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Hummer Fans' Convoy of Compassion
John Duchaj, left, Aquilino Carpella and Kevin Koldaro check out the undercarriage of one of the Hummers at a rally in Bethesda, held to show support for a D.C. man after his Hummer was vandalized last month.
(By Linda Davidson -- The Washington Post)
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The July 18 Washington Post article was picked up around the world, attracting 58 pages of reader comments on the Post's Web site.
One said: "Hummers may be the poster child for bad mileage, but those vandals and all of the victim's pious neighbors would be a lot better off protesting at the coal electric generation plant that provides them with their electricity."
Another: "Last time I looked my Ford Expedition was getting 14 miles to the gallon. If that is what he wants who are we to say he can't have that?"
Groves also heard from members of a Hummer drivers network. They wanted to show support through holding a barbecue on his block. Groves had never met any of these people. Who knew what sort of message they might bring to the neighborhood where he was born and raised, he worried.
So the event was moved to a supportive venue in downtown Bethesda.
"They just wanted to clear their name," Groves said, "and let the media know that they're not bad guys and their cars are not bad cars."
Christopher and Kristina Benson said they had driven their H1 six hours from North Carolina. "That's how much this means to us," Christopher Benson said.
Jim Bennett of Manassas pointed to his vehicle and said, "I've pulled two cars out of canyons with my winch."
Massa said he helped organize the rally to remind the public that Hummer owners are not self-centered Earth-haters. They have organized groups, including Hummer Hope, that offer their vehicles after such disasters as Hurricane Katrina. And he said some Hummer drivers are students of alternative fuels.
"I'm actually starting to convert my truck to vegetable oil this week," he said.
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