There was a time when we thought that the medical profession was our worst enemy. Now, we're not so sure. At least the M.D.s who call us "quacks" are open about their animosity.

The World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) on the other hand, is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Its leaders parade around calling themselves chiropractors, saying they represent our profession, yet they have openly disparaged every philosophical concept on which chiropractic was founded.

I'm not going to rehash everything that's wrong with the WFC, By now, you're already aware of most of it. Let's just say that this group is run by a lawyer who publicly stated that he saw chiropractic as "the dominant force for the provision of spinal manual therapies in the mainstream health care systems throughout the world ... To me, that's a very much bigger vision than simply using your own language talking about adjusting subluxations."

I guess he'd prefer that none of us talk about adjusting those pesky little subluxations. In fact, it would probably make him very happy if we didn't bother with correcting them -- or even admitting they exist.

In Mr. Chapman-Smith's ideal world, chiropractic would be a quasi-medical treatment in which D.C.s gave "spinal manipulations" for musculoskeletal disorders. And, if they could do it while writing a prescription for a pain killer, that would be even better.

Is that your vision of chiropractic? If not, you're probably just as disappointed as I am that the ICA board decided to continue giving the WFC its money to be a member.

The money isn't even the issue (although I can think of many more important ways to spend it than paying David Chapman-Smith's salary, reported to be about $100,000 a year).

What's really at issue is that, by continuing to be a member of the WFC, the ICA is giving tacit approval to the WFC's actions. The ICA name is listed prominently in WFC material, and on its website. When questioned about its hostility toward subluxation-based chiropractic, WFC leaders can simply point to their membership roster and say, "If we were so bad, would the ICA be a member?"

The fact is, every subluxation-based doctor of chiropractic -- and ALL the organizations which represent them -- should be fighting the WFC with every ounce of energy they have.

That sounds extreme, particularly considering that most chiropractors didn't even know the WFC existed a few months ago. The group did most of its business quietly, behind the scenes, away from the "riff raff" of field doctors. Rather like the Mercy conference and its closed door sessions.

But although the WFC hasn't been open about it, it's been hard at work and is now poised to take over chiropractic by controlling its professional and educational organizations. Thanks to the ICA's refusal to denounce it, it has become more brazen about its intentions.

In announcing its conference in November, the WFC stated: "This meeting ultimately seeks to produce draft consensus guidelines on the role and methods of teaching philosophy in chiropractic education."

The WFC setting guidelines on teaching philosophy? Isn't that rather like having the NRA write the laws about gun control? Or David Duke teaching Black History courses in college?

Can you imagine what a philosophy course will be like if David Chapman-Smith, Dr. Louis Sportelli, Dr. John Triano and their ilk have anything to say about it?

As incredible as it seems, in November, the WFC will start producing a Mercy-like document regulating how chiropractic schools around the world should teach philosophy!

The reason we've been able to successfully fight the Mercy guidelines in court is that so many organizations have refused to endorse it. If the ICA had refused to "endorse" the WFC by discontinuing its dues-paying membership, we would have had an easier time defeating them.

Since the ICA did not elect to do this, I have no choice but to resign from the ICA since I refuse to support any group whose actions aren't in the best interest of subluxation-based chiropractic.

And, I will redouble my efforts to use the full resources of the World Chiropractic Alliance to prevent the WFC from getting a stranglehold on our profession and wiping subluxation-based chiropractic off the map.

Will you join me?

If you're not sure, just think about the next generation of chiropractic students going to a WFC-regulated school and sitting in on a philosophy class taught by David Chapman-Smith or Lou Sportelli.