November 2003

See also: Paying tribute to Dr. Thom Gelardi by Dr. Terry A. Rondberg

Standing alone for what you believe in

by Dr. Thom Gelardi, founder and president‑emeritus, Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic

The following article originally appeared in the October 1986 issue of The Chiropractic Journal. It demonstrates the dedication Dr. Gelardi has for subluxation‑centered chiropractic. Even more important, it shows his unwavering devotion to the cause ‑‑ a devotion that has lasted decades and will continue forever.

Would you stand alone, if necessary, in defense of chiropractic? I mean really alone. No organization, college or colleague next to you. The question spawns other questions.

What is meant by "standing" in defense? Does it mean merely holding to your beliefs? Does it mean publicly proclaiming these beliefs? Or, does it mean what it meant to D.D. Palmer ‑‑ using your intelligence, time and effort to bring the benefits of chiropractic to all the people of the world?

What is meant by the word "chiropractic?" Is chiropractic the treating of symptoms and disease without any drugs or surgery, or just without prescription drugs or major surgery? Is it treating symptoms and disease with needle acupuncture or just acupressure ... with vitamin therapy or just vitamin supplementation ... with spinal manipulative therapy or with vertebral adjusting? Is its main concern the treating and, therefore, the diagnosis of disease, or is its main concern something altogether different?

D.D. Palmer had a very clear idea of the purpose of chiropractic, and the existence of the profession today is testimony of his willingness to stand alone in defense of his discovery and the profession he founded. He said: "Chiropractors do not treat, cure, heal or diagnose disease. As a science it is unlike any other system. It will not mix with any other.

"Chiropractors do not treat, cure or heal effects named disease in the sense that a physician or an osteopath does. They inquire for the location of the symptoms, in order that they may determine what nerve or nerves are impinged upon producing the undesirable effects. Having analyzed the case, they adjust to relieve the confined nerves. They do not wait for special symptoms to develop in order that they may determine the disease so that they may decide on the proper treatment."

There is a renaissance of Palmer's vision of purpose taking place in this profession. That vision of purpose is once again giving direction to chiropractic education, research and practice, as well as organizational and legislative programs.

The renaissance is ushering in the age of chiropractic "enlightenment." The application of modern science, technology and communication techniques are being applied to the specific and socially useful endeavor of correcting subluxation.

This new‑old chiropractic purpose has its identity in the subluxation. This new‑old profession's research and practice are outward bound. It studies the mutual relationships of subluxation to internal and external influences, it detects and corrects subluxations, and it communicates to the public how all expressions of life are affected by subluxation.

Its legislative programs also look outward by supporting legislation that facilitates the practice of its professional purpose and facilitates the public's access to its subluxation correction service. It cooperates with third party pay organizations that wish to cover chiropractic services.

This is different from the chiropractic of the dark ages that is inward bound, whose research projects are designed not to answer relevant questions about subluxation, but to impress those who have no interest in the chiropractic purpose.

Its college curricula is formulated not to serve a chiropractic purpose, but to impress a medical‑minded public.

Its insurance program serves not to facilitate the public's access to chiropractic, but to increase the income of chiropractors through reimbursement for non‑chiropractic services.

Its legislative programs give opportunity not to competent practitioners for the purpose of disseminating their message and service, but to its incompetent colleges and practitioners by restraining competition under the ancient guise of public protection.

The inward bound chiropractor, as irrational and illogical as he is bound by fear, believes that he must purchase from an organization personal security and protection. Protection from whom? From those who would take away his right to practice chiropractic. The price of that protection? The very essence of chiropractic.

The outward bound chiropractor doesn't seek protection. Being secure within himself and knowing what chiropractic is, he supports ideas and programs above institutions and organizations. He researches, teaches, practices and tells about subluxation and what chiropractors are doing to find better, simpler, faster and less expensive ways of finding and correcting them.

The outward bound chiropractor always keeps to his exclusive objective of correcting subluxations. He has personally charged himself with protecting the subluxation correction service.

Standing alone means supporting programs even when others who have more reason and more resources but less vision shirk from opportunity.

It means standing and setting the record straight in a room filled with those who hate anyone who reminds them of the purpose of this profession.

It means serving an idea with abandonment, first by having an exemplary practice where teaching and caring for the subluxated takes place without regard to any factor not immediately essential to that care.

It means supporting an association, not as an organization from which protection is purchased, but as an organized effort to reach out with a subluxation correction service.

It means taking a stand by referring students and sending financial support to institutions that are espousing the kind of chiropractic you would like to see continue into the future.

The great secret of life is that we are all really alone. When we are proud of a decision, we claim it as our own. When we are ashamed of it we try to convince ourselves and others that we had little or nothing to do with the making of it. If we decide to defend or deny chiropractic, we decide alone.

We may hide in a crowd from others, but we can never hide from ourselves. Each of us has to make a personal and conscious decision about what we believe.

Is chiropractic the treating of symptoms and disease, or is it correcting subluxation? Is it something only the rich can afford on a crisis basis, or is it for all people on a regular check‑up basis? Does the college we support through referred students and donations represent our beliefs? Does the professional organization we pay dues to use our money as an outreach of what we believe?

The only life worth living is one that is an expression of our own well‑thought‑out beliefs. You decide. Are you ready to stand alone and defend what you believe in?