print version

September 2006

JC Smith forced to remove web articles

In a stunning concession of defeat, embattled anti‑subluxation chiropractor J.C. Smith was forced to drop the attack articles that he posted on his internet site.

Initially, in a display of defiance, JC Smith, DC ‑‑ operator of the stoprondberg.org website and the architect of the attack campaign against Terry A Rondberg, DC, and other subluxation‑based chiropractic leaders ‑‑ refused to take any corrective actions or retract his false statements.

This new development dealt a severe blow to Smith's recently launched negative campaign against the World Chiropractic Alliance and its founder, Dr. Rondberg.

Smith's retreat comes at a time that he is facing a major investigation by the WCA's legal team of Smith's recent activities directed against the WCA and Rondberg. Facing obvious pressure from the investigation and a cease and desist letter from Rondberg's attorneys, Smith pulled the articles from his website.

WCA's legal team, headed by well‑known health freedom attorney, Carlos F. Negrete, launched a full legal investigation of Smith and his organization after a series of articles attacking WCA and Dr. Rondberg with false information surfaced on the internet.

Best known for defeating arch‑chiropractic nemesis Stephen Barrett in court, Negrete stated that: "It's time for the truth to be told and the lies to stop. We are going to vigorously use all legal means necessary end this malicious and deceitful negative campaign against Dr. Rondberg and his organization. It doesn't matter whether the lies are about how chiropractic causes stroke or about Dr. Rondberg and other leaders of the subluxation‑based chiropractic community, we are in this for the long haul."

The web content addressed in this first legal action was a series of articles containing blatantly false statements about Dr. Rondberg. The entire website, stoprondberg.org ‑‑ which is generally considered an embarrassment and unprofessional blight on the chiropractic profession ‑‑ depicts Dr. Rondberg as the "Darth Vader" of chiropractic, with Smith as the "Lord of the Alliance" who fights against the "evil vendors."

Smith has also targeted other well‑known and respected chiropractors such as Drs. Sid Williams, Guy Riekeman, Patrick Gentempo, Jay Holder, CJ Mertz, Christopher Kent, Fabrizio Mancini, Reggie Gold, Bob Hoffman, and many others. He also attacks organizations like the World Chiropractic Alliance and the International Chiropractors Association, schools such as Life University, and just about every other group that supports subluxation‑based chiropractic.

According to the site and other information obtained by the investigation, Smith's supporters in the "Galactic Online Alliance" include Drs. John Triano of the Texas Back Institute; Lou Sportelli, DC; Donald R. Murphy, Rhode Island Spine Center; Stephen M. Perle, Associate Professor of Clinical Sciences, University of Bridgeport; James Winterstein, President of National University of Health Sciences and Joe Brimhall, President of Western States Chiropractic College.

"That any college president or high‑profile chiropractic figure should even allow his name on such a site indicates how the chiropractic educational and leadership establishment is faltering," Rondberg said. "These are the same people who lecture the rest of us on ethics and professionalism. Do they really think being a member of the 'Galactic Online Alliance' and distributing vicious information about other chiropractors is ethical or professional?"

In the past, Smith has compared Rondberg to the terrorist group al‑Qaeda and stopped just short of endorsing his murder (telling one doctor who suggested assassination as a solution that "while I like Fred's idea of eliminating Wrongberg, I can't endorese (sic) it publicly, of course"). He also likens Dr. Sid Williams to Saddam Hussein and labels many chiropractic business people "evil vendors."

Although for years, Rondberg has tried to ignore the offensive site, he recently decided that, because of the damage it was doing to subluxation‑based chiropractic, action had to be taken to put a halt to the attacks.

"As long as I was the main target, I tried to disregard Smith's constant attacks," Rondberg stated. "But he's now become part of a widespread assault on subluxation‑based chiropractic as a whole, and that is where I draw the line. He inexplicably received the American Chiropractic Association's 'Service to Chiropractic' award, but his actions are a DIS‑service to everyone except those that want to turn chiropractic into a medical therapy. Smith appears to have become an intolerant propagandist for the anti‑subluxation movement, which is supported by Stephen Barrett and sell‑outs like Samuel Homola."

Not specifically referring to Smith, Rondberg went on to say that: "I will not sit by and watch what seem to be unqualified shills for the medical establishment and big pharma ruin or limit chiropractic therapies."

Early in August, Negrete wrote to Smith and granted him an opportunity to present a written response to a cease‑and‑desist notice. Responding to Rondberg's pledge to take "swift and decisive" legal action against Smith and his accomplices if he did not come forward to remove his Internet postings, Smith removed the articles in question.

In his original 20‑page letter, Negrete challenged numerous and gross inaccuracies contained in one of Smith's most recent online diatribes against Rondberg.

In his cease and desist letter, Negrete stated: "After carefully reviewing your two articles, we find they contain false statements and information that are clearly designed and intended to be libelous on their face. It is apparent that the articles were intended to cause my clients and myself to be held in a false light and damage our reputations and businesses, which would invariably lead to damages. Indeed, the articles in their entirety are grossly libelous and based on false statements, half‑truths and innuendo which are also intended to subject my clients to ridicule and false portrayal...You will soon find out that we are committed to setting a new professional and ethical standard that embraces the core values of the chiropractic community. We will do whatever is lawfully necessary to bring justice to those that attack our own by those that seek to repress information and scientific progress."

Dr. Rondberg's decision to "stop the liars" has received overwhelming support and praise. Barbara Loe Fisher, President of the National Vaccine Information Center and an avid supporter of chiropractic, told Dr. Rondberg:

"You remind me of the Archangel, Michael. Sometimes when things get really rough, it seems like the safest and easiest thing to do is to ignore your attackers and pretend it doesn't matter. It always matters.

"The battle lines are being drawn so brightly now. I watch the increasing attacks on chiropractic and other alternatives to the medical model, the increasing attacks on health care freedom, including exemptions to vaccination, the attacks on those who believe in a Creator greater than man. Anyone not agreeing with the ideas and beliefs of those in control of the governmental or financial infrastructure are candidates for personal and professional attacks.

"For me, it is like watching the vision I have had, that I have been speaking about for more than a decade, unfold before my eyes. It was one thing to predict but is a whole other thing to experience. I wasn't fully prepared for the totality of it.

"So many are watching and cheering you on. I have heard lots of good things said about you lately in my conversations with others in the chiropractic community."

A doctor wrote:

"You have to be pretty big to have someone hate you this much. Anyone who has a bone to pick with another will be able to find faults to justify their position but Dr. Smith seems to have gone out of his way for you.

"As someone who does run a non‑profit organization I found it particularly puzzling how he can attack your NGO status and criticize your profit motive in your non profit. I do know that it is perfectly acceptable for a non‑profit to have a for‑profit enterprise and still maintain its tax exempt status with the IRS, the ultimate decider.

"There were two things that stood out to me when I visited Dr. Smith's site. First, the web address is an .org. While there is no legal restriction on the use of .org it is generally understood that the owner is a non‑profit. Dr. Smith has not broken any laws here but he does, at least for me raise a question of hypocrisy.

"Second, I was blown away by the links on his site. Three of them take you to books he has written and of the other three one goes to the American Chiropractic Association a second to WCA and the third to Dr. Smith's site. That was where it really got funny. His site is all about the DRX9000. He even states in his mission statement that he wants to provide the best equipment.

"I understand that there are those who may have a different view from mine on what a chiropractor is. Personally I go with the Greek roots of the word, i.e. practice by hand. I do not know how the law is written in Georgia but every state I have had a license at least makes reference to chiropractic principles and techniques.

"Maybe it is me but if a plumber plays on a softball team does that make softball plumbing?

"I don't always agree with you and I am sure the more you got to know me you too would find things to disagree with me on. For this one and given the information I have right now I'm on your side."

Others were more succinct but just as supportive. Dr Peter Hryciuk, Director of the WCA Canada, simply wrote "Go for it, Dr Terry!"

Another of Rondberg's supporters wrote:

"I pray for your continued tenacity in battling these destructive forces. Please keep me on your mailing list; I enjoy reading everything you write!" He also explained that he had been forced to leave chiropractic after being accused of causing a patient's stroke. "My insurance company didn't feel comfortable defending me, and the board didn't bother to investigate. Even though the coroner didn't do any sort of exam, or autopsy, he re‑issued a death certificate blaming a chiropractic adjustment as the cause of death. I repeatedly requested they get a copy of the original death certificate. Seemed no one wanted to go to the trouble of getting a court order to unseal the original death certificate. This is on public record. I believe it could resurface in a way that could be detrimental to the whole profession."

In 2004, when Smith called Rondberg "the most dangerous man" in chiropractic because of his strong advocacy for subluxation‑based chiropractic, more than 1,000 doctors around the world wrote in to add their names to a document praising Rondberg and his efforts in a strong demonstration of support.

After engaging Negrete and his team to take legal action to "stop the liars," Rondberg noted: "Smith, Petersen, Barrett and the rest of their ilk will finally get to see just how principled chiropractors will unmask the true dangers to our beloved profession."

Rondberg has vowed to continue his well‑known advocacy and defense of subluxation‑based chiropractic by pursuing all legal remedies available against Smith and his accomplices.

NOTE: The entire cease‑and‑desist letter can be viewed online at: www.worldchiropracticalliance.org/files/JCSmith.pdf.