Insight
YOUR OPINION
Re: Zoë Williams
I would like to point out Zoë Williams' obvious disdain for corporate America has eroded her responsibility as a journalist to report the facts. In her article, Ms. Williams sharply criticized the pharmaceutical and beverage industries for being unwilling to "forget about profit margins," and help in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
I hope the non-exhaustive list below will serve to educate Ms. Williams and perhaps other readers as to the facts surrounding the willingness of corporations to help Hurricane Katrina victims. These donation numbers are as of 9/2/2005:
Abbott Pharmaceuticals - $2 million cash and at least $2 million in nutritional/medicinal products.
Amgen Biopharmaceuticals - $2.5 million cash.
Astrazeneca- $1 million cash
Bayer- $2 million in cash and donations
BMS - $1 million cash
Eli Lilly - $1 million cash and $1 million in medical products
GlaxoSmithKline- $1 million cash
Merck - $1 million cash
Pfizer- $1 million cash and $1 million in supply donations
Anheuser Busch - Donating $2.5 million cans of fresh water per week
I would also like to remind Ms. Williams that her attempt to vilify both the Walton and Gates families truly illuminates her ignorance. The Walton family has donated $15 million to the relief effort and the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation has donated $3 million to the relief and a total of $7.4 billion to the world since its inception in January of 2000.
Ms. Williams, of course you're entitled to your opinion but you owe it to your readers (many of us students who, involuntarily, financially support your paper) to supply us with the facts. Facts are there to strengthen your argument, not weaken it.