Statement of National Center for Public Policy Research President Ridenour on Anti-SUV Ads Being Run by Detroit Project

1/9/2003

From: David Almasi of the National Center for Public Policy Research, 202-371-1400 e-mail: dalmasi@nationalcenter.org

WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 -- Following is a statement by Amy Ridenour, National Center for Public Policy Research president, on the anti-SUV ads being run by the Detroit Project:

"The Detroit Project, which currently is running TV ads portraying owners of SUVs as supporters of terrorism, is hypocritical and muddleheaded.

"It's ads say that buying gasoline -- apparently, only if it is for an SUV -- supports terrorism.

"If dependence on foreign oil supports terrorism, helps to develop weapons of mass destruction and sends our soldiers off to war, as the ads charge, why doesn't the Detroit Project call for more domestic oil drilling? Why does its web site promote the Natural Resources Defense Council, which fought allowing environmentally safe oil drilling in Alaska last year -- well after the September 11 attacks? Oil in ANWR's Alaska fields could replace all the oil imported from Saudi Arabia for 30 years.

"Why does the Detroit Project promote an organization that opposes nuclear energy -- clean, environmentally friendly and definitely not exported from the Middle East?

"Why does one of the Detroit Project's four founders, Lawrence Bender, drive a Mercedes -- as he told The Fox News Channel's Neil Cavuto on the air January 8? Why did co-founder Arianna Huffington turn in her Lincoln navigator SUV for a 23-mpg-Volvo instead of one of many available cars that get much better mileage? Luxury cars are okay, while SUVs are bad?

"The Detroit project website's lead article is titled: "Road Outrage: How Corporate Greed And Political Corruption Paved The Way For The SUV Explosion." Are the Detroit project's Hollywood founders unaware that SUVs were invented as an outgrowth of environmental policies? These policies, promoted by environmental organizations, successfully promoted such stringent fuel economy standards on automobiles that automakers began making passengers vehicles (SUVs) on truck beds. Before the environmental movement came along, families that need large vehicles were, after all, perfectly happy with station wagons."

For more information, visit http://www.nationalcenter.org.