Random thoughts...

I have always wanted to be a writer. It dawned on me the other day that I have a blog set up just for this purpose... and I don't use it. This is a vehicle I am not driving very often, eh?

So - here's some typing on my blog. Let's see what turns up!


Guilt! (How's that for a start?)

When I was a child, I thought the VW Bugs were groovy. They weren't your ordinary dull sedan, but they had an essence of fun and joy about them. I was disappointed to learn that they were going out of production and that the ones built in Mexico were not "street legal" in the United States. (Sigh.)

Later on in life, I was able to purchase my very first new car. I did my research, drove some test drives, and decided on the Saturn SL2. A practical but not too boring car... I added the rear spoiler to give it a little bit of an edge. (Did I use the word "edge" when writing about a Saturn? Sorry - it won't happen again.)

Shortly after the purchase of my new SL2, Volkswagen announced the production of the New Beetle. Lousy timing! Well, I did have a four-door car and The Husband had his two-door Ranger, so it was all for the best that I did not get a New Beetle anyway, right? After all, there is that one time every ten or 11 months where having a four-door vehicle comes in handy, right? Bah! I was not happy. I wanted a Beetle!

Years past and I grew to appreciate the Saturn. It was a fine car - easy to maintain and a nifty shade of blue. Then it came time for The Husband to get a new truck. He did his research, drove some test drives, and decided on a four-door Dodge Dakota. We had an addition to the family in the time since we had the Ranger... Pepper. He's a big dog and needs a back seat in the new truck all for himself. We need the four doors. I did not say anything, but the main reason (besides Pepper's comfort, natch!) that I supported the purchase of the Dakota was that The Husband could then be the one who could drive the vehicle with the four doors (for that one time every ten or 11 months where those extra back doors could be handy...).

So - two years later, it is time for me to get a new car. I did not do any research and only did one test drive... to help me decide if I wanted a New Beetle with an automatic transmission or a manual transmission. I decided on not only the manual, but a diesel as well. (This car of mine gets super mileage - about 43 to 45 MPG!)

Oh yeah... the guilt part. There's guilt along for the ride here. Allow me to explain.

When I was a child who longed for a VW Bug because they were cute and fun and swell, I had no idea that the car I admired was actually designed by Adolph Hitler. Yes, that Adolph Hitler. So much for cute, fun and swell. Not only that, but the Volkswagen company employed Jewish slave labor in their factories (okay, perhaps "employed" is not the right word...). Swell.

As The Husband and I were discussing the financing and purchase of a new car for me, I wrestled with my thoughts on this. How on earth could I enjoy a car designed by such an evil person? I searched for any redeeming aspect of the Volkswagen Company and found that while they have paid reparations for their part in the oppression of the Jews and others during the Holocaust, they weren't as quick about it as I would have liked. (Of course, I realize that very few corporations would ever meet my exacting standards of conduct - especially when it comes to human rights.)

That said, I also realized that very few car corporations would meet my standards... so then what would I drive?

Back to my youth. I remember when the Ford Pinto had a reputation for exploding upon rear impact due to the design of the gas tank. I rode in one once and insisted on sitting in the front passenger seat. People died as a result and the Ford Corporation was sued many times. At first, the lawsuits were not in Ford's favor - but all they had to do was pay actual damages to the plaintiffs (i.e., the cost of the destroyed Pinto). They knew that this was a much cheaper way to go than to redesign the Pinto and re-tool the factories, so they just kept getting sued and paying victims off for the cost of their cars. Never mind that people were still dying and getting burnt (literally and figuratively).

One day, a case went to court (Ford Motor Corporation versus some family of yet another Pinto victim) and not only did the plaintiff get actual damages, but punitive damages were also awarded to the tune of millions of dollars. This finally got Ford to change. I can't remember exactly, but I seem to recall that 53 people died in Pinto explosions. IMHO, that's 53 too many.

What does the Pinto have to do with this? After I learned all about the whole Pinto saga, I decided that a company that has such disregard for human life does not ever deserve my money. I started a personal boycott of Ford. (Never mind that I couldn't have afforded one anyway at the time... I was just a kid.)

(Note: Sharp readers may have caught that The Husband drove a Ranger at one time. I had to okay this because we purchased it used and it was not my vehicle anyway. Ford did not get our money from that purchase.)

Years flew past (again!) and I came to learn that Ford is now a well-respected company when it comes to supporting the GLBT population. DiversityInc. includes Ford in its list of the best companies for supporting diversity. I even heard about how some conservative groups wanted Ford to pull its ads in GLBT-focused publications or be boycotted - and Ford refused. Now that is the conduct of a corporation I can support! Human rights are important to me and I respect the way that Ford stood up for their beliefs.

The point? Companies can change. Ford management that made horrible decisions in the past is gone. Sure, there are still companies that could make my blood boil, but perhaps it's time to realize that VW has moved beyond the days of slave labor and anti-Semitism?

Finally, I found an article written by a Jewish woman about her longing for a New Beetle and the guilt that she felt about wanting a car with this sordid history. And this woman's grandmother was held in a concentration camp during WWII! Furthermore, this woman lived in New York City and really had no need for a car at all. But she wanted this New Beetle in a way to which I could not even relate. This woman finally went to her grandmother with her conflicting desire to have a German car and not disrespect the suffering her people went through. Her grandmother's response to the woman's yearning for a New Beetle? "Finally, the war is over," the grandmother said. It was time to move on. Just buy the car and enjoy life.

So - I have my platinum grey New Beetle TDI with package 1 (sunroof, cool wheels, heated seats, etc.). I love my car. It's cute and fun and swell. And every now and then, when I feel guilty about my car, I remember the Holocaust survivor grandmother and pledge to enjoy life and move on.