# Who are you boycotting? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 27, 2004, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-you-boycotting/271557 "2004-10-27T22:58:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-you-boycotting/271557/81 "2004-10-28T21:36:58Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > That’s the running total. It will never end. :smack: Oh. That _would_ make more sense, wouldn’t it? I thought you had some kind of “time’s up!” boycott going on, where you would shop there again after a certain amount of time. Sorry, I’m not usually that dense. _::: slinks off :::_ ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-you-boycotting/271557/82 "2004-10-28T21:39:54Z")
McDonalds - I don’t like their food. Taco Bell - ditto Burger King - ditto Jack in the Box - ditto Circuit City - I hate them, they ripped me off and everyone I’ve ever known to shop there hates 'em too Tom’s of Maine - for pro-life donations Curves - ditto U-Haul - because I hate them Southwest Airlines - they gave my seat away for no reason, and I got felt up during an entire flight by an obese fellow passenger and the stewardess wouldn’t do anything about it religion - because its for idiots ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-you-boycotting/271557/83 "2004-10-28T21:47:09Z")
WalMart Federal Express ANd my rule of thumb for traveling (which I do quite a but) is: if I can eat at this restaurant at home, I won’t eat there (Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Fridays, Applebees, etc). I try to avoid the corporate places and eat at the locally owned ones. Unfortunately, I’m not always perfect with this. Sometimes I just need something quick and cheap late at night, and the Golden Arches beckon. ---
**Author:** ![bughunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@bughunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bughunter)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-you-boycotting/271557/84 "2004-10-28T22:06:40Z")
No details??? [sigh] Alright. But that takes all the fun out of it. [/sigh] I have a long grudge list against corporations: - Charter Cable. Until they are forced to face competition. - McDonald’s - Paseo Colorado (the new yuppie shopping/condo behemoth here in Pasadena) - Exxon/Mobil - Any member of the Carlyle Group - RIAA and Major Record Labels - Microsoft - Adobe - Circuit City - Good Guys - NBC News - Fox News - Deja Vu Showgirls - Mandalay Resort Group - OSH - LA Weekly - All Chain Bookstores - Hasbro/WoTC/TSR - Anything bearing a likeness of Hello Kitty, Barney, Spongebob, Wiggles, Dora the Explorer or any other children’s character that exists primarily as a marketing tool. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-you-boycotting/271557/85 "2004-10-28T23:02:09Z")
Ok i give up why so many people with nestle? ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-you-boycotting/271557/86 "2004-10-28T23:04:22Z")
Well I don’t go to some of these for other reasons. Wal-Mart and Target - I’ve just had too many bad experiences at these stores. K-mart always seems to have what I need and I don’t get the hassle. Cracker Barrel - because if I’m gonna get bland food, I don’t want to pay and arma nd a leg for it. Yes, it’s country atmosphere is nice, but it doesn’t make up for the rest of it. ---
**Author:** ![MrFantsyPants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@MrFantsyPants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFantsyPants)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-you-boycotting/271557/87 "2004-10-28T23:26:08Z")
> [@BurnMeUp](#): > > Ok i give up why so many people with nestle? it was linked to earlier in the thread, but basically, they have a habit of dressing up as nurses, and giving free samples of baby formula to women in third world countries. Doesn’t sound so bad eh? Except that they give enough free product away that the mother’s breast milk supply dries up, and the mother is forced to continue with the formula. Because of extreme poverty, they almost always water it down too much, and use contaminated water, causing malnutrition and disease. It was estimated at one time that 1/2 million babies were dying yearly because of this practice. And if the mother had just stuck with breast milk, everything would have been fine, except a nurse told them to switch. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-you-boycotting/271557/88 "2004-10-28T23:34:40Z")
Another for McDonalds AT&T will never get another dime from me as long as I live. ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-you-boycotting/271557/89 "2004-10-29T00:44:04Z")
There’s one I forgot about **SpecSavers** –I wear glasses, and the TV ad campaign they used in Britain glorified verbal bullying of people who look ‘different’ (because they didn’t have the ‘stylish glasses’ sold by specsavers). Years ago I boycotted Tango for the same basic reason, but at least they apologised and improved their marketing. Plus boycotting Coca-Cola and Tango at the same time is less than ideal 😉 Also, could someone who’s more deeply into these things give me a hand with the Nestle boycott–I know they make money from lots of other consumer products other than chocolate and coffee (and milk formula), but I’m not sure which ones. ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-you-boycotting/271557/90 "2004-10-29T00:50:29Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by **Ghanima** > religion - because its for idiots ☹ Could we at least **try** to keep this thread on topic. There are, it is true, umpteen threads throughout the Straight Dope Message Board discussing the belief choices of those more spiritual than ourselves. Unfortunately, this one happens to be about consumer boycotts! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-you-boycotting/271557/91 "2004-10-29T01:01:42Z")
Video Barn in Henrietta, NY- They charged me ten dollars because their tape got stuck in my VCR. I brought it in and they told me they would remove it. They specifically said there would be no charge. Then when I went back they told me I had to pay their standard ten dollar repair fee or they wouldn’t give me back my VCR. I never rented another tape from them. Okay, maybe it wasn’t a global issue, but it pissed me off. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-you-boycotting/271557/92 "2004-10-29T01:24:36Z")
Political: De Beers, and anyone who does business with them. (human rights) Wal Mart (obvious reasons) I try to avoid anything made in China and Myammar, though sometimes it can’t be avoided, especially for certain electronic components. (human rights) Jack in the Box (Takes huge government handouts, fights common sense health regulations despite being known for food poisoning) Fox News (obvious reasons) NBC (same reasons as Fox News) Any resaurant that serves freedom fries. (This is probably the easiest act of social protest that I’ve ever undertaken, since I don’t think any such restaurant exists. But if any one starts, I’ll be ready.) CitiBank (funds stuff in Indonesia and China, assisted Enron and other corporate crooks) Nike (human rights) Various stuff that pisses me off: Hardees (ad campaign) Jack in the Box (ad campaign) Del Rey Fantasy (prints crappy books) Tor Fantasy (prints crappy books on crappy paper, they fall apart in about two months) Carls Jr. (ad campaign) Taco Bell (Ad campagin. Last year Washington Mutual ran an ad where a bad guy was inspired to become a good guy by the honest banker’s at Washington Mutual. We know he was bad at the start because we see him stealing from a kid’s lemonade stand. Now Taco Bell is running an ad telling us that stealing from a kid’s lemonade stand is good, because it indicates that you’re “not willing to settle for less”.) Bud Light (Ad Campaign) ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-you-boycotting/271557/93 "2004-10-29T01:26:52Z")
Oh, and while I’m no longer officially boycotting Coors, I still don’t buy their alleged beer. ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-you-boycotting/271557/94 "2004-10-29T01:32:04Z")
Is anyone interested if I start a separate thread in Café Society about ‘ad campaigns that had the reverse effect to that which was intended by the advertiser’? (I probably better think of a snappier title first :D) ---
**Author:** ![TastesLikeBurning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@TastesLikeBurning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TastesLikeBurning)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-you-boycotting/271557/95 "2004-10-29T01:36:36Z")
[Iams](http://www.iamscruelty.com/iams.asp) ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-you-boycotting/271557/96 "2004-10-29T01:37:21Z")
**bluecanary** , it sounds great. How about “When Marketing Goes Wrong” ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-you-boycotting/271557/97 "2004-10-29T02:01:20Z")
**iamthewalrus(:3=**: Perfect. The thread’ll be up in a few minutes if you wish to post there 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-you-boycotting/271557/98 "2004-10-29T03:44:35Z")
My lovely, shiny, walrus-inspired [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=283542) is dying without trace. Deboycott it! I insist ;)! ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-you-boycotting/271557/99 "2004-10-29T03:51:09Z")
> [@](#): > > Any resaurant that serves freedom fries. (This is probably the easiest act of social protest that I’ve ever undertaken, since I don’t think any such restaurant exists. But if any one starts, I’ll be ready.) There’s a place called Bray’s near my house that used to do this. It’s kind of a White Castle archetectual style, but the food is much better (not hard to do) Anyway, they used to have “Freedom Fries” on their menu, now it just reads “Fries”. I think they probably realized how stupid “Freedom Fries” were but felt “French Fries” were unpatriotic. ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-you-boycotting/271557/100 "2004-10-29T04:02:30Z")
What’s wrong with taking on the English name for said fried potato-pieces: **chips**. Surely this avoids all that French/Freedom/Fablon whatever malarkey. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-you-boycotting/271557.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-you-boycotting/271557.md?page=6)