Conscious Choice Seattle: More Tobacco Responses

July 2004 | Letters to the Editor

More Tobacco Responses

Note: In the May issue of Evergreen Monthly, we published an open letter from Ron Williams, CEO of Dragonfly Media, our parent company. He asked for reader opinions on whether or not to accept ad insertion orders from Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co., a manufacturer of organic, “natural” tobacco products that is wholly owned by R. J. Reynolds Tobacco.

In our June issue, Ron announced Evergreen Monthly and its sister publications in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and Vancouver, B.C. will not be running the ads. Here are some more responses to Ron’s letters (we published letters in June, too):

Native American Image is Double ‘No’

I’m writing this letter to express my appreciation to you for making the decision to refuse publication of the advertisement from Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company. While I agree that people who choose to smoke need to be informed about new products, I disagree that by rejecting this ad you are disrespecting readers and making a decision for them.

Certainly there are other ways for people who smoke to learn about new products. Their decision to buy a certain product does not hinge on whether or not it is advertised in your publication. I believe that your readers are much more sophisticated and would expect you to evaluate all advertising that is allowed to run in your magazine.

The picture alone is enough to reject the ad. It’s worth a thousands words. The depiction of a Native American man on the packaging is disrespectful, insulting, humiliating and degrading. Did anyone from R. J. Reynolds ask the Native American people what they thought of the image or whether or not they could use such an image? Did anyone from R. J. Reynolds consider how these images might affect Native American people?

Similarly, no one asked the Native American people about naming football teams (Cleveland Indians, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Braves), vehicles

(Jeep Cherokee, Dodge Dakota), or cities (Seattle, Yakima) and states (North and South Dakota). Even though Native American people have registered their deep concern and discontent over these acts, their cries have fallen on deaf ears.

It’s another example of how White Corporate America uses its privilege and power to appropriate images and symbols of a culture and exploits them for the sole purpose of making a profit. These images continue to reinforce age-old stereotypes and perceptions of Native American people that are false and damaging.

I believe you (we) have a greater responsibility to all the members of our society. I urge you to uphold your decision and to give serious consideration to evaluating similar products that are unhealthy and promote and perpetuate these negative images as well.

Gwendolyn Jones, Ph.D., Core Faculty Center for Programs in Psychology, Antioch University, Seattle

The Spirit and Dream of Dragonfly Media

Congratulations! Your magazine and organization has a mission that could accomplish some real positive change. I wish you luck with the startup and future success.

Regarding the debate about the cigarette advertisements, I think you should stick with your decision to tell R. J. Reynolds to take a hike. If you know the company to have a “despicable record of corporate irresponsibility,” accepting their advertisements would be a great betrayal to the spirit and dream that is Dragonfly Media.

An acceptance of the $12,000 would be a step toward the corporate world that runs our nation. This corporate world is so middle ground, dishonest and afraid to offend because it is addicted to money and greed.

Hope and beauty lies in the fact that corporations’ money and their power ultimately come from us, the people. If we do not support the corporate domination, it will die.

Your smoking employees, and now your smoking readers too, have a great opportunity to address their own addiction and the impact it has on not only health, but the economy as well.

In the end, smoking, like any drug use, is an individual choice. Individuals, like companies, make different choices because we are all different. What matters is that we make these decisions from a place of truth where we are unafraid to stand out if need be. Dragonfly Media not only has a right, but an obligation to evaluate its advertisers. Let’s stick up for our world and our lives by expressing love from our deepest hearts.

Thank you for caring.

Liz Tatchell, Seattle

Beware Big Tobacco and Our Youth

I must commend your publication on asking for reader input about whether to carry tobacco ads.

I am a firm believer that whatever you give your energy to is what you become. I’m sure you’ve heard of the revolving door theorem: One door closes and another one opens! By freeing yourself of the burden of being used by the tobacco industry, you will open up your karma for some new, more potent energy to come your way.

I don’t see a lot of industrial hemp products being advertised in your monthly: food, clothes, shoes, lotions and soaps. I bet there are other products that you could go after to be advertised in your monthly too.

One of the main issues with the tobacco industry is the way it preys on the young. Kids have no idea what their bodies will feel like after smoking for 20 or 30 years. They just know that it has the image of being a rebellious, grownup, cool thing to do. They have no concept of the consequences. We as good mothers and fathers need to provide guidance.

I hope you will not succumb to money pressures by accommodating the tobacco industry. If you’re having problems coming up with money, maybe you should solicit donations or plug your logo on t-shirts or stainless steel close-top coffee mugs, or maybe you could even have a music benefit. These are just ideas, and I know it takes a lot of time and effort to put these ideas into action, but if you guys truly believe in Spirit you will be guided to the best and most compassionate, loving solution. Giving in to what a lot of people consider to be a necessary evil isn’t the way.

Thank you.

Eli Galla, Seattle

Taxing Time for Library Access

Initiative measure 864 [on the state ballot this fall] proposes a 25 percent reduction in tax levies for “counties, cities, and other local taxing districts.” Few realize that our library districts and fire districts are on the list of potential funding cuts.

Public libraries are still being severely impacted by prior cutbacks. Approximately 95 percent or more of revenue for our libraries last year came from property taxes. There’s no doubt that 25 percent less would mean fewer services, books, information technology and open hours.

Americans need and use our public libraries, especially when our economy falters. Will some libraries need to be closed? A lot of hard changes would need to be made.

Tax cuts do have real consequences.

Marylin Olds, Kingston

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