Carbone Auto Group donates thousands to new mosque

[Disgusted-Daily]

www.wktv.com/news/local/27029994.html

Hey, I think I paid $5,000 to much for my truck at Carbone.

I wonder what is really behind this so called generosity? Considering they give ice away in the winter time (January & February only), so this must be a publicity stunt. Why this religion? I am pretty sure Carbone does not attend this church. I wonder how many cars the Bosnians will buy in the future.

The Utica Zoo was looking for a new Zoo mobile, what happened Alex did you have a shortage of cars?

This just sealed my fate of never purchasing a vehicle from them again.

[rickolney]

Locally -- Makes you wonder, doesn't it? Alan Mukic looks to have gotten the support of his employer. Nothing wrong with that.

Nationally -- In these troubled times, I know where my vote is going next time around. This may be a Church full of good people that that have every right to worship and gather as they see fit. But I'm glad that we have protections in place to know who is good and bad. Because there is a percentage of radicals of all faiths that only want to destroy our ideals and steal our lives.

[gearofzanzibar]

Aug 16, 2008 11:40:08 GMT -5 Disgusted-Daily said:

This just sealed my fate of never purchasing a vehicle from them again.

Do you find the concept of charitable contributions in general offensive, or just charitable contributions to muslims?

[Clipper]

I got screwed at Carbone also, and won't ever buy another car there. Not only that, they stuck it up my butt and didn't even kiss me first.LOL

I guess I would be inclined to believe that if he is donating in order to sell cars, he is perfectly proper in doing so. It is his money, and if he wants to cement a base of Bosnian customers, what better way to do it.

Over the years I have seen car dealers donate cars to be raffled off by other churches for building fund raising, and other charitable causes.

I think that we need to point out that most of the muslims in Utica are not from the hotbed countries in the middle east, that harbor or condone terrorism.

[corner]

true that is clipper there are much better reasons to avoid carbones than who they donate money to. the same folks who go to that mosque are my neighbors and some have become friends, you can not ask for better in either category

[Disgusted-Daily]

This was not a slam to the Muslim Religion, it was a slam to the Carbone's. They portray themselves to be a family business who has great family values and cares about the community. When a family business makes a donation to a religion (not their own) and certainly would not be considered a charity. I automatically think of a publicity stunt with no family fundamentals they they advertise regularly and I loose all respect for that business.

There are plenty of worth while charities to donate too that would have made a real difference in the community. I personally would never donate any money to a church other than the one that I worship God in. I understand it is his money and can do what he wishes to do with it, but why all the attention about it? I bought five new vehicles from him why not donate to my church? Does he really expect a out pour of gratitude from the public for donating five thousand dollars to a religion that a small percentage of his customers attend?

I would just like to know the real reasoning behind this donation.

[gearofzanzibar]

Aug 19, 2008 0:52:09 GMT -5 Disgusted-Daily said:

This was not a slam to the Muslim Religion, it was a slam to the Carbone's. They portray themselves to be a family business who has great family values and cares about the community. When a family business makes a donation to a religion (not their own) and certainly would not be considered a charity. I automatically think of a publicity stunt with no family fundamentals they they advertise regularly and I loose all respect for that business.

There are plenty of worth while charities to donate too that would have made a real difference in the community. I personally would never donate any money to a church other than the one that I worship God in. I understand it is his money and can do what he wishes to do with it, but why all the attention about it? I bought five new vehicles from him why not donate to my church? Does he really expect a out pour of gratitude from the public for donating five thousand dollars to a religion that a small percentage of his customers attend?

I would just like to know the real reasoning behind this donation.

Thank you for the response. I think your initial post came off a bit differently than you may have intended and this makes your reaction more understandable.

I personally think the Carbone organization is a loathsome collection of ferret-faced crooks, so the idea that they wanted to build up some much-needed community goodwill makes the most sense. I'd guess that at least ten percent of Utica's population is now made up of Bosnian muslims, so it seems like a worthwhile investment.

[corner]

man have you looked at the progeny doing commercials ferret faced does not begin to describe these thieves..they should not be allowed to breed.

[lilbump1980]

I have never had a problem with Carbone. However this is not the only contribution they make. When they have the 2 of hearts drawing... those are carbone cars that are being raffled and carbone motorcycles.. How easy we forget.
I buy all my vehicles from them.. Have always had Great luck.

[Clipper]

Two sides to every story Lilbump. I have unfortunately known more people screwed by them, than happy customers. They must have a loyal following or they would not have gotten as big or popular as they are.

Todd, I know that you are not a person to be prejudiced against a religious group. I simply was clarifying the point that Utica's muslims, for the most part, don't come from the areas where terrorism is a product that is a major export. I wasn't slamming you. I was simply attempting to swing the discussion before someone else took the thread off in an anti-muslim direction.

Gear, Todd and I started out on a rocky road with a heated discussion or just plain outright battle over my calling him a bigot, on the OD forums many months ago. We came to an understanding which was of benefit to both of us, and became friends. Todd works in corrections, and as with Corner and others that deal with the criminal element daily, it is hard not to develop prejudice against whole demographics and groups of people, by race, religion, or ethnicity. I think that Todd learned that it is not necessary to make blanket statements against complete groups of people, and I learned that it is perfectly normal for people that have their lives threatened daily, by groups of people, to hold discriminatory feelings toward those groups or ethnicities.

I have talked to a friend that is a corrections officer in the Utica area. He is a black man, and HE is prejudiced against blacks and hispanics within the corrections system. He says that even being black himself, he has a hard time looking past skin color, to find the real person, after spending so many years watching his back while walking the yard at the prison. He says even being black, it is hard not to profile and stereotype people.

In summation, Todd has been a good friend, and is NOT a prejudiced person who makes unfeeling statements. I am sure that he may have more angst with Carbone than with muslims.

The friendship that developed between Todd and I is a true benefit of on line discussion and eventual email and PM discussion, which brought about a mutual respect, mutual understanding, and modification of both of our personal views on subjects of race and social standing.

[lilbump1980]

oh clipper i agree totally that there are 2 sides to every story, i just am stating I would rather buy a car at carbone than any where else, just b/c they have been great to me!

[stoney]

What percentage did they charge you over invoice, Lilbump?

[lilbump1980]

Nothing I got it at dealer cost.

[stoney]

How in the world did you get it at "dealer cost", better known as invoice price?? No dealer would be in business if they didn't make some money in the deal.

[lilbump1980]

prob b/c i am a very loyal customer who gives them great looking cars with low mileage in return.. and they make $$$ on every car i ever traded in..