Consumer Boycotts

[Desertrose2023]

I posted the BDS list in the supporting Palestinian businesses thread and recent discussion on another thread re the backlash against Zara got me wondering how many others are participating in consumer boycotts linked to the conflict in Gaza (and the occupation in Palestine) or for different reasons.

there are a number of brands I’m boycotting usually for a mix of reasons, political, environmental and social. Interested to hear views from others.

Disclaimer: to avoid any misinterpretation or twisting of my words - I do not support any acts of violence or vandalism or boycotting based on religion/ethnicity.

all the ones on the BDS committee list

https://bdsmovement.net/

in addition to a few others (sample below)

Starbucks: overpriced shit coffee and they recently sued their union for tweeting in support/solidarity with Palestine.

Zara: I stopped buying stuff following the controversy of their head womenswear designer making disgusting anti-Palestinian comments. The reports of slave labour (Uyghurs and in Brazil) plus the recent tone deaf ad campaign was the final straw. Plus trying to be more conscious re reducing how much ‘fast fashion’ I buy anyway.

Nestle: a history of unethical corporate practices plus including ownership of an Israeli food company with production in OPT.

That's literally what the BDS website says in justification for the boycott.

Here it is, on the page that you linked to, just a quick scroll down from the bit you copied and pasted.

@noblegiraffe Maybe Google is your friend here?

Tip: go to google, type in "BDS Captain America" and you might find some additional information.

@noblegiraffe I will repeat - I didn't post anything about Disney, I suggested you respond to one of the company boycotts I posted upthread? Rather than the link?

Sorry if it was complicated.

You posted a link to the page that I got the Disney info from. Perhaps that was your error and that you didn't expect anyone to visit it.

Also your error that you said you wanted to discuss BDS boycotts and the reasons behind them.

@noblegiraffe I'm sorry if my post was too complicated for you to understand. I don't feel like you're responding to me in good faith.

I wish you a lovely evening. 😘

@noblegiraffe A quick Google search shows Disney's new Captain America film called Captain America: A New World Order features an Israeli superhero named Sabra.

Seems to me you were being goady.

The "personification of apartheid Israel" though - how does that work? I don't think the film is out yet to check.

I’ve posted about more boycotts which are having effect. The only one that has been criticised is the Starbucks one. The rest are having effects as well so I think they same as others , why are people so offended by the boycott against Starbucks and not so much about others

Not sure whether the “someone seemed to be saying it was a good thing” is referring to myself. But I didn’t even give an opinion. I posted a link as it’s related with this thread. Same way I’ve posted many several links about other boycotts that are going around and the impact of them. There is no comment between mine and stoma and yourself so I’m not sure who are you referring to with that someone. If it’s not myself then apologies for the comment

why are people so offended by the boycott against Starbucks and not so much about others

Because the Starbucks one is so totally stupid? I think I might have mentioned this.

Not sure whether the “someone seemed to be saying it was a good thing” is referring to myself. But I didn’t even give an opinion.

From your previous postings I would have assumed that you thought a boycott supposedly targeted at Israel having an impact was a positive thing.

What is your opinion on the article you posted about the job losses due to the Starbucks boycott then?

@noblegiraffe yes you've mentioned you think the Starbucks boycott is stupid. Many, many times. And many more times. We get it.

And yet EasterIsland asked, and so I answered. Did you not notice?

Starbucks coffee is like bitter water, horrible. So enough for me to boycott them. But mainly, I will support local cafés, that serve locally produced cakes, sandwiches, food and decent coffee- paying tax locally, etc.

And will certainly boycott anything produced in and exported from, Israel.

@millionleaves I thought you were going?

Have a lovely evening.

Oh ok thanks for the explanation. I assume then the rest aren’t stupid in your opinion.

I don’t think I’ve given my opinion about the boycott on Starbucks , I have about some but not Starbucks.

I should clarify, I think Starbucks are a dreadful company with some extremely dubious business practices, but boycotting them for "suing their their union for tweeting in support/solidarity with Palestine." is stupid as that's not what happened, and even BDS don't seem to think boycotting them will particularly affect Israel, especially as they don't operate in Israel.

@stomachamaleon does my return offend you? I am SO sorry.

I assume then the rest aren’t stupid in your opinion.

Currently reserving judgement on the Disney one as no one has been able to explain the stated reason.

The McDonalds one seems to not understand what franchises are or how they operate. I particularly object to people standing outside McDonalds and hassling customers. That isn't targeting Israel, that's just being a dick.

Boycotting weapons suppliers or drone manufacturers or whatever seems totally fair play.

Sabra, the character in the new Captain America is named after a massacre that took place in Lebanon in 1982. Not exactly in great taste.

https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2022/9/16/sabra-and-shatila-massacre-40-years-on-explainer

To be fair - and I cannot believe I am defending the Israeli narrative here:

Yes, it IS true that "Sabra" was the location of a horrific massacre.

What is also true, mind, is that "Sabra" is also a term for "a Jewish Israeli, born in Israel". It's a type of cactus that bears fruit that are "rough and repelling on the outside but delicious and sweet on the inside" - and, as such, is kind of a metaphor for Israeli national identity and its narrative. "Sabra" from an Israeli point of view, stands for "born free", and for "no longer will Jews be like lambs to the slaughter - we have claws now!".

Personally, it's not a trope I like! Because, the way I look at it, it's an identity and a narrative that centres "liberation of some at the expense of the oppression of many" and is ethno-nationalist to its core.

But, still, that would be what the word "Sabra" means to Israelis. [Yes! Most Israelis live with the literal privilege of just casually disregarding the "other" Sabra - that doesn't make them "inherently evil", by the way, just "over-privileged and self-indulgent". Most people are, given the opportunity! In that sense: this makes them "extremely ordinary"!]

Sabra, the character in the new Captain America is named after a massacre that took place in Lebanon in 1982. Not exactly in great taste.

And quite unbelievable given that Sabra first appeared in the Incredible Hulk August 1980 edition.

Does no one actually look stuff up before posting?

Sabra is a very common well known affectionate nickname for an Israeli here, It’s referencing the sabra fruit from the cactus. Prob equivalent to Yankee in America. theyve literally just opened up a primary school local to me called Tzavar (Hebrew for sabra). If this is an Israeli character, I very much doubt it was named for a massacre, much more likely to be referencing the nickname.

Particularly a massacre that occurred after the character was created.