The Bradford Exchange Horse Manure
One of our partners got a solicitation the other day from The Bradford Exchange to help them sell their POW-MIA tribute rings;
See that line “Portion of proceeds helps POW-MIA families.” Yeah, well, in their solicitation for our partner, they wrote “Our company directs the majority of its philanthropic contributions to the J. Roderick MacArthur Foundation. This non-profit organization was set up to support human rights and civil liberties.” Well, the J. Roderick MacArthur Foundation is a bunch of stank-ass hippies, according to their website.
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation supports creative people, effective institutions, and influential networks building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world.
No where can I find a mention of the POW/MIA families. They don’t support “human rights and civil liberties”. They give money to hippies who can’t find jobs with their Underwater Basket Weaving degrees.
I swear, I’ve become such a cynic.
Category: Politics
Parasites
Any fucking thing for a buck. Turds.
WTF, OVER? Handing out money to stank-ass booger-eating bedwetting thumbsuckers under a POW-MIA facade? May they spend eternity in hell chained to Helen Thomas, Jane Fonda and my ex-wife when their time comes!
Swear to BUDDHA! We saw this ad in the Parade section of our newspaper. The little on said “one for each of us”.
Put the ad in my mail to order them. Go here and just saved money. WTF?
That’s false advertising and we all know someone who used to do that and ITS AGAINST THE LAW..
Jonn, which foundation is it, J. Arthur or John D.? You appear to have them cross-wired.
J. Roderick was the son of John D. MacArthur, and sat on the board of the John D. Foundation. J. Roderick also established his own foundation which supports liberal causes. So there’s a relationship between the two. I couldn’t find a link for Roderick’s foundation, but did find a bio on Roderick:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Roderick_MacArthur
Bottom line, though, is that both foundations seem to support lefty causes.
SSG E posted some additional info below while I was typing my response. Good work.
More from that Wikipedia link shows that J. Roderick MacArther, IS the Bradford Exchange:
“He worked for his father in the insurance industry before they became estranged. In 1973, while working with a company that sold ceramic collectable plates, MacArthur noticed that the collectible ceramic market was chaotic. He started the Bradford Exchange which by the time of his death sold about 90% of all the collectable plates in the world. Often credited with becoming “a self-made millionaire,” in actuality MacArthur had some financial backing from his father, although the idea, business plan and effort were indeed Rod MacArthur’s own. In 1975, once the exchange was successful, his eccentric father claimed that Bradford Exchange was his business and John D. MacArthur seized the Bradford Exchange’s customer lists and put the on-hand inventory under lock and key. J. Roderick MacArthur then organized a group of employees to enter his father’s warehouse in Northbrook, IL and hustled the inventory into a waiting fleet of trucks.”
Seems to be quite scoundrel.
Great catch! I was so fixated on tracking the connections between the foundations that I overlooked that. So the Bradford Exchange gives an inflated appearance of its philanthropy, while directing most of its “giving” to an affiliated company.
Another link, with lists of grantees.
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=J._Roderick_MacArthur_Foundation
I should have added that the J. Arthur really is a bunch of left-wingers with their biggest recipient at one point apparently being the ACLU. I don’t know about the John D.
J. Roderick was John D. and Catherine T.’s son. He split from their foundation and formed his own, including funding the MacArthur Justice Center at Northwestern:
http://www.macarthurjusticecenter.org/index.html
Their issue set: Police misconduct, Death penalty, Parole revocations, Prison conditions and Rights of detainees. Not American POW/MIA detainees, of course, but “The MacArthur Justice Center has been at the forefront of challenges to the detention of terrorism suspects without trial or access to the courts, and the Center’s lawyers have appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court to argue for the right of non-enemy combatants not to be detained without access to the courts and due process of law.”
According to wiki (not the best resource, but not much else mentions J. Arthur), J. Arthur was John D.’s father and both foundations support the same kinds of thing, but were set up as tax dodges to preserve their Bradford Ex assets. There is a site that lists some of the groups that received grants from J. Arthur, and a Vietnam Vets group is listed in some years.
Here’s what SourceWatch has to say about the J. Roderick MacArthur foundation.
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/J._Roderick_MacArthur_Foundation
I think Jonn has them pegged pretty accurately.
Looks to me like they have given $12.5 million to the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation. That’s pretty impressive.
And it also appears they’ve given more than that to the “Harper’s Magazine Foundation”. Plus, their stated purpose was ” ‘to foster democracy’ by helping persons ‘who are inequitably treated by established institutions.’ ”
It’s also clear you didn’t bother to look into the VVA Foundation’s mission. They’re hardly focused on serving US veterans of the Vietnam War. Rather, their recent focus appears to be helping foreign victims of war and banning landmines.
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Vietnam_Veterans_of_America_Foundation
Actually, I had looked them up, and while that is all that sourcewatch has them quoted as doing, I can assure you they do much more than that, as I have worked with them personally in the past. Some of their work including helping with VA claims, as well as promoting research into the exposure to toxic chemicals (Agent Orange). There are also multiple local chapters of the organization who do their own outreach programs.
Suit yourself. I stand by my assessment – IMO Jonn has the J. Roderick MacArthur Foundation pegged accurately as “stank-ass hippies”, even if the founder did (J. Roderick MacArthur is now deceased) wear suits.
Crap! I’ve been buying Fabergé eggs, statues and plates. I’ve been buying pot, munchies and lice shampoo for hippies that still live in communes and practice FREE LOVE? I didn’t know. I mean its the Bradford Exchange. Everyone buys their stuff…
That probably has a lot to do with MacArthur’s daughter being married to the co-founder of VVAF.
Gee, ya think?
And never forget: what a organization’s “foundation” (or other spinoff organization using the primary’s name) does may or may not bear much if any resemblance to that organization’s mission. Seems to me we saw that with the VFW and the VFW-PAC recently.
DrKnow…..impressive to whom????? FYI, the Viet Nam Veterans Association consists of members who served in the Armed Forces during the Viet Nam war. You did not have to ever set foot out of the CONUS to be a member of that organization. Granted, there are likely persons who belong to that organization who did in fact serve in RVN. On the other hand, most all of us who post on this site can tell you stories of some members who are attempting to milk the system and claim (or should I say IMPLY) they actually served in RVN to a gullible public. That, sir, is found to be offensive in any flavor, no matter how you spin it.
*sorry hit report whilst scrolling down*
For any charity you need to follow the money. Some of these charities are ran by people that would not be missed. Yes, civil rights means some jackwagons pockets who would maybe throw a scrap at a 401c. Meanwhile they whine about corporations who seem to donate 100x more despite even more overhead.
I wonder what this “Foundation” pays its Chair and Directors?
The John D. foundation is a heavy supporter of NPR. You can’t watch or hear an NPR TV or radio station without their mention. Just saying.
You mean National Partisan Radio and the Partisan Broadcast System?
Isn’t that supposed to be “Progressive” vice “Partisan”?
Pudendal
Now, now …
Why is anyone surprised by this?
I swear that I never have to dust off the TAH Hymnal.
https://youtu.be/gRB45Jv6lW8
I think he’s talking about the one that goes, “Hymn, hymn, f**k hymn”, IDC SARC.
True…I just like the beating yourself in the head part.
It would be nice to see some of our current pols do that, wouldn’t it? (smile)
oh, I’d like to be THAT instructor.
Yes, indeed. Perhaps we should get a group of us together with a lot of booze and burned meat and record it?
There must be firearms and bibles involved as well. We have to hold up the stereotype, ya know!
Filthy bastards.
I’ve always had a bad “gut feeling” about the Bradford Exchange and the wares that they sell… this just confirms it.
The J Roderick Foundation ceased operations in 2006 from what I can discover, the kids took over the foundation in 2001 and ran it until it became the justice foundation after that at Northwestern university.
In 2001-2002 they gave over 12 million dollars to the Vietnam Vets of America Foundation.
J Roderick started the Bradford Exchange and that’s how they made their money, it’s no surprise they give most of their money to their own foundation.
It appears the John D foundation is indeed heavy with liberal support causes and it appears the Roderick and Solange Justice Foundation has gone the same way.
“A portion of the proceeds” can mean anything, as with all of this nonsense it’s probably better to just write the check to the veterans charity you like and don’t buy some stupid collectible item and pretend that somehow helps…an $80 ring donates maybe $4 to the veterans, better to send the whole $80 and skip owning the ring.
Better to do your good works privately and know what you did when no one was watching as opposed to buying a trinket to display your “humanitarian” impulses.
But that’s just my $0.02…
Agree.
When will they be issuing the Limited Edition Daniel Bernath Collectable Plates? This year’s editions includes depictions of Daniel Bernath conducting an unscheduled landing 200 yards from Sisters Airport; his showdown at the elevator; and his takedown of the Shipley Crime Syndicate. They will be heirlooms that you will be proud to pass on to your children.
Or maybe to use as pet dishes. If you can get your pets to eat from them, of course.
Nah, they’d use them for what’s left of the food after they’re done digesting it.
I bet they would break nicely with #9 shot.
Probably. But they would likely be rather expensive targets.
HACK! I felt so bad until I read your post. Buy three, one to shit on, one to wipe your ass with and one to cover it up with.. NO! NO! Wiping my butt with Bernie’s face is looking for a STD…
I stopped at “Bradford Exchange”.
Between the plates, model cars, figurines, rings, etc, etc, I figure that anything they produce is in such large quantities, that it’s HARDLY a “collectable”. Aren’t collectables supposed to be limited and scarce?
And I learned this many moons ago, when having to dispose of an ancestor’s estate. Those “collectable” plates went for pennies on the dollar (if even that much), compared to what said deceased ancestor originally paid for them.
They are limited to how many they can sell.
I have a friend, also retired Navy, who shells out a lot of money for that crap. I don’t mean once in a while. He’s hooked up with several companies that manufacture ‘collectibles.’ He plans to leave the items to his grandchildren. He says they are ‘family heirlooms’ or some such nonsense. He really goes nuts over
‘commemorative’ coins. He thinks paying $150 or so for a medal containing an ounce or so of silver is a great investment. I told him to determine the real value of his collectibles is to take them to a coin shop and try to sell them. He won’t do it. That stuff is pretty much only bullion value and it is very unlikely to increase in value. I think he is banking on the ‘greater fool’ theory if he or his heirs try to sell them. He’s got thousands invested in everything from zodiac commemorative medals to replica guns. (I’m not sure what the commemorative zodiac medals are supposed to commemorate.) And you’re right when you say each edition is limited to the number of fools who will shell out money for the junk. I have no problem with folks buying items that interest them, but they aren’t an investment and they aren’t family heirlooms.
See! Some people buy from them,.????
I still laugh thinking of all the time and money that people wasted collecting Beanie Babies. The greatest scam these days are the limited edition Air Jordan sneakers. You create some buzz about the next shoe being released, people will line up for a week for the chance to purchase them, and then they got shot in the parking lot as they leave the store with their $400 shoes. And the great thing is that it they cost about $0.40 to manufacture. President Obama needs to enact the Affordable Sneaker Act, since sneaker manufacturers are making obscene profits and every American deserves affordable Air Jordan’s.
I knew a guy when I was stationed overseas who bought over a hundred Hummel figurines. He thought they were an investment. This was in the 70s-80s. When the internet made it possible to determine values by going to ebay and other sites, he realized he had been hosed to the tune of many, many thousands of dollars. They might be collectibles but they are not an investment or much of a family heirloom. A couple might be a family heirloom, but what the heck is an heir going to do with 100+ Hummels? He needed money and sold them at about 1/3 of what he paid.
Every time I see a mission statement like that, I copy/paste it into the “Sans Bullshit Sans” filter, just to see if it triggers anything. Granted, the original filter was written with high-tech companies’ recruiting and marketing ads in mind, but it can be modified.
http://www.sansbullshitsans.com/
Has anyone contacted them to ask what specific charity they donate proceeds from the POW-MIA rings from? I mean, I doubt it’ll be a satisfying answer, but let’s make sure all the legwork is done. Y’know, CYA.
Because nothing says “You are not forgotten” like a “solid stainless steel ion plated” ring. WTF?