[Jim Lewis]

As a veteran, I was offended by this cool Saturn performance retailer shoving their political agenda on people - although I disagree with their position, with respect for democrats and independents, I wouldn't want them hawking a Republican agenda as a part of doing business either.

I was getting serious about an AEM intake and went back and forth with John, asking him to respect me enough to avoid the political garbage when we communicated. He didn't, and even got thoroughly shitty with his slams...against a decorated Gulf War veteran, a native Texan, etc. WTF?

Here's our e-mail chain....

From: Jim [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 9:40 PM
To: [email protected]

I specifically asked for no political messages in our business transaction.
I'm a combat wounded Desert Storm veteran and a native Texan. If you want
any of my business in the future, you'll never again have that tag on your
e-mail with me.

His response:

John at SPS <[email protected]> wrote:
Resist theocratic police-state feudalism, Jim.

John
[email protected]
http://spswebpage.com

http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/article/they_knew_0802/
RESIST theocratic police-state feudalism!

I replied:

From: Jim [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2005 6:22 PM
To: [email protected]


I take it that you don't want the business of one of the primary instructors
of a major technical school, and automotive expert witness with gillions of
contacts, and an officer in the regional SCCA organization? I enjoy passing on to friends and fellow racers when a good business does good business...all I asked was one simple thing - don't drop your political agenda on me.

I asked you not to push your political beliefs on me, and you repeat your
message? I believe that with three combat-related injuries, a Silver Star,
2 Purple Hearts, and 5 AF Commendation Medals, I can make that request of
another American.

Thanks for the information, but don't expect me to say anything positive about your company.

He replied:

I would think that if anyone would be critical of a corrupt political agenda
to waste American lives and resources, it would be someone with three
combat-related injuries, a Silver Star, 2 Purple Hearts, and 5 AF
Commendation Medals.

I refuse to lie down and do nothing while this country gets hijacked by
lunatics.

If you're such a fucking patriot, then you will respect that.

And if not, then good riddance.

John
[email protected]
http://spswebpage.com

http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/article/they_knew_0802/
RESIST theocratic police-state feudalism!

Regardless of your personal feelings and politics, to have some guy slam your personally and require you to listen to his political sermon as a course of doing business...that's ridiculous.

 

[jparf]

how was he pushing his 'political beleifs' on you? it was a part of his sig. its his sig so he can do what he wants with it. its your choice if you want to click it or not. while your at it you should go around email webpages to stop pushing thier ads on us and for them to get rid of pop up ads...

 

[dipolley]

He lost me when he said "fucking patriot". It is one thing to have somekind of statement (political, religious, etc). But you don't drop an F bomb to a potential client in a bssiness email. I hope you forwarded those emails to his boss.

BTw I am a vet too. USAF. I have lost good friends and have my own commendations. I found his comments very disrespectful.

 

[Aeain]

Well, there goes my Dealings with SPS. I just lost all respect for them. Hell, I might find there store here in Dayton and give them a piece of my mind.

 

[dipolley]

Official Boycott?

 

[Jim Lewis]

how was he pushing his 'political beleifs' on you? it was a part of his sig. its his sig so he can do what he wants with it. its your choice if you want to click it or not. while your at it you should go around email webpages to stop pushing thier ads on us and for them to get rid of pop up ads...

Ever done any military time? You stand by your president, no matter what, and understand that the CEO of a company usually gets blamed for a big problem, even though Barney down in production did a screwup...

My problem is that this is a business transaction dealing with CARS, not politics, and I asked him nicely to not include that message on communications with me - that's as sorry as dealing with a black person or hispanic person and having "***********" or an Aryan Nation logo in your business e-mail.

His response was that I was an idiot and he didn't give a damn that I was a patriot or a veteran....I'm thinking he didn't expect his e-mail chain to end up in a public forum....

 

[matt]

What a complete jackass. He didn't have to be a dick and resort to acting like a moron. F them, a lot of their stuff is way overpriced and can be found cheaper elsewhere.

I hope you forwarded those emails to his boss.

He is the guy who runs SPS, unfortunately.

 

[Jim Lewis]

Boycott? I'm not calling for it, but I KNOW there are lots of active duty military guys and girls, and veterans in our forum, and as a fellow veteran, I needed you folks to know what was up.

I'm always careful where I spend my money, and only do business with people who aren't anarchists.

 

[Aeain]

I'm not a Veteran but, My Dad was in the Air Force, My Uncle was in the Navy, My Great-Uncle was in the Navy and Another was in the Army. Plus, many other who were in the Military. I plan on joing Army ROTC at Wright State University the Year after next.

 

[Jim Lewis]

ROTC is a great deal - good luck on that.

 

[dipolley]

Yeah ROTC is a good deal. MAybe one day we will have to salute you. And Jim I wasn't suggesting a boycott I was asking if you were. I should have been more specific. My bad. I am just as careful where I spend my money too.

And to all the vets on the forum, Thank you.

 

[Jim Lewis]

I'm definitely not doing any business with them, regardless, unless I get a written apology from John - seeing the disrespectful way he talked to me, with his "if you're such a fucking patriot" comment, he doesn't seem the type to apologize.

I wouldn't ask anyone to boycott anyone's business, since I'd be as narrow minded and hurtful as John is, and also attempting to control other people's actions through my own agenda. That's where I had the problem with this, so I'm definitely not about to suggest anything like that myself.

The old saying is "I may disagree with what you say, but I'd fight and enemy to the death for your right to say it".

Too bad guys like that can't understand that line of thinking, or appreciate those who can.

 

[dipolley]

The old saying is "I may disagree with what you say, but I'd fight and enemy to the death for your right to say it".

Too bad guys like that can't understand that line of thinking, or appreciate those who can.

This is why every time I see a person in uniform I make it a point to say hello and shake their hand. If at a bar I by them a beer. You would be surprised how many of these soldiers are surprised by this. I am more surprised that more ppl don't do it.

Anyway. Yeah, totally unprofessional of this guy. Personally I would want an apology from his boss too.

 

[Jim Lewis]

I'm not going to beat a dead horse here, this has obviously pissed me off beyond comprehension....I just wanted to make sure that everyone, especially the veterans, knew how this guy felt about us and our country.

 

[jparf]

Ever done any military time? You stand by your president, no matter what, and understand that the CEO of a company usually gets blamed for a big problem, even though Barney down in production did a screwup...

My problem is that this is a business transaction dealing with CARS, not politics, and I asked him nicely to not include that message on communications with me - that's as sorry as dealing with a black person or hispanic person and having "***********" or an Aryan Nation logo in your business e-mail.

His response was that I was an idiot and he didn't give a damn that I was a patriot or a veteran....I'm thinking he didn't expect his e-mail chain to end up in a public forum....

alright i can see where you are coming from

 

[Jim Lewis]

It's all good, no beef here with anyone but John at SPS.....I'm in Telford, btw, and I teach at UTI near Downingtown, not far from you.

 

[JDRedline]

I'm not going to beat a dead horse here, this has obviously pissed me off beyond comprehension....I just wanted to make sure that everyone, especially the veterans, knew how this guy felt about us and our country.

I was with you until this post, Jim.

With this post, you now seem to stretch your point to mean that this guy's point of view is wrong and you wanted everyone and vets to know it.

The man has a right to his own opinions and ideas about America and our government. It's the whole basis of what America really means.

What I had a problem with, was what I thought your original gripe was about - the fact that he was using his business to express these opinions. An absolutely wrong and unprofessional move on his part. And then he insults you with name calling?

If the business were a legitimate and honourable workplace, they would fire this guy based on this exchange.

Out here in LA, we have a fast-food chain called "In and Out Burger." I remember some 20 years ago when I first moved here every year around X-Mas they had these radio commercials inviting us to come in have a burger and take the Lord Jesus into our hearts. I couldn't believe my ears!

Bottom line is, a business which deals with the general public should not use that business to push any religious or political agenda onto their consumers.

BTW, it's been over a decade or more since In and Out Burger stopped advertising that way and I was finally able to try their burgers.

Anyway, I'm crossing my fingers that "John" gets canned.

 

[Sp00ner]

One or two people have politically related tag lines and sigs on here, I haven't seen you ask them to remove them...

 

[XxGarbSxX]

John is the dude that owns SPS. There is no one higher than he is and he can't be fired because of his position. I was considering buying H&R springs for my SC2 from him, but after seeing his emails, I'm not gonna buy anything from him, even though I too don't think that American troops should be in Iraq. Of course, I am just anti-war in general. Even though I don't think we should be involved in Iraq, I will still support our troops and I have the utmost respect for what they do for our contry, and my cousin is also a Marine that saw time on the front lines in Iraq during Operation: Iraqi Freedom. For John to treat a veteran like that is a disgrace to what America stands for.

 

[[DeVo]]

Ever done any military time? You stand by your president, no matter what, and understand that the CEO of a company usually gets blamed for a big problem, even though Barney down in production did a screwup...

Sorry, I don't mean to get into an argument - and i know it really doesn't matter whether i agree with you or not, but i just couldn't let this one go. My father (a 26 year retired marine) and my oldest brother (currently a full bird colonel in the Army) both disagree with Bush. That being said, my brother still does his job (and my dad would if he were still in the marines), but that does not mean that he agrees with what (or why) he is doing.

Now, as for the SMS guy. If that were a personal e-mail, i'd say you were out of line - because it was a business e-mail, he was definitely out of line. I don't think he should be fired over it, but definitely repremanded - he made SMS look bad when he did that, even though i'm sure he wasn't acting as an agent of SMS at the time.