Achieving Progress

[Guest guest]

Achieving Progress; One View

Now that all the chatter has died down about our Congressional Briefing, it

is incumbent on us to address the many issues that were raised about it. I

would first like to thank all the people who supported our project both

financially and in spirit. You helped us reach our goal of having every

congressional office receive a copy of Andy's DVD & Pam's book. We talked to

people

from all over the country and made many new friendships as well as cementing

old ones. Your encouragement and faith in what we were trying to achieve was a

great inspiration to us. The great success was not about us but about you

and your support.

Our critics were few, but their voices were loud. It is tempting to be

angry about the mischaracterizations and attempts to discredit our goals, as

well

as the efforts to stop the event itself. Despite all of that, we were

pleased to report a packed house and very favorable reaction from the members

and

staff that attended. We have sent out over 85 thank you letters to members of

Congress and their staffs who attended.

We choose to not publicly address our critics who demand harmony and

cooperation, at the same time depicting good faith efforts as creating discord

and

chaos merely because they were not done in their name or under their

umbrella.

The NatCapLyme organized congressional briefing was designed to include all.

The idea throughout was to make it a grassroots project that represented

the efforts and plans of many, without making any person or group the exclusive

central focus. From the first, help and support was sought from all

support groups and their members from across the country, with a sense of

common

purpose and joint effort. To make one group more prominent than another would

have detracted from that goal. Everyone had to be treated equal or the

project would have failed. To succeed, our legislators had to perceive that

our

Lyme community was united.

Pat and LDA were invited to participate. In fact, all groups and

their group leaders were invited to participate. Each was contacted by email

and

a follow-up telephone call. Not all responded.

There has been criticism of the strategy, timing, choice of content, method

of invitation, and funding of the congressional briefing. We welcome the

discourse and diversity of opinion. However, we are content to let the results

stand for themselves, even when it is claimed by some that the success of the

event was really because of their separate activities. That does not

matter. What does matter is the outcome, and we're happy to have everyone who

wants to take credit, do so.

It is important to clarify that NatCapLyme is not a part of or associated

with either LDA or LDF and neither it nor our members are working to promote

either's agenda. We have worked with and supported both organizations as well

as independent groups and ILADS over the years. Rather, NatCapLyme has been

and is an independent organization; we take pride in being open and

accessible to all and in trusting our own judgment and making our own

decisions. We

believe that strength comes from considering all opinions and approaches, just

as does our Supreme Court when it held that the truth will emerge from the

widest possible dissemination of information from diverse and antagonistic

sources.

We do not believe that a national organization is imperative in achieving

unity. Unity will come from respect and acknowledgement for each other and

validating our mutual efforts. There are many groups and individuals who have

worked tirelessly for this cause. Diversity of opinion leads to dialogue and

dialogue leads to change. For far too long this community has lived in

fear, anger and distrust. It would be gratifying to see these behaviors

disappear in favor of open dialogue and mutual affirmation that will encourage

the

type of change we sorely need in our community for forward progress.

If you have any questions about this message or would like additional

information, please feel free to call me at 703-821-8833.

Monte Skall

National Capital Lyme & Tick-Borne Disease Association

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