Don't judge chiropractors by bad actions of a few

EDITOR:
This is in response to the letter in last Sunday's paper regarding chiropractors as ambulance chasers. There also was a discussion from a local talk radio show regarding this subject.
I am a chiropractor in Boardman and believe the minority of these pitifully unprofessional chiropractors are shooting the profession in the foot. I too had a bad experience with a chiropractor when I was a boy. I hurt my neck in sports and went to a local chiropractor. His report of findings were that it was going to cost my father $1,750 to fix my neck, and that I could actually become crippled if I did not receive his treatments. This was in 1975 and $1,750 was lot of money, and at that time all I had was a sore neck. This experience left me wary of chiropractors.
Years later a friend talked me in to going to his friend (a chiropractor) because my neck still hurt me. I went with plenty of reservations., but this doctor helped me on my first visit. He explained everything to me, and did not over treat me. I was so impressed with my results I became interested in becoming a chiropractor. After picking this doctor's brain, I knew this profession was for me.
The reason for this letter is twofold. 1) To let people know that this activity that some chiropractors (the minority) engage in does not represent the majority of the profession. Talk to a satisfied patient of a chiropractor. These people love the chiropractic profession and often times were only helped by their chiropractor. 2) To the chiropractors who engage in this stuff. What are you doing? Calling, or sending letters to auto accident victims, as well as over treating patients is incredibly unprofessional and embarrassing, not to mention unethical.
To the people who have received these letters, please know these chiropractors do not represent the profession. I guess every field has some bad apples.
PHIL GAINAN, D.C.
Youngstown
Air reserve hones skills while helping others
EDITOR:
Recently a reader wrote a letter to the editor to inquire about any mission, military or civilian that the 910th Air Wing, stationed at the U.S. Air Force reserve base in Vienna has conducted in the past five years. I can personally report that the men and women of the air wing have improved the lives of tens of thousands of civilians living in other countries and have done it at no added cost to the taxpayer.
The Mission of Love Foundation, headquartered in Austintown, has worked with the Air Force to airlift millions of pounds of humanitarian aid to people in need on four continents. The Denton program which was created by Congress provides that rather than have training flights go from point A to Point B without cargo, that the Air Force was authorized to fly humanitarian aid anywhere in the world that it is needed. This way the airmen gain experience handling whatever types of unusual cargo we can provide them. They have delivered fire trucks and ambulances to the Yucatan peninsula, school desks to an orphanage in Guatemala, and material for the saris of the poor of Calcutta. This is all done during routine training missions that the Air Force would be undertaking with or without the precious cargo on board. This is a wonderful way for those of us who are so blessed to be able to share with those who can't even dream about our way of life. These activities have been well documented by the local media, especially The Vindicator.
While all of this is happening, the members of the 910th Air Wing are keeping their skills high so that we Americans can sleep at night.
KATHLEEN M. PRICE
Youngstown
West denial virus strikes
EDITOR:
It looks like Mayor McKelvey has finally caught it! The same disease that all local politicians get after a few years in office. Let's call it the west denial virus. That's the infliction that politicos from the Mahoning Valley get that makes them feel as though they are above the law and can say or do anything without experiencing any political fallout.
Mr. McKelvey's claim that lunch with former childhood friend Mr. Cafaro shouldn't be construed as anything but a celebration of Italian heritage is at best laughable and at worst gives the impression of influence peddling -- especially considering the revelations regarding the bribes that one member of the Cafaro family has admitted to in the case against Jim Traficant.
BILL JOHNSON
Boardman
Tired of deficit spending? Look to third parties
EDITOR:
I was happy to see The Vindicator highlight our national debt in its Aug. 20 editorial. However, with the statement & quot;Republicans and Democrats should have continued to do everything they could to maintain a budget surplus and to use the surplus to pay down the national debt & quot; it appears the Vindicator actually endorses the practice of deficit spending that created the debt.
Republicans and Democrats alike have a history engaging in the practice of deficit spending any time they feel they can't raise taxes enough to support their spending sprees without being voted out of office. This passes the burden on to our children, our grandchildren, and voters who haven't even been born yet. The politicians like this since voters who haven't been born yet can't vote them out of office.
If The Vindicator and its many fine readers are fed up with this practice -- stop voting for it! Perhaps look to candidates of other parties such as the Libertarian Party that tackle this issue in their party platform and won't make promises that future generations will spend their entire lives paying for.
BARRY BECK
Columbiana
Valley hasn't fared well with absentee owners
EDITOR:
The Aug. 18 Vindicator carried these headlines, "Sale of mill sparks fears." Were I an employee of North Star Steel, I would not merely have "fears," I'd be getting my resume up to date and looking for other work.
An oft-quoted statement is, "The past is prologue." Anytime an outside firm has come into our Valley to purchase a viable business, jobs have been lost.
Lykes/LTV came and away went the Youngstown Sheet and Tube and thousands of jobs.
Simon came and away went the DeBartolo Corp., and with it many retirement programs.
National City Bank came and away went the Dollar Bank and 400 of its finest faithful and dedicated employees.
I would not count on the assurances of the Lone Star Technologies managerial people that they plan to keep things pretty much as they have been at North Star Steel. It seems to me I've heard that song before.
If we can rely on the experience of the "past", then the purchase of North Star by Lone Star is likely a "prologue" to a very sad story to follow.
C. H. McGOWEN, M.D.
Howland
Kids 'sneak' into movies
EDITOR:
I attend about 35 movies a year, mostly on Saturday nights.
In the past 18 to 24 months I have observed a disturbing trend. Young children, sometimes infants, attend PG-13 or even R-rated movies. Although adults, most likely parents, are there too, it is not right. Not only are they a distraction, they are seeing inappropriate material.
I understand that an affordable baby-sitter might be hard to find. Certainly there are alternative forms of entertainment then. Games, videos and sports are all available.
The theater management is partially responsible, but ultimately parents must choose to do the right thing.
DAN THOMAS
New Castle, Pa.