<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

       I must say that I was extremely disturbed after reading the response
Tom Sullivan wrote on "re: Consolidating Our Efforts." Although I do not hold
CSA accountable for the words of one member, I was appalled at the fact that
a board member of an organization that I have put my faith into for many
years was not willing to turn around and support myself and the other
individuals who make up the Celiac community.
       The e-mail discouraged the effort to work together because "Celiacs
only have the diet in common and not any commonalties in medical problems,
exercise regimens, TV, books, movies, politics, and religion." With this kind
of attitude we should disban every Celiac organization! What is the point of
several diverse individuals consolidating their efforts to form one
organization if several diverse organizations can't come together for one
goal? Being that each national CS organization is made up of unique
individuals, not identical clones, it seems ludicrous and narrow-minded to
imply that these same individuals cannot come together to form a stronger
voice in making the needs of Celiacs be heard. Wouldn't it seem that a
collective effort where each organization brings its strengths and fresh
ideas to the table would be more effective than the thus far unsuccessful
isolated efforts? In actuality, it is the common goal that is poignant, while
idiosyncrasies such as a preference to romance novels vs murder mysteries are
irrelevant and superficial. Making a statement such as Mr. Sullivan did is
akin to telling the United Nations that it should forgo its efforts towards
world peace and a global community given that the individual countries that
it is comprised of vary across a broad spectrum of cultural, political, and
religious beliefs.
       While there are currently many wonderful CS organizations that are so
effective  because of the very fact that they do have different missions,
there is still not a strong, unified voice being heard. Just as the e-mail
pointed out, one group is focused on  research, while another is focused on
education and so on. This is beneficial given that we need each one of these
different aspects of CS to be worked on in order to keep updated and reach
further advancement. However, when everyone divides up into their respective
organizations, it is inevitable that the voices will become thinner, more
spread out, and thus quieter. So, what is the Celiac community asking for?
Not for organizations to change their mission statements, but simply for
their support. Support so that we can work together and eliminate the
ambiguity in deeming foods as GF or not, support so that Congress will listen
to our voices in food labeling because we are such a large population.
       As opposed to reading the many questions brought up in the last e-mail
with such negativity, we could keep our minds open and strive towards
unifying in order to help the entire Celiac community. Of course there are
going to be questions and work to do, but that is no reason to throw in the
towel now. This will not work if we come together as "Bob" from GIG, "Joe"
from CSA, or "Sue" from CDF. It will only work if we unite as "Celiacs" who
want to work together for a common goal. After all that is the objective of
each organization.

Sincerely,
Georgina Rubal, AZ

* Please include your location in all posts about products *