Truth in Advertising
This entry was posted on 10/18/2006 4:04 PM and is filed under uncategorized.
Arcadia First! and Save Arcadia are all careful to note in small letters at the bottom of most of their literature that they are funded by Westfield. But if Westfield truly wants to be open about the fact that they are behind these groups, then why form these groups at all? Or why not have the group carry the name of Westfield? One has to be suspicious that the reason is to fool people.
Even an attendee at last Saturday's meeting/open house for members of Arcadia First! seemed to be under the delusion that AF! is a grass roots organization started and run by volunteers. That is hardly the case. Westfield has already spent millions of dollars funding the staff, management and media campaigns of Arcadia First! and Save Arcadia. There's nothing wrong with that level of funding unless you have successfully managed to make it look like the elaborate and numerous full page newspaper ads, mailers and petition drives are all being created, designed, paid for and dissemniated by good-hearted and passionate residents of Arcadia. And there's nothing wrong with spending that kind of money unless you are intentionally deceiving people by using bogus and misleading names to keep it hidden that the money and groups are coming from Westfield, which obviously has its own self-serving agenda and priorities.
Scott Hettrick
founder, Arcadia Wins!
