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One of Us |
Marcus Lemonis, CEO of Camping World, denounced Donald Trump Jr. for posing for photos with an array of dead animals he killed on a big game safari hunt in Zimbabwe. Lemonis pulled his company's ads from the reality show The Apprentice. "I am totally disgusted by the [hunting] pics I have seen and was surprised to see them," Lemonis told TMZ I sent Camping World an email this morning stating that I would no longer be a customer. Below is the response I received from them. Doug Mr. Shelly, To clarify our position, Camping World as America’s Largest Outdoor company, believes in personal freedom. In this country, people are free to choose. This issue at hand is not about whether people should be able to hunt or not. Our company is neither for nor against hunting. We are for personal choice and having people enjoy the outdoors in whatever fashion they choose. However, in our opinion, if and when the hunting of endangered species occurs, whether in the United States or abroad, it is not acceptable to even the most avid of hunters. We remain strong in our conviction of preserving the outdoors, protecting our great country's lands and the freedom to choose. Thank you, Camping World Customer Care | ||
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Moderator |
And which animal is endangered? Leopards are taken in accordance with CITES requirements. If it's permitted under international treaty, it is legal and correct. George | |||
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One of Us |
DUMB....ASSES!!!!! DRSS | |||
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Administrator |
Amazing that a compnay selling outdoor gear is so ignorant of the facts about animals! | |||
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Moderator |
Send your missives to Mlemonis@campingworld.com Perhaps he could be educated. George | |||
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One of Us |
They are dumbasses! I just sent them an e-mail myself. Ya'll all jump on the band wagon. http://www.campingworld.com/co...ontactValue=Comments and Complaints . | |||
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One of Us |
I just sent one as well. Let's get some traffic going here! Tom Addleman tom@dirtnapgear.com | |||
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One of Us |
Just sent one too, will have to see what their response is as I questioned them on what endangered species was hunted. Also, said since they were in sells of outdoor gear that they may want to get better educated. Good Hunting, | |||
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One of Us |
Sent an email to Mr. Lemonis and filled out their customer service form. NRA Lifer; DSC Lifer; SCI member; DRSS; AR member since November 9 2003 Don't Save the best for last, the smile for later or the "Thanks" for tomorow | |||
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One of Us |
With a name like Lemonis, 'tis likely he is a little more than sour. Missive sent | |||
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one of us |
I just received their annual catalogue. Too bad, I use to be a customer. E-mail sent. "There are worse memorials to a life well-lived than a pair of elephant tusks." Robert Ruark | |||
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One of Us |
Here is my email letter to Mr. Lemonis: Mr. Lemonis, I'm writing to you as a result of learning that Camping World has pulled their advertising on the television show 'The Apprentice' in response to news articles published about an African hunting safari that Mr. Trump's two sons made in Zimbabwe. I was disappointed, and as an avid outdoorsman, am very surprised to read about your companies short sighted and ill reasoned reaction to the news regarding the Trump men and their hunting safari. Whether your realize it or not, regulated 'sport' hunting, whether in North America, Africa or anywhere else on this planet, is a key concept toward the long term conservation and sustainability of wild animals, both 'game' animals and all 'non-game' animals and other creatures who share their habitat. Contrary to your comments about endangered species, they are not hunted. The Trumps did shoot elephants and leopards on their safari and despite your mistaken impression that either of these may be endangered, they in fact are quite abundant and have healthy populations across many African countries. In fact, the leopard may be the most widely distributed mammal on the entire African continent. The elephant population in many African countries is healthy with strong populations, especially in Zimbabwe; and without regulated hunting AND culling, elephants would outstrip their habitat to the detriment of all wildlife. It is easy and requires no mental exercise to believe the rhetoric of the animal rights/anti hunting businesses that thrive on creating controversy about hunting. It is an inescapable fact that much of the information they espouse is inaccurate and oftentimes, outright lies. You, sir, have fallen for their misrepresentations and have made an ill-conceived decision to abandon one of your main customer segments, namely hunters and fishermen, in the name of political correctness. The fact that you've chosen to do this without gaining a proper understanding of African wildlife management concepts indicates your decision will have far reaching impacts to your company that does a great disservice to your shareholders. Mr. Lemonis, I call on you to publicly support regulated sport hunting wherever it occurs in the world, and to come out with a statement that retracts your ill advised and inaccurate comments about endangered species. You are flat out wrong about any of the species the Trumps hunted being endangered and you owe it to yourself and your shareholders to become better educated and representative of them, and your customers. Absent that, I will join a growing movement of your largest customer constituency, outdoorsmen, who will boycott your company from this point forward, and will work to ensure that nobody whom I know ever spends another dollar at your stores. Additionally, I'll seek out the contact information for the members of your Board of Directors to advise them of this movement and how you've damaged your company by a public stance that is based on false information. While I doubt that you'll have any interest in responding to this email message, I'll gladly respond to any comments or questions you may have about hunting or wildlife management. Sincerely, I wonder if I'll receive any response beyond a 'canned' reply? | |||
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One of Us |
Hey DLS, that was a great response. To the point and totally factual. Now we wait! "The difference between adventure and disaster is preparation." "The problem with quoting info from the internet is that you can never be sure it is accurate" Abraham Lincoln | |||
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Moderator |
Nice work, DLS! "Ignorance you can correct, you can't fix stupid." JWP If stupidity hurt, a lot of people would be walking around screaming. Semper Fidelis "Building Carpal Tunnel one round at a time" | |||
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One of Us |
Well said!!! NRA LIFE MEMBER DU DIAMOND SPONSOR IN PERPETUITY DALLAS SAFARI CLUB LIFE MEMBER SCI FOUNDATION MEMBER | |||
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one of us |
I too think that was a very well worded response. In the meant time I believe the loudest way we can get their attention is not only not buying from them but discouraging everybody we know from buying from them. I never have personally, and it seems they are mostly RV outfit and maybe east coast versus west coast, but I'll make sure now. Red | |||
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One of Us |
My repeated email to Mr. Lemonis:
His response to me (after the standard fodder to which I repeated my email): I respectfully disagree I have pictures you do not Marcus What else can be said? NRA Lifer; DSC Lifer; SCI member; DRSS; AR member since November 9 2003 Don't Save the best for last, the smile for later or the "Thanks" for tomorow | |||
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One of Us |
PETA probably sent him their own version of the Trump safari photos. My posting to the CW feedback forum: I was recently made aware of Camping World making untrue statements regarding an African safari taken by two members of the Trump family. I wish to point out to the uninformed persons making decisions at Camping World that none of the animals hunted by the Trump family were illegally killed nor endangered in the country they took their hunt in. I neither know the Trumps nor have the money they do but as a hunter, I am well aware of the attacks and lies that provoke knee-jerk reactions such as you demonstrated. It's my duty to point out your mistake as this misinformation hurts something important to many people around the world. It would would have been a much better management practice to know facts before reacting the way your company has done. You formulated an opinion that is completely wrong and and based on drivel, not facts. You owe the public as well as the Trumps an apology and need to correct your statement. ~Ann Horsman ~Ann | |||
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One of Us |
Camping World is aimed to RVers so probably not more dependent on hunters than any run of the mill company. That being said I sure won't spend any more money with them and l will let my friends know their position on hunting. | |||
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One of Us |
Isn't camping in a RV like shooting from the truck? ~Ann | |||
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one of us |
I'm gonna guess their position is based on elephant and leopard being listed in CITES. And, since CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, Elephant and Leopard are endangered and shouldn't be hunted. They looked at the cover, but did not read the book. "There are worse memorials to a life well-lived than a pair of elephant tusks." Robert Ruark | |||
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One of Us |
NRA Lifer; DSC Lifer; SCI member; DRSS; AR member since November 9 2003 Don't Save the best for last, the smile for later or the "Thanks" for tomorow | |||
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One of Us |
Can someone here find the names and addresses of their Board of Directors members? We should bombard them all with letters explaining the truth, as well as demanding a public apology and retraction from Mr. Lemonis. Also, I've sent out an email to every sportsman and RV owner in my email address book, telling them about this and encouraging them to never do business with Camping World again, unless they change their stance. If enough of us do this, it'll have an impact, I believe. I, for one, am totally sick and tired of this crap and have decided to fight back more than I ever have in the past. | |||
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One of Us |
This guy's a complete ass. He doesn't have any pictures that you do not. That's his unintelligible, insane response. He is a complete liar. Look, he doesn't know which animals are legal to take and which ones are not legal to take in Africa. That was obvious from his first statement. He is shooting completely from the hip and in the dark. His feeble, emotional response is nothing more than a complete joke to those of us who are educated to the legality and illegality of trophy African animals, including all Cites animals. Don't waste your time on attempting to change or educate this buffoon. I, for one, seriously doubt that the Trump brothers would ever expose themselves to criminal liability and the ensuing world news, in taking an illegal African animal. Think about that one. By the way, I own a travel trailer and I will not shop at Camping World (never have anyway) and we have one the largest Camping World stores in the U.S. right here in Vegas.(Henderson, Nevada-bedroom community) | |||
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one of us |
Sorry folks. He is technically correct. Both species are considered endangered. Kinda like grizzlies and wolves here. Not saying I disagree with you. BUT....Public perception is that elephants and leopards are almost extinct. Ummmm. re-read the lion discussion. Ski+3 | |||
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one of us |
Think about this.......... just as we few hunters bombard them with mail voicing our displeasure at their comments on hunting, they probably receive an equal amount of mail from anti hunters threatening boycott of their stores because they were advertizing on the Trump TV show. I think we are the minority on this matter. "...Them, they were Giants!" J.A. Hunter describing the early explorers and settlers of East Africa hunting is not about the killing but about the chase of the hunt.... Ortega Y Gasset | |||
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One of Us |
No he is not technically correct, because he finishes that statement by saying " if and when the hunting of endangered species occurs, whether in the United States or abroad, it is not acceptable to even the most avid of hunters". Hell, I'm an avid hunter by the definition, and it is TOTALLY ACCEPTABLE TO ME, and international law allows me to take those animals in connection with international treaties and allowable quotas. He does not, in any way, shape or form, understand or want to understand Cites and the reasons for a Cites I or Cites II classification and what can be hunted and/or exported and what cannot, plain and simple. | |||
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One of Us |
BM, so your solution is to give up and resign yourself to second class status in this battle? If so, I'm disappointed in you. | |||
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One of Us |
Just in the interest of clarity, Panthera pardus is now categorized (a/o 2008) as "Near Threatened", upgraded from their last evaluation (in 2002) of "Least Concern", but still 2 categories away from "Endangered". Leopard Status | |||
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One of Us |
The guy is an ignorant F--K Tard. I got the same BS response. I find their "save the endangered species" platform very hipocritical coming from a business that is packed with goods manufactured in countries with some of the worst human rights and labor law abuses in the world. | |||
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One of Us |
I recognize that CW is a direct retailer but does it also market its goods through Cabela's, Bass Pro, or other outdoor retailer? If so, perhaps you are writing letters to the wrong company and your efforts would be more fruitful by writing to the stores that sell CW products but also cater to hunters/fishermen. | |||
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One of Us |
My e-mail to Lemonis: Dear Mr. Lemonis: I am shocked and disgusted by your anti-hunting views with respect to pulling your ads from The Apprentice and reiterating uniformed, ignorant emotional responses that paint your customers as uncaring about wildlife conservation. The USFWS over-regulates the importation of African trophies and while Elephant and Leopard may be regulated under CITES these species are present in great abundance through most of Africa. In fact, hunting is responsible for the conservation and value placed on these species. One need only contrast the sorry state of wildlife in a country like Kenya which has banned sport hunting with its neighbor to the south Tanzania that fully supports sport hunting. By comparison, wildlife thrives in Tanzania while Kenya is losing most of its wildlife. Your ignorance is very disturbing especially since your business caters to a clientele that widely supports and embraces hunting. To test this out, why don’t you speak to fans at the Camping World Truck Series NASCAR race and see how many NASCAR fans support your ignorant, wrong-headed, misguided mis-portrayal of sport hunting and its role in wildlife conservation. I for one will not buy anything from your stores until you retract your ignorant statements and issue an apology to the sport hunters that used to be your customers. I hunt to live and live to hunt! | |||
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One of Us |
Question Is the African elephant split listed in CITES, ie., listed in both Appendix I & Appendix II. I think in Zimbabwe they are listed as Appendix II. The way I read it Appendix I animals are near extinction. Appendix II animals are not near extinction BUT their management needs to be critically controlled. CITES EXPERTS PLEASE CLARIFY. | |||
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One of Us |
I'm certainly no expert ... thought it's been my experience that if you get two experts together (in any context), chances are about 50-50 they'll hold diametrically opposing views on the topic of their expertise. In addition, when you start paraphrasing an official document {"CITES I says this" or "CITES II says that"), you're already modifying its meaning. So its always a good idea to refer to the exact wording of the official document. That being said, Loxodonta africana is listed in both appendices (I & II). See HERE top of page 13. It depends on the country of export - All are CITES I except Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, which are CITES II]. However, just whose criteria (and data) should be used to make the determination is somewhat unclear (to me anyway) ... AND ... the determination seems to be in the hands of "the Scientific (or Management) Authority of the State of export". See HERE: Articles III & IV, Item 2. | |||
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One of Us |
hunt99: | |||
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new member |
Email sent. | |||
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One of Us |
Folks, The easiest solution and the only one that a company understands is to vote with your pocketbook. If enough people did that, the declining bottom line on profits will get their attention. Nothing else will. Arguing with a fool like this is like wrestling with a pig. You're both gonna get dirty but the pig enjoys it. No matter how many facts you post or experts you quote, he simply isn't gonna see things your way. It is what it is. | |||
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One of Us |
Emails sent. Mike ______________ DSC DRSS (again) SCI Life NRA Life Sables Life Mzuri IPHA "To be a Marine is enough." | |||
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One of Us |
I tried sending a comment twice and it would not accept it. Some of the response from some of you folks I am not real sure about whose side you are on. It does not matter if you personally go to camping world, but you may know people that do. If so talk to them, explain the situation. Surely folks on here are not so one dimensional that the only people they know and associate with are hunters. If we don't make an effort to try and correct this, we deserve to lose hunting! Even the rocks don't last forever. | |||
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One of Us |
FWIIW - Travel Trailers are common in deer camps in Texas and for many years I have traded with the Camping World in Garland, TX. The staff there has always been great and many of them hunt and fish. IMHO, the problem is not with the folks in their stores but the upper management thast has lost sight (if they ever knew) of who their customers are. This is very common as corporations grow large and their management is there just to manage the money and take as much out of the company as they can. Wait a minute, that is like our federal government representatives in DC! NRA Life Benefactor Member, DRSS, DWWC, Whittington Center,Android Reloading Ballistics App at http://www.xplat.net/ | |||
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