucksterism and nepotism still reign supreme in the good ol’ boy chiropracTIC network at Life (which is still a dumb name for a college).
It is clear that the WCA has subjected the DPI to an enormous 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 the DPI and has behaved contrary to the four NGO criteria, as I will illustrate.
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 whose main goals are profiteering and political demagoguery. Since Rondberg is a publisher, his own written words will clearly make the case against him and his WCA organization.
WCA Ethics Questioned
Many, but not all, DCs realize the WCA is not a democratically elected organization as it pretends to be. Many do not realize 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 is not a peer-reviewed scientific or professional journal as you might assume by its name, nor is it “fair and balanced” in its news reporting as we’ve all read constantly. It is obviously only 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 like Kent, Gentempo and McCoy.
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
This ruse of implied authority of the WCA by 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 countries,
he has been reprimanded by his state association,
he repeatedly has committed journalistic fraud by presenting his inflammatory editorial opinion as fact and misrepresenting significant news events as we’ve seen in his version of the VA issue,
he routinely perpetuates a propaganda campaign to discredit his political and business rivals,
and he has allegedly 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
Undoubtedly, neither he nor his WCA cronies share 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 their own vested interests. Moreover, not only has Rondberg misused his NGO status to further his political and business interests, but 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. The NGO status does not give the WCA the “responsibility to bring subluxation-based chiropractic to as many parts of the world.” Nowhere is it written in the NGO criteria that the WCA’s version of chiropracTIC is compelled to dominate the chiropractic profession. In fact, this stands in contrast with the inclusive nature of the UN.
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.”
Without question, the NGO status does not empower the WCA “to counteract the efforts of international organizations” as his manifesto suggests. Ironically, this rhetoric sounds like the radical fundamentalists at the WCA are a part of al Qaeda with its thrust to impose itself on the world.
This WCA statement also illustrates 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 vendor/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: “Stop Your Actions”
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!
In the real world, the WFC has already implemented the model for chiropractic education, legislation, and cooperative diplomacy among its 80+ members. Just as there no longer is nothing “international” in the ICA, there is nothing “worldly” about the WCA except for Rondberg’s quest for world domination. The WFC is well known and highly regarded as the true international chiropractic organization comprised of DCs of all ideologies and from 80+ countries.
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: “egregious and irresponsible action”
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. Again, considering the WCA represents approximately 0.004% of all DCs, Rondberg’s voice is nothing more than a clank to the Congressmen who know what he really is.
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.”
In the next section, you will learn of more charges against Rondberg and his WCA. But if you want to help stop this diplomatic deception by the WCA as an NGO member hell-bent on imposing itself on chiropractic worldwide, I urge you to write a complaint as I have already done to:
Chief, NGO Section
Department of Public Information
Room S-1070L
United Nations, New York, N.Y. 10017
Let the authorities at the DPI in the UN know the fraud the WCA has done to their fine organization. The more ethical DCs who object to Rondberg’s smoke and mirrors, the sooner he’ll be stripped of the NGO status. In the meantime, tell every DC and student the truth that the WCA is a sham as an NGO that has repeatedly violated the 4 criteria.
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