[billbears]

Like the current French boycotts, all of these examples point to something that ultimately destroys any free society, not to mention a free market. The modern boycotts come about precisely because modern society has been poisoned by politics, and a politicized society is inherently not free. In such a society, every choice—and I mean every—is examined not from the perspective of the individual, but rather from the collectivist viewpoint.

BUMP!!!

[DannyTN]

"Politics by its very nature is coercive, and is inimical to a free society."

No, every decision that ever gets made in any organization is political. It all comes down to who has the authority and influence to make a decision.

Politics is only evil if the tactics used are unethical. There is nothing unethical about boycotts. It is individuals exorcising their free rights and it might even become representative government excorcising the will of the people. That's ok.

Tactics like Jesse Jackson's where he is using his political base to shake down corporations for his own personal gain are unethical. However, spineless corporate leaders participated in it and allowed him to do it, instead of fighting him in the arena of politics. Eventually, companies teamed up and exposed him for what he is. That too is politics.

You can't remove politics. You play fair. You point out when others don't. And you use the tools available to you appropriately. Boycotts are just one of those tools.

[pupdog]

I've been discussing similar things in other threads lately. I don't think that the problem is so much that boycotts are inherently bad. I'm quite fond of the concept. I think the problem, more often, is that they are simply used poorly.

The Amy Grant story above is an excellent example of this. From the way it is portrayed, purchasing a CD of hers is, what, 5 steps removed from the actual abortion procedure? And how many more steps should you take it? Boycott stores that stock her CD? Boycott other business that deal with those stores? Boycott business that deal with those businesses? Do we at any point decide that we're getting so far away from what we're trying to stop that our show is greater than our effect?

If the reaction to this message is the same as any others in which I've tried to make this point, then I'll get swarmed with a "It's our right, hit 'em where it hurts, wallet power ho!" responses, which miss the fact that I'm not disagreeing with any of that. I'm saying that if they are to be used, we need to think carefully about our targets: who they are, and how we respond to their individual case. If we fired off missles the same way that we fire off boycotts, we'd take down half of our 747 fleet.

[schaketo]

NEVER FORGET!

Gotta keep this alive. Share this link with all like minded family and friends. They are feeling the heat.

15000 french products that you can boycott:

http://howtobuyamerican.leethost.com/b-db-boycottfrance.shtml

[schaketo]

A short refresher course:

A list of French companies products to boycott. Some are well known, but many are not. Here goes.

It lists French products to boycott. You will probably be surprised to learn the French own everything from Wild Turkey to Car & Driver to Motel 6 to cheesy Spencer Gifts to disgusting Democrat schlock-show host Jerry Springer.

Air France
Air Liquide
Airbus
Alcatel - Based in Paris France
Allegra (Allergy Medication) - Produced by Aventis Pharmaceuticals based in Strasbourg, France
Aqualung (Including: Spirotechnique, Technisub, US Divers, and SeaQuest)
AXA Advisors
Bank of the West - Owned by BNP Paribas
Beneteau (boats)
BF Goodrich - Owned by Michelin
BIC (Razors, Pens & Lighters) - Started in 1945 by Marcel Bich. Originally based just outside of Paris. Began trading on the Paris Stock Exchange in 1972. 40.5% Publicly traded. Bich family still owns 33.5%.
Biotherm (Cosmetics)
Black Bush
Bollinger (Champagne)
Car & Driver Magazine
Cartier
Chanel
Chivas Regal (Scotch)
Christian Dior
Club Med (Vacations) - Owned in part by Paris based CDC (Caisse des Dépôts
et Consignations)
Culligan (owned by Vivendi)
Dannon (Yogurt & Dairy Foods)
DKNY - LVMH acquired 100% of Gabrielle Studio Inc., the privately owned licenser of Donna Karan trademarks back in 2001.
Dom Perignon
Durand Crystal
Elle Magazine
Essilor Optical Products
Evian
Fina Oil - Billions invested in Iraqi Oil fields
First Hawaiian Bank
George Magazine
Givenchy
Hennessy
Houghton Mifflin (books)
International Herald Tribune - 181 ave Charles-de-Gaulle - F-92521 Neuilly - FRSource:World Business Council for Sustainable Development '00 [Domain Registration], [Corporate Profile]
Jacobs Creek - Owned by Pernod Ricard since 1989
Jameson (wiskey)
Jerry Springer (talk show)
Krups (coffee and cappaccino makers)
Lancome
Le Creuset (Cookware)
L'Oreal (Health & Beauty Products)
Louis Vuitton
Marie Claire
Martel Cognac
Maybelline
Méphisto (Footwear & Apparel)
Michelin (Tires & Auto Parts) - Their phone number is: (33) 1 45 66 15 53 in France
Mikasa Crystal and Glass (purchased by ARC int'l in 2001)
Moet (Champagne)
Motel 6 - 33, Avenue du Maine- 75755 Paris Cedex 15 France
Motown Records
MP3.com
Mumms (Champagne)
Nissan (Cars) - Majority owned by Renault
Nivea
Normany Butter
Parents Magazine
Peugeot (Automobiles) - Pronounced "Pooh Joe", must be French
Pierre Cardin
Playstation Magazine
ProScan - Owned by Thomson Electronics, France
Publicis Group (Including: Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising) - Here's a French connection that'll tick ya off--a couple years ago Publicis bought the Leo Burnett Advertising agency and that agency does the "Go Army" campaign. Sickening ain't it?

RCA (televisions & electronics) - Owned by Thomson Electronics, France
Red Magazine
Red Roof Inns - Owned by the Accor group based in France
Renault (Automobiles)
Road & Track Magazine
Roquefort Cheese - All Roquefort cheese is made in France
Rowenta (Toasters, Irons, Coffee makers, etc)
Royal Canadian
Salomon (Skis)
Seagram's Gin
Sierra Software and Computer Games
Smart & Final
Sofitel (Hotels) - Owned by the Accor group based in France
Sparkletts (Water) - Owned by Danone, based in France
Spencer Gifts
Sundance Channel
Taylor Made (Golf)
Technicolor
T-Fal (Kitchenware)
The Glenlivet (Scotch
Total Gas Stations
UbiSoft (Computer Games)
Uniroyal
Uniroyal Tires - Owned by Michelin
Universal Studios (Music, Movies & Theme Parks) - Universal Studios is owned by Vivendi-Universal, headquartered in Paris France
USFilter
Veritas Group
Veuve Clicquot Champagne
Vittel
Vivendi - Vivendi Headquarters, Paris France
Wild Turkey (bourbon)
Woman's Day Magazine
Yoplait - France-based Sodiaal owns a 50% stake of Yoplait
Yves Saint Laurent
Yema watches
Zodiac Inflatable Boats
Hutchinson Tires (bicycle) www.hutchinson.fr
Mavic (bicycle) rims www.mavic.com
Zefal (bicycle accessories) www.zefal.com

Please add to the list and email to your like-minded friends.

[sheltonmac]

In such a society, every choice—and I mean every—is examined not from the perspective of the individual, but rather from the collectivist viewpoint.

Double BUMP!

[LiberalBuster]

Only economic illiterates would be persuaded to "boycott France." Thankfully, those who are persuaded as such usually don't have the financial wherewithal to have much of an impact anyway.

[demosthenes the elder]

to little willie anderson:
no, dumbass.
France was against the United States, therefor it was against the war, and thus we should boycott 'em.
Clear, dimwit?

[weegee]

About 10 years ago, Target's parent company, Dayton-Hudson Corporation, notified Planned Parenthood that it would no longer contribute its annual $50 thousand to the organization, as it wanted to move away from contributions that could be deemed political.

Planned Parenthood's leaders, which permit no dissent, immediately swung its public relations machine into highest gear and announced it would organize a boycott of Target unless Dayton-Hudson relented and gave Planned Parenthood the $50 grand that was rightfully theirs.

This biased clymer has some explaining to do as to just why that money was "rightfully" PPs.

[JustAnAmerican]

This is after all a free country, if you wish to support a country who's government and majority of populous are vehemently Anti-American then by all means do so. The rest of us would prefer not to support them. Such is the nature of free speech.

[Always Right]

I am glad to see the boycott of France is going so well!!!!

[Psycho_Bunny]

France was against the war, so France is against the United States, so we should not buy French products to punish the insolence of those people.

I stopped reading at the second sentence because, it's obvious Anderson either doesn't understand the heart of the issue or he's being disingenuous:  it wasn't that France was against the war, it's that France actively, stridently and maliciously undermined the US position.  Even to the point of threatening/bullying a few Eastern European nations.  And none of the behavior was based on principal...it was only to protect legal and illegal business interests.

I have nothing against the nations that sat on the sidelines, or disagreed with the US civilly, but give me a break - China behaved more mature than the French government did.

France can go to hell. I will never visit there again.