I had some minor service done on my car this morning and, while I was paying, noticed an emailed joke had been taped next to the register. The gist of the joke was that the recovery will begin when Obama loses his job. It wasn’t particularly funny, but it certainly wasn’t offensive either.
It got me thinking- why would any business risk alienating even a small percentage of their customer base by making such a political statement? And I don’t mean some bold, moral stand, but, in this particular case, just a dumb internet joke.
Now I wouldn’t formally boycott a business over something so silly, but I do have other options in town, and I will think twice about giving them my money again any time soon.
There’s another small business in town that has taken this to a whole new level- they always have bumper stickers, candidate signs, political flags, leaving no doubt as to where they stand. It’s a small specialty-shop and I haven’t had much reason to go in there, but if and when I do, I will definitely go elsewhere.
In doing so, I may very well be going to another business-owner with the same exact agenda, but not so dumb as to project it and I think that reinforces my larger point. Wearing your politics on your sleeve is fine. Wearing your politics on your advertising marquee is poor business.
Another, similar example might be stomv’s liquor store thread from last week. That sign no doubt antagonized more than a few customers.
Is it me? Am I being overly-sensitive? Would you patronize a store that pushed an ideology different than your own? Would our differently-winged friends avoid a business with a huge Obama sign in the window or a Palin joke at the register?
When it comes to auto work, I’d rather have a quality job I can depend on than boycott or purposely patronize a mechanic due his politics. I’ve been porked one too many times to not appreciate a good mechanic.
<
p>That said, I think it’s a calculated risk by a small businessperson. They also play to their clientele. For example, up until I was 18 (when he retired) I had my hair cut by the same retired marine barber every month. He had pictures of nude women on the wall, had talk radio on, and never left it up to your imagination what his political affiliation was. I remember one time I was waiting for a haircut, and he and a client were chatting during the cutting. Another person waiting to get cut apparently had heard enough of the right-wing banter, swore at the barber and left. The barber and the guy he was cutting both laughed and then the client said “ahh…that’s why I come here.”
<
p>While there is definitely a risk to businesses advertising politics, there can be a reward. I always loved talking to that barber, because he was just as sharp as his scissors, and he did a very thorough job.
<
p>Come to think of it, I think I would just as much enjoy a trip to a liberal barber too. I guess it’s because I would rather challenge a person’s beliefs and hear their response than simply cuss them out and retreat like that other guy did.
<
p>Still comes down to quality for me. I could care less the politics of the man cutting my hair or doing my brakes as long as it’s reliable, quality, and friendly.
I guess I was assuming that all things being equal- obviously I’m not going to risk my safety because I like the mechanic’s lapel pin, but you make a good point. Sometimes good quality trumps other considerations.
<
p>I would venture to guess that your barber friend alienated more customers who just never came back than he drew in just to hear his opinions. Now in a service-oriented business like that, perhaps he had a level and type of clientele that worked for him and he was comfortable with, but in a volume-based business, where each interaction may only be 30 seconds, I can’t see how it doesn’t hurt the bottom line.
was a powerful tool to pressure South Africa to end its practice of apartheid. It is a legitimate tool for social and political change. The question must be when is it an appropriate tool?
<
p>Most of us believe that a person or business owner with a different point of view or political party is not an appropriate target for boycott, in a country where we value diversity of thought. We recognize that vigorous debate elevates the discussion and improves our ability to make clear decisions.
<
p>Speech that fails to advance the debate is worthless.
<
p>Destructive speech that degrades our society is dangerous and earns our efforts to discourage. When people or groups promote hatred or harm to our fellow citizens, our community or country we must stand up and defend and refuse to tolerate
<
p>So Charley’s question is does this current situation rise to this level? Certainly many extremists believe that their issue always does and can build a case that convinces themselves if no one else.
<
p>These teabaggers and birthers aren’t against only health care, they are opposed to Obama and his “liberal agenda” they tout as “evil”. They are angry and using all tactics to manufacture anger and win back the agenda they lost in the election.
<
p>The failures in the health care delivery system lead to the deaths of over 100,000 Americans every year. Is this evil? As a society, how do we come to a point where we look at the annual deaths of 100,000 and lack of health insurance of 47 mil of our fellow citizens and find it to be a disappointing statistic, but place more value on the prosperity of the insurance corporations or keeping our taxes low?
<
p>Oops, this bill would actually lower the health care costs by as much as 50%.
This is why I wrote to Gerber and Geico, complaining about their sponsorship of Glenn Beck and telling them why. Apparently, enough other people did the same that the companies pulled their ads.
<
p>Vote with your bucks. You get to do that every day, not just once every two years in November.
Phil Donahue’s Emmy Award winning show was removed from the air in the 90’s because of the boycotts of the right wing extremists, who railed against any position other than their own. Civil public discourse encourages public engagement and should be promoted.
<
p>Glenn Beck, the founder of the teabaggers, has clearly stepped over the line. His antics foment hatred and violence and unleash it in an irresponsible manner that instills fear and misunderstanding.
<
p>Yes Kirth, not only boycott, but write and let them know why!!
<
p>from Bob Fertik at Democrat.com
<
p>And sorry to have attributed this post to Charley instead of Wookie in my previous comment.
I would like JUST that list without printing out this whole string. Also, these advertises all have “corporate agents” listed with the Corporate Division on Secretary Galvin’s website. Corporate Agents Site
<
p>Go get ’em – it is worth the stamp!
progressive or supportive of progressive causes, I won’t shop there. For example, I never shop at Wal-Mart. Ever. Haven’t for over 10 years. I never shop at Home Depot, either. I would rather pay more to another business than have my consumer dollars contribute to the coffers of merchants whose views don’t reflect mine. IOW, I prefer to support the folks whose views mirror mine, and that’s my prerogative as a shopper. Of course, I’ve no way of knowing how some business owners line up, so until I do, they get the benefit of the doubt. If I saw the cartoon you mention in your post at my garage, I’d simply find another garage. No problem.
The names of businesses that supported Democrats were publicized. I recall that Barnes & Noble and Borders were both on the list and I found it fitting that businesses who existed to serve readers supported Democrats.
Not only am I a shareholder, I buy all my ammunition there (in NH and CT. Not sold in MA stores.) I am licensed to purchase ammo in MA but WalMart has great prices.
<
p>The rest of its merchandise is generally awful. Even a 6-pak of Dial soap contains individually smaller bars than some Dial bar soap products at grocery stores and CVS.
<
p>But you can’t argue with success. People love Walmart, Target, Home Depot, etc.
<
p>That’s interesting. Ammunition is sold in Mass Walmart Central Mass Stores.
Sure you can, when that “success” has come at great cost to this country.
Halliburton, A.P. Lorillard, Philip Morris, W.R. Grace, United Fruit, Peanut Corporation of America, Union Carbide, Exxon, etc., etc.
<
p>Success. You’re soaking in it.
on businesses with Obama campaign stickers/signs or in state Patrick/Kennedy/Kerry campaign signs. As others said in a complimentary way, I’d avoid if there was a non-partisan alternative, but not in a severe way. Just like I certainly would not end a friendship if that person was for “the other guy”, that’s silly! Maybe I’m showing my bias but I feel Democrats would take a far more severe opinion of businesses with Rush/Romney/Bush… stickers being displayed.
The flip side is that sometimes businesses go “agnostic” to a fault. They lose all sense of ethics or social responsibility, to the point where they won’t hang the poster up for the high school football team or musical because “they’re in the business of being in business, not anything else.”
<
p>That’s the small scale problem. The big scale problem is when agnosticism means meeting the lowest standards by law, regardless of morals without regard to wages, safety, the environment, bribery, or any number of other things.
I’ve got money and I’ve got time. With regard to services, I can trade my money for time. I could pay to have my shoes polished, my clothes hemmed, my lawn mowed. I have neither the funds nor the desire to subcontract out all of the services in my life, but I do pay for some things I could do myself. I try to choose the ones which support causes I like.
<
p>On some nights instead of cooking I go out to local restaurants because I believe that local businesses are essential to my community’s health, and because cooking provides jobs for non-native speakers who are working an honest living for a better life, while waiting tables often supports young people working through college, again for a better life. I could buy a few tools and work on my bicycle myself, but I always just bring it in the shop — I like to support the bicycle industry, so I choose to spend money to save time there. Same goes for the local coffee shop. I have extra money to spend on things like that because I’m not buying imported gasoline, very many imported electronics, paper towels, tchotchkes, or even much (coal fired) electricity.
<
p>I’m not targeting specific vendors per se; rather, I’m targeting entire industries. It isn’t lost on me that I’m a teensy tiny fish in the big ocean of the economy and that my personal choices aren’t going to ripple far. Still, I might as well use my dollars for impact.
There’s a Sony model that actually has a motion sensor built into the front of it so that if you’re the type who falls asleep watching TV, it shuts off automatically or when the TV fails to register motion within a set period of time. It also uses a differrent type of backlight that uses 40% less energy than other LCD’s.
… the OLED baby! 😉
the new LED’s out (samsung, sharp) are not true LED, but just use it as a backlight. These TV’s (aside from maybe vizios, which tend to have poor picture quality in comparison) are $$$$.
<
p>OLED is $$$$$$$$$$$$.
<
p>This tech needs a few years to simmer before it’s worth the bank.
… some market penetration and competition to bring prices down and drive quality up. I’ll bet that at some point the issues for TV applications will get pretty much resolved.
I can’t figure out how it’s related…
<
p>but to answer your question, I have a tube RCA. Not digital. I didn’t get a converter box either; I get no TV channels since I don’t have cable. I just use Netflix to watch DVDs, and supplement with the occasional Stewart and Colbert clip.
<
p>And yes, I’ve got the TV and DVD player on a power strip so neither are using any kWh when not being watched.
<
p>I guess in our household we tend towards restaurants/takeout because we are too tired and or lazy. Enlightening.
-one such guilty pleasure, for me, is really good fried chicken.
like indian food. who has a clay oven? not us.
I like to cook. I cook good food.
I like to eat out. I eat out good food.
<
p>Tired and/or lazy prevents me from going out to eat.
you have to admit that your rational for going to a restaurant is a little over the top.
I’m less worried about the politics of owners than I am about whether or not the business is local. I’d rather shop at a store owned by local owners than I would a mega chain, politics or no politics.
<
p>Other things are important to me, as well: How comfortable do I feel there? If I’m going out to lunch alone, I probably want somewhere with free wifi where the employees won’t bother me if I stay there for a while and the food is decent. There really aren’t that many locally-owned places that fit the description, so if that’s what I’m looking for, I often choose Panera’s.
<
p>Sometimes, what I’m looking for is convenience and ability to research. If I’m looking for electronics, for example, I often buy it online, because its easy, often cheaper and I can research models, makes and price shop.
<
p>Sometimes, I just want to get something cheap. There’s a gigantic new used bookstore that moved into Danvers that sells all their books for $1-3. I kind of feel like I’m at the library when I’m there, except I get to keep the books. Other times, when it comes to books, I really want to read a bit of them to see if I like it, especially newer books… and in those cases, I’ll do a Borders or Barnes and Noble for the convenience, amenities (comfy chairs, cafes, etc.) and the fact that they’ll never bother me when I’m there… but I obviously wouldn’t shop there based on price. I’d do a locally-owned bookstore, but we don’t have any nearby 🙁
<
p>Stuff like mechanics? I go where I know people and trust I won’t get screwed.
<
p>So, yeah, I don’t think politics is high on the list of where we choose to shop. It does happen — I haven’t bought anything at a Walmart in 3-4 years — but it’s rare.
I also never shop at Wal-mart and only go when a 93-year-old persuades me to take her. I know I can get along without Whole Foods because I learned to get along without Mobil. When the latter was taken over by socially conservative/homo-unfriendly Exxon in the 90s, they stopped offering same-sex partner benefits to new hires. A boycott campaign began but ExxonMobil, to my knowledge, never relented. Gotta tell ya, I really LOVED waving the little Mobil keychain wand at the pump to pay for gas, but I gave it up. I think I’ve purchased gas once from ExxonMobil in 10 years, when I was in an isolated area, low on gas and they were the only option. I learned to do without them and I can do without Whole Foods.
occasionally shopped at Whole Foods, but the combination of its high prices and asshole owner has made it very easy to avoid it for the few things that did attract me to the store. I can get delicious blueberry pies and organic fruit elsewhere.
is annie’s mac n’ cheese.
<
p>Soooo good.
<
p>Other than that, I could care less.
is so worth it.
<
p>I just can’t eat the garbage stawberries or blueberries at a place like Market Basket. They’re just gross.
They also stock items to suit their customers – for example:amazing rice choices in big bags in areas with many Asian-Americans. They hire mentally challenged people and help them be good workers. I hope you speak to them and tell them what you’re looking for.
No, I am not a relative!
I bought cars for a while from a guy my dad knew before I could afford a more expensive used cars.
<
p>The guy operates in the most depressed city in the Pioneer Valley. Their customers were generally poor or working poor Puerto Ricans.
<
p>I spent enough time there to watch the guy and his help interact with their customers respectfully and well, you know, like people should treat people.
<
p>One time I was buying a car in January, and asked if they would be open on Martin Luther King Day. They would be open, they said and snickered at the holiday. It kind of hurt my feelings. I like these guys. But MLK is one of my heroes.
<
p>On the other hand, I got my car inspected at a mechanic that was less contradictory. He had gun magazine articles all over the place in his waiting room. Whe he finished inspecting my car, he brought it outside and left all the windows down and the door open. It was raining. I didn’t know him personally, but I had a Deval Patrick bumper sticker.
<
p>People can politely differ politically, but an a-hole’s an a-hole.
<
p>
For me, the rules totally change if there is an organized boycott.
<
p>And a boycott is a lot more than someone just saying not to shop someplace because the owners are creeps.
<
p>I very well might not shop there, and for that reason, but that’s an aesthetic statement, not a political act.
<
p>An organized boycott has (1) a clear call and set of demands that, when met, will end the boycott, and (2) an organization working to spread and coordinate the boycott throughout civil society (churches, unions, etc.).
<
p>From Montgomery to California grapes to Nestle’s, the boycott has a distinguished history. It does not deserve to be trivialized by half-assed suggestions about maybe buying your tofu from people you like better. Organization is key.
<
p>On the other hand, real boycotts deserve to be taken seriously, however inconvenient they may be.
I would rather patronize a store owned by someone with the same political ideals if I have a choice, but don’t usually go out of my way to boycott ones that don’t. In this case, I think he has betrayed a genuine lack of respect for his core customer base, which I find offensive. I had been looking forward to shopping at the new Whole Foods in Dedham, but I now plan on shopping elsewhere. Fortunately, in Boston there are a lot of alternatives.
Mega chains that have a political bend (Wal-Mart, Coors beer, etc) are on my personal boycott list. They are using corporate profirs to actively undermined issues I care about and I have no way to oppose that except with my consumer dollar.
<
p>A local small business with a political bend is another issue for me. I can engage an owner who lives in my community. If s/he wants to wear politics on their business sleeve than I have no problem bringing my opinion into their business. Sometimes you get people to actually think about alternatives.
on the entire thread. It’s important to distinguish a business which happens to have a political opinion and a business which forms it’s political opinions around profit and then uses it’s stature to generate that change, impact on society at large be damned.
Some don’t advertise their beliefs and we buy from them. How much do you really know about everybody else who doesn’t tell you how they feel about Obama?
I always thought people did not hire me for my political beliefs, and that I am there to help the good parts of their lives work better. I focus on that, so no bumper stickers on my car.
I try to set up a working atmosphere where we can have honest conversation, and sometimes that turns political. But we’ve already built a framework of trust and regard.
<
p>My children pretty much work the same way. My daughter, who runs a stable says, “no politics in the barn”. She has some very conservative clients who, over time, have had serious, thoughtful conversations with her.
A sticker came with the barn: “100% NRA”. We own guns, still… Underneath we added the FCNL sticker, “War doesn’t solve problems”. It’s never caused anyone to stay nor leave.
And a little unusual around here.
regardless of wich side. Someone engaged is good as opposed the the majority of the ostriches with the heads in the sand.
You’d be surprised how many right wingers ( I mean the REAL right wingers) visit this site and take stuff away to foment the approaching revolution. Their pitch is: These left wing nuts want to sink the entire country to prove a point—we gotta beat’m to the punch—and so the we have the escalation of aggresion and it may come down to open warfare. Personally—-if it comes down to shoot’n–I think the right wing nuts are gonna win.
<
p>but anyone with some functioning neurons will not fall for it. It’s preposterous.
<
p>Your definition of “rabid conservative” as you perceive liberals to understand it simply doesn’t exist in the educated world. Sorry to break the news to you. Had experience with the “atypical cancer” and guess what? Your stereotype doesn’t exist. Nice try, though.
Some people take opinions as tantamount to throwing the gauntlet. It may well be poor judgment for business people to advertise their opinion. Too much downside.
<
p>Aren’t we supposed to be a nation of people with different opinions? A nation of people that come together for solutions to common problems? Maybe we were once.
<
p>For too many years I’ve not heard intelligent dialogue regarding any political philosophy with any politicians. Each politician tends to maintain the us against them approach and this is echoed by the party followers. Little wonder we have so many problems.
<
p>