David Gast <gast@cs.ucla.edu> (04/06/90)
AT&T which has donated money to Planned Parenthood for years recently
decided to stop donating money. I recently called AT&T to find out if
it was true that they had capitulated to right wing extremists.
After getting through a voice mail system (I despise all VM systems),
the operator asked me how I got the number. (I told her it was common
knowledge). She asked: "You remembered it?" (Obviously, one of the
boxes on her form). Yes. Then she asked for my telephone number. I
said I didn't want to give it. She said she had to know before she
could answer any question. I told her "123456789." After typing that
number in, she told me that she really had to have it. I suggested
that AT&T had ANI and so she she did not need to ask me for my number.
I also pointed out that AT&T advertises ANI and recently lowered it
rates for ANI. She said that she knew what ANI was, but that she did
not have it.
I said I only want to know if it is true that AT&T really stopped
giving to Planned Parenthood. She read me a press release stating all
sorts of things that AT&T supports. When she had finished, I read her
a couple sentences from the paper and asked her if it was true that
AT&T had caved into right-wing extremists? She found a few more
paragraphs in PR-speak to read to me about Planned Parenthood, but I
really did not think that she believed them. I asked her if she
thought that denying a woman the right to make choices about her body
was a good decision? She wanted to say no, but she finally said that
she did not want to comment, that it was AT&T policy.
I thanked her very much and hung up.
What I don't understand is why AT&T would cave into these right wing
extremists? Could it be that one of the right wing extremists in the
proper bureaucratic channels (or elected ones) suggested that denying
funding to Planned Parenthood would result in favorable rulings?
I would not mind telling her my phone number as part of my call. I am
pro-abortion and I don't mind admitting it. I object to giving my
phone number as condition of speaking and as part of a marketing
survey, however. I am opposed in particular since some unscrupulous
companies have been known to use that information to bill the customer
for unwanted services (like new long distance carriers).
David Gast
gast@cs.ucla.edu
{uunet,ucbvax,rutgers}!{ucla-cs,cs.ucla.edu}!gastcramer@uunet.uu.net> (04/09/90)
In article <6131@accuvax.nwu.edu>, gast@cs.ucla.edu (David Gast) writes: > AT&T which has donated money to Planned Parenthood for years recently > decided to stop donating money. I recently called AT&T to find out if > it was true that they had capitulated to right wing extremists. Tell me, if a company decided to stop doing business with South Africa, because of protests by customers, would you say they had "capitulated to left wing extremists"? Companies look for ways to avoid irritating any organized group. Clayton E. Cramer {pyramid,pixar,tekbspa}!optilink!cramer Disclaimer? You must be kidding! No company would hold opinions like mine!
king@uunet.uu.net> (04/10/90)
In article <6131@accuvax.nwu.edu> gast@cs.ucla.edu (David Gast) writes: >AT&T which has donated money to Planned Parenthood for years recently >decided to stop donating money. I recently called AT&T to find out if >it was true that they had capitulated to right wing extremists. >[gory details omitted] Hey, chill out David. From the sound of your letter, you were connected to a low-level AT&T flunky. Of *course* she wasn't able to comment on AT&T policy regarding Planned Parenthood! She read you the press release excerpts; that's probably all she had to go on too. For all you know the person you talked to may have been pro-life to the same rabid degree that you're pro-choice, but unable and unwilling to debate it with you at length. I suggest that there are better ways to make yourself heard than browbeating the poor non-policy-making operators. Steve King, uunet!motcid!king
Leonard P Levine <len@csd4.csd.uwm.edu> (04/11/90)
From article <6131@accuvax.nwu.edu>, by gast@cs.ucla.edu (David Gast): > AT&T which has donated money to Planned Parenthood for years recently > decided to stop donating money. I recently called AT&T to find out if > it was true that they had capitulated to right wing extremists. What is their donation policy? Can I get a list of those charities that they do donate to? There is no question of thier caving in, they did; what is open to question is just what forces we can put on them to cave in to the groups that we disapprove of? Leonard P. Levine e-mail len@cs.uwm.edu Professor, Computer Science Office (414) 229-5170 University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Home (414) 962-4719 Milwaukee, WI 53201 U.S.A. FAX (414) 229-6958
John Higdon <john@bovine.ati.com> (04/12/90)
Leonard P Levine <len@csd4.csd.uwm.edu> writes: > [in re AT&T] > What is their donation policy? Can I get a list of those charities > that they do donate to? There is no question of thier caving in, they > did; what is open to question is just what forces we can put on them > to cave in to the groups that we disapprove of? Do you check out the corporate philanthopic policies of every company you deal with or just the ones that get big, sensational press? Do know that the firm that manufactured your toilet paper is donating to all the politically correct groups? Or what about the soap you washed with this morning? What would you do if you found out that your LEC was donating to the "wrong" out outfit (ie, "groups that we disapprove of")? You are certainly free to take your business to whomever you please, but to do so for reasons other than performance, cost, or value, is allowing your attitude to get in the way of productivity. Why not leave economic political coersion to the totalitarian countries where it belongs? Or, if you feel that strongly that your political beliefs must get in the way of doing business, at least be consistent and check out *everyone* you do business with. John Higdon | P. O. Box 7648 | +1 408 723 1395 john@bovine.ati.com | San Jose, CA 95150 | M o o !