Jeff Thomas
New member
John,
I don't think you should apologize at all. I like Amazon.Com as well, and have also bought several firearms books from them. However, VPC looks like another group of lying fools, and I would expect any logical business to have some scruples about their 'associates'. I don't see anything wrong with giving Amazon.Com a little heat so they'll possibly reconsider in the future. Besides, I don't cut them any slack at all for potentially supporting virulent anti-self defense groups while selling firearms books. After all - their first priority is, appropriately, to sell books. That doesn't mean they can't also support RKBA enemies.
Amazon.Com has thrown the NRA's name around as one of their Associates. And, they're claiming equal treatment for all. Now, let's see if they can back it up.
My response to their response:
Elizabeth,
I took you at your word, and searched high and low for Amazon.Com's Associates link on any pro-self defense web sites, including the NRA (as a matter of fact, they seem to sell books directly - not through Amazon.Com). But, it's a big web, as you know, so perhaps I just missed it. Please provide a specific link so I can put my mind at ease regarding one of my favorite web success stories - Amazon.Com.
VPC's web site and its 'facts' are so absurd, I really can't accept Amazon.Com's association with such a group under the current circumstances. If the American Nazi party offered books would they become Associates as well? What standards do you use?
I certainly believe in free speech, and your business is free to associate with any person or group you choose. I'm just trying to decide on my further association with your company, and I am still short some facts as far as I can tell.
Thank you for your kind help.
Jeff
Their previous response to me:
-----Original Message-----
From: feedback@amazon.com [SMTP:feedback@amazon.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 1999 7:23 PM
To: -
Subject: Your Amazon.com Inquiry
Dear Jeff,
Thank you for writing to us about our association with VPC. Theirs is
just one of the tens of thousands of websites that have joined the
Amazon.com Associates Program. This program is designed to allow
independent editors, who recommend books, CDs and videos from their
own points of view, to provide links to Amazon.com for the ordering of
these titles. Associates are paid a small percentage of any resulting
sales as a compensation for recommending our services.
Amazon.com does not endorse the viewpoints expressed by our individual
Associate sites, nor could we given the range of opinions they
express. Our Associates range from the NRA to the ACLU and include
viewpoints on all sides of virtually every major political, social and
religious issue. Our role as a retailer of books, music and videos is
to bring people into contact with the entire spectrum of ideas in
print, and let the ideas speak for themselves.
We hope you'll understand that our goal in working with an Associate
is not to provide support to their point of view, but simply to
provide interested readers with access to all the books, CDs and
videos in our catalog.
Best regards,
Elizabeth Donahue
Amazon.com
Earth's Biggest Selection.
I don't think you should apologize at all. I like Amazon.Com as well, and have also bought several firearms books from them. However, VPC looks like another group of lying fools, and I would expect any logical business to have some scruples about their 'associates'. I don't see anything wrong with giving Amazon.Com a little heat so they'll possibly reconsider in the future. Besides, I don't cut them any slack at all for potentially supporting virulent anti-self defense groups while selling firearms books. After all - their first priority is, appropriately, to sell books. That doesn't mean they can't also support RKBA enemies.
Amazon.Com has thrown the NRA's name around as one of their Associates. And, they're claiming equal treatment for all. Now, let's see if they can back it up.
My response to their response:
Elizabeth,
I took you at your word, and searched high and low for Amazon.Com's Associates link on any pro-self defense web sites, including the NRA (as a matter of fact, they seem to sell books directly - not through Amazon.Com). But, it's a big web, as you know, so perhaps I just missed it. Please provide a specific link so I can put my mind at ease regarding one of my favorite web success stories - Amazon.Com.
VPC's web site and its 'facts' are so absurd, I really can't accept Amazon.Com's association with such a group under the current circumstances. If the American Nazi party offered books would they become Associates as well? What standards do you use?
I certainly believe in free speech, and your business is free to associate with any person or group you choose. I'm just trying to decide on my further association with your company, and I am still short some facts as far as I can tell.
Thank you for your kind help.
Jeff
Their previous response to me:
-----Original Message-----
From: feedback@amazon.com [SMTP:feedback@amazon.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 1999 7:23 PM
To: -
Subject: Your Amazon.com Inquiry
Dear Jeff,
Thank you for writing to us about our association with VPC. Theirs is
just one of the tens of thousands of websites that have joined the
Amazon.com Associates Program. This program is designed to allow
independent editors, who recommend books, CDs and videos from their
own points of view, to provide links to Amazon.com for the ordering of
these titles. Associates are paid a small percentage of any resulting
sales as a compensation for recommending our services.
Amazon.com does not endorse the viewpoints expressed by our individual
Associate sites, nor could we given the range of opinions they
express. Our Associates range from the NRA to the ACLU and include
viewpoints on all sides of virtually every major political, social and
religious issue. Our role as a retailer of books, music and videos is
to bring people into contact with the entire spectrum of ideas in
print, and let the ideas speak for themselves.
We hope you'll understand that our goal in working with an Associate
is not to provide support to their point of view, but simply to
provide interested readers with access to all the books, CDs and
videos in our catalog.
Best regards,
Elizabeth Donahue
Amazon.com
Earth's Biggest Selection.