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Update: The Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) has a complete update on the story at their website, and is asking its members to vote if they should stop using Verizon phones. Please visit their site and offer your support. They did a fabulous job in keeping attention on Verizon's involvement in Don Blankenship's Labor Day rally. Also, see this comment by One Citizen on press coverage of Verizon's 'apology.'
A few days late and a thousand dollars short. That's how I'd describe the belated victory over Verizon Wireless. I mean, I appreciate the sentiment, Lowell, but really, this embarrassing episode for your company easily could have been avoided.
Rob lays out what happened (emphasis mine).
Verizon Wireless, which markets itself as environmentally friendly, clearly made a mistake affiliating its brand with this anti-"green" rally. But instead of heeding customer complaints by withdrawing its sponsorship, company officials first tried to play clueless about the overt political aspect of the event, and then stubbornly stayed the course for fear of angering the coal crowd.
Not only did they play clueless, but along the way they even managed to say a few offensive things about environmentalists, too.
Well, yesterday the CEO of Verizon Wireless, Mr. Lowell "Mea Culpa" McAdam, offered a public apology -- in the form of a letter to the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the groups that organized around this issue.
In an effort to "set the record straight," McAdams explains that Verizon Wireless' sponsorship was not meant as an expression of support for the coal industry's political agenda. He insists that the company does not support mountaintop removal coal mining, nor does it oppose federal climate legislation. He goes on to clarify that Verizon Wireless "supports the goals of policy makers who are committed to reducing carbon emissions and protecting the environment." McAdams then takes the opportunity to tout Verizon's corporate commitment to sustainability.
So there you have it: Verizon Wireless' belated apology for violating its stated environmental values, undermining its credibility as a "green" company, and breaking its trust with customers.
Kudos to each and everyone of you who contacted the company to voice your views and concerns about the situation. Looks like Verizon Wireless heard you...now.
There are many reasons why sponsoring Don Blankenship's Labor Day event was a bad idea for Verizon Wireless--environmental issues were the ones that got traction nationally.
Finally, a huge congratulations and major kudos to everyone who has been covered this story so effectively at West Virginia Blue.
I was talking to Clem this morning about the public option issue. He is more optimistic than I am. But this post at FireDogLake sums up well my thoughts on why the fight is more than about the one issue.
if Obama really does punt on the public option, it will be a disaster for him and for us. And not because of policy. No, this will be our Waterloo moment because emotional truth and actual truth will collide.
Those of us who feel the most passionately about this, the "left of the left" if you will (although, I live in Venice, there are people here who equate me with George Bush, honest to god), will see a President who did not respect, empower and include them. We will feel that we have no more voice in this administration than we did the last.That will be our emotional truth.
Worse, Republicans will see that bullying, being disruptive, and tapping into people's worst fears and instincts works, and will use it on each and every piece of legislation the White House tries to pass for the next 3 years. It's happening on climate change legislation now. Combine that with a disillusioned, disempowered activist left and I'm seeing damage to the Democratic Party well past the 2010 election cycle.
snip
That is what the fight over the public option is all about - it is not about policy. It's a proxy for the implied contract we entered into when we helped get Obama elected. We expected Change, we expected to be respected, empowered and included, we expected him to fight, and we expected to join him in that fight.
Wednesday night will be a promise kept or a promise broken. Either way, it will be our moment of truth.
[N]ow environmental groups and bloggers are besieging the phone company because they say the Labor Day bash was designed to bash the climate legislation that Congress is considering.
Of course, some things will never change, Don Blankenship is still his own worse enemy. The most damning quote of the article is probably his own:
The Labor Day event, labeled a "rally" on its Web site, also features Fox News conservative host Sean Hannity and Don L. Blankenship, chief executive of coal giant Massey Energy, who says in a short video on the site that "We're going to have Hank Williams and a very good time, but we're also going to learn how environmental extremists and corporate America are both trying to destroy your job."
About two-thirds of the way down the event's Web home page -- after the karaoke competition promotion, detailed directions, and photos of the country music stars and Hannity -- the site invites people to "click here" to sign a petition opposing the Waxman-Markey climate bill adopted by the House in June.
Too bad the reporter didn't see the website before all those changes, but that's a minor issue. A big congratulations to Jeff Biggers for much-deserved recognition:
News of Verizon's role was carried a week ago in a Huffington Post item written by Jeff Biggers, grandson of a miner, historian of Appalachia and author of a forthcoming book on the "secret legacy" of the coal industry.
Biggers said Friday that he learned of the rally from a flier he received at least a couple of weeks earlier. Upon scanning the list of sponsors -- which includes more than 100 firms, most of them local -- he stopped short at Verizon's name because its image is very different from lead sponsor Massey's. (In its "green press kit," Verizon says that "environmental stewardship is ingrained in Verizon's heritage.") So Biggers blogged and e-mailed his posting to the company.
Verizon digs in
Now, if you didn't have reason enough to be pissed at Verizon, here's more.
But Verizon said it didn't intend to make a political statement initially, and that it didn't want to make one now by withdrawing its sponsorship and shunning the event.
If you have fall back on intent, that's a pretty lame excuse. It implies that Verizon recognizes it has made a political statement and just doesn't want to risk offending the political segment who is going to be attending. (Not that this is a legal matter, but thousands are in jail for negligent homicide. Also, Verizon Wireless is a huge company with the resources to figure these things out ahead of time.)
Now, here's the salt in the wounds...
Moreover, (Verizon Wireless spokesman Jim) Gerace said, bloggers got the Glenn Beck story wrong. "We never pulled ads," he said. "We had a commitment to Fox for a number of ads. They placed them. We satisfied that commitment, and the last time any ad of ours ran in that time slot was Aug. 11 -- about a week before bloggers attacked."
Say what?? The spokesman says, "... before bloggers attacked"?
When it comes to dissing liberal bloggers, it looks like Verizon Wireless is quite comfortable making political statements. Any verbal violence agitated from blogger's keyboard pales in comparison to the explosive rhetoric of Glenn Beck and the very real explosives blowing up Appalachian mountains each day.
This has to be the worst $1000 Verizon Wireless ever spent.
Today, the WV Public Service Commission issued an order setting public hearings in the PATH case.
Tell your friends and neighbors. If you think PATH is a bad idea, and you haven't intervened in the case, this is the time to come an speak your mind to the PSC and the power companies.
You will not get another chance.
Here's the schedule:
Tuesday, 9/22/2009, 12:30 pm & 6:30 pm & Wednesday 9/23/2009, 8:30 am in Shepherdstown, WV at Shepherd University, Frank Arts Center, 260 University Drive
Monday, 9/28/2009, 12:30 pm & 6:30 pm in Sutton, WV at Days Hotel & Conference Center in Flatwoods, 2000 Sutton Lane, 1-79, Exit 67
Friday, 10/2/2009, 12:30 pm & 6:30 pm in Charleston, WV at Culture Center State Theater, Plaza Level of the Culture Center, State Capitol Complex, 1900 Kanawha Blvd E
Tuesday, 10/13/2009, 12:30 pm & 6:30 pm in Davis, WV at Canaan Valley Resort & Conference Center, Spruce Room, Route 32 N, Canaan Valley State Park
Thursday, 10/22/2009, 12:30 pm & 6:30 pm in Buckhannon, WV at West Virginia Wesleyan College, Campus Center Social , Hall, 59 College Avenue
The PSC only requires that this schedule be advertised as a legal ad in local newspapers. It is up to you to copy this schedule and post it everywhere in your county as soon as possible. Write letters to the editor. Tell everyone you know. Call your local radio station and get them to run your local information on the radio.
It is up to you. The PSC and the power companies don't want a lot of people at these hearings.
If you don't get the word out, no one else will.
Note: PATH will raise the electric bill of every customer in West Virginia, but the PSC is not holding hearings in every part of West Virginia. If you have friends or family living in Huntington or Wheeling or Beckley, call them and tell them that they should attend the nearest hearing to voice their opposition to paying for PATH. The power companies and the PSC think this is a local issue just for the areas directly affected by PATH. It is important to show them that everyone in the state opposes PATH, for lots of different reasons.
Wow. This has really picked up steam this week. Via Sparki at Its Getting Hot In Here, I see that over 20 groups are now calling on Verizon Wireless to drop its support Blankenship's labor day rally.
For anyone new to the story, you can read our major coverage of the rally in these stories:
Here's a copy of today's press release and their letter to Verizon Wireless:
Groups Ask That Verizon Wireless Withdraw Support of Controversial, Climate-change Denying Labor Day Event
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz.- Today a coalition of groups led by the Center for Biological Diversity sent a letter to Verizon Wireless asking the corporation to withdraw its sponsorship of a Labor Day rally being held in West Virginia to support mountaintop removal coal mining and oppose climate legislation . The groups represent millions of members and include Natural Resources Defense Council, Defenders of Wildlife, Rainforest Action Network, Greenpeace USA, Friends of the Earth, Appalachian Voices, Christians Caring for Creation, and many others.
"Verizon Wireless may say they're an environmentally friendly company, but their mouth isn't where their money is. Verizon Wireless is now aware that they paid money to sponsor an event that celebrates mountaintop removal coal mining, and they have not withdrawn their sponsorship. They can keep saying they're a friend to the environment until they're green in the face, but there's just no environmentally friendly way to blow up mountains and dump them into streams," said Tierra Curry, a biologist at the Center for Biological Diversity.
More groups are expected to sign on to the letter, which will be updated on Monday. As of Friday morning, nearly 80,000 concerned citizens had submitted letters to Verizon Wireless through CREDO Action and the Center asking the company to withdraw its sponsorship of the event. Other groups have also launched action alerts to their membership.
As current customers of Verizon Wireless, several of the groups have expressed their concern to the company about its support for the mountaintop removal rally, including the Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, Natural Resources Defense Council, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, and Grand Canyon Wildlands Council, and intend to reevaluate their relationship with Verizon Wireless.
September 4, 2009
Lowell McAdam
President and Chief Executive Officer
Verizon Wireless
Dear Mr. McAdam,
We are writing on behalf of the millions of members of our organizations to request that you withdraw sponsorship of the Friends of America Rally being put on by the coal industry in West Virginia on Labor Day in support of mountaintop removal coal mining and in opposition to climate legislation.
We believe that Verizon Wireless' sponsorship of this event indicates the company's support for mountaintop removal coal mining and indicates opposition to climate change legislation. It is undeniable that the rally is a political event, for several reasons: Attendees must register for tickets online next to a link to sign a petition that's against climate legislation, the keynote speaker is a prominent critic of global climate change science, and the stated purpose of the event is to protect coal mining jobs, with a particular focus on mountaintop removal. Thus, by sponsoring this event, Verizon Wireless is also endorsing the political positions behind the event.
Coal is one of the largest sources of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Mountaintop removal coal mining has destroyed more than a thousand miles of streams and more than a million acres of forest in Appalachia, while permanently contaminating drinking water supplies, endangering residents with dust, fly rock, and mud slides, and jeopardizing imperiled species.
We ask that Verizon Wireless withdraw sponsorship of this event or explain the company's support for mountaintop removal coal mining and opposition to climate legislation. If Verizon Wireless indeed does not support mountaintop removal coal mining, then we ask that you officially let your customers know that you oppose this destructive practice.
We look forward to your prompt response.
Sincerely,
Appalachian Voices
The Center for Biological Diversity
Christians Caring for Creation
Chesapeake Climate Action Network
Coal River Mountain Watch
Defenders of Wildlife
Endangered Habitats League
Environmental Protection Information Center
Friends of the Earth
Global Exchange
Grand Canyon Wildlands Council
Great Old Broads for Wilderness
Greenpeace
Kentucky Heartwood
Natural Resources Defense Council
New Sustainability Project
Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition
Public Resource Associates
Rainforest Action Network
Responsible Endowments Coalition
San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society
Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards
After nearly a month of publicity and who knows what kinds of incentives (like a paid day to attend the rally?), Don Blankenship and friends got 100,000 registrations for his rally.
In less than five full days to already have nearly 80,000 concerned citizens submit letters to Verizon Wireless is nothing short of amazing.
Somehow, I don't think this is the kind of attention Blankenship and all those cosponsors were expecting when they decided to drop so much money into this event.
I asked Verizon officials for a response to all of this, and after being kicked around from office to office for a bit, I landed on the phone with Laura Merritt, a Verizon Wireless spokeswoman whose region includes West Virginia. Her response?
Basically, this was a decision at the local level to support the community. It did not involve the company's political positions at all.
In this particular situation, we are supporting the event because it's a local event. It wasn't an effort to take a position on any particular issue.
Another Verizon Wireless spokesperson, Jim Gerace, went a little farther. He said his company simply paid $1,000 for the right to be able to sell its products at the rally:
It's nothing more than that ... and the groups who are trying to make it more than that are misguided. I'm definitely bothered that people are trying to put us in the middle of an argument.
Ken Ward, Jr. also relates the responses of two coal industry executives involved with the Labor Day rally.
A Dead Zone
Verizon Wireless is yet to wake up from their dead zone of corporate irresponsibility. They have no idea how badly they misspent that $1,000. They want to make it sound like they're setting up a stand at a county fair.
There are more gaping holes in their explanation than the average horror movie plot:
(1) This isn't some local arts festival or veterans parade. Don Blankenship's Youtube invite to the event says, "We're going to have Hank Williams and have a good time but we're also going to learn how environmental extremists and corporate America are both trying to destroy your jobs."
(3) International figures Ted Nugent and Lord Monckton are both notorious for controversial views (to put it mildly). Nugent is the emcee, Monckton is one of prominently featured speakers.
(4) Event sponsor Gene Kitts doesn't portray Verizon Wireless as a mere vendor in the parking lot; he specifically thanks Verizon Wireless for endorsing the event's message: "Thank you Verizon Wireless for supporting the working people who actually pay the cell phone bills, even for clueless kids." (He may be give a sugar-coated version of the message in his tweet, but he's still tying Verizon Wireless to the message.)
(5) Roger Nicholson further politicizes the event in his response, ""[S]hrill cries from anti-mining extremists re Verizon support of FOA rally. Guess it pains em to see overwhelming backlash vs. their views."
The response by Verizon Wireless makes me all the more determined to get the message out about their sponsorship. On the one hand, they're pretending their sponsorship of an overtly political event has nothing to do with the events message. On the other hand, other events sponsors are going out of their way to tell us all it is a political event.
Roger Nicholson of Verizon Wireless should know we haven't put him "in the middle of an argument." Verizon Wireless signed up for itself. They are a huge company with huge resources. They should have known better than to sponsor this.
Act Now
Tell Verizon Wireless this is worst $1000 they've ever spent.
According to update at climategroundzero.org/. Charges include trespass, obstruction and littering.
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Meanwhile, state police plan to pitch in and help the Coalfield Don out with his pro-mountaintop removal rally
Gazette:
Scott expects between 60 and 80 state troopers will assist with security, traffic and other issues, starting at 6 a.m. on Labor Day. The rally runs from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and two lanes of traffic will be flowing on 22 Mine Road toward the site for at least a few hours, he said.
Who's paying for this? Is this another example of privatize the gains, socialize the costs?
Update (by Clem): The Center for Biological Diversity, a Verizon customer, is also calling for Verizon Wireless to drop its sponsorship of Blankenship's Labor Day rally. Sign their petition here.
By Carnacki
We're not the only ones wondering why Verizon Wireless is co-sponsoring an anti-environment, anti-labor, anti-mountain rally with coal baron Don Blankenship.
Credo Action has launched a campaign to send a message to Verizon Wireless:
Why is Verizon Wireless co-sponsoring a pro-coal, anti-environment rally on Labor Day?
It's called the Friends of America Rally and over 25,000 people have already RSVPed to attend a political event to promote climate change denial and mountaintop removal mining.
Massey Energy, a dirty coal company and the most egregious violator of the Clean Water Act in history, is the moving force behind the event.
The rally features speeches by prominent global warming denier Lord Christopher Monckton and conservative pundit Sean Hannity. Ted Nugent will provide musical entertainment.
Don Blankenship, CEO of Massey Energy, issued his invitation to the rally via a video onYouTube. In it he says:
"Hello I'm Don Blankenship and I'd like to invite you to a Labor Day rally in West Virginia. We're going to have Hank Williams and have a good time but we're also going to learn how environmental extremists and corporate America are both trying to destroy your jobs."
We are not making this up. For more information read check out this blog post from our friends at The Nation.
Companies like Verizon Wireless may say they are not making a political statement when they participate in events like these. But it's never just about marketing. After all this is the same company that made a decision to block NARAL Pro-Choice America's text messages from its network. Verizon Wireless has choices. And once again, it's made a very poor one.
Tell Lowell McAdam, President and CEO of Verizon Wireless to issue a public apology and immediately withdraw all support from this extremist, anti-environmental rally.
Find out too if Verizon Wireless agrees with the event's emcee, Ted Nugent, who declared:
"Obama, he's a piece of shit. I told him to suck on my machine gun. Hey Hillary, You might want to ride one of these into the sunset, you worthless bitch" (said while waving a machine gun around."
As co-sponsor of the event, does Verizon Wireless support those kind of statements? And considering how popular Hillary Clinton was in the state in the 2008 campaign - she polled better than Sen. John McCain in the state - that's a lot of West Virginians who might not take kindly to Secretary of State Clinton being called a "worthless bitch" yet alone what Nugent said about Obama.
By co-sponsoring Blankenship's rally, Verizon Wireless is signaling not only is it anti-environment, it's anti-woman and anti-decency.
HUNTINGTON -- A rally for health care reform will take place at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, in front of Congressman Nick Rahall's office, 845 5th Ave., in Huntington.
Those in support of health care reform are expected to promote reform by doing petition drives, public education and rallies across the state on Saturday.
Then the other side shows up:
Cabell County citizens concerned with health care legislation considered by Congress will also rally at Democratic Rep. Nick Rahall's Huntington office to express their displeasure with the bill at noon the same day.
In the day to day media coverage of competing health care reform rallies, it is easy to lose sight of what has to happen for a bill to arrive on President Obama's desk to sign.
Consider that the following things would need to happen for a health reform bill to become law:
1. Senate Finance Committee writes a bill.
2. Finance bill is reconciled with HELP bill.
3. Reconciled Senate bill passes full Senate.
4. House Rules Committee reconciles the slightly different versions of the House bill.
5. Reconciled House bill passes full House.
6. Conference Committee reconciles House and Senate bills.
7. House passes conference report.
8. Senate passes conference report.
9. President signs bill.
Matt's larger point is it is far too early to give up on a public option.
That said, it would be really crazy to give up on the public option right now. It might or might not be a good idea to give up on it at some time in the future, but that time certainly isn't now.
[snip]
Right now, the most important thing is to get through steps (1), (2), (3), (4), and (5). At the moment it appears that you can't do (4) and (5) without a public option. It also appears that you can't do (1), (2), or (3) with a public option. And that's all just fine since this is what step (6) on the process is there for. At step (6) the appropriate thing to do is to press for a conference report that includes a public option. If progressives win that fight, then step (7) should be easy and there'll be a tough fight over step (8). If progressives lose that fight, which I think may well happen, then I really do think it would be time to give up on the public option.
Right now there is a huge battle of nerves under way between the House Progressive Block who will keep any health care reform from passing the House without a public option and the obstructionists in the Senate who are siding with insurance companies.
Chris Bowers over at Open Left is optimistic about getting health care reform with a public option passed. He says we are five supporters away from having 50 Senators committed to a public option (this changes steps #2 and #3 considerably). With Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid now saying, "we are determined to get something done this year by any legislative means necessary", we are edging closer and closer. (One possibility is the Obama health care reform plan will be split in two, with the less broadly supported items passing through budget reconciliation and other items being subject to Senate filibuster.)
As meaningful health care reform edges closer to reality, those with major interest in the status quo are moving into full panic mode. They want you to think the public option is already dead. They want you to give up on any health care reform. Don't believe it. Now is the time to redouble our efforts and get robust health care reform with a strong public option in place.
Here in West Virginia are very fortunate to have a strong advocate for health care reform in Sen. Rockefeller. We also need Sen. Byrd on board so he doesn't cancel out Sen. Rockefeller's vote.
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