Because those are the only groups it's a-ok for supposedly open minded and inclusive liberals to hate? <ducking>

I agree but thankfully DubaiSis has other reasons. ;)

I am pretty easy going-I do boycott Wal Mart but I don't preach about it. I am however, very vocal about not buying puppies and kittens from pet stores (unless they are rescue situations like the program Pet smart has) and backyard breeders (which are rampant in my area). Maybe my rant is more educational? Though I suppose I am very vocal about all breeders-I just don't get it:confused: (especially those that are vets.)

I boycotted Exxon for about 10 years after the Valdez spill. I would pass them up even if I was about to run out of gas.

I boycott Wal-Mart and do preach about it. I think at this point with that though, everyone has figured out that as you sow so shall ye reap. (i.e., everyone in my bassackwards hometown was excited about getting a Walmart, they got one, it put everything else out of business and now everyone bitches about it) Unfortunately, for some people it's the only option in town for affordable clothing and home furnishings.

I boycott a couple local bars that are just generally unpleasant, and some of those are racist and homophobic on top of it. I'll share these opinions with anyone who sits still long enough to hear them.

I also don't buy "pink" items. Looking forward to seeing this movie this week:
http://www.moviefone.com/movie/pink-...541/main?flv=1

This is me, too, but I voted in solidarity with agzg. :D

I'm not much of an organized boycott person, though I have been more so in the past. If I do boycott, I tend to do it quietly, and I'll reconsider from time to time.

I do think that franchises (Chik-fil-A, Exxon, BP) present complicated issues with regard to boycotts. Who is hurt more from me withholding my patronage, the big corporation or the local franchise owner who's just trying to make a living and provide income for his employees, and who may be a very good local corporate citizen? Should I punish the franchisee for corporate decisions she has no control over?

I don't like pinkwashing, either, 33. Many breast cancer campaigns divorce the actual woman and her life from "saving her breasts."

I actually think I might have given Dee an earful about that over the week - Dee was it you I was with when that guy had the "Save the boobies" t-shirt on?

God, I almost gave him an earful.

FWIW, avoiding Exxon stations (or BP), doesn't matter. Exxon oil is still getting into your tank at some point - they take what they drill and sell it all over the place, in addition to buying other companies' oil and putting it in your tank. Oil boycotts are only effective if it's the refineries that are boycotting them.

I don't buy food from Chic-Fil-A and I don't give money to the Salvation Army for starters.

If it is in my ability to not use, I will not use it. You have to keep in mind that I'm a 21 year old without a career or a car, so it's a bit difficult to really financially stand a ground against certain places/things.

Well, at the time in my 17 year old mind, this is the only thing I could do that I thought would make a difference and I did not know at the time how things worked in the oil industry (remember no internet back then for easy access to info on refineries/oil industry etc...). I did write them a letter about how displeased I was with their company and received one back, which I still have.

I guess I don't really care if the local owner is screwed-if they are in bed so to speak with exxon or chik fil a that is their problem. No one held a gun to their head making them open said franchise. I guess I am heartless:cool:

The shirt said "Save second base" and yes, it was me! Who else were you with all last week? ;)

I forget all the people I aim my righteous indignation at in a week's time. It's a lot.

Go, Mayor Menino!

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/...m_meninos.html

I'm not really boycotting Chik-fil-a as I never really ate there to begin with. I think I've eaten at one of these restaurants twice in my life.. and that was because it was the only thing around when I needed to grab a quick lunch when traveling for work.

I grew up in New England where they didn't really have Chik-fil-a. I just looked up their locations, and they're only in two NE states - New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and all three locations are in malls. I remember there being one in the mall I would go to all the time growing up (their only NH location), but I don't remember people lined up there to get food. It was just kind of there. (Same thing with Arby's - I didn't even know it was a major chain until I moved to PA).

I don't know that I've ever really "boycotted" any company.. but maybe that's because I've never come across a situation in which I've felt that I needed to boycott.

Um...cuz liberals can't be Christian, right? The Republicans hold the patent on Christianity, and we didn't hear about it?:rolleyes:

Pretty much. If I disagree with a company/product/person/etc. then I can take my business elsewhere but won't necessarily demand others do the same. I may say "Ooooh girl, did you hear?" or "Guess what happened to me today?" and share what peeved me but my feelings won't be hurt if my friends continue to shop there. The exception to this is when a product has something dangerous in it that has been linked to an illness or deaths. Then I will warn loved ones of what data I've found (this has only happened twice).

It's not a company but a this is still a good example of why I said "It depends on how badly I need the service": I have done a lot of volunteer work for humane societies and the ASPCA and, subsequently, I don't wear fur. However, my beliefs are strong enough that I don't wear fur but not enough for me to throw away my figure skates and 75% of my shoes because they're all made of leather.

I am boycotting Susan G. Komen, and as a mammographer, it does come up. I also dislike the pink washing, but I adore my "Save the Haboobs" shirt (not for the message but because it uses the word haboob which caused an idiotfest in AZ last year over using an Arabic word that might offend returning soldiers to describe dust storms! Oh the horror!)

I will be boycotting Chik FIL A, mainly because I do not want to contribute my money to a corporation that will in turn give it to organizations that are hateful and oppressive. Many people I love are gay, and I would feel like a traitor with every bite. Not so tasty.

I don't shop at Walmart...I haven't thought of it as a boycott, but I don't like them as a business. I used to shop there and SAMs, but not anymore. If God forbid I need something in bulk, I'll go to Costco.

As for gasoline, Shell is the only company that gives equally to Republican and Democratic parties, so when possible, my husband and I fill up at those stations. I also use Circle K, I don't know what they do...I've convinced myself that bc they are owned by a Canadian company they can't make political contributions. ;) it makes me feel better.

I think not donating to a charity is not the same as boycotting. There are an unending number of very worthwhile charities and if one doesn't meet your criteria, it's easy to move on to one that does.

And I don't hate Republicans or Christians. Some of my favorite people are both things. And they aren't the only two groups that I don't agree with, but listing a litany of everything in the world I don't agree with would be long and silly. They're just the easiest for me to spout off. And by the way there are really very few people in my life who I have ever hated. One guy who probably had a crush on me in junior high because of how dickishly he treated me, a college French professor, and an ex-boss really are that entire list. The rest are people I just disagree with, though some I may disagree with vehemently.

But in the case of Exxon and BP, those boycotts have typically been in response to specific events -- oil spills and the response (or lack thereof) by the oil company. Local franchisees, who may have had the franchises for years if not decades before the oil spills, have nothing to do with the spills or the responses. They're not in a position to suddenly say "Oh, let me go to a different oil company right now." And as others have noted, the effect of a boycott in these instances will be felt entirely by the franchisee, not by BP or Exxon.

In my view, that makes them collateral damage, and I personally have an issue with that. Fine if others don't. But I'll admit it -- even though I don't usually buy from BP, I did when others were boycotting it after the Gulf spill. I didn't want to see local business be punished for things they didn't do and had no control over at all.

I see your point, but creating economic pressure on franchisees creates pressure on the corporation. Franchisees complain loudly when stuff like this happens. They yell at the parent corporation. The parent corporation responds to that stuff. They need to keep their franchisees happy.

I see that point as well, though I'm not convinced it's always the case.

My point really is that these things aren't always as simple as they might seem. To me, there's a lot of gray in there. Laws of unintended consequences and all that.

I was raised by a family that makes a habit of researching companies and voting for things with our dollars. It can be difficult but when in doubt I will shop locally even if I don't agree with an owner's politics because it is even more important to put money in my local community.

It can be a real pain when buying books this year, since Amazon loves to give to politicians that I despise.

I rarely boycott but will if well-informed about an issue that really matters to me. As a former cat breeder, I agree with boycotting most pet shops. When I was a member of the area breed club, I had to sign a statement that I would never sell stock to a pet shop. I remember being appalled when I went into a pet shop & found a kitten from my breed being sold there. I was quite verbal with the owner.

What separates a backyard breeder from a real breeder? Real breeders know that they are responsible for the quality of life of the animals they breed. A few weeks ago, I was discussing my time as a breeder with a friend. He asked, "Do you make a lot of money?" I laughed at him. Real breeders find that it is an expensive hobby. Vet bills and shows will eat up any funds made by sales. It is a difficult & time-consuming hobby, too.

The best way to find a "real breeder" is by going through the associations. You can find breeders who have their kennels/catteries checked & graded by the association. Breed groups police their own, too. Breeding is very social; people in the fancy know each other & who takes care of their animals. I could go on; you hit a nerve. The truth is that I would still be breeding if it were not for allergies/asthma. Even though I bred for a long time, I was never a big breeder. Maintaining large numbers of animals well is so difficult. People need to be very savvy & "buyer beware" when buying animals. Shopping around for the right breeder means bringing home a healthy & happy pet. :)

I completely agree. While checking for breeders for a dog, you should know what problems that breed tends towards, and make sure that the pup has been tested for them. Obviously, a dog can't be tested for cancer or other ailments, but a luxating patella or CERF eye test can save a LOT of trouble in the future. I have a breeder friend who can't understand why I don't want one of her puppies, but until she has them tested, I'm looking elsewhere - or at a shelter.

And yes, there are a lot of grey areas in boycotts, especially when franchising is involved. The biggest and hardest boycott in which my family participated was against Dow Chemicals, as they had something to do with Agent Orange.

Oh! There is a local restaurant where we used to have our Cub Scout Pack Committee meetings. Every month we spent money on food, drinks and desserts while having our meeting. We tipped well. When soliciting donations for our Blue & Gold banquet, they were the only restaurant to say no. We stopped going there for our meetings. We decided to support businesses that supported us.

Our local Chick-fil-as have had drive-through lines wrapping around the buildings. I would think that many of those who are anti-CFA had probably already stopped eating there. It will be interesting to see how it shakes out.

Exactly.

Boycotting is going a mile down the road to the Shell station, even if there's a BP literally 2 feet from you with a cheaper price.

I understand there are good and bad breeders-I have been in the vet business for a long time. I don't care how responsible so and so is, there is an over population problem and I get to be at the forefront of it which most people don't get to see (ie euthanizing healthy kittens and puppies). You hit a nerve as well.

Amen! The only way to express love for dogs and cats is to take care of the ones we have. Breeding new ones -- no matter how fantastic their lives will be -- necessarily means others will be euthanized. I boycott all pet breeders and adopt only shelter pets, and encourage others to do the same. I don't understand the need to have dogs and cats meet "breed standards" to love and enjoy them. (If you're a rancher and you need a working dog, that is an exception, but of course those dogs are farm animals just like the sheep, not pets.)

It is if you have organized events for that charity through your work that you won't participate in. There is more to charity than giving money as there is to boycotting. That is why I specifically said it comes up.

I'm boycotting Temovate Cream (whatever the h*ll that is) because they're spamming this board right now... :)

I agree. Never would have known about them, but they forced my hand! Damn them.

This is a cause I can stand behind.

Bump for spam

Does anyone know where I can buy some My-E online? Legally, of course.

No? Nevermind.

As to the Boycott Chick-Fil-A - I know I'm not hurting Truett Cathy or his family any by not giving them my money, but for now, I will choose to spend it elsewhere. Maybe on some Muppets DVDs.

I feel bad for the franchisees, who have been told they cannot comment. They may or may not agree with Dan Cathy, but they have to suffer the consequences of his comments silently.

I boycott all this spam!

Bump

In regards for the gasoline suppliers issue... here is my experience since I worked in that industry for so long.
Exxon/BP/Marathon doesn't give a shit if one local franchise is being boycotted because of corporate practices. They don't give a shit if 100 local franchises are being boycotted. They MIGHT give a shit if 1,000 franchises were boycotted... but by then, all of those local franchise owners have gone belly up. They can't afford to change affiliation. It's not as simple as changing the name on the sign. Most often local franchise owners make zero profit on gasoline sales. The price for a gallon of gas is determined by the market and Bob and Sue Smith that own the local BP down on the corner only make money off of sales made inside the store.

Here's some more food for thought and something I never realized until I did work at a BP bulk terminal. Did you know that all of the gas companies supply to each other? While I was at the BP terminal, I saw trucks from Shell, Sunoco, Marathon/Speedway, and ExxonMobil come and fill their tanker trailers with BP gas, as well as a local company that supplies several locally owned Exxon/Mobils and BPs (Lykins Oil), and trucks that supply gas to grocery store owned stations. So even though you say "I'm boycotting BP stations because of their unethical environmental practices" that gas you're filling up on at the Shell station or the local Kroger very well could have come from a BP bulk terminal, which is sent in from a BP owned refinery via underground pipeline. This is common practice and I witnessed the same thing several years later at a Marathon bulk terminal. Truck from 5 different gas companies filling up on Marathon fuel.

We're all getting fucked by all of the oil companies. Trust me. Want to boycott BP? Better boycott all of them and buy yourself a horse to get around on.

I think this is a worthy and wise boycott.

For real.

Saw this on Facebook with the notation: This is terribly sad. I can't imagine the pressure this man was feeling. All the more reason to love EVERYone, even when it is hard.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics...-heart-attack/

The Chick-Fil-A VP of PR died of a heart attack...

Saw it on the Atlanta Journal website.

Sad indeed regardless of whatever CFA stand is.

I saw this too, followed by "Karma is a bitch" and "That's what he gets!" posts.

I can't even imagine the stress level he was facing, and it's bothersome that folks are making light of the situation.