boycotting builders for political reasons...

[jcn37203]

I wonder how many of the people who "boycott" independant businesspeople because of political affiliation go on to buy pants made in sweatshops, diamonds mined by child slaves in Africa, or goods from companies that have horrible records of pollution. I wonder how many of them shop at ginormous shopping discount centers, which destroy entire local economies and put thousands of people out of business, in the name of saving 15 cents on a bottle of dish soap. I wonder if they even give it a second thought when they lace up their cross trainers.

 

Yes, the ladies are indeed dancing alone.

[lowroadrevival]

I can't for the life of me see how "boycotting" a builder of guitar effect pedals would alter any conceivable political scenario's outcome.

[Thelonius]

I am politically concious in my shopping.

 

I try to anyways. I'm not always 100% successful and I don't beat myself up about it. Sometimes if I have family coming over and I need a chicken casserole and Tyson is the only thing I can buy, then I buy Tyson and I don't think twice about it.

 

To me I don't think of it as a boycott as in "GODDAMMIT I WILL NOT SPEND MY MONEY THERE!!" but simply I will choose to take my money elsewhere.

 

However, I do not boycott/buy from anyone due to their partisanship. I don't really give a {censored}.

[Thelonius]

Originally posted by lowroadrevival I can't for the life of me see how "boycotting" a builder of guitar effect pedals would alter any conceivable political scenario's outcome.

 

I have a friend who is a Republican that refused to buy Heinz ketchup during the election. And he hates all other ketchup brands. It was {censored}ing weird to me.

[jcn37203]

 

Originally posted by Thelonius I have a friend who is a Republican that refused to buy Heinz ketchup during the election. And he hates all other ketchup brands. It was {censored}ing weird to me.

 

 

OMG.

 

I wish the forum had a gigantic rolleyes image.

[gappie]

im workin on it. before i buy a pedal from a builder i would like them to fill in this form.:

 

sex M/F

age...

religion ...

sexuality .....

political believe ........

 

opnion about :

homosexuality

weapons

marriage

etc etc

[ginnboonmiller]

 

Originally posted by Thelonius I have a friend who is a Republican that refused to buy Heinz ketchup during the election. And he hates all other ketchup brands. It was {censored}ing weird to me.

 

 

It's even {censored}ing weirder if you know anything at all about the Heinz family.

[(((echo)))]

i'll boycott the maker of a bad effect or one with bad service or attitude (ahem! fulltone)

 

i could care less about which you like better... the elephant, donkey, or color green

[Thelonius]

I think it's only fair that if I buy a pedal from a pedalmaker and that pedalmaker has a daughter between the ages of 18-21, that I should get a date with her.

 

That's not too much to ask. I mean crap..I'm giving money to you, your family, and your crappy political organization.

[corso]

It is difficult, but I do try to practice socially responsible consuming and investing. If everybody did it, the world would change. Example: How many stoned college kids talk against Bush out of one side of their mouth while stuffing the other side with Domino's Pizza? That guy funnels millions to crazy-ass abortion-clinic bomber types. Or howbout Starbucks? Seems liberal enough, gives benefits to gay couples, etc....but in Guatemala, they are planting all of their arable land with coffee(and coca) rather than with food to satisfy our consumption. Big problem.

 

Anyways, it's tough to walk down the street without stepping on a bug, I will admit.

[lowroadrevival]

 

Originally posted by Thelonius I have a friend who is a Republican that refused to buy Heinz ketchup during the election. And he hates all other ketchup brands. It was {censored}ing weird to me.

 

 

That's just stupid.

 

 

I mean you having a friend that's republican....

[Thelonius]

 

Originally posted by corso It is difficult, but I do try to practice socially responsible consuming and investing. If everybody did it, the world would change. Example: How many stoned college kids talk against Bush out of one side of their mouth while stuffing the other side with Domino's Pizza? That guy funnels millions to crazy-ass abortion-clinic bomber types. Or howbout Starbucks? Seems liberal enough, gives benefits to gay couples, etc....but in Guatemala, they are planting all of their arable land with coffee(and coca) rather than with food to satisfy our consumption. Big problem. Anyways, it's tough to walk down the street without stepping on a bug, I will admit.

 

 

Just across from a starbuck's here we had a guy open up shop. Fair trade coffee. And REALLY GOOD {censored}ing coffee. Starbuck's makes awesome drinks that have a thousand ingredients in them...lots of caramel, chocolate, and milk and such. But as far as just coffee. Blech. This place has fine coffee..and all that other great stuff, just as cheap, and he knows all of his customer's names.

 

I can count the amount of purchases I've made from Starbuck's since then on one hand.

[Thelonius]

 

Originally posted by jdwinger I'm getting the sense this thread is reaction to something else...something I think I missed so what's up in the political crucible that is HC?

 

 

A dude started a thread bitching about Keeley's message on his website.

[Mr. Twang]

This is interesting. I try to be conscious about where I shop. Years ago, after the Valdez accident, I refused to buy from Exxon and switched to Mobil or Sunoco. Of course, now Mobil and Exxon are one conglomerate, so I'm down to Sunoco. (Shell gas sucks.)

 

I also try to shop at my local hardware store as much as I can, as opposed to Home Depot. Not because I am opposed to Home Depot or anything -- just try to keep the local guys (and hopefully my town) in business.

 

But yeah, it's pretty tough to find some merchant without at least some questionable policies or tactics.

 

There's a Web site out there that lists all the big companies that contribute largely to either Red or Blue (I have it bookmarked somewhere) -- interestingly enough, most of the larger corporations donate just as much to both parties.

[Thelonius]

Originally posted by Mr. Twang This is interesting. I try to be conscious about where I shop. Years ago, after the Valdez accident, I refused to buy from Exxon and switched to Mobil or Sunoco. Of course, now Mobil and Exxon are one conglomerate, so I'm down to Sunoco. (Shell gas sucks.) I also try to shop at my local hardware store as much as I can, as opposed to Home Depot. Not because I am opposed to Home Depot or anything -- just try to keep the local guys (and hopefully my town) in business. But yeah, it's pretty tough to find some merchant without at least some questionable policies or tactics. There's a Web site out there that lists all the big companies that contribute largely to either Red or Blue (I have it bookmarked somewhere) -- interestingly enough, most of the larger corporations donate just as much to both parties.

 

Pretty smart actually. That way they can call in favors no matter who wins.

[Brian Marshall]

 

Originally posted by gappie im workin on it. before i buy a pedal from a builder i would like them to fill in this form.: sex M/F age... religion ... sexuality ..... political believe ........ opnion about : homosexuality weapons marriage etc etc

 

 

SEX: male

AGE: 31

Religion: agnostic

Sexuality: straight, although I think marlyn manson gave me a boner once.

Politics: usually leans to the far left, but crosses pary lines when needed

 

opinions on

Homosexuality: Dont ask dont tell? i dont really care what you call your self. to quote DM "people are people"

Weapons: The founding fathers wanted us to have guns so that we could overthrow the goverment again when it gets out of hand. I believe responsible people should be able to own assault rifles, and hand guns, but I also think it should be treated as a privelege, and not a god given right. ( i could hear a conservative saying this when clinton was in office)

Marriage: married to a hetrosexual woman.

 

Anything else?

[corso]

Originally posted by Thelonius Pretty smart actually. That way they can call in favors no matter who wins.

 

'zackly...they're hedging their bets.

[Brian Marshall]

Oh and YES

 

the Pat Robertson calls for boycotts all the time. My guess is that the majority of his audience also shop at walmart for everything.

 

I could be wrong i suppose.

[blaghaus]

I was going to insert a saucer in my bottom lip in homage to the amazonian tribe but when I bent over to tie my nikes up I couldn't see my feet.

[Fingermush]

 

Originally posted by gappie im workin on it. before i buy a pedal from a builder i would like them to fill in this form.:

 

 

sex M/F- waht ev'. I mean Male

 

age... 26

 

religion ... I do stuff to make god laugh, seriously.

 

sexuality ..... straight goth kid, though everyone's bi, I just have no need for dick or ass

 

political believe ........a lot of crazy wacked out {censored}, but in this day in age I'm a middle of the road independant.

 

opnion about :

 

homosexuality- Who am I to judge?

 

weapons- Like breeding they should require that new gun owners take a safety/lawful use/common sense defense class

 

marriage- no thanks

 

Depeche Mode- everytiem I get into a good acoustc room I start belting out " All I ever wanted, All I ever needed.....":cool:

 

Americas decline in a post WWII world- we need reform the judical & prison system, decriminalize weed, and give prison guards huge pay cuts, this would give us more money to PAY OUR TEACHERS ADN SUPPORT THE TECHNILOGICAL AND CULTURAL ENRICHMENT OUR OR DECLINING CIVLIZATION.

 

puppies- they're soooooooo cute.

etc etc:cool:

[Mr. Twang]

Folks like Jesse Jackson use the threat of boycotts as a means of blackmail to obtain big money business contracts for his "associates." It's a typical shakedown. If there's talk about a particular company engaging in racist (whether true or not), he'll invite himself over and threaten a racial boycott of said company's products and subsequently label that company as racist. This works because Jackson is a nationally recognized figure who happens to have a lot of media recognition.

 

In order to comply and avoid the Jackson boycott, the company must usually make a large contribution (pure extortion) to one of Jackson's many foundations (all tax exempt by the way) and then they usually have to hire a few of Jackson's associates as highly paid "consultants" to oversee that new policies are implemented. It's a total corporate shakedown because most corporations are terrified of being labelled racist, so they go along and pay off Jesse.

 

So for all the good they do, boycotts can be a dangerous thing too.

[ck3]

I'll only purchase pedals from supporters of The Lemon Party.

[jcn37203]

 

Originally posted by Mr. Twang This is interesting. I try to be conscious about where I shop. Years ago, after the Valdez accident, I refused to buy from Exxon and switched to Mobil or Sunoco. Of course, now Mobil and Exxon are one conglomerate, so I'm down to Sunoco. (Shell gas sucks.) I also try to shop at my local hardware store as much as I can, as opposed to Home Depot. Not because I am opposed to Home Depot or anything -- just try to keep the local guys (and hopefully my town) in business. But yeah, it's pretty tough to find some merchant without at least some questionable policies or tactics. There's a Web site out there that lists all the big companies that contribute largely to either Red or Blue (I have it bookmarked somewhere) -- interestingly enough, most of the larger corporations donate just as much to both parties.

 

 

You know what's really screwed up and bugs me because I keep forgetting?

 

There's a local hardware store literally around the corner from my house. But yet when I need a 3/4" spade bit, I drive five miles down the interstate and fight the crowd at Home Depot.

 

Then when I get home, I realize I could have saved half an hour of my time by going to the local place.

 

I don't know why I never think about it.

 

Although it does piss me off because the place totally disorganized. You have to tell someone what you want so they can show you where it is, and a good deal of the stuff is in the back, so its not even on display. But it's there, and has been for decades.

[jcn37203]

 

Originally posted by Thelonius A dude started a thread bitching about Keeley's message on his website.

 

 

It's not just the Keeley one, I've read at least 3 or 4 people talk about not buying from different builders because of political ideas.

 

Mainly Vex, but I know there was at least one more, I just can't remember who.

[yaz75]

On the origional point of this thread, I do make conscious choices about where I spend. As far as the pedal maker thing goes, it can become a problem for me. As an individual, why would I help someone champion a cause that I disagree with? If by spending my money with that business, it aides a cause that I'm against, then I'm aiding that cause. As far as the Keeley thread went, he's trying to save NPR. While I don't like NPR, they are far from un-biased, but they are also far from me giving a crap enough to get involved one way or the other. I hope they save it because it's fairly non-offensive and society needs more of that. But I can't in good conscience have ANYTHING to do with moveon.org. Just my choice. I used to gas pretty bad for some zvex stuff until I heard Zach on this forum and his views. Suddenly that gas is long gone and I've turned my money and attention elsewhere. I think it definately taints my viewpoint towards the product when I know the people behind the product.

 

The flip side is someone like Paul Newman. I hate his politics, but his products benefit youths and charities. All profits go to that end, therefore I buy his product. He also goes to great lengths to make the company transparant so no funny business can happen with the money.

 

In the end, ignorance is bliss for me. Why must an electronics maker feel the need to inject politics with effects? The 2 are unrelated and can only serve to piss off a portion of the populace. I could have gone on quite happy in not knowing their stances on things.