Boycott Heinz

Southern Spectator Weekly ^ | 04/15/04 | L. Sherman Roberts

[tamcraft]

Time to Switch to Hunts Ketchup?

An L. Sherman Exclusive

About John "Who Needs The South?" Heinz Kerry

There have been numerous internet calls for a Heinz boycott as a way to hit John and Teresea Heinz-Kerry in the pocket book. The H. J. Heinz Company has made efforts to distance themselves to the Heinz-Kerry family, noting that Teresea Heinz (pronounced Ter-ez-sa) and her family only own 4% of Heinz stock. Poor things - only 4% of outstanding Heinz stock is approximately 14,084,000 shares - with an estimated total value of over $510,000,000.

Heinz is a dividend paying stock which means stock holders get paid a certain amount each year for each share of stock they own. Heinz paid a dividend on March of this year of 28 cents per share - or in Ter-ez-sa's case that's a an approximate total of $4,000,000 cash received from the company in 2004. Sort of makes that 3% cost of living raise most of us got seem paltry, huh. John Kerry's allowance from his wife is probably a portion of that dividend. So if you are against John Kerry, why not boycott Heinz? It is clear that the Heinz-Kerry family benefits from the sale of Heniz products.

[Sun]

Dear Dave,
OK, you tell me. What products do those 57 overseas factories produce for Heinz?

I have been boycotting Heinz long before Senator John Kerry decided to run for president. Why? Because Heinz contributes money to pro-abortions groups. And, Dave, abortion is REALLY not nice.

[Ethyl]

It seems also clear that many employees benefit from the success of Heinz also....why punish them?

4 posted on 04/15/2004 12:06:32 PM EDT by stuartcr


because 57 of the heinz companies are located off shores, thus, benidict arnold companies, as mr. kerry talks about. He accuses President Bush of sending jobs off shore, when his wife does more than Mr. Bush does????

[Bonaparte]

Let me see if I understand what you're saying here, TQ...

If a suggestion is floated to others that boycott of a business and its products might be a good idea, and others agree, that's immoral? You would equate a consumer choice like that with a crime like rape?

"If what you urge is successul, millions of people that have nothing to do with Kerry or your ideas will suffer."

Happens all the time. Lazy shareholders who pay no attention to anything but the bottom line, fail to notice little things like unfavorable publicity. Back when another company thought it was a good idea to have a gun-grabber like Rosie O'Donnell as a spokesperson, we boycotted them, too. As their profits suffered, they got rid of Rosie. Were there investors and employees who got hurt by that? Most likely there were. But that's how the market works. No business, investor or employee is guaranteed a smooth, uneventful ride. Is that "unfair"? Of course it is. Just like life.

Consider the Boston Tea Party, TQ. Now that was illegal. But the colonists' boycott of British goods like tea was not illegal, and from the American point of view, it was the only way to fight those oppressive taxes. In the process, the East India Company, along with its investors and employees were hurt. In three short years, profits from lost sales in the colonies fell ~75%. John Adams, who encouraged the boycott, thought this was a terrific development -- in spite of the fact that the East India Company did not enact those taxes. Parliament did. Do you consider Adams "immoral" too?

"Whatever foundation you have grievances with has now nothing to do with the Heinz as a company: it is managed entirely separately.

Fair enough. The various foundations Teresa Heinz is involved with are not managed by the Heinz Company and are separate entities. No question.

But let's take a closer look at what the Heinz Company supports and promotes.

At the official HJ Heinz website, the company devotes a page to the HJ Heinz Company Foundation. While clearly stating that the foundation is a separate entity from the Heinz company, Heinz nonetheless promotes it, links to it and encourages its readers to apply to it for grants. Just one of the dubious "causes" supported by the foundation is abortion:

"...We endorse the health care and educational activities of Planned Parenthood, which we believe are supportive in strengthening the loving relationship of parents and their children."

S. Donald Wiley, Trustee
H.J. Heinz Company Foundation

There are more than a few people at this forum who would boycott Heinz for that alone. Add in all the other leftist causes bankrolled by this foundation that the HJ Heinz Company actively supports and promotes, and it's almost required that any conscientious conservative boycott Heinz.

But the only reason I need is that Teresa Heinz & Crew pull in a cool half billion dollars a year from Heinz profits.

You may now return to smearing those of us who have a different viewpoint than yours, as an un-American mob, morally equivalent to rapists.

[Bonaparte]

see post 83, Sun.

Through various foundations, the Heinz Company contributes to many causes that conservatives abhor.

[MattAMiller]

John F-ing Kerry is the one running around the country, blaming President Bush for offshoring of jobs and calling owners of companies that move jobs overseas, while his most Heinz plants ARE overseas.

They aren't his plants really. And they mostly make products for sale in the countries in which they reside.

[Sun]

After reading your post Bonaparte, it just might be immoral to NOT boycott Heinz.

A boycott is not going to ruin Heinz, anyway. But it would be nice if they lost just enough money to bring them to their senses and encourage them to stop backing immorality, especially abortion.

[hgro]

The boycott should be against TU RAY ZA Heinz Kerry. The company is a vicitim of circumstances but the elderly bride of John Effing Kerry has control of foundations that spread the left wing liberal mantra worldwide.

[Prime Choice]

[fight_truth_decay]

..and what if that liberal owns stock mutual funds..there can be over a hundred companies in one fund! Forget job loss..I might even own Heinz in one of my funds. (you might read my earlier post for facts released to the media by the company)or the report itself:

http://www.heinz.org/K.asp?loc=K,K2025&whr=c

[fight_truth_decay]

..and what if that liberal owns stock mutual funds..there can be over a hundred companies in one fund! Forget job loss..I might even own Heinz in one of my funds. (you might read my earlier post for facts released to the media by the company)or the report itself:

http://www.heinz.org/K.asp?loc=K,K2025&whr=c

[MinuteGal]

The first couple squirts of my Heinz catsup was always waterish. I buy Hunts now and don't experience this phenomena. I find Hunts has a more lively flavor, also.

It's going to be hard for me to live without my Heinz 57 Steak Sauce this grilling season, though.

Leni

[Bonaparte]

"..and what if that liberal owns stock mutual funds...?"
_____________________________________________________________

"Oh, my darling little portfolio, crushed and trampled by an unfeeling world! Oh, the unfairness of it all! Behold, I am slain!"

[Gopher Broke]

Remember to tell Heinz WHY you are boycotting them.....visit this link below, then choose CONTACT US in the search box.....

http://www.heinz.com/jsp/index.jsp

[FrankR]

"I never realized that Hunts is just as good if not better!!"

AND, if Hunt's and Del Monte had any sense, they'd mount a huge advertising campaign right now, as Heinz is vulnerable as it's going to get.

Actually, I've been trying the "store" brand ketchups in both Kroger and Ingles and they are not bad at all...and some even come in those "easy pour" bottles.

[Bonaparte]

"Too bad Lea&Perrins or Tobasco don't sell ketchup."

L&P is french owned. Just an fyi.

[Bonaparte]

"...Are they going to investigate every single product they buy...?"

These boycotts are targeted, not scatter-gun. In case you didn't notice.

And your claim that people are "kneejerking" due to the name only is disingenuous. It's already been posted (on this and earlier threads) that the company lends its support to lots of radical causes and groups, not the least of which is planned parenthood. That alone, for some of us, is reason enough to eschew their products. It's called consumer choice, SD. Nobody told the Heinz company that it had to pick sides.

[Bonaparte]

Paved Paradise: "I bought a big bottle of Hunt's last night. Don't believe in boycotts but I won't buy Heinz anymore!"

Soothing Dave: "You do realize you're contradicting yourself, don't you?"
___________________________________________________________________

I don't see the "contradiction." People decide not to buy a product for all sorts of reasons, not just to "boycott." Has it occured to you that the bottle he bought didn't taste good to him? Or that he didn't like the price? You could have just asked him why but instead you assumed. How logical is that?

[Bonaparte]

"I know the Heinz company gave a donation to Bush Cheny. Do you know the Hunts did?"

Again, IT'S A TARGETED BOYCOTT, not a comprehensive boycott. You don't seem to be absorbing that fact.

And, BTW, almost all corporations contribute to both presidential candidates in these elections. It's called covering your backside. Nobody's looking for a corporate candidate for political sainthood here.

[Bonaparte]

"trying to punish someone with 4% holdings while punishing 96% of the remaining owners"

Every time you buy product X and pass up product Y, you're "punishing" the employees and shareholders of company Y. How unfair! How unjust! How heartless! Don't you realize the "Y people" have a right to your dollar? </ sarcasm >

[Bonaparte]

"So you like to be a part of mob action? Nice. Really conservative."

From Merriam-Webster's dictionary...

Main Entry: ¹mob
Pronunciation: 'mäb
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin mobile vulgus vacillating crowd
1 : a large or disorderly crowd; especially : one bent on riotous or destructive action
2 : the lower classes of a community : MASSES, RABBLE
3 chiefly Australian : a flock, drove, or herd of animals
4 : a criminal set : GANG; especially often capitalized : MAFIA 1
5 chiefly British : a group of people : CROWD
synonym see CROWD
- mob·bish /'mä-bish/ adjective

If you have to engage in hyperbole by likening consumers voting with their dollar to rioters and criminals, you've lost the argument.