There is nothing more ridiculous than seeing a Hummer in the parking lot of Wal-Mart. But now that it has been revealed that that Hummer may be decked out in designer imposter mud, the folly grows more absurd. A syndicated story in today's SJ-R tells of one entrepreneurs attempt to legitimize the use of off-road vehicles exclusively on flat and paved roadways by marketing sprayed-on mud to the posuers who fancy themselves rugged as they trek across forbidding trails such as Veterans Parkway. A Hummer on the prairie makes about as much sense as snow shoes in a swamp. Slap some faux mud on it, and it's just pathetic.
The increased use of Hummers and other over-sized SUVs to run errands can be tied to a tax loophole that allows small businesses to write-off the cost such vehicles. The measure predates the prevelance of passenger SUVs and was intended to help small businesses and farmers who needed trucks or vans to carry out their work. Unfortunately, the law was written in such a way that any vehicle over 6,000 lbs qualifies. At the time, only trucks or commercial vans could meet this requirement. Today, there are several passenger SUVs that surpass the threshhold and can qualify. Here's famed car site Edmunds.com's explanation of the loophole.
That said, groups such as ELF that have been known to commit acts of arson at SUV dealerships are misguided idiots and should enjoy the prison time they so richly deserve.
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I mentioned ELF because viewing this story from the perspective of media coverage, which is the intent of this blog, they are a big part of it. Most people who keep up with news and current events have heard of ELF because of their severe tactics. A LexisNexis news search of the group’s name returns over 125 citations during the past six months. They’re obviously making news.
Is this fair to other environmental groups who take a more sane approach to reducing the number of gas guzzling vechicles that clog our streets? Probably not from a practical sense, but as far as determining what’s newsworthy an exploding car dealership trumps a petition to raise fuel efficiency standards every time. It’s unfortunate that those taking a stand on this important issue must not only fight those with opposing interests, but also the radical fringe of their own side.
I just don't see the conspiracy here and I think that you might underestimate ELF's ability to carry out their mission.
The reason they resort to such dire tactics is because they know the media will come running. They want the attention, not necessarily for the individuals involved who will face charges, but certainly for the faceless organization. It's the same reason PETA members take their clothes off in public.
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