Need some input about an email I got.

[cuz1]

I sent the guys at Cage Offroad an email about supporting the Raleigh Bronco Bash with some t-shirts and stickers or anything they could spare. I told them that the items would be raffled off to benefit the local SPCA. This is the response I got.

Dear Mr.Welch,


Thank you for your inquiry as to sponsorship however we will not be sponsoring this event due to the donation recipient. The SPCA is a well known group that fights to restrict our rights to use public land, to hunt and to own firearms. These are all things we hold as coveted God given rights and we fight against groups like the SPCA that try to take them from us. I believe you will find many four wheel drive owners are also hunters and outdoor enthusiasts. Having the SPCA members work to take our Second Ammendment gun ownership rights away; to also stand in front of our trails blocking them; to fight against our rights to hunt is not something we would like to donate to and I am sure our customers would agree. Groups such as the SPCA are partially why OHV Parks have a hard time existing.


It is our hope that you will reconsider who you are helping and who you are hurting in this event. We hope you will consider donating to a group that will work to keep our activities free and open rather than work to close them down. Please do not take this personal against you but against the SPCA that fights against our freedoms.


If you would like to discuss this I would be happy to do so. 1-866-587-2243.
Sincerely,


Jim Cole
C.O.O.
CAGE Offroad Products


PS You will notice I have CC'd a couple Bronco owners in the Raleigh, NC area so that they may hear directly from me why I am not supporting a local event.

[broncomania]

jim is a straight up guy and if thats what he says then its probably true. i would find a new group to donate to . maybe the sfwda southern four wheel drive association would be a great one cause they fight real hard on keeping land use active to us. right now they are fighting to keep tellico open. then i would call jim or email and let him know that you changed the donation funds to another source. and that you had no idea what you were trying to contribute to. but i would definately donate to a source that is into off-roading. we all have to stick together to keep our trail systems alive. if you need me to , i'd be glad to call jim myself and explain this to him. ive dealt with him a few times already. good luck.

mike

[cuz1]

Mike,
Jim & I have gone back and forth with a few emails. Here is my last email to Jim. There was an email before this one that explained the commitment I had to keeping trails open by supporting the local trail advocats and being involved in the bronco community.

Jim,
I had no idea that such activism was spinning from the SPCA organization. I intend on calling the corporate office tomorrow to discuss such radical behavior. I have no formal ties to the SPCA and have not formally pledged money to them. I thought I would be doing something constructive for the community but after your email I do not think that is where I want to contribute. I will definitely dig into the SPCA more. I guess it goes deeper than just adopting out puppies and kittens. Thanks again for the information.

Regards
Carl Welch

[broncomania]

well said carl. to me , that represents what we are more about . so maybe he will reconsider.

[73Bronc]

I'm very surprised to hear that the SPCA is involved in this type of activism. I've never viewed them in this way. Carl, please let me know what you find out. It's always good to here both sides of an issue. Thanks, Trey

[cuz1]

When Jim sent his first reply I went immediately to the SPCA web sitd and read there mission statement and it says nothing of protecting land from hunters, fishermen or four wheelers. Like I said I will call the SPCA tomorrow and get an informed answer to a few questions.

Regardless I will be changing the recipient of any donations to the SFWDA as Mike suggested. It is more in line with our clubs.

[broncomania]

Regardless I will be changing the recipient of any donations to the SFWDA as Mike suggested. It is more in line with our clubs.

just trying to keep it in the family. thanks.

[chuzie]

Wow. That threw me for a loop too. I just assumed it was solely supporting animals and there was no other agenda. I am a heat packer, a hunter, and a wheeler and if what Jim said about the SPCA is true I am deeply disturbed. Perhaps they do it to reel in a wider donation and/or support base.

So does that mean that Sarah McLachlan is against us too?

[bucketobolts]

I guess it doesn't really matter what charity/cause you support if you go far enough left there will be nutty extremist.


SFWDA is still close to home.

[cuz1]

It does appear that the SPCA has taken a stance against hunting. I did some digging today and find that they have gone beyond helping dogs and cats like most of us thought. I do however believe that blocking hunters from going down trails and stopping entry into private land is an isolated occurance. I know if that happend around my neck of the woods there would be some wounded protestors. There are always extremist in all groups. This is the end of my support for the SPCA. I will post the new flyer later tonight.

carl w.