MEMO
TO:
Fred Stanback File
BY:
John Tanton
DATE:
May 29, 1998
RE:
Visit with Fred Stanback on May 20, 1998
Roy Beck joined Mary Lou and me for this visit, as Mr. Stanback wanted to meet him.
Roy arrived only after considerable difficulties: he experienced delayed baggage, a lost
wallet (later recovered), six hours in the airport, and a late car pickup. Nonetheless,
all's well that ends well!
As usual, the conversation ranged over many topics. I present materials here more or
less by the speaker that brought them up, not in the order they came up.
Roy talked about his video, and pointed out that there was now a second environmental
version, which Stanback did not think he had seen. Roy gave him a supply. Stanback
said that he thought the gumballs demonstration was the single best one for explaining
the population problem.
Roy recounted the Sierra Club vote experience, and mentioned that he was going to
spend the next day with Beth Thomas, the only one of 10 members of the Sierra Club
Population Committee that voted with us. She lives in the Chapel Hill area.
We talked about Roy's website being a (c)(4) operation, in need of non-tax-deductible
donations. I mentioned that Buhl had given $10,000. At the close, Fred said to be sure
to keep him informed on this point. The name of this project is Americans for Better
Immigration (ABI).
We discussed the letters-to-the-editor project under Linda Purdue, and explained that
she is currently working on putting together a comprehensive list of local groups around
the country.
Stanback raised the question of student interns, which he is funding through the
University of North Carolina. He in effect offered one to Roy for next year, provided a
suitable experience could be arranged for the student. Apparently, several groups to
whom they were offered this year did not even respond (including FAIR, he said).
Roy discussed the results of the direct mail done in pursuit of the Sierra Club Project,
and how it had opened up avenues to other conservation organizations. He covered
MEMO to Fred Stanback File
Page 2
the recent foray into Michigan. Roy discussed his idea of preparing overlays on
population to go along with other environmental problems, such as air pollution.
Roy mentioned his talk to the Council of Conservative Citizens, and Stanback
expressed concern that this might come back to bite him in the form of unfavorable
publicity. Roy took the point under advisement.
Stanback wanted to know what Roy's office set-up was (in connection with the intern
question), and Roy described it.
We talked about the difference between identifying potential supporters and converting
people to one's point of view. Stanback agreed that the former was the task.
Roy also described the system for faxing members of Congress.
Fred gave us an anti-immigration control letter written by the lady who runs the native
forest network -which he supports. He was surprised by the letter, but on reading the
whole newsletter, it is clear that the whole operation comes from the hard Left. For
instance, it is supported in part by the Paul Robeson Fund.
Roy mentioned that Mayor Gulianni of New York is proposing that park land on Long
island be given over to housing, because the population is growing and the price of land
is going up as a result. Stanback offered the opinion that we would ultimately not be
able to protect land in the face of escalating population pressures.
On the E M topic, I mentioned the past Supreme Court case, and the new one coming
along in Arizona. Nothing more was said on the language topic.
Mr. Stanback mentioned at one point that both the Republicans and the Democrats
were against us, and it was difficult to see happy prospects for our side.
He mentioned again being on the board of the School of Environmental Studies at
Duke, on which Pat Noonan also serves. It is through the school that his internships are
funded.
He favors the Sierra Club ban on logging in the national forests.
He was high on Dave Foreman (The Wildlands Project, PO Box 13768, Albuquerque,
NM 87192, 505-292-9764 (Phone), and 505-292-8886 (FAX), who is on our side with
the immigration question, and who Stanback says is an excellent speaker.
MEMO to Fred Stanback File
Page 3
We talked a little bit about Senator Faircloth and his hog farming operations in the state.
Roy mentioned having appeared before Representative Watts of North Carolina, who
sits as the ranking minority member on the Immigration Sub-committee. Watts is
black, and did not take kindly to Roy's comments about the effects on blacks of
immigration. His congressional district had just been redesigned in light of Supreme
Court rulings (it was heavily gerrymandered).
Stanback's wife was off to Italy for a sailboat trip down the Adriatic, with stops at a
number of interesting ports along the way.
Stanback had joined the Republicans for Environmental Protection (REP), and wanted
to know if I was aware of it. I was able to reply affirmatively - I'm a member. The
group's symbol is a green elephant.
In the course of discussing Bob Park's efforts, it came out that Stanback is 78 years of
age. Two years ago, when we were visiting, his wife was giving a party for Stanback's
92-year old mother.
I asked about the land on the South Carolina-North Carolina border that an effort has
been made to save. It's at Lake Jacossee, and was owned by Duke Power. South
Carolina anted up 30 million dollars; North Carolina is being asked for 10 million, and
hopefully The Nature Conservancy will put in the rest. The movie, The Last of the
Mohicans, was at least partially filmed in this area.
Stanback made kind remarks about my leadership, and my having been ahead of the
crowd on a number of issues.
I asked him about the voice actuated dictation system, but he has not yet pursued it.
His cousin's son is still at Family Health International.
I mentioned the next issue of The Social Contract, as being on Malthus, and
recommended the Paddock article in particular.
Fred said that he had not seen any of the Hardin reprints. He's a Hardin fan. I should
send him the two we have out so far.
Fund-raising: Stanback suggests that I get back in touch with Shirley Anderson, who
still is in touch with Mrs. Buffett in particular. Her former husband, Ed Anderson, lives
on Calla de Oro in La Jolla, California. Apparently he might be helpful also.
MEMO to Fred Stanback File
Page 4
Charlie Munger's wife, Nancy, recently received the Golden Spike Award from some
educational institution in California - I forget which one.
Stanback recommended that we try to establish a line of contact with Howard Buffett,
who is a photographer and works for a grain trading company in Chicago but lives in
downstate Illinois. He says that many people are circling the Buffetts, eyeing the
eventual 20 billion dollar foundation that will be set up and will have something like a
billion dollars to give away each year, which for a 2000-hour work year, comes to
$500,000 an hour!
Buffett has another son named Peter, who has made it on his own as a musician. He
wrote the music for Dances With Wolves.
k exactly who is on the Buffett Foundation board. I should write the
We need to l ~ o up
Buffett Foundation to get their most recent annual report.
Stanback was negative on Bob Park's campaign, feeling that he was too old (he thought
he was 78). 1 tried to explain the rationale of getting involved in the political side of
things. This led into a discussion of political action committees - I will write Mr.
Stanback on this point.
Stanback made the point that there are now a great many pesple with much more
money to give away, thanks to the run-up on the stock market.
In the course of this conversation, I got the idea of doing an oral history on Pat Noonan.
That certainly is a story that should be told - it might help move me in the direction of
fund-raising.
I told Mr. Stanback in the course of this conversation that I intended to spend more of
my time on fund-raising and the political aspect of things in the future. I contended this
was essential to moving things forward.
I also discussed my forthcoming retirement. Stanback encouraged me t~ run against
Abraham! I discussed starting at the bottom of the political process, at the precinct
level. We talked a bit about the North Carolinians for Immigration Control (NCIC), and
Herb Berry's efforts there. Fred was impressed with him. I also mentioned the western
North Carolina division of this group, which he had not heard of. I told him about our
visit the day before to Silver City, North Carolina, a big chicken factory town.
We also discussed the "rhetoric project," which FAIR is trying to develop, and Stanback
thought that it sounded like a good idea.
MEMO to Fred Stanback File
Page 5
Stanback feels that he must spend his time on environmental matters rather than
population matters, which are his primary interest, simply because the environmental
matters are the ones that are in tune with the general public.
TO DO:
I.Solicit (c)(4) donation for ABI
2. Offer Mr. Stanback the Hardin reprints
3. Contact Shirley Anders and her ex-husband, Ed
4. See Last of the Mohicans and Dances With Wolves
5. Look up Buffett Foundation Board; get Berkshire-Hathaway Annual Report
6. PAC letter to Mrs. May
7. Do oral history on Pat Noonan