"Chiropractic needs a friend in Sacramento, but California needs a real governor."
Dear Editor:
In response to your editorial, "Now It's Your Turn," and the article, "Arnold Schwarzenegger: Chiropractic's Candidate..." [Sept. 24 issue]: I am appalled at DC's opportunistic, shortsighted and laughable endorsement of Arnold Schwarzenegger for governor of California. Encouraging chiropractors and patients to take advantage of a "rare opportunity ... to eliminate an enemy and elect a supporter" is politically irresponsible and morally reprehensible. You cannot seriously expect the chiropractic community to fall for the GOP's power grab just because we need a friend in the governor's mansion.
Personally, I'm insulted that you would expect me (and my colleagues) to view a string of nearly unintelligible quotes of DC interviews with Arnold Schwarzenegger as evidence of his gubernatorial qualifications. The fact that he gets adjusted every time he gets injured on a movie set does not qualify him to run the fifth-largest economy in the world! (And you should know that!)
Yes, chiropractic needs a friend in Sacramento, but California needs a real governor. And although [he is] no friend to chiropractic, Gray Davis was legally and democratically elected governor. If an unprecedented gubernatorial recall occurs in California, getting more than 15 visits for a workers' comp case is going to be the least of our worries. I hope California's chiropractors will see through the smoke and mirrors of this debacle, put their selfish needs aside and see the recall for what it really is - a war on Democracy.
Loretta M. O'Brien, DC
Montara, California
Dear Editor:
Although I also share your enthusiasm for the candidacy of Arnold Schwarzenegger for governor, I must wholeheartedly disagree with your endorsement of him as the candidate to replace Gray Davis - should the recall succeed. I happened to be attending Cleveland Chiropractic College-LA when Dr. Columbu and Arnold were in competitions for Mr. World and Mr. Universe. Along with a couple of other bodybuilders who were also in attendance at the school at that time, I got a good feeling for what they were trying to do for their sport. Indeed, this is probably what geared me into treating sports injuries as a DC, and into teaching sports therapy currently at a local high school.
However, being a champion weightlifter and having a successful movie career does not give someone the abilities to be the governor of California. As much as we hate to admit it, no one person in Sacramento can make a difference. Working with legislators over many years for the CCA has taught me that sacrifices and compromise with those who you like and those whom you dislike are the way things get done. Just being a person who wants to "clean up the politicians" is not enough to run our state, and may, in fact, make everything worse, as nothing will get accomplished. An untrained Republican - in an Assembly and Senate with a Democratic majority - is a recipe for failure!
As much as I admire Arnold for his support of chiropractic and for his success in the movies, the job as governor of California is not a place for "on the job training." What we need is to either vote "no" on the recall, or for someone that can work with those in Sacramento. These two options are the only things that will save California, regardless of any of the candidates' support for chiropractic causes.
Kenneth Martin, DC
Temple City, CA
Dear Editor:
While I find Governor Davis' treatment of chiropractors unjust, I don't feel we should promote or elect a person to the highest political office in a state just because he or she is a chiropractic patient. This view is narrow-minded and self-serving. California is bigger than chiropractic. Yes, it would be beneficial to have a pro-chiropractic governor, but California is in such dire straits that we need a leader with a proven track record of government leadership. I don't think Arnold fits the bill.
Daniel A. Scharfman, DC
West Hills, California
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