While I support them, I'm not sure that the threat of boycotts—whether they come from the left or the right—are really all that effective in changing the hearts and minds of whatever company is being targeted. I'm not sure that when I and a hundred of my closest friends say we're not going to patronize Company X, it really makes any difference to the individuals running those companies—no matter how fervently we believe in the cause.
On the other hand, when millions of people join forces to boycott a company and said company sees its bottom line being affected over the course of one or two quarters, then it might examine how it's doing business. But except in a few select instances, that rarely happens. (Someone please fact check that for me.)
That's why I laugh when I hear organizations like OMM (One Misguided Mom), NOM (National Organization of Morons) or the AFA (American Family of Assholes) loudly proclaiming they're going to boycott Starbucks, or General Mills, or whoever. They simply don't have the numbers to affect corporate policy—especially when that company's policy is inclusion, rather than exclusion.
If their members want to stop drinking Starbucks, fine. If they feel better about not eating Oreos, more power to them. From what I've seen of their membership they could stand to lose a few pounds anyway. (Not that I have room to talk.) But are they going to force their medieval views of what is right and wrong onto a company by those actions? Hardly.
(By the way, OMM, NOM, AFA and the rest of the alphabet soup of hate groups: good luck ripping Tickle-Me-Elmo out of your toddlers' hands now that Jim Henson's company has publicly come out in favor of equality. Your children will remember it forever and a part of them is going to hate you for the rest of their lives. But hey, you're saving their immortal souls, so what difference does that make, right?)
The same goes for the left and the call to boycott Chick-Fil-A.
I boycott Chick-Fil-A (and Walmart) because I personally feel better about myself for not continuing to enable the funding of bad corporate policies. Do I have any real expectation that this will affect how they do business? Hardly.
By all means boycott if you want. But do it because it makes you feel better as an individual, not because you think it's going to change policy overnight. That being said, if enough people simply do what is right, it will eventually affect a company's cash flow and the company will be forced to look at how they do business.
Aren't corporations people now?
Shouldn't we treat them the same as someone attacking us in the street.
When I have knowledge and I have a choice I decide what's best for me and my values. I will tell companies by word and by deed. Good always wins, it takes a beating but it does eventually win.
I love the waffle fries at Chick-Fil-A. In the past I have been known to drive hundreds of miles to get said waffle fries. I talked about waffle fries on the radio. I told the world about the wonder of waffle fries.
Now I tell the world about the belief system of Chick-Fil-A and why I won't drive five inches, let alone hundreds of miles, to eat their waffle fries. I do this because this is what I believe. Do I think I'm going to make a difference? I might possibly stop one or two people from ever stepping foot into the place again. Will this make a difference in the grand scheme of things? Probably not, but I sleep better knowing that I stand behind my principles and that if word gets out, maybe, just maybe, there may be a difference one day.
Very well said.
Back in the 70's Nestle company got negative press for sending tainted baby formula overseas because they could not sell it here. I still refuse to buy anything made by Nestle. I'm quite sure my boycott doesn't affect them in the least but at least I know I'm not supporting their poor judgement. That sums up my feelings about boycotts.