Although the protests are mainly symbolic, waiters in dozens of bars and restaurants in Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, Bonn and other German cities are telling patrons, “Sorry, Coca-Cola is not available any more due to the current political situation.”
The boycotts appear to be part of a nascent worldwide movement. One Web site, www.consumers-against-war.de, calls for boycotts of 27 top American firms from Microsoft to Kodak while another, www.adbusters.org, urges the “millions of people against the war” to “Boycott Brand America.”
Consumer fury seems to be on the rise. Demonstrators in Paris smashed the windows of a McDonald’s restaurant last week, forcing police in riot gear to move in to protect staff and customers of the American fast-food outlet. The attackers sprayed obscenities and “boycott” on the windows.
article
“Americans only pay attention when money is on the line,” director Heiko Mueller told Reuters, whose firm buys $300,000 worth of supplies from half a dozen American firms each year.
“We wanted to make a statement against this war and told our American partners that unless they renounce what their government is doing we won’t do any business with them anymore.”
Now here’s a boycott I could get behind. Why not shut down big evil American corporations? Especially something like Exxon-Mobil should be opposed, since they will benefit from this conflict more than any American or Iraqi.
14 comments on “Don’t like French Fries? Well, we don’t want American brands at all.”
but, in my opinion,. the people working for these places, are themselves citizens, (as the people working in the Mac Donalds in Paris) In the end, they are hurting their own citizens, just as much as the Americans…
In a lot of ways, it’s also not up to the corporations to stop this war, it is up to Bush. Either way it’s certain death for these companies (renouncing their government will spurr boycitts of the same nature in their home country) This will cause job loss all over the US, AND Canada, as many people here in Canada are employed by American franchises.
In the end, it winds up being like when the post black listed musicians speaking out aginst the war. They were speaking for what they believe in. Many of these companies are just trying to run their businesses. The, list Sheryl Crow, and the other artists on the black list, should not be forced to conform to any sort of belief because it is the opposite of what we believe.
I don’t doubt it would cost some jobs, but I would rather see a corrupt company like Exxon-Mobil be destroyed, because they have been pushing for this war, and will benefit from it most. Bush has such close ties to this company that it’s unlikely that they are not at least partial cause for this war.
I think so many problems in this world are caused by big corporations that we need to combat them by opting for small, human-run businesses whenever we can.
no, I just meant business like MacDonalds, who have in the past done a lot for the cummunities they are in.(macdonald’s children camps and such)I agree with you about the businesses that are contributing to the war, or who are supporting it in some way…
MacDonalds also is responsible for thousands of acres of rain forests being cut down each year,so they are not entirely a “good” company.
First of all, it’s MCDonalds not MACDonalds.
Secondly, I take it Canadians don’t use paper or any other tree biproducts? What, do you wipe your ass with your hand?
We do use paper and tree biproducts, and while we do have some issues with our forests, we generally have a good, sustainable and environmentally friendly forestry industry.
And besides, it was to graze cattle to produce beef, not for paper use.
I think you will find my latest post very interesting.
Check it out if you have time.
I did read it, and it was very interesting.
“Americans only pay attention when money is on the line,”
Unfortunately, I find that to be quite true. :/
I think that a lot do, but most Americans I know aren’t that bad.
See, that’s just childish bullshit. Yes, let’s boycott Microsoft because we all know Bill Gates is in control of whether or not our country goes to war. *rolls eyes*
Let’s not get into that fact that the Germans once tried to kill off an entire fucking race of people. Let’s overlook that, because, well, if we don’t mention it, it never happened.
Well, I personally don’t know of any crimes Microsoft has committed. They seem to be an upright company. Now Coca-Cola is another matter.
I think countries or every day people should be able to impose trade bans or sanctions if they oppose a nation’s policies, and I believe most people are getting desperate to stop the American government’s agression around the world.
Blaming the current generation of Germans for WWII is bullshit. It’s like blaming you for slavery, the slaughter of native Americans, or any one of countless crimes committed by Americans in the past.
Germans know the horrors war will impose on a people, and don’t want Evil Dictator Bush to repeat the crimes their leaders in the past did. I think it’s so pathetic that France and Germany are ridiculed or thought of as lesser states because the people there oppose the war. They have actually seen their nations shattered by war. Remember that we in North America haven’t felt that this past century. We have never been attacked on any large scale.
well, in countries in europe, like in croatia, and bosnia, they have a blocked economy, meaning that money made in the country has to be spent there. so if a company like mc donalds, or coca-cola open a business there, the corporate headquarters in america doesn’t even see a dime of it, because it goes back into the country’s economy. so, like what was said before, it would be more detrimental to these countries by boycotting stuff like that, then hurting america. because mc donalds, and coke put a lot back into their economy since they’re like the biggest money makers.