I've never been a fan of boycotts. Mostly because they are useless and never work. So few organizations or companies have been brought down by them that I am surprised people still push them. They remain a tool used by everyone from hippies to religious groups. But beyond the fact that they don't generally work, they are very short sighted, and if successful, could hurt many unintended victims.
I just read a long online conversation about boycotting Wal Mart. Now, I am the first to admit, a trip to Wal Mart is very painful and I generally try other places first. But many people still shop there. I say God bless them, they help keep a lot of people in jobs. I realize that much of what is sold there is not American made. But the labor is.
I have actually seen many of the same people who beat up whoever our President is for lack of jobs actually call for boycotts of Wal Mart to "bring them down". Ok, let's say it worked and Wal Mart crumbled. Where are their over 2 million employees going to work? How will their many single parent employees support their households? No one ever thinks about or mentions this. Surely we don't want to see those people hit the unemployment lines? Especially not right now.
And really, does anyone think that Wal Mart is going anywhere any time soon anyway? Or Target, or whoever it is you'd like to see bite the dust? Disney survived one of these years ago that was enacted by the Christian right. They even thrived. I'm thinking the big box retailers will have no problems with a boycott either.
So can we please stop clogging up Facebook and Twitter with calls to boycott ______? Please?
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