Skip to comments.
TV Ads Say S.U.V. Owners Support Terrorists
New York Times ^
| 1/07/03
| KATHARINE Q. SEELYE
Posted on 01/07/2003 11:27:48 PM PST by kattracks
ASHINGTON, Jan. 7 Ratcheting up the debate over sport utility vehicles, new television commercials suggest that people who buy the vehicles are supporting terrorists. The commercials are so provocative that some television stations are refusing to run them.
Patterned after the commercials that try to discourage drug use by suggesting that profits from illegal drugs go to terrorists, the new commercials say that money for gas needed for S.U.V.'s goes to terrorists.
"This is George," a girl's voice says of an oblivious man at a gas station. "This is the gas that George bought for his S.U.V." The screen then shows a map of the Middle East. "These are the countries where the executives bought the oil that made the gas that George bought for his S.U.V." The picture switches to a scene of armed terrorists in a desert. "And these are the terrorists who get money from those countries every time George fills up his S.U.V."
A second commercial depicts a series of ordinary Americans saying things like: "I helped hijack an airplane"; "I gave money to a terrorist training camp in a foreign country"; "What if I need to go off-road?"
At the close, the screen is filled with the words: "What is your S.U.V. doing to our national security?"
The two 30-second commercials are the brainchild of the author and columnist Arianna Huffington. Her target audience, she said, is Detroit and Congress, especially the Republicans and Democrats who last year voted against a bill, sponsored by Senators John McCain, Republican of Arizona, and John Kerry, Democrat of Massachusetts, that would have raised fuel-efficiency standards.
Spokesmen for the automakers dismissed the commercials.
Eron Shosteck, a spokesman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, said of Ms. Huffington, "Her opinion is out-voted every year by Americans who buy S.U.V.'s for their safety, comfort and versatility." He said that S.U.V.'s now account for 21 percent of the market.
In an interview, Senator Kerry distanced himself from the commercials. He said that rather than oppose S.U.V.'s outright, he believed they should be more efficient.
"I haven't seen these commercials," he said, "but anybody can drive as large an S.U.V. as they want, though it can be more efficient than it is today."
Ms. Huffington's group, which calls itself the Detroit Project, has bought almost $200,000 of air time for the commercials, to run from Sunday to Thursday. While the group may lose some viewers if stations refuse to run the advertisements, the message is attracting attention through news coverage.
The advertisements are to be broadcast on "Meet The Press," "Face the Nation" and "This Week With George Stephanopoulos" in Detroit, Los Angeles, New York and Washington.
But some local affiliates say they will not run them. At the ABC affiliate in New York, Art Moore, director of programming, said, "There were a lot of statements being made that were not backed up, and they're talking about hot-button issues."
Ms. Huffington said she got the idea for the commercials while watching the antidrug commercials, sponsored by the Bush administration. In her syndicated column, she asked readers if they would be willing to pay for "a people's ad campaign to jolt our leaders into reality."
She said she received 5,000 e-mail messages and eventually raised $50,000 from the public. Bigger contributors included Steve Bing, the film producer; Larry David, the comedian and "Seinfeld" co-creator; and Norman Lear, the television producer.
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 141-160, 161-180, 181-200 ... 221-232 next last
To: kattracks
By inference, I am supporting terrorists when I fill up my chain saw.
My SUV uses less gas than the limousines used by Hollywood scumbags like.... Steve Bing and Norman Lear.
My SUV uses less gas than a Lincoln Town Car.
My SUV uses less gas than an ambulance.
And my SUV certainly uses less gas than the tractor-trailer that delivers food to the grocery store.
Most normal Americans who view this silly commercial will make similar comparisons.
I love the smell of silly liberals wasting cash.
161
posted on
01/08/2003 8:05:14 PM PST
by
Lancey Howard
(Tag line (optional, printed after your name on post):)
To: kattracks
"Her opinion is out-voted every year by Americans who buy S.U.V.'s for their safety, comfort and versatility." He said that S.U.V.'s now account for 21 percent of the market...apparently you can also substitue drugs for suvs...Her opinion is out-voted every year by Americans who buy drugs for their safety(from reality), comfort(to mind and body), and versatility(up, down, and all around). He said that suvs now account for a significant percent of the (prison) market.
162
posted on
01/08/2003 8:20:57 PM PST
by
RWG
Comment #163 Removed by Moderator
To: DCPatriot
Actually, I don't even own an automobile. I own a bicycle. And Ariana is, IMHO, not a conservative.
She is a California-style libertarian. Which is to say, "a little bit of this and a little bit of that". But a conservative? No sir.
To: Darnright
Do you live in California, or somewhere there's never any snow? Vans and station wagons are useless in areas where snow removal is inefficient or non-existant.I live in Michigan, sir, where we regularly have plenty of bad driving weather. Snow removal or the lack thereof is not an issue for the well-trained or experienced driver. As I wrote, if one isn't going to go off-road, as most of the yuppie SUV owners will not, then they ought to have bought a minivan or station wagon.
Of course, CAFE killed the staton wagon, and the government won't let us drill in ANWR and in the Gulf of Mexico, and minivans aren't "stylish." I suppose sending an unnecessary excess of money to the Oil Sheiks is stylish.
165
posted on
01/09/2003 5:33:51 AM PST
by
Chemist_Geek
(Better Living Through Chemistry!)
To: biblewonk
We use our 12 passenger van to haul our family of 10 to church.You wasted 2 seats????!!!
:^)
166
posted on
01/09/2003 6:37:39 AM PST
by
meyer
To: mhking
And I'll lay you good money that I get better mileage in my Jeep than you do in your Ford or GMC conversion van. I bet I get better passenger miles per gallon. The guy who hired me here in CR moved to Atlanta about 5 years ago. He said that in that time the population went from 2.5 to about 4 million people down there. No thanks! I'll stay in good ole Cedar Rapids.
To: dead
For sale: Used van. Driven only by a little old, bicycle-riding lady to church on Sundays. I gotcher little old lady hanging.
To: Howlin
Howard Dean is leaving Vermont in his Explorer to run for President. Great ad to advance his campaign; Dean supports terriorists.
To: Chemist_Geek
I live in Michigan, sir, where we regularly have plenty of bad driving weather. Snow removal or the lack thereof is not an issue for the well-trained or experienced driver. As I wrote, if one isn't going to go off-road, as most of the yuppie SUV owners will not, then they ought to have bought a minivan or station wagon.I used to live in NE Ohio. Same issue, snow. I got around just fine without 4wd. I got around even better with it. Nevertheless, I bought mine for my own purposes, as do most SUV owners. Hey, its their money - let them do what they want with it.
And, forget the minivan - nothing shouts "henpecked" more than a minivan. :^) Seriously, for towing, most minivans just don't cut it.
Of course, CAFE killed the staton wagon, and the government won't let us drill in ANWR and in the Gulf of Mexico, and minivans aren't "stylish." I suppose sending an unnecessary excess of money to the Oil Sheiks is stylish.
Yes, CAFE did kill the wagon. Look, economics drives people's decisions about what they buy and drive. If oil becomes scarce due to middle east turmoil, people will buy smaller cars. But, its a market decision, not subject to coercion from an already overbearing government.
I think the original article is quite a stretch - its the equivalent of blaming the gun for murder. I give my money to the kid at the gas station. What he does with it falls on him, and so on down the line. Neither he nor I am responsible for where the money ends up. Blame those who are causing trouble for the trouble they cause.
170
posted on
01/09/2003 6:57:28 AM PST
by
meyer
To: Nuke'm Glowing
Keep the terrorists swimming in US$.
Tin foil alert.Denial isn't just a river in Egypt.
Head in the colorectal sand alert.
171
posted on
01/09/2003 7:05:48 AM PST
by
newgeezer
(A conservative who conserves.)
To: Nuke'm Glowing
We could be self-sufficient if the ecocommies would go away and we would quit exporting our own oil overseas. I guess you are willing to buy gas for 3 dollars per gallon. Me too. But your isolationism kills off the freemarket that everyone worships around here.
To: Chemist_Geek
>>I live in Michigan, sir, where we regularly have plenty of bad driving weather. Snow removal or the lack thereof is not an issue for the well-trained or experienced driver. As I wrote, if one isn't going to go off-road, as most of the yuppie SUV owners will not, then they ought to have bought a minivan or station wagon.<<
Where I live (and you don't have to call me sir, but ma'am might be nice), we may get a 2 foot snow every 3-4 years or so, but we do get numerous smaller ones. I am sorry, but getting a 2WD up a steep gravel incline in the snow gives me the willies (so sue me), therefore I drive a 6 cylinder AWD vehicle. My AWD gets the same milage as the AWD Aerostar van available that year (1995). I don't need that big a van for a daily driver, so why buy one? Simply to appease SUV bigots?
>>Of course, CAFE killed the staton wagon, and the government won't let us drill in ANWR and in the Gulf of Mexico, and minivans aren't "stylish." I suppose sending an unnecessary excess of money to the Oil Sheiks is stylish.<<
I agree with you on ANWR, and since I dislike sending money to Moose-limbs, I pay a few cents more per gallon to purchase from oil companies that do not sell middle east petroleum.
To: ThomasJefferson
There are three methods to deal with international conflicts: diplomacy, economic means and military action. With terrorism, diplomacy is useless and military action can be costly in US lives and ineffective in this case due to the difficulty in identifying the enemy. Who *is* the enemy and where? Is it the military of Iraq? No. The individuals who blew up the WTC were Saudi and Egyptian. Is it a war against Islam? Similar to the 1950's and 60's War against Communism? Did we succeed in winning the war on communism militarily? No (Bay of Pigs, Korea, Vietnam) Do we want to use force to stamp out one of the world's largest religions? No, we'd fail just like the crusades failed.
Without the cash from oil, Islam is not a threat to us. They would return to the primitive farming and trading methods of their grandfathers and not have the funding for training camps in Africa and terrorist cells overseas; they'd be too busy just trying to make a living.
We only import about 50% of our oil consumed. If we can decrease our consumption at least until our own production is increased, then we take away their cash and thereby eliminate them as threats. Look at Cuba, for example, once the Soviet Union stoped bankrolling them, they stopped being a risk to our national security.
And, the unintended consequences of reduced automobile dependency would mostly be positive for our civilization.
174
posted on
01/09/2003 7:08:45 AM PST
by
grasshopper2
(Cuban cigars anyone?)
To: grasshopper2
Without the cash from oil, Islam is not a threat to us. No matter how many times you make a false assumption it will never become true. Your whole argument is based on a false assumption.
And taking away my freedoms to try your childish experiments is the same thing as terrorists taking away my freedoms for their purposes.
I am at perpetual war with ANYONE who attempts to violate my rights, Islamic terrorists, or home grown do-gooder tyrants like you.
To: biblewonk
" I guess you are willing to buy gas for 3 dollars per gallon."
We wouldn't have to if ecocommietreehuggers like yourself would get out of the way of us capitalists. The oil is there. We just have to be allowed to get it in our country.
"But your isolationism kills off the freemarket that everyone worships around here."
What isolationism? I say we should keep what we pump and let Japan and Taiwan buy what they need from the Arabs. You're the one trying to make the case for taking away individual choice in the name of "conservation". What you advocate is the government dictating and allocating resources. That is what is known as communism. If you back that style of government, state it up front, don't hide behind a tree, a bicycle or whatever it is you hippie freaks worship.
To: grasshopper2
And, the unintended consequences of reduced automobile dependency would mostly be positive for our civilization.Your real agenda is showie dearie. What happened over at DU? They kick you out for being too moderate in your liberalism?
To: newgeezer
That's the best you can do? So you think communism is an acceptable form of government? Amazing.
To: grasshopper2; ThomasJefferson
" There are three methods to deal with international conflicts: diplomacy, economic means and military action. With terrorism, diplomacy is useless and military action can be costly in US lives and ineffective in this case due to the difficulty in identifying the enemy. Who *is* the enemy and where? Is it the military of Iraq? No. The individuals who blew up the WTC were Saudi and Egyptian. Is it a war against Islam? Similar to the 1950's and 60's War against Communism? Did we succeed in winning the war on communism militarily? No (Bay of Pigs, Korea, Vietnam) Do we want to use force to stamp out one of the world's largest religions? No, we'd fail just like the crusades failed."
First of all, we lost the Bay of Pigs because much like the RINO's like yourself, we didn't have the backbone to do what we promised. If we had used our air power, Cuba would have been a wealthy and prosoperous nation today. I would not call South Korea a failure. They are one of the economic power houses of the world. Finally, Vietnam. We lost because the hippie freaks who now endorse what you support as this commercial does, opposed the U.S. actually winning the war and that moron LBJ tried to fight a war with "theory" instead of concerted action. The war against terrorism has only one way to win:
We kill all who oppose us. If we kill 5-10 million radical Muslims, so be it. If you want to negotiate with a rattlesnake, go for it, but when you're dying from the venom, don't call me.
" Without the cash from oil, Islam is not a threat to us."
CONGRATULATIONS!!!! We are only one week into the new year and you already have won the Most Moronic Statement of the FRYear award!!!! Islam is not a threat to us, period. RADICAL Islam is. They will fight us with or without oil money because there is always someone, somewhere, willing to contribute to their cause. So when you get your head out of yoru butt, please, give us all a medical report.
"They would return to the primitive farming and trading methods of their grandfathers and not have the funding for training camps in Africa and terrorist cells overseas; they'd be too busy just trying to make a living."
So all of those agents from Iran, Iraq, Syria, etc. smuggled into the U.S. via Mexico and Canada are just going to retire to Iowa and become farmers? You are so naive it's pathetic. Do you still take your teeth and put them under the pillow praying for a dime every night?
" We only import about 50% of our oil consumed."
And we export 65% of our Alaskan production to the Far East. Hmmmmmm, pretty stupid ain't it?
"If we can decrease our consumption at least until our own production is increased, then we take away their cash and thereby eliminate them as threats."
Naive as hell again. So you're stating openly that you are willing to quit drinking anything that comes in a plastic bottle, you will not buy any more comptuers, you will not by any food or goods in plastic containers, you won't drive anymore, you won't fly anymore and you won't buy any oil based products? Damn, you'll have a boring life. Better hope glass and paper make a huge comeback.
" Look at Cuba, for example, once the Soviet Union stoped bankrolling them, they stopped being a risk to our national security."
I guess you're right there. Those 18 Cuban spies arrested in Florida over the last two weeks indicates an increase in peace and tranquility between us and them. All of the guns and other goods that Cuba exports means everything is hunky-dorey too. You need to get out more often.
" And, the unintended consequences of reduced automobile dependency would mostly be positive for our civilization."
I'm glad that you are able to quote directly from "Earth in the Balance". What other Algorisms do you have to add to this discussion???
To: Nuke'm Glowing; newgeezer
You probably also think that we have enough oil in Texas and Alaska alone to keep us running for a 100 years. It's just those wackos that think we are running out.
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 141-160, 161-180, 181-200 ... 221-232 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson