Boycotting by political parties & why I oppose it

[LynnTheDem]

A few days ago a poster asked for lists of which businesses were Republican, so they would know who NOT to purchase from. Freepers keep constantly updated "boycott" lists themselves.

Both sides who indulge in this use the same justification; "it's my money, I will only spend it on those businesses who support Democrats/Republicans".

I'm very opposed to this. Aside from it being childish, it's a form of "racial profiling" I personally find abhorant. After thinking on why I feel so strongly against this, here's my opinion of why I oppose it;

To boycott and maintain such lists is just McCarthyism all over again with a new twist; Dems vs Repubs instead of "commies" versus "true American patriots". Punish those who don't happen to share your beliefs. Exactly what America is supposed to NOT stand for. It's why the first immigrants came to this country, to get away from this kind of thing.

Should we pass a law that all businesses must state clearly what party they belong to? Perhaps a large sign on every business door and every online website.

And the shoppers; why should businesses be forced to sell goods or services to people who are with the "wrong" party? After all, it's THEIR goods and services, they should have the same right to not sell to Dems/Repubs as shoppers do to not purchase from Dems/Repubs.

What about employers? Why should Dem employers be forced to hire anyone who is a Republican, and vice versa? After all, it's the employer's money. Shouldn't we pass a law making it legal for employers to not hire anyone that happens to belong to a different political party?

Why stop at "my money"? How about "my services" and "my skills". Why must I be forced to "spend" my skills or services on someone not of my party? Go to a doctor/lawyer/dentist/teacher/whatever of your OWN party! And of course all doctors and hospitals and schools etc would be required to clearly show which party they're affiliated with.

We most of us would say it's outrageous and wrong (and it certainly is) to boycott a business because the owner happens to be a female or black or Moslem, etc.

Yet it's ok to do this because of someone's political party?

What else about me must you know before you're willing to buy goods from me? Have I had an abortion? Am I pro-choice or pro-life? Am I for or against the death penalty? Am I a virgin if I'm single? Am I straight or gay or indulge in oral sex or straight missionary? Do I prefer coffee or tea?

Where is the line drawn?

For me, it's drawn at criminal and/or inhumane behaviour. I wouldn't purchase anything from a company using slave labor or who experiments on animals or who has a record of criminality (such as Dole, etc).

But to "politically profile" someone is no different than to "racially profile" someone.

Just my opinion, FWIW. :)

[Jim Sagle]

1. We don't get to choose our race, but we DO get to choose our politics.

So I don't see the equivalence.

[LynnTheDem]

2. Oh?

I can choose to be Jewish.

Would you say it's ok then for people to boycott my business because I'm now a Jew?

Hitler thought that was ok.

I disagree.

Back in the McCarthy era, people could choose to be a "commie" by speaking out against the Trials.

Would you say it was ok then that so many lives were ruined because they did so?

McCarthy thought that was ok.

I disagree.

[Jim Sagle]

4. What about the Montgomery Bus Boycott? That's a better analogy.

[Brian_Expat]

6. Not a good analogy

Jews are hard-working people who just want to be left to their own lives.

Right-wingers seek to regulate other people's lives, deny them rights in the constitution and generally make life hell for people who aren't like them.

So if someone is anti-gay, I'm not spending any money at their store, sorry. And if they're a major GOP contributor, ditto.

[sangh0]

12. Of course it's a bad analogy. She spoke of "racial profiling"

and then used Jews as an example, as if "Jew" were a racial category

[Demonaut]

13. I understand why you feel this way and once I did too but things have

changed, if a company engages in socially detrimental activites then I will spend my money elsewhere, if a company endorses a candidate or political party that protects enviromentally damaging or socially damaging businesses or that political party has socially damaging people the likes of Coulter, Limbaugh,Malkin and Savage then I think a boycott is in order, you may not agree and you can call it McCarthyism but I call it social justice.

[Demonaut]

14. bty you can choose to be jewish or catholic or the combo "jews for jesus"

[TahitiNut]

3. Sorry, but when they abuse their employees, discriminate ...

... and sell goods made in overseas sweatshops, it's far, far more than some simple-minded notion of 'profiling.' I won't spend a penny in any WalMart store, including Sams. I've not spent a cent at any Exxon station since the Valdez.

When a business's executives are 100% Republican donors (companies don't make campaign contributions, people do), then they're the ones who're discriminating on the basis of politics. (I feel mildly the same when it's 100% Democrats.)

[Djinn]

5. I'm not big on boycotts either

I don't care if an actor is a Republican, if the movie they're in is good I'll watch it - and I wont pay good money to watch some woeful crap just because Ben Affleck is in it.

As for business, I'd boycott based on their ACTIONS, I wouldn't be shopping at WalMart (don't have them here) or buying diamonds (although I wouldn't anyway because I think they'er overpriced adn ugly but that's a whole 'nother kettle of fish) but if the company was ethical, treated their staff well (or as well as can be expected these days) and paid fair wages AND happened to be owned by a hardcore republican I couldn't care less.

[LibraLabSoldier]

7. Could you guy send me some money

So I dont have to shop at WalMart? It that or the PX, and of the two, at least Walmart is cheaper. I have to be a bit more pragmatic than you guys. Bush hasnt exactly been generous with military pay raises, ya know. And I make just a few hundred dollars a year too much for food stamps. Lucky Me.

[Bridget Burke]

8. You're a grown up, aren't you?

If you must patronize WalMart to support your lifestyle, that's your decision. Many WalMart employees are "more fortunate" than you since their income level makes them eligible for public assistance.

Personally, it would take more than hints of Republican support by the business owners to make me "boycott" a business. But WalMart is bad for communities, so they don't get my business. Of course, I live in a big city with many alternatives.

[Djinn]

11. I'm not exactly rolling in it either

thakfully there are certain standards here that even the worst employers have to abide by (excepting of course those who employ outworkers in the garment manufactury industry hence why I try to buy fair wear) so I guess it's less of an issue here.

That said the way the octopus of companies/ownership/subsidiaries etc is means that you can't really insure you spend ethically all the time.

[69KV]

9. What's the problem with it?

If I know that a company, like say Home Depot or Amway, gives lots of money to Repukes, it's my right not to spend money there and I don't.

Seems like common sense to me. I send political donations to Democrats and work to get Democrats elected so why should I go spend money someplace where there is a chance that some of that money is going to wind up supporting Repuke candidates?

Where people shop and don't shop is personal choice, what's wrong with that? People make those same choices because of a lot of other reasons.

[OnionPatch]

10. Sorry I got in this conversation so late but

I might have been one of the people you were talking about; I asked for a list of credit card companies a few weeks ago for my newsletter in the economic forum. I would like to reply.
I understand where you are coming from and you make a point but I think you are taking it too far. I'll explain where I'm coming from:
If I have a choice to buy a Sam's Club card or a Costco card, and I know that WalMart (Owner's of Sam's Club) constantly fights to keep wages low and discriminates against women, and the Costco CEO says he would never outsource their office work and he pays his employees well because he believes it's good business and it's just the "right" thing to do...why would I NOT want to support Costco over Sam's Club? Do you NEVER boycott any products? What about fur? And tuna caught in nets? I guess that's your right, but I choose to invest my consumer dollars in businesses who play fair.
Also, I don't boycott all businesses or actors simply because they are Republicans. I am a loyal customer at many of my small town's businesses because I also believe in supporting local small businesses and most of them around here are owned by Republicans! But they aren't the ones giving multi-million dollar donations to politicians in order to influence politicians to turn their heads when they pollute, or in order to drive down wages, and so on. I do not support the boycott of everyone who simply votes Republican. I want to make that clear. The companies I boycott are ones that are huge donors. They should not be able to influence our political system simply because they have so much money. It's wrong and I won't stop boycotting companies that I consider to be unscrupulous. Giving millions of dollars to politicians so you can pollute and treat your workers like slaves is unscrupulous in my opinion.