Yesterday I wrote about how overwhelming the volume of "boycotts" is to me and how I don't think it's effective at deterring businesses from supporting liberal causes such as gay marriage and abortion. I was chastised in the comments for not doing the research, toughing it out, or being willing to sacrifice for the cause. I'm pretty sure there was an implication of laziness in there too, which I might or might not agree with.
So, boycotter people, tell me how you do it. Here's your chance to sell me on it. Don't tell me where you won't shop or what you won't buy....tell me what you will. What companies do you support and why?
A list of negatives is too hard, because I don't see that I have alternatives. Show me the good guys.
Seriously. Treat me like I'm clueless. Take me by the hand, and walk me through it.
14 comments:
The boycotts are hard. We avoid companies when we hear they're supporting things we don't agree with, but we only really all out boycott for life-related issues (i.e. abortion, using fetal cells in food testing and that sort of thing).
The thing that made me sane was buying store brands. It's much harder now that we're spending the summer in a rural area, but in the city we can find almost everything made by a generic store brand, which helps us avoid those companies that we won't buy from. Without generic avoiding kraft would be a nightmare.
Good luck! I'm sure you guys will be able to find a plan that works for your family!
The upside is that I'm pretty much ecstatic whenever someone moves off the list!
Oh and I totally feel you on the restaurants! I'm pregnant and all I wanted when we went into "the city" this past week for shopping was either Red Lobster or Olive Garden... It's like I'm craving what I can't have!
I just wanted to clarify from the last post comments saying they don't shop at Home Depot. Home Depot does not support Planned Parenthood anymore. The money going to them was challenged by a pro-lifer and they stopped supporting them. Don't forget to support businesses that change their ways! Shop away there!!
-Renee
Keep your chin up. Most everyone was supportive and you know if us bloggers write the slightest controversial thing, we WILL hear the other side ;).
Sorry to say that while Home Depot moved off the Planed Parenthood list, they still are in wih both feet in the war against marriage. You can Google Home Depot Pride Parades to see stomach-turning evidence that you should *NOT* shop Home Depot!
Anonymous-
I didn't realize that the call to boycott Home Depot was because of their support for gay people. I don't know about including that in the list of boycotts. If you start including those companies you would have to include Google (which I thought was ironic that you suggested I use their website), General Mills, Target, Microsoft, Apple, and Nike just to name a few. It is just so far reaching. There has to be a limit somewhere.
God Bless- Renee
Our approach is to avoid the big box stores and fast food chains in general. We shop at local stores as much as possible, and eat at local restaurants on the rare occasions when we eat out. It may cost a few dollars more some of the time, but it's supporting your local community and not really getting involved with big corporations. I second the idea of buying generic (it's one way to offset the cost of buying local) when shopping for things at the grocery store (our local mom and pop store has some great stuff in store brands). We also try to avoid processed foods as much as possible. When you make your own you aren't supporting those big companies either. Once you get beyond that, I do think you can drive yourself crazy trying to follow all the boycotts. In addition, unless you live in a major metro area, it's sometimes very difficult to even find what you want without occasionally shopping at Wal-Mart or Sears. I think we do the best we can, shop local as much as possible, and focus our energies on not feeding the materialism monster anymore than we need to. If you aren't spending much anyway, you're not going to be giving your money to companies whose policies you don't like. Simplify, simplify, simplify. Shop the second hand stores, make your own, enjoy old fashioned pleasures (like ice cream cones in the backyard after a game of croquet instead of a trip to McDonalds). Turn off commercial TV so your kids don't see the ads.
I'm with you. Praying and raising good kids is the best thing to do. I'm not a lazy Catholic, but I won't have others tell me whom I have to boycott so that I must prove I'm pro-life enough. I'm pro-life, ok? My husband, sisters and I talk about what's going on and then we decide.
Home Depot is notorious for supporting same-sex "marriage" and etc, so Lowes is still a better alternative.
Hay Cam,
While I would like to boycott known brands when their ethics or supported whatever is in question, the problem with generic is that they are sometimes produced by the same companies who produce those brand names.
Additionally, I know from watching a "How it's Made" show that a company who produces ice-cream for example, like Blue Bunny also makes the generic Wal-Mart brand of ice-cream and several others, so it becomes difficult to determine just who to boycott :(
The Mom asked for who people use, not who they don't use. I was hoping to hear some of the positive places to support. Who are they? I would like to know also. I don't believe I'm lazy. I don't support or frequent certain businesses but who do I support? For sure, Chick-Fil-A, but as The Mom said, you can't eat there exclusively (and, it is expensive when you have 5 kids, 3 of them teenagers). What are some places you guys DO support?
I feel your pain...I have a hard time knowing where to shop too. We just try to buy at local stores that aren't big chains. It seems the chain stores can afford to support the "culture of death" events. I don't even have little kids at home anymore and I still struggle with the "which store just sold out now?!" Ugh. All I can do is try my best and keep trying to live the Truth for others.
Frankly, I don't believe that there is a single mass production company that doesn't support something immoral. I am a strong believer in the writing of letters. I have written JC Penney a letter explaining my disgust at their recent gay family covers supporting same sex families. The fact of the matter is, the Federal government gives tax breaks to those who support "charity" organizations. Everyone supports something, and just when you think you've gotten them all, another person comes out and says "Hey! X-Mart has been supporing ___ for years!" I will protest when I've personally seen something grotesque, but I will also tell them (I hear they respond very strongly to that). Don't boycott something without telling them why! I'm sorry that I can't give a list of companies TO support (other than the obvious local Catholic family owned stores, but we don't have any of those in the midwest). Good luck, the Mom.
Agreed, I think the life issue is the most important so that is the one that incites boycott in our family. To us, mean to rabbits is not the same as slaughtered children so we have prioritize.
We also buy the brands that don't specifically support Planned Parenthood and their affiliates. We order a lot of products online, shop locally and go with generics. Someone mentioned that the companies that make the product in the first place might send it to be labeled as generic, and something I think is important to keep in mind is that then the boycott target then doesn't get the money since that is the point. Suppliers don't mean distributors.
For toothpaste, we like Tom's or Jason. We buy generic milk as long as it is rBst free. I like Zoi Greek yogurt. Kellogg is our go-to for cereal or we buy bulk oatmeal and add granola. We use Dove bar soap for bodywash and shampoo, and it is cheap online. We go to our local health food store and pay $13 a bottle for castile organic liquid soap, but you dilute it 10/1 so it ends up being 320 oz and we use that for hand soap and it lasts us a few months. Generic toilet paper and napkins. As for eating out, IF we can afford to spend 3 or 4 times more than it would cost to make it at home, which we usually can't, again, GO LOCAL! We have a our favorite family run, owned and operated, been around forever type places and almost every time the food is better, cheaper and larger portioned. Sometimes it is even locally sourced for fruits and veggies.
It takes effort, to be sure, but in this modern age, I think it is our challenge and calling. Chin up!
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