| Letter to Warren
Buffett, member Coke Board of Directors
November 18, 2003
BERKSHIRE
HATHAWAY
INC.
Mr. Warren Buffett
1440 Kiewit Plaza
Omaha, NE 68131
Dear Mr. Buffett:
I seriously doubt you’ll ever see this
letter, problems addressed here will in all likely-hood be handled by a
form letter or possibly by one of your subordinates. Since you have long
been a hero of mine I will do my best to address to you whether you see
this missive or not.
I am writing you in your capacity as one
of the largest, if not the single largest, stockholders of Coca-Cola
Stock.
There is an ongoing boycott of Coca-Cola
Products within the Southern Heritage Preservation movement. Surprised?
You shouldn’t be, anything connected with the preservation of the Southern
Heritage is very politically incorrect.
I will start at the beginning, back in
2000 the Georgia Legislature passed a bill in the dead of night changing
the Georgia State Flag. This was against the expressed wishes of over 62%
of the voting public. The Governor, Roy Barnes at the time, twisted arms
and threatened hell fire and damnation on any and all of the Legislators
who failed to support his “Blue Rag”. The Governor’s office then contacted
the Atlanta Taliban or Chamber of Commerce if you prefer, and encouraged
them to contribute to those legislators running for re-election,
especially in those districts where the flag was the primary issue.
The Atlanta Journal/Constitution ran an
article on October 28, 2002 titled; “Big business boosts
flag-change backers”. This article went on to say that the Coca-Cola
Company usually gave a few hundred dollars to a very few candidates, but
during this election cycle Coca-Cola was donating $1,500 per Legislator
who had voted to change the flag.
Mr. Buffett like most
Georgians I was upset by the way the flag was changed, but I had no
intention of becoming a Heritage nut. As I wrote Mr. Daft about this
matter, I explained that in my 52 years on earth nothing buy Coca-Cola
Products, coffee and water had ever passed over my lips. I was incensed
that my money spent with Coca-Cola was being spent in such a manner. One
of Mr. Daft’s flunkies sent me a letter explaining that Coca-Cola gave to
many worthwhile causes. This was carefully studied and Coca-Cola stood
100% behind their contribution.
I poured out every
drop of Coke products in my house, had the Coke machine removed from my
church, and started a boycott of the Coca-Cola Company. I went on-line and
made contacts with the various Southern Heritage Preservation groups, all
of which decided Coca-Cola would be our first target. I have personally
had contact with people in 41 of the 50 states. I have petitions from
groups as small as 6 to as large as 1,500 totaling over 500,000
individuals. It is likely that some of these people boycotted Coca-Cola
until the next time it went on sale, which by the way was what the
Coca-Cola flunky predicted. Now over a year later the boycott locally and
nationally is gaining, not losing steam.
Why am I writing you?
It seems clear you invested in Coca-Cola to make money. A boycott whether
it is 10,000 or a 1,000,000 is costing you money. What would it take for
the Heritage Movement to stop boycotting Coca-Cola? A contribution to the
Southern Party of Georgia equal to the bribe, uh, contributions to the
legislators who broke faith with the voters who elected them, and a
promise to never contribute to anti-Southern causes again. I have nothing
personally to do with the Southern Party of Georgia, I just hate drinking
Pepsi Products, but I can’t retreat from my position until Coca-Cola
admits they made a mistake.
Coca-Cola was founded
by a Confederate Veteran, its base is Southern, and has its historical
support. Mr. Buffett, people have always underestimated the resolve of the
Southerners. Roy Barnes had a campaign war chest of over 20 million
dollars and lost to a bunch of rural “good old boys” putting up yard signs
all over Georgia. We are about to embark on a Boycott Coca-Cola Sign
campaign. It can’t do Coca-Cola’s bottom line any good. Please urge the
Board of Directors to honor, not run away from their Confederate Roots.
In the service of the
King and honoring the Southern Heritage, I remain.
Dr. William H.
Swann
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