I SAY BOYCOTT ALL BOYCOTTS

I have never been a fan of boycotts. I find them to be ineffective and mostly harmful to not the big corporations, but to the small business owners. Recently I have been asked to boycott BP Gas, Target, Best Buy on top of the long called for boycott of Mobile/Exxon.

Yes, in some cases boycotts work. They worked in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955 when Rosa Parks was arrested for not moving to the "colored section" of a city bus. The result of this boycott integrated the Montgomery Bus System. In 1965, United Farm Workers President Ceasar Chavez, in a successful attempt to unionize migrant grape workers called for a national boycott of grapes. He stated "The consumer boycott is the only open door in the dark corridor of nothingness down which farm workers have had to walk for many years. It is a gate of hope through which they expect to find the sunlight of a better life for themselves and their families."

This may have been effective in their perspective times, but no longer in the 21st Century. For the most part boycotts only hurt the local small business owner, who happens to have a large corporation sign over their store. The local franchisee has to pay rent, utilities, salary, taxes, not to mention franchise fees AND earn enough to provide for his/her family. Do you really want to harm this individual?

Here are some examples:

BP Gasoline: Yes, the explosion and subsequent leak of billions of gallons of crude oil is a terrible disaster. The long term effects will not be known for years. While not purchasing BP gasoline may make you feel better, who does it really harm? I now go out of my way to go to the local BP station to buy my snacks instead of the local 7-11. As with many that are directly affected by the spill, from the fisherman to the resort owners, I do not feel it is right to punish Michael, the local BP station owner. The result of this boycott is nil. I still see patrons at the pumps, in the store. If you want to really be effective, purchase more Gulf Seafood, take staycations at gulf resorts and eat at the local gulf-side restaurants. Patronize not punish.

Mobile/Exxon: When Mobile was an independent company, they extended health insurance to Domestic Partners. In December of 1999, Exxon purchased Mobile to become, get this Exxon/Mobile. Shortly after, E/M dropped the extension of benefits to Domestic Partners. The LGBT community was up in arms and called for a national boycott (there is that word again) of E/M. This of course was ineffective. I have been an Exxon (now Exxon/Mobile) customer since I cam remember. In my personal opinion, E/M provides the best premium gasoline for my engine. Eventually, the call to boycott E/M has been long forgotten. E/M still does not extend coverage to Domestic Partners.

Target & Best Buy: Recently, and legally according to the United States Supreme Court, Target and Best Buy gave a $100,000 donation to a political campaign of a very right wing gubernatorial candidate in Minnesota through their legal Political Action Committee. I took issue with the Supreme Court decision, and hope that Congress will correct this egregious action. Until that is done, Corporate America is well in its right to spend their money on political campaigns as they see fit. In the long run, it is the voters that will decide a political path taken. I love Target & Best Buy and will continue to shop there. I actually resented the flyer I was handed as I entered the Oakland Park Target. Not every business decision will be a popular one.

In 1997 a wide range of religious groups called for a Boycott of all things Disney including the theme parks. The boycott was called due to Disney's fair treatment of all of its' employees and guests regardless of their sexual orientation. How effective was this? Well this so called boycott is still in effect and has done little to harm or change the policies of Disney.

We, as the LGBT community boycotting these mega corporations will have the same effect. NONE!