Ford give $5million to Nat Audubon Society --- MUST READ (and write a letter to Ford)

[YellowSub1962]

<FONT COLOR="yellow">Below the text of this article you will find a letter I wrote to them and their reply. There will be another reply below that from someone else that wrote a letter to them. I think a MASSIVE LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN is in order to FoMoCo regarding this...

From Ford's Media Page
click here for the site this came from (http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=7423) . </FONT c>

Ford Donates $5 Million to National Audubon Society

New York, February 16 - The National Audubon Society today announced a $5 million grant from Ford Motor Company, largest corporate gift ever received by that organization. The Grant Funds Audubon Projects in the US and Latin America.

Ford's donation, made possible by Ford Motor Company Fund, will support citizen science, education and conservation programs that protect wildlife and engage children and adults in developing an understanding and appreciation of nature that lasts throughout their lifetimes. Projects funded by Ford's grant include BirdSource, the Audubon Important Bird Areas Program, Audubon Citizen Science projects, and the Latin-America-based Schoolyard Ecology Program.

"As we move into the new century, we do so knowing that the planet we inhabit is a complex and fragile one. Our goal is to give people the information they need to think globally and the tools they need to act locally," said Audubon President and CEO John Flicker. "Ford's generous support of Audubon's programs will provide the tools and resources needed to create stewards who recognize the necessity of a healthy environment - whether they live in the rainforests of Guyana or in Urban America."

BirdSource, at www.birdsource.org, (http://www.birdsource.org,) is a web-based alliance of citizens and scientists working together to identify, track, and monitor bird populations throughout the Americas. Created by Audubon and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, it is a critical tool in maintaining biodiversity while harnessing the potential of citizen science. Ford Motor Company's donation will allow Audubon to upgrade BirdSource technology while adding features that aid users in bird identification and information retrieval. "Ford's generosity will allow BirdSource to establish itself as the primary technology hub for monitoring of wildlife populations in North America," said Flicker.

"We like to invest in long-term educational and environmental initiatives that allow new dialogue and learning," said Sandy Ulsh, Vice President, executive director, Ford Motor Company Fund. "Ford's partnership with National Audubon supports this weekend's bird counts, helps provide more on-line information for consumers and acts as a catalyst to increase community involvement."

Ford also will fund Audubon Citizen Science directly, becoming primary sponsor of the Great Backyard Bird Count (February 16 - 19, 2001). As America's premier citizen science project, Audubon's Great Backyard Bird Count relies on amateurs, who observe and track bird populations in their neighborhoods every February. Ford's sponsorship allows Audubon to build and engage a network of more than 200,000 citizen scientists in the U.S. and Canada, who will monitor birds and key environmental indicators in real time. Audubon will also introduce the Great Backyard Bird Count to 10 countries in Latin America and extend its Christmas Bird Count participation there to include 10,000 more participants by 2005.

Finally, Ford's support will allow Audubon to expand the reach of its Latin-America-based Schoolyard Ecology program. Focusing on capacity building and education, the program offers training workshops, materials and manuals filled with activities that teachers can use to focus children's natural curiosity about their surroundings.

Founded in 1905, Audubon connects people with nature through education and experience on the land. The National Audubon Society help children, families, and adults from all walks of life develop an understanding of and appreciation for the environment. National Audubon Society inspire them and give them the tools to act on behalf of the environment - in their own homes and communities, as well as on the national level and beyond.

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is the world's second largest automaker, with approximately 335,000 employees in 200 markets on six continents. Ford Motor Company Fund, the philanthropic unit of Ford Motor Company, supports initiatives and institutions that improve opportunities for those who live in communities where Ford Motor Company operates. Ford Motor Company Fund contributes to organizations enhancing charitable, educational, scientific, environmental, and cultural standards. For more information regarding Ford's charitable giving and corporate citizenship initiatives, log on to www.ford.com. (http://www.ford.com.)


<FONT COLOR="yellow">My original letter follows. Below that is a copy of the reply I recieved this morning:</FONT c>


> Dear Sirs:
>
> I am deeply troubled at Ford Motor Company's (FMC) recent contribution to
> The Audubon Society (NAS). The goal of this organization is not to protect
> and wisely use the environment, but to stop all human access to it. They are
> extremists to the core. The NAS has been instrumental in denying Multiple Use
> groups access to public lands. These groups include activities such as 4x4
> recreation, motorcycling, boating, horseback riding, mountain biking, winter
> sports, hiking, rock climbing, just to name a few. All of these recreational
> activities require the use of some sort of vehicle to get to the outdoors.
> For the last several years, millions of people have been using Ford trucks
> and SUVs for family recreation. In return, the company (FMC) that these
> people choose to support with their hard earned money, donates money to an
> organization (NAS) set out to end Motorized Recreation and Multiple Use of
> public lands.
>
> This does not seem like a logical move to me. Why would a company that makes
> products for use in the outdoors give a grant (not just any grant, $5 million,
> the largest grant the NAS has ever received) to an organization that wants
> to eliminate the use of such products (and many others) on our public lands?
> How does FMC expect to sell vehicles people can't use?
>
> I was considering one of the Ford Powerstroke Diesels as my next vehicle. It
> would have been used to tow my 4x4, motorcycle, and boat so as to allow my
> family to spend quality time together in the great outdoors together.
> Unfortunately, I feel the FMC, according to its recent actions, does not wish
> for me and my family to be able to enjoy the great outdoors. I will be
> looking to your competitors for a vehicle to suit my family's needs.
>
> I look forward to hearing from you on your thoughts and explanations for
> this seemingly thoughtless decision.
>
> Sincerely,
> Peter S. Di Primo
> xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> xxxxxxxxxx CA xxxxx
> (A former "Ford Guy")


<FONT COLOR="yellow">Response:
</FONT c>
> Dear Peter,
>
> Thank you for contacting Ford Motor Company on 02/19/01. We appreciate
> the time you have taken to write us regarding Ford's involvement in the
> The National Audubon Society (NAS).
>
> Thank you for contacting Ford Motor Company.
>
> We pride ourselves on becoming the world's leading consumer company for
> automotive products and services. We regret the circumstances which
> prompted you to contact us.
>
> Your points are interesting and do value an investigation, which is why
> your feedback is highly valued by all divisions within Ford Motor
> Company, and serves to provide us with insight into areas where we may
> need improvement.
>
> We will forward this letter to our appropriate department for further
> review.
>
> Peter, we thank you again for taking the time to comment on our efforts.
>
> At Ford Motor Company, we consider the satisfaction of our customers as
> one of our most important objectives. If you have any other inquiries
> or concerns, please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to
> address them.
>
> Thank you for contacting Ford Motor Company.
>
> Sincerely,
> Vincent
> Ford Motor Company
> Customer Relationship Center

<FONT COLOR="yellow">Here is a response to another letter from someone else:
</FONT c>

> > Dear John,
> >
> > Thank you for contacting Ford Motor Company on 02/19/01. We appreciate
> > the time you have taken to write us regarding your sentiments of our
> > involvement with the National Audubon Society (NAS).
> >
> > Thank you for contacting Ford Motor Company.
> >
> > We pride ourselves on becoming the world's leading consumer company for
> > automotive products and services.
> >
> > We regret the circumstances which prompted you to contact us. Your
> > feedback is highly valued by all divisions within Ford Motor Company,
> > and serves to provide us with insight into areas where we may need
> > improvement.
> >
> > John, your comments are interesting and we will forward your opinions to
> > our appropriate department for a review of the issue.
> >
> > At Ford Motor Company, we consider the satisfaction of our customers as
> > one of our most important objectives. If you have any other inquiries
> > or concerns, please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to
> > address them.
> >
> > Thank you for contacting Ford Motor Company.
> >
> > Sincerely,
> > Vincent
> > Ford Motor Company
> > Customer Relationship Center


{color=yellow] They are obviously blowing smoke up our asses to appease us. I'm challenging everyone on this board to write them a letter asking for an investigation into this grant and request a personally addressed copy of their findings and what they are using to warrant this assanin decision.[/color]


------------------
<FONT COLOR="yellow">"Its a Wheelbase Thing, Your Jeep Wouldn't Understand"</FONT c>

Peter S. Di Primo
V.P. - Ventura County Axle Snappers 4WDC
www.axlesnappers.com (http://www.axlesnappers.com)
Yellowsub1962@aol.com

[Karl]

I just sent their customer service department an email. I just bought a Ford and I let them know it won't happen in the future.

------------------
Cheers,

Karl Bellve ICQ # 13956200
1985 4Runner SR5 TLCA# 7938

Old Man Emu lift, dual Toyota Electric Lockers, TJM-13 Bumper, REP8000 winch, Stout Equipment rear bumper, RS9000s, Persson Sway-Bar Disconnects, FJ40 vented rotors and IFS calipers

[Whitewater]

Yellowsub, would you mind if I copy a good chunk of your email to send, I will of course add my own comments to it.

------------------
CAUTION

[YellowSub1962]

<FONT COLOR="Yellow">White, anything I post can be used by anyone, as long as it is used within the original context (carries the original intent and meaning). Anything I post that will help keep our lands open for us recreate, I would actually encourage everyone to use...

BTW - Thanks for asking, and anything I post in the future is fair game for anyone to copy and "plagerize"http://www.pirate4x4.com/ubb/smilies/biggrin.gifhttp://www.pirate4x4.com/ubb/smilies/biggrin.gif</FONT c>

------------------
<FONT COLOR="yellow">"Its a Wheelbase Thing, Your Jeep Wouldn't Understand"</FONT c>

Peter S. Di Primo
V.P. - Ventura County Axle Snappers 4WDC
www.axlesnappers.com (http://www.axlesnappers.com)
Yellowsub1962@aol.com

[Whitewater]

Thanks, I'll write today.

------------------
CAUTION

[YellowSub1962]

<font color="yellow">Had to bring this back to the top... see what everyones joining together and getting involved does. We wrote thousands of letters to them - now Ford will, at the very least, have to look long and hard into where they are putting their money if they want to gain the business of the working class</font c>

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/news/oregonian/lc_71nofor16.frame

From The Oregonian

News

Environmental gifts bring Ford a truckload of trouble
Customers around the nation who feel their livelihoods and recreational pursuits threatened lash out at the automaker
Saturday, June 16, 2001


By Michelle Cole of The Oregonian staff
Stan Meager has been a "Ford man" ever since he bought his first car -- a 1951 Ford four-door sedan.
Not anymore. Not since the Ford Motor Company Fund announced a $5 million grant to the National Audubon Society.
The 59-year-old Klamath Basin fruit grower usually doesn't complain.
But he couldn't help but dash off an e-mail to Ford last month: "You are supplying my enemies with the means to destroy my home and way of life," he wrote. "I will no longer buy a Ford product of any kind, not even a spark plug."
There's trouble brewing in Ford Country.
Ranchers, loggers, motorcyclists and others are mighty unhappy about the Ford Fund's growing support of environmental organizations. And their displeasure may mark the first time that a large American corporation has faced consumer backlash for being perceived as too green.
Ford's environmental contributions have dominated talk radio in Montana. They've ignited e-mail exchanges among conservative political groups. They've been the subject of critical articles in niche publications, including a magazine published by the Blue Ribbon Coalition, a national organization of off-road vehicle enthusiasts.
"I have talked to a number of people who are upset with Ford. They don't approve of the Ford Fund's support for green groups who are trying to close out national forests to motorized access," said Don Amador, Western representative for the Blue Ribbon Coalition.
During last month's annual stockholders meeting, William Ford Jr., chairman of the company and great-grandson of its founder, reiterated Ford's commitment to environmental protection. The automaker has recently announced a number of new "green" initiatives, including improving gas mileage on the popular Ford Explorer.
Meanwhile the Ford Motor Company Fund, an independent entity fueled by Ford Motor Company profits, gave away $14.1 million in environmental grants last year -- up from $4.2 million in 1999 and $3.2 million in 1998. In addition to supporting Audubon, Ford also has made a five-year, $25 million pledge to Conservation International to create a Center for Environmental Leadership in Business and a five-year, $5 million grant to Earthwatch Institute for promoting sustainable conservation.
Ford acknowledged that it has received hundreds of consumer complaints from all over the country as a result of the Fund's environmental grants. The company has also heard from at least one dealer, Terry Andreessen, who owns the Timberline Auto Center in Libby, Mont.
"Ford's 'elite' sitting in their glass offices must understand that these seemingly 'politically correct' donations to environmental groups appears as a huge betrayal to the working class people who struggle to survive in our resource-based industries," Andreessen said. "Ford dealers located in these rural communities are not immune from the effects of the extreme environmental movement that has devastated businesses and families."
The company did not anticipate the complaints, Ford spokeswoman Brook Galbraith said.
"The National Audubon Society has one of the largest environmental organization memberships in the United States," she said.
In a form-letter reply to customers who have complained, Ford stresses that its contributions to Audubon are specifically limited to environmental education and bird-monitoring projects.
That doesn't wash with Bob Taft, a 72-year-old Wyoming cattle rancher who owns four Ford pickups, including a "dandy" 2000 diesel model. His beef: Audubon is often listed among the plaintiffs in environmental lawsuits.
Ford's support of Audubon's education and bird projects, he said, is "about the same as the U.S. government giving Moscow or Beijing some money for humanitarian purposes when they're busy building up armaments to use against us some day."
Taft said he will not buy another Ford as "long as they're working against us."
Tommy Harris, Oregon director for the Pacific Northwest Four-Wheel Drive Association, said he detects a conflict between Ford's environmental grant-making and its advertising message.
"There was a commercial showing Ford pick-ups on a football field throwing turf as high as a two-story building," he said. "That's ridiculous."
At the very least, Harris and others say, Ford ought to spend some of its millions supporting his and other associations' promotion of responsible off-road activity.
"I suppose we'd like to have a little grant money to support our end of the thing," Harris said. "But that's tough for a company to do."

[Crowdog]

Here is a more direct email address for Ford Fund: Sandra E. Ulsh at fordfund@ford.com

Have you seen Bill Ford's speech to GreenPeace? Click here (http://www.crowley-offroad.com/greenpeace__bill_ford.htm) to see it.

Keep the heat on!

Crowdog

[YellowSub1962]

<font color="yellow">Why can't the rest of the counties in America do this too?</font >

October 16, 2001
Bill Ford, Chairman
Ford Motor Comany


RE: Contributions to Radical Environmentalism and Bill Ford's Speech to Greenpeace


Dear Mr. Ford,


These comments are being submitted by the Arizona Counties, Apache, Cochise, Gila, Graham, Greenlee and Navajo and the New Mexico Counties, Catron, Chaves, Eddy, Harding, Hidalgo, Lincoln, Luna, Otero, Rio Arriba, Sierra, and Socorro along with representation from the timber, farming, livestock, mining, small business, sportsman and outfitter industries as members of the Coalition of Arizona/ New Mexico Counties (Coalition). Our representation currently exceeds 592,923 in combined county populations and does not include the membership numbers from our member organizations. This action was approved by a unanimous vote at our June, 2001, Board of Directors meeting.


Ford Motor Company's ongoing contributions to radical environmentalism have prompted the Coalition's Board of Directors to call for all member counties to review their purchasing policies for all Ford products. We are also forwarding this communication to other state and local governments throughout the country and calling upon them to consider that their purchase of Ford products is funding the terrorist war against rural America.


In particular, we are objecting to the contributions to the Audubon Society and other so called "mainstream moderate environmental organizations." The Society and other "mainstream moderate environmental organizations" are pursuing campaigns to destroy rural based economies in Arizona and New Mexico and throughout the United States. Your contributions to these organizations fuel their propaganda and litigation battles that have resulted in creating near bankruptcy for many of our county members and it is spreading.


Your speech to Greenpeace demonstrates your total ignorance of local, national and global environmental issues. It also demonstrates your naivete concerning the neo-Luddite philosophies promoted by these "environmental" organizations. While they smile and lavish you with praise as you hand over the check, they are plotting your company's destruction along with the rest of industrialized civilization.


While we sympathize with your co-owners and workers who do not agree with your misguided philanthropy, our members counties can not in good conscience continue to indirectly fund, through purchase of Ford products, those whose clear and stated purpose is to destroy our economies and constituent's property rights. We therefore call upon all our member counties to use what ever means legally available to them to avoid purchase of your company's products. We also call upon our respective state governments' and agencies' to review their purchasing policies in this regard. We also call upon all counties in the nation to examine Ford Motor Company's contributions to our mutual destruction and act accordingly.


We also hope that other automotive and heavy equipment manufacturers take notice of our actions and strive to do a better job than Ford Motor Company by contributing to the protection of our domestic food, fibre and mineral production.


Sincerely,


Howard Hutchinson
Executive Director
Coalition of Arizona/New Mexico Counties
P.O. Box 125
Glenwood, New Mexico 88039
(505) 539-2709


xc: Arizona and New Mexico Governors, Legislative Leaderships, Congressional Delegations, Board of Directors, Western Interstate Region of the National Association of Counties and the National Association of Counties

[YellowSub1962]

> URGENT ** MAXIMUM DISTRIBUTION ***
> URGENT ** MAXIMUM DISTRIBUTION
> *****
>
> THE "GRASSROOTS" ALMOST HAVE A WIN ON FORD!
> IMMEDIATE ACTION ON THIS IS
> VITALLY IMPORTANT SO THAT WE CAN SHOW OTHER
> GREEN-GIVING CORPORATIONS AND
> FOUNDATION THAT WE HAVE THE NUMBERS, THE POCKETBOOKS
> AND THE VOICE TO
> NEGATIVELY IMPACT THEIR BOTTOM LINE.
>
> Two (2) Articles Attached
>
> Folks, I just spoke with Charles Child, News Editor
> of Automotive News. He
> says that Ford Motor Co. is in deep financial
> trouble and that their
> economic Mainstay is the F-series Pick-up truck He
> also stated that Ford is
> still the leading seller of Pick-up trucks in the
> US. If anything, we must
> increase the pressure against FORD.
>
> LET FORD HEAR THUNDER FROM GRASSROOTS AMERICA NOW!
>
> Please read the below two articles and then do the
> two quick, easy and FREE
> complaints.
>
> WRITE the Green Giver, Sandra E. Ulsh , Vice
> President of the Ford Motor
> Company Fund, at fordfund@ford.com as soon as
> possible.
>
> CALL FORD at 800 392-3673, at the first prompt enter
> 3, At second prompt
> enter 2. At that time you will be asked to enter
> your 10 Digit Telephone
> number, Then you will be linked to a live person who
> will do a VERY complete
> interview about your complaint.
>
> (800) 232-5952 (TDD for the Hearing Impaired)
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jay
>
>
__________________________________________________ __________________
> Ford's Audubon donation irks ranchers $5 million
> contribution costs Ford
> sales among Western U.S. land interests
>
> By Mary Connelly Automotive News / October 08, 2001
>
> Ford Motor Co. ads show cowboys proudly using the
> company's pickups. But a
> growing number of cowboys out West are angry enough
> with Ford to start
> driving Chevrolets.
> Ranchers, loggers, miners and agricultural business
> interests are protesting
> Ford's environmental attitudes, specifically, a $5
> million contribution to
> the National Audubon Society.
> On Wednesday, Oct. 3, Ford dispatched two executives
> to Arizona to meet with
> three agricultural associations. One of the groups
> represents 4,000 elected
> or appointed agricultural and natural resource
> officials in 16 states and
> Guam.
> Ford is embroiled in a passionate and divisive
> debate in the West over land
> use and natural resources. Led by Chairman William
> Clay Ford Jr., an avowed
> environmentalist, the automaker has cast itself as
> an environmentally
> friendly company. For example, Bill Ford led the
> automotive industry in
> acknowledging the existence of global warming.
> Now, Ford Division dealers say the company's
> attitude is contributing to
> lost sales among ranchers, miners, loggers and
> farmers in the western United
> States.
> "Ford has donated money to environmental groups. One
> of them is the National
> Audubon Society. These environmental groups are
> spending a lot of money
> putting timber, livestock grazing and everything
> else out of business in the
> West,'' said Doc Lane, director of natural resources
> for the 2,000-member
> Arizona Cattle Ranchers Association and a meeting
> participant. "Our concern
> is why would Ford be paying to put their customers
> out of business?''
> Last week, the protesting groups asked Ford to
> underwrite a
> multi-million-dollar national educational campaign
> promoting American
> agricultural and forestry products.
> Last week's meeting followed a similar session this
> month in Montana with
> protesting members of the logging industry.
> Lost sales
> "These are not just complaints. This is costing
> sales,'' said Udon
> McSpadden, owner of McSpadden Ford-Lincoln-Mercury
> in Glove, Ariz., and a
> meeting participant. "There were three people in the
> cattle ranching
> industry in the meeting that drove Fords their whole
> life and who now own
> General Motors products for the first time.''
> Bird-watching money
> A $5 million Ford Motor Co. Fund contribution to the
> National Audubon
> Society triggered the protest. The money was
> earmarked for "bird monitoring
> and environmental education programs,'' said Brook
> Galbraith, Ford fund
> spokeswoman.
> The Ford fund is the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor
> Co.
> No members of the Ford family are officers or on the
> board of the Ford fund,
> Galbraith said.
> "The Ford Fund has assured Ford Division that they
> will be more cognizant of
> customer and dealer concerns when making future
> contribution decisions,"
> said John Jelinek, Ford Division spokesman.
> The protesters fault Ford for contributing to an
> organization whose goals
> are at odds with their own.
> "We just want Ford to work with American
> agriculture,'' said Olin Sims, a
> Wyoming rancher and chairman of the Western
> Coalition of Conservation
> Districts. Created by Congress in the early 1940s,
> conservation districts
> exist in every state and are units of local
> government charged with
> protecting natural resources. The Western Coalition
> represents 752 districts
> with more than 4,000 elected or appointed officials
> in 16 states and Guam.
> Promoting agriculture
> "We have asked Ford to commit to investing back into
> American agriculture
> through promoting American agriculture and forestry
> products,'' said Sims, a
> meeting participant. "We would like to hear back
> from them in 45 days.''
> The Ford fund did not attend last week's meeting,
> Galbraith said. J.C.
> Collins, Ford Division executive dealer relations
> manager, and John
> Oldfield, Ford's Phoenix-area regional manager,
> represented Ford at the
> two-hour meeting, dealer McSpadden said.
> # # #
>
__________________________________________________ ___________________
> Lordy, Mr. Ford, Who's Side Are You On?
> Ford Motor Company funds Environmental Activists and
> lobbies for Higher Gas
> Taxes while the Ford Foundation Funds Palestinian
> Organizations.
> By Laura Schneberger
>
> Article made possible by a public education grant
> from the Paragon
> Foundation
>
> It is hard to imagine Henry Ford approving the
> direction his great grandson
> is taking the once proud Ford Motor Company. While
> the Ford product is still
> an outstanding purchase for its durability and
> usability--the common man can
> no longer justify the expense of owning one.
> It's not that the vehicles are out of a working
> stiff's price range; the
> fact of the matter is, many Ford fans feel
> contributing to the success of
> Ford Motor Company is simply not in their best
> interest. Many Ford owners
> belong to the nations agricultural community and
> Ford has recently changed
> its social activism agenda to exclude concern for
> the welfare and livelihood
> of rural Ford buyers. This major focus on social
> change began when Bill
> Ford, Jr. took over as CEO of Ford Motor Company
> just a little over a year
> ago.
> In February, 2001, Ford provided the National
> Audubon Society with a 5
> million dollar grant. Ford Motor Company says the
> grant was intended to fund
> environmental education and bird monitoring
> projects. Farmers and ranchers
> along the Klamath Basin know Audubon as one of the
> biggest of the
> non-government organizations that joined in the suit
> to force the U.S. Fish
> and Wildlife Service to shut down water in the
> Klamath Basin, in April of
> this year, to protect the suckerfish. A move that
> deprived over
> 1400 families of their livelihoods, will eventually
> cost them their homes
> and turn the area into a dustbowl. A move that
> destroyed habitat and killed
> countless species of birds dependent on the areas
> wildlife preserve. Klamath
> Falls is only the latest in a series of Audubon
> victims.
> Laura Busby, of Marion, Arkansas says she will never
> buy another Ford. She
> told the company, "You should know that the Audubon
> society and the Sierra
> Club sued to stop the Main River Levee Project in
> the Mississippi River
> Delta. Ms. Busby predicts 4.5 million people have
> been put at risk because
> of the suit. "Allowing the Mississippi to flood
> naturally will cause a
> disaster that will take 300 billion dollars to clean
> up after," she says.
> It doesn't end there; the Ford Foundation also funds
> the Center for
> Watershed and Community Health in Oregon. One of the
> major goals of this
> organization is to ensure the survival of the
> dubiously endangered Coho
> salmon. Klamath Falls farmers, like Stanley Meager,
> are undoubtedly familiar
> with this organization. In a May 15th letter to
> Ford, Mr. Meager told the
> company, "I have been a Ford man all my life, I am
> now 59 years old, but
> that has come to an end. You are supplying my
> enemies with the means to
> destroy my home and my way of life, I refuse to aid
> in this travesty of
> injustice."
> Ford also gave 10 million to the international
> headquarters of the Forest
> Stewardship Council. The grant was provided to
> expand its forest
> certification program. "This major grant will
> strengthen our ability to
> expand holistic forest stewardship worldwide and to
> meet the growing demand
> for FSC certified products," said FSC Executive
> Director, Maharaj Muthoo.
> "It also assures that this work will continue to
> contribute not only to
> preserving the planet's living legacy but also to
> improving the lives and
> incomes of millions of people in forest dependant
> communities."
> Lofty goals, but according to a list of certified
> forests compiled on their
> web site, the FSC has consistently refused to
> certify federal land forests
> in the United States. Removal of timber harvest,
> from the Pacific Northwest
> down through the Southwest, has devastated thousands
> of individuals, wreaked
> economies, and created poverty in forest dependant
> communities. When a
> forest is certified by FSC it is deemed
> environmentally correct and
> supposedly, will have a better market for lumber
> than a forest that is
> uncertified. A lot of power for a non-government
> organization to be
> wielding.
> Each year The Ford Foundation sends over 30 million
> dollars to
> environmentally friendly, non-government
> organizations. NGOs like the
> Rainforest Alliance initiative, Ecotrust, Certified
> Forest Products Council,
> World Wildlife Federation, Environmental Defense
> Fund, Environmental Law
> Alliance, and Environmental Justice Fund, all have
> acted in ways that have
> had a profound negative impact on the rural
> economies of the United States.
> On February 8, 2000, John Elkington, Chairman of
> Sustainability, a leading
> global organization counseling companies on the
> subject of sustainability,
> interviewed Bill Ford, Chairman of the Board of Ford
> Motor Company, about
> Ford's corporate responsibility:
> Mr. Elkington asks, "Didn't Ford try to lobby for
> higher gasoline taxes
> several years back?"
> BF: "Yes, we did." JE: "Were you surprised it didn't
> work politically?" BF:
> "No. Sadly, there's no political will to do that."
> JE: "Would you try
> again?" BF: "We certainly would support it. The real
> issue, though, is that
> we can't be in the business of dictating what the
> customer wants to buy.
> What we can do is make sure that whatever customers
> buy is done as
> responsibly as it possibly can. I'll give you an
> example, the Excursion,
> which many environmentalists point to as the
> ultimate bad vehicle. The
> Sierra Club affectionately calls it 'the Ford
> Valdez.'"
> Bill Ford happily admits to a long association with
> environmental
> organizations, even the radical ones. He was a key
> speaker at the 5th Annual
> Greenpeace Business conference in London, where he
> made it clear who he was.
> He states, "We're at a crucial point in the world's
> history. Our oceans and
> forests are suffering, species are disappearing and
> the climate is changing.
> Around the world, billions of our fellow human
> beings lack the most basic
> requirements of health and dignity."
> Since Bill ford took over as Chairman of Ford Motor
> Company another
> startling fact has come to light. Among the hundreds
> of grants given out by
> the Ford Foundation every year and recorded in the
> Ford Foundation grants
> database, the year of 2001 showed a dramatic
> increase in funding for
> Palestinian organizations. There are at least 20
> Palestinian organizations
> in the Foundations database. Though many are
> legitimate beneficiaries of
> corporate funding, several of them cannot be reached
> since the September
> attack on the nation's airlines, the Pentagon, and
> the World Trade Center.
> In this time of uncertainty, Ford and other
> cooperate philanthropists, need
> to be clear on whom they are funding.
> The 40,000-dollar grant Ford gave to the West Banks
> Hawwa Center for Culture
> and Arts, purpose was to strengthen its ability to
> respond to the
> Israeli-Palestinian crisis in the West Bank and Gaza
> Strip. Ghada Abed
> Al-Hadai, the head of the Center has been publicly
> quoted as saying, "The
> current crucial situation demands a complete
> readiness for the next step
> towards Al-Aqsa Intifada." Mrs. Ghada mentioned the
> role of women in all the
> steps of the Palestinian struggle against the
> Israeli Occupation Forces.
> Tamer Institute for Community Education (West Bank),
> located in Cairo Egypt,
> received 300,000 dollars from the Ford foundation in
> 2001. The purpose of
> this grant was to strengthen the role of young
> people as agents of social
> change within their communities. Though there is a
> link on the Foundation's
> website to access the organization, it has recently
> become unavailable.
> Ford Motor Company would probably plead ignorance
> and innocence to funding
> organizations that do not promote peace in the
> Middle East. Just as they
> have when confronted with the facts of what their
> environmental giving has
> done to rural America.
> Bill Ford, in an interview with Time Magazine said,
> "For some companies, the
> issue is basic human rights. For Ford Motor Company,
> it will be revealed
> more subtly, as we explore our impact on communities
> beyond the gates of our
> factories or those of our suppliers. The landscape
> of accountability has
> changed and so has the criteria for leadership."
> At this time, Ford Motor Company's leadership
> certainly seems more inclined
> to care about the opinions of radical
> environmentalists and human rights in
> the Gaza Strip than the human rights of American
> citizens.
> The views expressed in this article are not
> necessarily the views of the
> Paragon Foundation. This article is provided in the
> interest of public
> education. The Paragon Foundation may be reached at
> 1-877-847-3443.
> J. Zane Walley
> Live in The City, and have problems? Call 911
> Live in the Country and have problems? Join Paragon
> 1-877-847-3445
> http://www.paragonpowerhouse.org/mission.htm

[rpenner54]

Here is what I wrote...

Howdy,

What's up with Ford Supporting the Audubon Society and all these other anti-free loving outdoors activities? That's just wrong that Ford a major corporation would take sides like this. They should fully support the use of the PUBLIC'S outdoors the way they should be used not supporting the closures of them forever. Why even sell a vehicle that has 4 wheel drive if it cannot be used? I know its for profit but soon no one will even be able to use your wonderful products to get to the outdoors to enjoy them, as they will all be closed off. This is just silly that you would even support a group like this that is Anti-American in its values. I really just don't understand where you all are coming from. Why not support groups like the Blue Ribbon Coalition? At least they HELP the environment exist with people with their American values.

Thanks,
Ryan Penner

If you can use it feel free! I forgot to include that I own two ford vehicles and WAS thinking about some more in the future, but if they don't fix this no way....

You can use what you want out of mine...

[MCFLY4X4]

what are other groups we can tell ford to support besides the blue ribbon coalation? somthing rubicon/4wheeling related?

[Crowdog]

Here's a few national organizations:
Americans for Responsible Recreational Access (http://responsiblerecreation.policy.net/home/)Tread Lightly (http://www.treadlightly.org/)

Others like CORVA (http://www.corva.org) are state specific.

Crowdog