The Cost of Compromise (Why Pro-Lifers Shouldn't Abuse Their Purchasing Power)

Seattle Catholic ^ | 5/10/2004 | Jonathan Tuttle

[Pyro7480]

All pro-life conservatives should read this!

[Pyro7480]

Pro-life ping!

[Delphinium]

Maybe that's why we all feel so tired these days, because compromise isn't just tiring—it's exhausting. The first casualty of compromise is conviction,

You are so right.

I need to know more about the companies I do business with.

[Alberta's Child]

This kind of consumer attitude works well in theory, but the biggest obstacle to it is that the world of business has gotten so complex that it's nearly impossible to "do the right thing" even if we are serious about it.

Long-distance phone service is a good case in point. There was a push some years ago by small "pro-life" phone carriers to get people to stop doing business with large companies like AT&T, Sprint, etc. that funded organizations like Planned Parenthood or offered same-sex benefits to their employees.

The only problem is that these small phone carriers do not operate their own telephone networks -- they are basically third-party providers that must contract with large companies (including -- you guessed it -- AT&T, Sprint, etc.) to use their telecommunications infrastructure.

If someone goes out of his way to "avoid doing business" with Budweiser by purchasing other brands, he might be surprised to find out that many of these other brands are actually subsidiaries of the same Anheuser-Busch that produces Budweiser.

[Pyro7480]

If someone goes out of his way to "avoid doing business" with Budweiser by purchasing other brands, he might be surprised to find out that many of these other brands are actually subsidiaries of the same Anheuser-Busch that produces Budweiser.

As he indirectly suggests in his article, we should buy Guinness instead (though I think it's better draught). Anyway, I don't drink Bud. I think it's poor beer. I personally like Yuengling, which is known throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and part of the Northeast. It's the oldest brewery in the U.S. They make great beers.

[grellis]

...marching down our nation's capitol in a Luciferian death march on April 26...

Actually, it was the 25th of April.

When it comes to health care, many of us simply DO NOT have a choice. The most that we can do is let board directors know how strongly we feel about our health care costs funding abortion, which many health plans do. Sure, we could go with private insurance, but do we want to stop eating in order to afford it? Or we could simply go without and pray that none of our family members suffers from a catastrophic illness.

[grellis]

Learn to brew your own! We do. Its fun, its cheap once you get past start-up costs (which actually aren't bad), and once you get the hang of it the taste is better than just about anything from a store shelf.

[Pyro7480]

Actually, it was the 25th of April.

You're right! I didn't catch that. I'll have to e-mail the author. I took part in the counter-demonstrations that day.

[Pyro7480]

Learn to brew your own!

Can you make the really dark stuff? ;-)

[EdReform]

Ping

[Petronski]

Can you make the really dark stuff? ;-)

You can get malt syrup for brewing that is as deep brown as dark chocolate, and there are recipes designed to create something entirely new, or to 'mimic' your favorite brew.

All you really need is a turkey deep-fryer and the will to make beer.

[grellis]

Check out a homebrew magazine to get an idea of the possibilities. Brew Your Own comes to mind. Most communities have at least one homebrew supply store. Our experience has been that folks working in these stores like nothing better than helping out novice brewers. Added bonus: all the home-brew suppliers we've met are very conservative people.

[MudPuppy]

or look into a local micro brew.

Blue & Gray Brewing Company, Fredericksburg, VA

yummy.

[NYer]

Important article!

Catholic Ping - let me know if you want on/off this list

[ArrogantBustard]

Old Dominion Brewing Company

[NYer]

Ping!

[Alberta's Child]

Sienna is a good case in point. Do you have any assurances that Sienna doesn't contract with AT&T or Bell for their service?

[Desdemona]

I guess the question should be is there a good list out there somewhere? And the companies themselves, not the foundations, which really other than name have nothing to do with the companies, usually.

Oh, and AB will slap the name Budweiser on anything anywhere. I'm not a beer drinker, but I understand their products are most effectively used as marinades for bratwurst. Harp's is better for that, IMO.