Boycott's: Do they ever work?

http://sanitybluff.blogspot.com ^ | 06-02-05 | webloafer

[webloafer]

Some subjects are hard to talk about, and wise men or women avoid discussing them at all. Well let me tackle one difficult subject, since I feel brave this evening.

Boycotts

I have never been a fan of boycotts, and see no merit to them. They hardly ever work.

When a companies public stance on an issue, aggravates me, I don’t stomp my feet and swear that “none of my hard earned money will be spent on that product.” No I just rely on that little voice inside me to guide me while shopping.

Not too long ago, I was shopping for groceries, and the next item on my shopping list was, bottled water.

I stopped at the display of my favorite bottled water, Perrier, and a strange thing happened. As I was reaching for the odd shaped green bottle, a voice inside me whispered, “ Jacques Chirac’ drinks this water too.” My hand stopped and a panic washed over me.

If I drink this water, I may become a worm. A self-loving, egomaniacal, bloated, perverted, cowardly, back-stabbing, not to be trusted thief and liar.

Then my eyes fell upon a display of Ozarka bottled water, drawn from the deep wells of Texas, in the USA.

I reached for the bottle of Ozarka Bottled Water, and a voice inside me whispered, “George Walker Bush drinks this water. (CON'T IN COMMENTS SECTION OF THIS POST}

[webloafer]

Clementine’s, Bottled Water and Pickup Trucks

Some subjects are hard to talk about, and wise men or women avoid discussing them at all. Well let me tackle one difficult subject, since I feel brave this evening.

Boycotts

Let’s be silly first, and then very serious.

I have never been a fan of boycotts, and see no merit to them. They hardly ever work.

When a companies public stance on an issue, aggravates me, I don’t stomp my feet and swear that “none of my hard earned money will be spent on that product.” No I just rely on that little voice inside me to guide me while shopping.

Not too long ago, I was shopping for groceries, and the next item on my shopping list was, bottled water.

I stopped at the display of my favorite bottled water, Perrier, and a strange thing happened. As I was reaching for the odd shaped green bottle, a voice inside me whispered, “ Jacques Chirac’ drinks this water too.” My hand stopped and a panic washed over me.

If I drink this water, I may become a worm. A self-loving, egomaniacal, bloated, perverted, cowardly, back-stabbing, not to be trusted thief and liar.

Then my eyes fell upon a display of Ozarka bottled water, drawn from the deep wells of Texas, in the USA.

I reached for the bottle of Ozarka Bottled Water, and a voice inside me whispered, “George Walker Bush drinks this water.

I bought several cases of that water. If drinking this water could make me as dumb as G.W. and as much a cowboy, I’m in for it.

Boycotts are not effective, but that little voice that whispers inside you, is effective.

Earlier this winter while shopping for produce, I could not resist the lure of those delicious little Clementine’s from Spain. I love those small but sweet citrus fruits, so when I noticed they were on sale, I reached for a crate of them. Before my hand reached the crate, that pesky little voice inside me whispered, “The Spaniard’s eat these too”

Once again panic washed over me, “If I eat these Clementine’s, I might become as cowardly, untrustworthy, and spineless, as the Spaniards.” I might turn out to be one that cuts and runs, before a tough job is done, and leave others to do what I said I would do.

Well this stopped my hand, and at that very moment out of the corner of my eye I saw a sign that said, “California Clementine’s will arrive next week.” A week is not too long to wait.

Yes, our subconscious is a powerful tool, so do we really need boycotts? No!

Now to the serious side of boycott’s.

I have been a dues paying Teamster for over twenty years. I have paid thousands and thousands of dollars into the coffers of my local and national Teamster Union. I don’t agree with the hierarchy of the Union, and how they use my dues to enrich the coffers of liberal politicians. But, I don’t have much of a choice or say in how my dues are spent. Every candidate that the Teamsters have helped in the last twenty years, have been candidates I would never vote for. In plain English, other than being pro-union the candidates receiving Teamster money have nothing in common with my morals or views. Again I want to emphasize, The union gives me no CHOICE in how my money is spent in the political world. AMAZING, choice is demanded in every realm of these people’s world, but no choice in this matter. Sort of kin to, “taxed without representation.” I can hold my nose and keep paying dues, but I don’t like it.

Here is a link to a web news item that I guarantee will make a majority of you angry. I imagine a good portion of those who will be angry, will want to boycott the products being sold by this group. Many of you will want to boycott the companies that sell cars made by members of this Anti-American Marine Union. that hates America’s fighting men and women so.

http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0503/15/A01-117640.htm

I just happen to be in the market for a new pickup truck this fall, and I can hear that little voice telling me. “A Toyota Tundra is a very good truck.”

This is in no way a slap at the many union workers of the Automobile and Truck Industry. I have for years supported the “Buy American First” idea.

But until the automobile workers of America clean up their Union, I will look for a truck elsewhere. It is not a boycott; it is only that small voice saying “If you buy that pickup, you may become bigoted and stupid like the leadership of the UAW. No thanks. For the record, any one of our countries fighting men and women are welcome to park their car, truck or even their tank, in my driveway, yard or even my garden, if it takes that much room.

[mgc1122]

Smith & Wesson probably can attest to the power of a customer boycott.

[Bosco]

Do boycotts ever work? Yes - here's one that did.

[Millee]

According to Bill O'Reilly (HUGE grain of salt needed, I know)the winery's of France have been hurt. Aaaaawwwwww..

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

Welcome to FR.

You're possibly confusing the agenda of the UAW with the interests of its rank and file members. They are not the same. Same goes for most big unions, which are big business, big time under color of protecting the "common man." (Worst of all is the Marxist-dominated National Education Association UNION and propaganda front....)

Certainly don't buy Ford right now, they are pro-homosexual as has been their Foundation, IIRC. Yes,I urge and support a boycott of FoMoCo....and Carl's Jr./Hardee's...and Target....

But GM would be worth a definite look. Tomorrow they announce a month-long price incentive that sounds exceptionally good for car and truck buyers (not for GM, needing to cut prices to move what are MOSTLY decent products). Try your best to buy American and thanks for your support of our troops also.

[kingu]

Boycotts only work when set for a specific period of time, aimed at a very specific target, has a clearly stated goal, is widely disseminated, and supported by vocal customers.

IE: A lot of people are upset with Kraft for supporting the gay games. People are boycotting Kraft products. Because it isn't targeted against a single product, it is pretty much doomed to failure. The general dip, if it existed, won't show. If the target was specifically against Kraft's Mac and Cheese, it might show - a two percent dip in one product would trigger on Kraft's computers, whereas a general dip in all lines wouldn't.

Or another example would be the one day boycotts from buying gas to protest the increase in gas prices. If instead a single gas station brand was targeted for a week - buy your gas elsewhere, don't go to this station brand, would put pressure on one company to drop their prices, pushing the rest to do the same. Believe me - Chevron or British Petroleum will notice if they're selling 3/4 of the gas that other brands are selling.

As for your own union - nothing will change until the leadership changes, and the leadership will never change unless conservatives step forward to put our names in the ring and take control.

So, yes, boycotts can work. They just have to be specific enough to be felt.

[sinkspur]

But GM would be worth a definite look.

GM is every bit as gay-friendly as Ford.

General Motors achieved a score of 86 on the Human Rights Campaign 2003 Corporate Equality Index which rates large corporations on policies that affect their gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees, consumers and investors. The 2003 HRC Corporate Equality Index rated 250 companies on a scale of 0 percent to 100 percent on seven factors. The company also achieved a score of 86 on the organization's 2002 Corporate Equality Index.

Source.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

"GM is every bit as gay-friendly as Ford."


RATS! thanks for the update.


Exxon is still our friend, I saw a thread a day or two ago about it.

[alisasny]

My problem with boycotts is they are never done with any consistency. If we were too boycott all the products that say offend conservatives well.... what would be left?

[webloafer]

Thanks Blurblogger, I am a rookie here, and it is easy to get lost. As a male and a truck driver, you can imagine how little I like to ask for directions. LOL....anyway, I have paid my dues for almost 25 years now, and I know the rank and file very well. They are hard working USA loving truckdrivers, so I have nothing but respect for them. But the union leaders I cannot stomach.

[Lazamataz]

Boycott's: Do they ever work?

Ask France.

[webloafer]

I see that alisany, and have looked for a solution. I tried to make a list once, it became so long, I was left with only banana's as a choice at the supermarket.
I DO THINK CONSERVATIVES SHOULD BOYCOTT ALL NEWSPAPERS, YES ALL, MAGAZINES AND TV.
LET IT BE KNOWN WHAT WE ARE DOING, AND THAT WE WILL GET ALL NEWS FROM THE INTERNET OR RADIO.
If we all did just that, CBS and the likes would put more effort into the web and radio. And they are easy to ignore in both realms.
Just a thought

[webloafer]

kingu...very good advice...hopefully someone will coordinate a good boycott, targeted to one product of a companies soon to send a message. In a way I cannot put all of the blame on the corps......they are thinking only of the bottom line, and may not realize some of their advertising and public relations and connections to unsavory causes is not what America wants. I have noticed throughout my life that America gets what it wants, if it raises a voice. Well I volunteer my voice to help America. I look around the world and see brainwashed masses hating the best place in the world to live and breath. Ignorance, yes, but real. It would be easy to become an isolationist, but then we already have millions and millions of unAmerican people living and working here.
Wake up America.......smell the coffee.......we are being attacked by the hordes of people walking over our borders.
They come here not to love America, but to grab as much as they can and go back to their filthy countries and spread more hate toward us. I suggest a complete boycott of anything Mexican made.
Until the government of Mexico admits to encouraging it's citizens to work in America for Mexico.
And even more is needed from them.
They should build a pipeline from their oil fields to America, and sell to no other nation.
Where are the men or women with backbone. They are not in government, we have to bring this about ourselves.