Guest guest Posted August 29, 2001 Report Share Posted August 29, 2001 ***************************************************************************= HLS: INVESTOR OF THE WEEK **BANK OF AMERICA** ****************************************************************************= Excerpts from Chapter One of Michelle Rokke's 1997 Undercover Investigation inside HLS 9/22/96 Sunday HLS ....Room 904 and 906 are part of the same study #3278 (Colgate). The dogs in rooms 904 and 906 are adults and seem much older and bigger than the beagles I've seen in other rooms (454, 456, 920, 921). They also seem much less healthy and happy. The dogs dance and bark to get my attention and most of them immediately adopt a submissive position when the cage door is opened. They appear to be torn between desperately needing the human affection they've been reared to expect and reluctant to be put through more painful invasive tests. When I carry them between cages they press their bodies into mine and nuzzle their noses into my neck. When I put them down, they dance for joy at not being subjected to another painful procedure... 9/25/95 Wednesday HLS ....Irene and Brian were each drawing blood from dogs in the hall. I watched Irene stick the needle in the dog's neck and jab and fish around repeatedly - sticking the dog about eight times. She withdrew the needle and repeated the procedure. After five more jabs she asked Brian if he wanted to switch dogs. Brian was having the same problem with the dog he was trying to draw blood from... These are just two paragraphs from Michelle's NEVER SEEN BEFORE notes. Each week a new chapter will be released to the public via http://www.shacusa.net. or the complete Chapter One, see: http://www.shacusa.net/diary/chapter1.html Every week there is a week-long phone/e-mail blockade against one of HLS's investors. Some of these investors will be big companies and others will be private investors. We will target a new investor each week. We need EVERYONE to take a few minutes each day and let these investors know that by supporting HLS, they are supporting animal abuse and torture. Show them that WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE! Let's hit them where it hurts - their pockets! *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ BANK OF AMERICA The Bank of America, through it's association with Stephens Inc. is responsible for the deaths of over 180,000 animals a year! Monday, August 20th marks the official launch of the national campaign against Bank of America. At least 10 Bank of America offices and branches across the country will be protested and a press conference will be held at their headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Bank of America has it's entire mutual fund program run through the controversial investment firm Stephens Inc. Stephens Inc. provides to the Bank of America mutual fund legal consultation, state reporting, research, management, and sales of mutual fund programs. Insiders within the Bank of America have reported Stephens handles as much as 160 billion dollars in resources for the companies they manage through the bank. In return the Bank provides Stephens Inc. with office space, resources, employees, and customers. The Bank of America's duplicitous and profitable business relationship with Stephens. Inc provides the Little Rock based company with capital and business credibility that have allowed it to save from financial ruin, on January 29th 2001, the notorious animal testing lab Huntingdon Life Sciences. The Bank of America prides itself on being an environmentally and socially responsible company (they have an " environmental initiatives " section on their website). That makes this week's Investor of the Week SO important! Forward this everywhere and contact the Bank of America incessently asking them to end their business relationship with Stephens Inc.! This would be a HUGE blow to HLS!! or more info, see: http://www.BankofAmericaKills.com HEADQUARTERS: Bank of America Corporate World HQ 100 S. Tryon St. Charlotte, NC 28255 (704) 386-5478 NATIONS FUNDS: (this is the specific department affiliated with Stephens) Bank of America Nations Funds P.O. Box 34602 Charlotte, NC 28254 1.800.321.7854 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time (M-F) or 1.800.248.0290 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m Pacific Time (M-F) CUSTOMER RELATIONS: Bank of America NW Customer Relations P.O. Box 3977 Seattle, WA 98124 1.800.223.1558 1.206.358.3446 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (M-F) DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE and GENERAL INFO: 1.888.279.3457 Eastern Time 1.888.279.3121 Central Time 1.888.279.3264 Pacific Time 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (M-F) Website: www.bankofamerica.com Branch Locator:20 http://www.bankofamerica.com/contact/data/contact.cfm?lobatmbranch E-mail Forms: http://www.bankofamerica.com/wa/contact/ PRINCIPAL OFFICERS: Kenneth (Doyle) Lewis20 President, Chairperson and CEO 2525 Richardson Dr. Charlotte, NC 28211-3311 (Floyd) William Vandiver Jr. Corporate Risk Management Executive20 2050 Stonebridge Lane Charlotte, NC 28211-1716 phone: 704.366.100120 Hugh (Leon) McColl Jr. Chairperson Emeritus20 1241 Scotland Rd. Charlotte, NC 28207-2570 (retired on April 25th 2001 but is still listed as Chairperson Emeritus by the bank so his current involvement with BofA is unclear) OTHER OFFICES: 600 Peach Tree St. NE Atlanta, GA 30308 (404) 262-634020 233 S Wacker Dr. Chicago, IL 60604 (312) 234-560020 901 Main St. Dallas, TX 75202 (214) 209-137320 700 Louisiana St. Houston, TX 77002 (713) 247-6033 525 Flower St. Los Angeles, CA 90071 (213) 312-900020 345 Montgomery St. San Francisco, CA 94104 (650) 615-470020 701 5th Ave. Seattle, WA 98104 (206) 358-7807 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Please take the time to put your feelings and outrage into your own words, someone has to read these letters and emails. It would be much more effective if they read a variety of letters, not just a form letter. SAMPLE LETTER: I am writing to urge you to discontinue your business relationship with the investment firm Stephens Inc. Stephens Inc. is the largest shareholder and primary financer of Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS), the world's most notorious animal testing facility. HLS conducts painful and invasive tests on live animals including dogs, cats, primates, rats, mice, rabbits and other animals. HLS specializes in testing household/pharmaceutical products, like detergents and tanning lotions and agrochemicals, like weed-killers and pesticides that pollute our air and water. Every day 500 animals die behind its doors after being forced to inhale, ingest and endure toxic levels of these chemicals. Approximately 180,000 animals enter Huntingdon's doors every year but, in the words of an HLS employee, 'none of them leave alive.' Even more outlandish than imprisoning and poisoning innocent, healthy animals, is that HLS has been exposed FIVE times for animal cruelty above and beyond their normal operations. Workers were caught on film punching four-month-old beagle puppies in the face, dissecting a live monkey and taunting animals who were undergoing painful tests. Thousands upon thousands of compassionate individuals have learned of the horrors of HLS and taken action to close it down. Due to their committment and dedication HLS has been brought financially to its knees. The list of investors who have pulled out of HLS reads like a who's who of the financial world: Citibank, HSBC, Merrill Lynch, Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays Bank and dozens of others. In December of 2000 HLS's share price dropped so low they were kicked off the New York Stock Exchange and in January lost their last two market-makers in the UK. On January 29th,01 Huntingdon was on the brink of bankruptcy. But a $33 million loan from Stephens Inc. at the 11th hour kept the ethical and financial nightmare that is HLS afloat. Clearly Stephens cares more about money than about the 500 animals who have died every day at HLS since Stephens saved them from closing or the 500 animals who will die every day until that vile lab is closed. As one of Stephens's most significant business affiliates you have enormous power and influence to help the animals inside HLS. Like so many companies before you, Bank of America can choose not to do business with companies that fund HLS, like Stephens Inc. In the words of BoA president <italic> " By giving back to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism, we have the power to help our neighbors build better, healthier, safer lives. And we have the power to help create stronger, more compassionate and more prosperous communities in which we all can live. " </italic> By ending your business relationship with Stephens, you send a strong message to that unlike them, you are an ethically minded company and you will not be part of their dirty work. By hitting them in the pocket, the only place Stephens seems to take notice, you bring us a huge step closer to closing down HLS once and for all!! Sincerely, ********************************************************************** For More Information: http://www.adl-online.com http://www.shacusa.net http://www.stephenskills.com ********************************************************************** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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