Sent a letter to Boeing this morning, thought I’d share with you.
Dear Boeing,
After Boeing has profited (directly or indirectly) from every single foreign war the US has been involved with, and most of those wars have (at least publically) been about protecting or gaining freedoms, democracy and human rights for the citizens of less fortunate countries, it could at least pay lip service to those ideals. Instead, Boeing yields to the slightest pressure from China to withdraw VP Annette Lu’s invitation to visit Boeing. In doing so Boeing not only insults Ms. Lu and the 22 million largely pro-American Taiwanese, but also dishonors all the efforts of America, violent and non-violent, to uphold the ideals it so publically embraces and promises to promote. It’s very well known that Beijing seeks to strip Taiwan of it’s self-determination and isolate it internationally, going so far as to bar it from international groups as benign as the WHO.
In withdrawing Ms. Lu’s welcome, Boeing has not only slapped the face of the Taiwanese and their supporters, it also further undermines the sympathy we had for the US and even for Boeing after 9-11, and make a further mockery of the invasion and occupation of Iraq. Usually I ridicule reactionary moves such as the boycott of products from an offending country or company, but in this case I do indeed hope the Taiwanese government cancels it’s current and future contracts with Boeing and takes it’s business someplace else, like Europe.
While the rest of the world often wonders about the aims of US foreign policy, that of big business remains painfully transparent… just get the money and never mind who we’re dealing with.
Yours, ********
That’s right, because Europe cares about Taiwan sovereignty and not about catering to China.
[quote=“HakkaSonic”]
That’s right, because Europe cares about Taiwan sovereignty and not about catering to China.[/quote]
Game, set and match.
That’s right, because Europe cares about Taiwan sovereignty and not about catering to China.[/quote]
I mention that because of the fight Boeing and the US govt. put up against the contract going to Airbus last year, not because of any beliefs about the Airbus consortium.
Boeing and Airbus are equally guilty of skulduggery when it comes to vying for contracts, with the rot creeping all the way up to the highest levels of government.
[quote][b]
Aircraft and bribery
Airbus’s secret past[/b]
Jun 12th 2003
From The Economist print edition
Flight Collection
On the eve of the Paris Air Show, we explore the corrupt and allegedly corrupt methods that have boosted past sales
economist.com/displaystory.c … id=1842124[/quote]
Well, it’s like saying that bad boy one should be punished by rewarding bad boy two. Why not say that a nicer place, like Australia, or even one of Taiwan’s allies, like Malawi, should build the planes?
Or maybe Boeing was just looking for an excuse to get out of meeting with Lu and hearing a three-hour speech about “soft power.”
If you think Boeing’s foreign policy sucks, you should try working for them and being forced to put up with their in-house policies, or living near them and listening to their domestic policies. . . . Phil Condit is an ass.
Wait a minute, comrades in arms! I read all three papers this afternoon re the Lu GO HOME BOEING story, and there is one major fact that has NOT been reported anywhere. If so, please tell where and what it is:
this: how do we know what the reasons were for Boeing cancelling the meeting? Was it really a scheduled meeting? When did the Boeing people tell Lu it was off? How did they tell her? Who told her? How did they tell her, in a letter, then where is the text? By telephone, then what did they in fact say? And did Boeing say in its missing letter/call/fax/email that they gave in to Beijing’s bullying or was there some other reason?
We are all taking Lu’s side here, when in fact not one newspaper has reported the contents of the brush off letter/fax/call. Maybe the boss had another appointment that afternoon? maybe there was a mix up in scheduling?
Can someone please direct me to the actual words BEOING used to brush dear VP_ Lu off? Where?
it is possible this is all a LU paranoid imaginary thing. Just ask Brian Kennedy, who knows her well!
Okayk, dish. Where is the text?
Formosa, yours are the rambling of the typical pro-China, anti human rights, deny Annette Lu her rightful place as goddess of Taiwan faction.
HakkaSonic, you know me better than that! SMILE.
I fully support Taiwan’s independence, I am totally anti Red China commie pinko bullies … you know that. AND I actually LIKE Annette Lu, silly boy that I am. I just want to see the SMOKING GUN, where is the text of the cancellation of the meeting and where is the text of the reasons why and of China’s bullying?
In this case, I don’t think CHINA interferred with a private US firm, to the point of making them cancel a meeting with Lu. Something else happened. But what?
If you know, dish. Somebody must know, but so far, no SMOKING GUN. Just a FUMING LU! I love her, I salute her. But let’s see the text first before we go any further.
Vice President Annette Lu (
Originally, I thought she had been invited, but then they changed their mind because of interference. But reading it again: “in turning down her request to visit a company office” So she wanted to invite herself… If she asked to visit me, I’ll say no too, doesn that make me a commie ? Does Boeing usually entertain foreign vice heads of state ? Or don’t they want to be seen influencing politicians, and backhanders and stuff (actually, this might not bother a big corporation like Boeing) ?
If asked her if I can come a visit her and she says no, can I make a big fuss about how she insulted me and everyone else ?
Maybe Boeing just wanted to stay in that night and wash their hair ?
good point bigfluffymatthew: you are now reading between the lines of the usually obscure local papers with their non-reports of pure PR notes. yes, maybe she invited herself, big difference! WATCH this story grow as local reporters start digging. did I say digging?
yes, there is MORE than meets the reader’s eye here and the papers here failed miserably. Maybe this was all a LU set up. She is great at it. and this quote will go down in history: SHAME ON BOEING!
she’s a great PR lady!
if nothing else…
Lu can come to my house, but it’s BYOB.
"Dear Vice President Lu,
Thank you for your kind letter of DATE. Unfortunately, you requested a meeting with our officers at a time when most of them are on summer vacation. Since we received your letter just yesterday, and you want to meet with us tomorrow, it is just impossible at this time to schedule a meeting. However, please do drop by next time you are in Seattle.
Yours,
Bill Gates,
Boeing, er, Microtoss
P.S. We have been informed that you refer to yourself as “E.T.” and we highly recommend that when in Seattle you visit the Space Needle. You’ll feel right at home.
She causes trouble wherever she goes. Her aggressive manner may have been suitable when she was county chief of Taoyuan, but it isn’t at all appropriate for someone holding the office of Vice President. I’m sure she does much more harm than good for Taiwan’s cause and international image. She should try to learn from the example of First Lady Wu Shu-chen, who conducts herself with winning charm and exemplary decorum when she travels overseas, and must be a thousand times more welcome, and find many more doors opening for her, in the countries that she visits.
And apparently Wu Shu-chen can hold her liquor. Lu is swinging from a chandelier on the second glass. Shades of Dame Edna!
I did a check on google today of the major seattle newspapers, and NOTHING about this Boeing, Boeing, Boeing, Gone story…re LU.
check the Seattle Times or the Seattle Post Intelligencer
if they report nothing, then perhaps this entire local story was made up for the local consumption DPP election ticket?