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Please can you all sign this petition. Gibson Guitars are apparently persistently importing banned tropical hardwoods to decorate their instruments.

Incredibly, I got an email back from their CEO. He seemed rather offended.

Apparently no-one's presented any proof yet of what's going on: loads of samples have been confiscated but no analysis happened yet, and no case filed. He also said they use the same supply chain as everyone else in the business. I must admit I can't see a way to guarantee that your wood is kosher if the legal infrastructure of the country it comes from is, erm, inadequate.

Which does rather beg the question, can't they get the wood from somewhere else.

Apparently the law ("Lacey Act") under which the samples are being impounded covers things that were taken l-o-n-g before laws existed to protect them: so you can't import Edwardian-era pianos with ivory keys (for example) into the USA.

Beeb news weighs in.

Facing a criminal investigation, Gibson boss Henry Juszkiewicz has formed an uneasy alliance with the Tea Party, even appearing on stage in Nashville at a sun-drenched weekend rally called to support his firm.

It's one thing chopping down the rain forest, but associating with the Tea Party? Huh, that's my order for a Gibson cancelled.

They're based in Nashville. I dodn't think the poor guy has much choice. (wonders if they also make banjos...).