Truth about the ACA's desire for 'unity'

by Dr. Terry A. Rondberg

After years of claiming to support chiropractic unity, the American Chiropractic Association recently said its new policy would be to "forego further joint legislative efforts" with other groups. Although the World Chiropractic Alliance totally supports the Chiropractic Coalition's condemnation of this policy (please be sure to read the article on page one and the Coalition's official statement), I personally am very glad the ACA made that policy.

The policy makes it clear that the ACA's so-called desire for "unity" is a sham. The ACA's idea of unity is to be the only organization allowed to exist. Its goal is -- and always has been -- to destroy or subsume other groups. It has been pushing for merger with the International Chiropractors Association for years, even orchestrating a devastating split in the ICA in the late 1980s which could have crippled the organization had it not been for the dedication and determination of people like Fred Barge, D.C., then ICA president.

In 1989, Dr. Barge faced off with his predecessor-turned-opponent, Michael Pedigo, D.C., and battled to keep the ICA a free and independent organization. After Dr. Pedigo managed to force a vote on the merger issue, even though some board members hadn't been given a chance to read the proposal, Dr. Barge was furious. "It was absolutely a railroad," he said. "He railroaded it through. He knew it was basically his last chance."

Robert Braille, D.C., headed up the "Committee to Preserve the ICA" and in a letter to ICA members, stated: "No matter how this disgusts, aggravates, or irritates us -- it must be addressed... This insult is directed both at our President and you. You helped elect Dr. Barge and now others wish to see the respect and authority you vested in him stripped away."

Dr. Barge told The Chiropractic Journal, "I think we are at a crossroads right now. If the elimination of ICA through the merger takes place, I don't think we can stop the drift to osteopathic-type practice."

He was right, and enough other ICA members realized it in time to stop the merger. Frustrated by the results of the vote, Dr. Pedigo and a few of his disgruntled allies deserted the ICA and joined the ACA. Later, Dr. Pedigo received the ACA's "Chiropractor of the Year" award. Their awards can't mean very much if they hand them out to people for trying to destroy a rival organization.

For more than a decade, the ACA has been criticizing the ICA on one hand, and trying to force it into merger on the other. You'd think they'd learn. Yet, James D. Edwards, D.C., ACA Chairman of the Board, said it all in the title of his recent article titled, "Refusing to Take 'No' for an Answer."

The fact is, they'll have to take NO for an answer. The ACA will learn that not everyone is going to roll over and play dead just because they demand it. This "my way or the highway" attitude is exactly what has caused such internal disruption in our profession. For years, the ACA has tried to spin the truth so it looks like they're interested in unity when in fact they have been interested only in domination.

They did the same thing in the National Chiropractic Leadership Forum (NCLF), when they demanded that the group censure the WCA for passing (by unanimous vote of our International Board of Governors) a resolution stating we would intervene in state affairs if we felt it was in the best interest of chiropractic to do so -- even if the state group opposed such involvement.

While this is something the ACA (with its state-affiliated groups) has done for years, knowledge that a subluxation-based organization might do the same sent them into a panic. We'll bring the issue up again during our Summit in May, but I predict our Board of Governors will give the ACA another reason to learn to take NO for an answer.

Dr. Edwards didn't say whether the ACA will remain a member of the NCLF, but since one of its main functions is to work on joint legislative efforts, I'm assuming they'll be dropping out of that group as well. Possibly without the ACA trying to manipulate and control the group it will be able to fulfill its original promise of bringing peace to our profession -- or at least to those parts of the profession that want peace.

Personally, I'm highly optimistic that the Chiropractic Coalition will be able to accomplish more by having all subluxation-based chiropractic groups join forces, without giving up their independence and autonomy. We are showing the profession, and the world, what chiropractic groups can do when they share the ideal of protecting and promoting the principles of chiropractic.

It's where real chiropractic unity can be seen at work.