A statement from Lourdes Salvador about recent ad hominem attacks on Facebook

Posted on Jan 14, 2010 by Susie Collins in Blog, MCS, Susie Collins

Lourdes Salvador at MCS America reports on a smear campaign against herself and her organization that resulted in the removal of MCS America awareness information from a national health observance calendar: A statement from Lourdes Salvador about recent ad hominem attacks on Facebook.

A personal attack was recently launched against me and MCS America, in which many inaccuracies were published on Facebook for the sole purpose of stirring up controversy and tarnishing my reputation. This “controversy” is nothing more than the continuance of a longstanding, unsubstantiated smear campaign based on falsehoods and innuendo about me and MCS America.

The person or persons who launched this attack contacted the National Health Information Center (NHIC) to demand that the annual MCS Awareness and Education Month be removed from the National Health Observances Calendar due to MCS America, which was the contact organization for the event, being “a fake organization.” NHIC complied with the demand. The listing allowed schools, hospitals, employers, and other members of the public seeking information for awareness events on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity/Environmental Illness to contact MCS America for brochures, studies, posters, and other informational materials. The loss of this listing is a tragedy for our entire MCS/EI community.

The MCS/EI community is defined by empathy, support, sharing, and working together to find healing and to stop pervasive chemical pollution. We are not about personally attacking others within our community even if we disagree on an issue. That type of activity does not foster our cause, but rather promotes division and strife. Many members of our community work tirelessly to have MCS/EI officially recognized and to educate the public-at-large. The listing in the national calendar was another important step toward educating the public about MCS/EI and bringing us closer to having our illness fully recognized. It is astonishing that anyone would actively pursue the removal of MCS information in a national publication.

MCS America stands behind its mission to gain medical, legal, and social recognition of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity as a disorder of organic biological origin induced by toxic environmental insults; to provide support and referral services to individuals with MCS, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and other environmental illnesses; and to ensure that environmental toxicants are identified, reduced, regulated, and enforced through lobbying for effective legislation. MCS America will continue to work toward these goals through whatever means available.

Informational materials about MCS Awareness and Education Month, which is scheduled for May 2010, are available through our website at http://www.mcs-america.org.

Thank you for your support!

Sincerely,

Lourdes Salvador
Founder, MCS America

I want Canary Report readers to know that I stand behind Lourdes 100% on this. It’s distressing to see this type of thing happening within the environmental illness community; I witnessed a similar attack against Lourdes firsthand a few weeks ago on my own Facebook page and blocked the source immediately. I urge you to do the same and speak up about it whenever you see this type of vicious thing happening anywhere on the Web, whether on Facebook, Twitter, other social networks, Yahoo groups or in comments to articles or on blogs. Do not let a personal attack stand without rebuttal or comment on the inappropriate behavior. If someone disagrees with something someone has said or done, then the proper thing to do is argue your point about the topic, but not make it a personal attack.

Lourdes works tirelessly on MCS and other environmental illness advocacy. That she was able to get our cause listed in a national calendar is to be commended. That she takes the time to write up copious amounts of public information materials, upon which countless people depend to spread MCS awareness, is nothing less than remarkable. That someone came along and actively worked to have MCS information removed from a national listing is beyond belief. What a shame.

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32 Responses to “A statement from Lourdes Salvador about recent ad hominem attacks on Facebook”

  1. Gyandevi

    14. Jan, 2010

    I stand behind Lourdes too. I am saddened to learn of this situation. Is there a petition to get MCS back on the National Calendar. Not only will I sign it, but I pledge to tweet about it.

    Reply to this comment

  2. Amanda Strader

    14. Jan, 2010

    It is so outrageous that someone would attempt to destroy this organization. We can’t point fingers, but like Susie said, we must engage and intellectually challenge those who are antagonistic.
    I am so thankful for Lourdes keeping up the fight for all of us in the MCS/EI community!

    Reply to this comment

  3. Susie Collins

    14. Jan, 2010

    Aloha Gyandevi, thank you for your input. I’ve not heard about a petition, but I’m sure you could write directly to the National Health Information Center telling them that MCS America is a vibrant and important organization upon which we all depend for solid info on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. Here’s their contact info to send your request to reinstate the announcement about Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Awareness Month (May 2010): http://www.healthfinder.gov/aboutus/contactus.aspx

    Aloha Amanda, thanks much for your support on this. MCS America is the foundational rock for MCS info on the Web in my opinion– Lourdes provides solid, dependable info that we can count on for myriad uses. Our community is about support and friendship and expansion of awareness, not attack and division and censorship!

    Reply to this comment

  4. Susie Collins

    14. Jan, 2010

    For those of you on Facebook who are receiving comments on your pages as part of this attack campaign, in addition to leaving your comments condemning the activity, please consider using the “report” function and let Facebook admin know that a friend of yours is being attacked. This is very bad for our community, and for the way the outside world perceives our community and our illness– this hurtful activity must stop.

    Reply to this comment

  5. Connie Rae

    14. Jan, 2010

    This is sad news. But maybe it will spread further now; let’s hope. I liked the presentation of the MCS Awareness Day and not only read it but saved it to share with others. I will make a greater effort as I improve computer skills. I am thankful for all your talents and the gentle way you handle antagonism.

    Reply to this comment

  6. Susie Collins

    14. Jan, 2010

    Thank you, Connie. We can all learn a thing or two from you about the art of showing gentleness, support and compassion to others within our community. You practice it in everything you do and post. I really appreciate you and all you bring to The Canary Report. Aloha, Susie xoxo

    Reply to this comment

  7. Pamela Steinberg

    14. Jan, 2010

    I find Lourdes’ e-newsletter invaluable. I am so grateful for all her efforts on behalf of the chemically injured. We folks with MCS are challenged in so many terrible ways, that to have this occur is just one more low blow.

    Reply to this comment

    • Susie Collins

      15. Jan, 2010

      Aloha Pamela, Thanks much for your thoughts. I totally agree. Who needs this type of attack? It’s distracting all of us from our true work, which is to guard our health, help others in the MCS community, and educate people about the dangers of toxic chemicals in our homes and the environment. Aloha, Susie

      Reply to this comment

    • steve monroe

      15. Jan, 2010

      Pamela: Yes I’m aware from other sites and long time contacts the newsletter is well received by many in the “community” and many like that resource.

      Reply to this comment

  8. Anna Russell

    14. Jan, 2010

    I must say that when I saw the facebook posting that this site was remove I was astonished. I could not believe someone had posted this. Lourdes’s site was one of the first I visited when researching this disorder and provided invaluable information that helped me on my way to recovery. I will find the post and block the sender as well from my personal facebook account. I too was saving the information for MCS awareness month and was planning to use inforamtion here as part of my attempt to make peolpe more aware. I shall continue to support MCS America and will help to get this site relisted as a valuable source of education for MCS Awareness. My heart goes out to Lourdes as this attack continues. Please don’t lose hope as many others support and values your contributions.

    Reply to this comment

  9. steve monroe

    14. Jan, 2010

    I’m back in town from a medical trip but have a borderline migraine and going back to bed and theres massive emails on the earthquake and the rude comments from roberson and rush as well. I’ll have something to say about this later but I’ve also been attacked many times the past few years and threats made against me for listing certain web sites. 2007 was a nasty year for wild accusations and threats against me that were totally un-founded and without merit. More than once someone has threatened to sue me if I left some link on my web page and it was not always the MCSA one but others as well. Once I was told my web site was “illegal”—–What a joke that was. Theres a lot of advocates that have just given up the past few years and at times one can’t blaim them. We lost a lot of GOOD medical people that were trying to assist advocates a few years back over the internal conflicts. After 12 years trying to make a difference or helping causes sometime it feels like a no win situation

    Reply to this comment

    • Susie Collins

      15. Jan, 2010

      Aloha Steve, sorry to hear about your health issues, hope you are doing better today.

      I appreciate you explaining your history with similar attacks and happy to see you survived it. I think it’s really important for us to rally the flock when one of our own is under attack like this. Crises like this can strengthen a community if the negative attack energy is shifted and used to strengthen resolve and common goals. The stronger we become as a united community, the stronger we are to deflect future attacks.

      I can see how people can get burned-out from years of the fight, but I still have some vim and vigor in me! I don’t think it’s a no-win situation, I think trends are on our side, and the more we rally and stand as a united front, the closer we get to full recognition so we can gain full access to appropriate health care, housing, workplace safety, government support and so forth.

      Thank you for all the work you do on the front lines.

      Reply to this comment

      • steve monroe

        15. Jan, 2010

        Steve is doing better today yes Thank You but not fully over another perfume hit but better. I can’t really say I have fully recovered from the past threats as in theres still a sour taste from some past actions a small handful have done but I also know several other “elders” or “veterans” have gotten them also. As one long time 20 plus year advocate well known in the MCS field told me once and I quote, ” some people bring NOTHING constructive to the party”.

        Reply to this comment

  10. Connie Rae

    15. Jan, 2010

    To quote another Canary…NEVER GIVE UP!…and I think I read somewhere that marines never retreat they just regroup…paraphrase. History has shown that controversy many times pushes an issue into the mainstream. Our time is coming…soon…keep the faith.
    I don’t know how to request that MCS Awareness be put back on FB…does anyone?

    Reply to this comment

    • Susie Collins

      15. Jan, 2010

      Aloha Connie, it’s not that MCS America was removed from Facebook– it’s still there– it’s that a listing in the National Health Observances Calendar, for which MCS America was the contact, was removed after someone reported MCS America as being a “fake organization.” The listing in the calendar was about MCS Awareness Month (May 2010), and MCS America was offering a wonderful packet of materials that people can use to promote MCS awareness in their region during May 2010.

      Here’s the contact info for the National Health Observances Calendar admin to send your request to have the announcement about Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Awareness Month reinstated: http://www.healthfinder.gov/aboutus/contactus.aspx

      Reply to this comment

  11. Jasmine

    16. Jan, 2010

    I don’t understand their agenda, but that person has been removed from my friends list.

    Reply to this comment

  12. Mokihana

    16. Jan, 2010

    I’ve sat with this statement, and read the comments, for a few days digesting and sorting through the feelings around Lourdes’ experience. Facebook and Twitter are environments I don’t frequent so I have nothing to say about those encounters. What is important is the possibility that the person or organization that has successfully affected the National Health Observances Calendar, might be from ‘within the camp” (my quotes).

    Discord and differences of opinions are natural forms of expression … just two of many forms because like it or not, human society are full of opinions. With the growth of internet and other forms of instant communication, ie. Facebook, opinions are rampant and rabid is just that much more possible.

    MCS America was one of the first internet sites I found several years ago, when I was desperate for important information and support. I am grateful the service was available. MCS Awareness Month 2010 is the specific event that has been removed from the Health Finder site. Here’s an example of how I (who benefited because MCS America existed at a personal low-point) can use the “Event Packet” created by Lourdes Salvador and MCS America, and spread the word. Using that packet by getting involved in my local community will help me strengthen by authenticity; and might educate one more person who is ready to make a change to chemical and fragrance free living.

    I don’t always agree with what I read about MCS and its paths to ‘healing’ or approaches and take time to sort through my reactions to these disagreements. In this case, I think the reputation of MCS America will stand the test if those who benefit from the service/information/resources implement these findings and give credit where it is due.

    Reply to this comment

    • Susie Collins

      16. Jan, 2010

      Aloha Mokihana, thank you for sharing your very thoughtful analysis. It’s wonderful that you took the time to think it through– that is an activity often lacking in fast-paced social media communication. I, too, think MCS America will survive this; online communities, especially one as strong as the MCS/EI community, have a wonderful way of self-regulating discord and disagreements. A hui hou kakou, Susie

      Reply to this comment

  13. Jeanne

    16. Jan, 2010

    Lourdes,

    I am SO sorry for the obvious stress this situation must be causing you and I hope that you can find a way to make self-care a top priority as you deal with the fall-out of this terrible situation. (I had great difficulty making self-care a top priority when my identity was stolen on Twitter. I can only imagine how draining this mess is on you. Please safeguard your health as best you can). I know this is easier said than done.

    Susie,

    I find this matter deeply disturbing on multiple levels. I thank you for posting Lourdes’ comments here and for publicly standing behind her, as we all should, in this serious matter that affects all MCS patients. This is very upsetting!

    ~~

    Peace,

    Jeanne

    Reply to this comment

    • Susie Collins

      17. Jan, 2010

      Together, we are stronger, right Jeanne? I know you understand how horrible it is when people resort to personal attacks on the Internet. I really believe we need to stand together and watch each other’s back when this kind of thing happens. Lourdes’s statement didn’t even really describe what’s been going on: it’s very nasty, it’s vitriolic, immature and distracts us all from the important work we have of helping each other and raising awareness about toxic chemicals and MCS.

      Reply to this comment

  14. canary2

    17. Jan, 2010

    When I had a severe chemical attack a few years ago from new carpeting in a building I entered, Sal stayed online with me all night helping me figure out what supplements I had on hand that could stop my airways from totally shutting down. Luckily I didn’t need to go to the ER that night because of her emotional support and knowledge. What ulterior motives would a person like that have for helping others in such a big way?

    Reply to this comment

    • Susie Collins

      17. Jan, 2010

      Aloha Canary2, thank you so much for sharing your story about Sal. You really summed up her value in our community. She’s a gem.

      Reply to this comment

  15. Amy

    17. Jan, 2010

    Lourdes,

    I am so glad that we have these avenues such as The Canary Report (thanks susie!) to find out about injustices such as this.

    MCS America is such a valuable resource. I myself have gained so much from the work that you have done. Thank you! We all know how hard it is to talk about MCS without being persecuted for it and I admire your strength and will to keep it up.

    You have my support!

    Amy

    Reply to this comment

  16. Lourdes Salvador

    17. Jan, 2010

    Thanks to everyone for your support! I am so glad to hear that I have touched the lives of others for the better. When we help each other to find understanding, resources, and solutions, it saves so much suffering and health decline.

    This is such a wonderful community of people. I want to give special thanks to Susie for giving us a great place to connect!

    Lourdes

    Reply to this comment

  17. Lucinda

    19. Jan, 2010

    I would like to begin by sharing that I was one of the first MCS America Board Members when the group was created by Lourdes Salvador in the spring of 2006. At that time, via the Internet, I worked with Lourdes on laying the foundation for MCS America to become an NPO, a non profit organization. Within months, I ended up leaving the group, along with all of the other MCS America board members, because of Lourdes inability to achieve organizational legitimacy.

    I was also, indirectly, involved in the controversy which erupted in November, 2007, when a request was made for MCS America’s proof of non profit status. At the time, Dr. Jack Thrasher, whose name was signed to an MCS Petition was asking for NPO verification; which is a normal and reasonable part of doing business for professionals and government entities. In 2007, Dr. Thrasher’s request for documentation was denied by Lourdes Salvador, just as she is currently denying information requested by the NHIC.

    I have taken the time to read the email from the National Health Information Center, which is at the heart of the current controversy. The email has been posted publicly on several chemical injury lists on the Internet. This is what NHIC writes, “…last week, we requested verifiable proof from MCS America that they are a registered organization. Because the information we requested was not provided, we have made a decision to remove MCS America from all versions (PDF and HTML) of our National Health Observances calendar.”

    The facts are that MCS Awareness Month is not being removed from the National Calender as Lourdes writes in her statement, “The person or persons who launched this attack contacted the National Health Information Center (NHIC) to demand that the annual MCS Awareness and Education Month be removed from the National Health Observances Calendar”. The reality is MCS America is being removed as the contact organization for MCS Awareness Month based on MCS America’s inability to provide NPO documentation.

    I would have hoped after more than four years of unnecessary drama Lourdes would have learned that assuming the role of an NPO is not the same as actually being an NPO. Certainly, any of us, including Lourdes, is free to provide an informational website. But it is entirely another matter to seek to represent a group of injured and ill people on a national level without first establishing you have the fundamental ability to do so.

    I implore all of you who admire Lourdes and the information MCS America provides to find a way to accomplish the task of making MCSA into a real non profit organization. Please put these longstanding questions of legitimacy to rest by simply doing the work and form a real non profit. To do less, is to continue to undermine the very cause so much time and effort is being invested in.

    Lucinda Hodges

    Permission to repost is granted as long as the entire statement is kept intact.

    Reply to this comment

    • Susie Collins

      19. Jan, 2010

      Aloha Lucinda, Thank you for your comment.

      It makes absolutely no difference to me if MCS America is a nonprofit or not. If the National Health Observances Calendar requires the listed organization to be nonprofit, well that’s fine. But I doubt very much if Lourdes was trying to pull a fast one. I think she just wanted to spread as much MCS Awareness as possible. No one could build a website the way she has without that being their motivation.

      I also do not care one bit about internal conflicts that have happened at MCS America; it’s not relevant to this discussion. I’ve been a community activist for long enough to know that conflict and strife is the norm within most grassroots organizations. Some groups are able to achieve nonprofit status, some are not. I have seen nonprofits who abuse their status and achieved none of their stated mission, and I have seen regular grassroots organizations who do not enjoy nonprofit status but rock the world anyway. If MCS America is not an NPO, then there is no documentation for it, no? So people are asking for something that does not exist and then getting their panties all in a bunch because it’s not forthcoming. I see nothing on the MCS America website stating that it is an NPO; I do not feel Lourdes is misrepresenting MCS America in any way. Further, I personally have seen many professionals including MDs and government officials sign petitions supporting the work of grassroots groups which are not NPOs, so I take issue with your inference that such professionals only sign petitions sponsored by NPOs. The incident to which you refer presents that particular doctor a choice, but does not exhibit a set norm if he chose to withdraw his signature simply because MCS America is not a nonprofit.

      What is of concern to me in this current flap, and what is I think truly is at the heart of this current controversy, is the vitriol that one critic is hurling at Lourdes and MCS America on Facebook and other social media outlets. The rejection of MCS America from a listing on the calendar is being used by that critic to rant and rave about the non “legitimacy” of MCS America, inferring that it’s proof MCS America is a sham and a front group for corporate interests. It’s nonsense. Rather than rallying around MCS America in trying to figure out ways to spread MCS awareness, critics are using it to discredit Lourdes and her work. I think that type of intent is destructive, it hurts our MCS community and it tarnishes our image to the outside world. The fact that the instigator of this current attack is pressing the issue to agencies in DC is sophomoric and unprofessional. I think the action of the critic in having MCS America removed from the calendar is not for a noble reason; I think they have an agenda to discredit Lourdes and MCS America. And for me, intent is everything.

      Public service is about finding ways to build people up, providing leadership, finding solutions, expanding awareness and education, caring for the underdog. It’s not about finding a weakness and exploiting it with the intent to destroy. And from everything that I’ve observed on Facebook in regards to this current controversy, that’s exactly what the main critic of MCS America is trying to achieve.

      Susie Collins
      Editor, The Canary Report

      As with all my comments, anyone republishing your comment also has permission to republish mine.

      Reply to this comment

  18. Betty

    14. Feb, 2010

    Thank you Lucinda for that matter of fact and factual recitation of events. I too have some personal knowledge about these events, but have chosen to stay out of the drama since that insanity that took place a few years back

    However, just a brief reminder that lies do in fact matter and things are not always as they seem. A person doesn’t have to fool all the people all of the time, or even some of the people all of the time, or even some of the people some of the time; she only has to fool the right people at the right time. Remember the con artist who convinced the CIA and other US agencies that he could decode secret messages sent by al-Qaeda through Al-Jazeera broadcasts in 2003, he is still “advising” the Pentagon.

    Reply to this comment

    • Susie Collins

      14. Feb, 2010

      Betty, What lies specifically? You really need to be very specific when you make that type of serious allegation. Your analogy is interesting, nothing like adding a little fuel to the fire by managing to talk about TERRORISM. What the heck are you trying to say? What the heck are you talking about?

      Reply to this comment

  19. Jerry

    09. Jul, 2010

    Thank you Lucinda and Betty for your cogent and reasonable comments here. You bring sense and an all too rare proactive rationale to the discussion.

    Reply to this comment

    • Susie Collins

      09. Jul, 2010

      Jerry, the MCS community that I would hope for is one that addresses issues and does not make ad hominen attacks.

      To what rationale do you refer in Lucinda and Betty’s comments? Is it Lucinda’s claiming that MCS America should be something it clearly is not and then bashing Lourdes for perceived shortcomings that do not exist given that MCS America clearly is not a nonprofit? Or perhaps it’s Betty’s accusations of lies, which she has yet to clarify and back up? Or perhaps you find Betty’s analogy to terrorist activity a sound rationale? Please enlighten me.

      Individuals make personal attacks when they can’t speak to the issues. None of the allegations that have been made against Lourdes have been substantiated, at least not here on this thread in the last six months– nor elsewhere on Facebook or TCR’s network. So it all just stands as ad hominem attacks. Therefore, I reject your assertion that Lucinda and Betty’s comments provide cogent and reasonable rationale to this dialogue.

      Susie

      Reply to this comment

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