Why We Must Now Begin Boycotting Key US Corporations

Sunday April 21, 2002 07:44

by true american

how to affect the US

The enthusiasm for a boycott/divestment/embargo of the United States, as the only likely way to stop the Bush administration's world-threatening war of "infinite justice", has been intense. What activists have made clear, though, is we must focus on a few key symbolic corporations (and on travel to the US). Activists in Australia, Canada, Italy, the US, France, and Sweden, stress the need to:
* Make the boycott highly visible
* Work with local groups (and unions, student groups, anti-globalization organizations, others able to implement the campaign)
* Pressure government representatives, get media coverage, perhaps create web sites.

Now, let us start. The boycott can begin with the following powerful US corporations: UNOCAL and Exxon in oil, Citibank and Bank of America, AOL-Time-Warner and Disney in communications--and perhaps those corporations infiltrated by the infamous Carlyle Group.

Not a small step, if we can do it--and in each country the affiliates of these powers may differ, and be included.

This work must begin with you--contacting your own group, own lists, own connections. It won't do it to just sit here at our computers talking to one another.

Let us start-before more people are crushed by US forces, and before, even if inadvertently, are unleashed what are insanely called, as if toys, "nukes." Below is the original boycott call, for those who missed it, and a few of your responses.

Why the World Must Boycott the United States
by a true American

It is with sadness that, given the world-endangering direction of the Bush administration, we must demand a worldwide boycott, an embargo, of the United States: a total [see above-let's begin with the selective] boycott of U.S. products and of travel to the United States, refusal to ship goods to the U.S., removal of funds from U.S. banks, refusal to invest in U.S. stocks, bonds, or other economic instruments (divestment--so succesful in changing South Africa).

We must each call for this action--call to our governments, to our unions, to our bankers and our media--and call with, where applicable, the help of any well-placed or powerful friends. Call and write and email. Of course, this is a desperate action, one that will ruin, economically, many of us, and only desperation can require it.

But the current world-threatening insanity of the Bush government--moving to destroy, one after another, potential enemies (called "rogue states") through, quite possibly, nuclear weaponry--can only multiply such enemies, annihilate fragile friendships with such countries as Russia and China, and risk the definite possibility of pre-emptive nuclear strikes--including quite possibly against the U.S.--by one power or another, with consequences too awful to imagine.

It is up to each of you--you especially who live outside of the United States--to prevent this. An economic boycott, an action to which "nukes" are least likely to be a reply, seems perhaps the only feasible way. (Yes, we in America can call for impeachment, too.)

And be clear--it is not that there is no clear real danger to the United States (and the world)--for whatever reasons--from real terrorists. But the nation's disproportionate, undelimited reaction to 9/11 has made the U.S. into (what some argue it already was) the world's most "rogue terrorist" state, as it demands world domination and is de facto threatening world catastrophe.

In its panic, the country cannot see this. Fearful, people here cling frantically to a belief in a protective government. The left is weak and divided, even more than before. While there are demonstrations and there is opposition, the censored media do not report these. Nor will the Congress or Senate act against Bush. And of course the Supreme Court, which after all hijacked the presidency for the Texas dynasty, is packed.

It is up to you. Remember, once it did not seem possible to stop or even slow the Vietnam War, but we, the whole world, did. Now the entire world is in danger. Boycott the United States; email your contacts; speak out for boycott now.

Quotes from some responses
"Most people don't even know which products are American. . .why not set up a web site?"(UK),
".Is there a website designed specifically at. . .boycotting certain organisations? . . . and individuals who have more economic weight could refuse to transport freight to the US" "Can you imagine the effect it would have if a boycott really took off. American companies run to their government anytime they feel foreign trade threatens their bottom line. . .It looks like a tender US underbelly that promises to be very effective--let's do it!" (Australia).
"worth trying in a *visible* manner. . .stop buying anything [with] an American label. . .stop using electricity for an hour at the same hour every day. . .honk cars at the same time. . .join hands with the anti-globalization groups. . .but for starters, I would try Hollywood and [US] TV. . .Whatever we do has to be obvious and overtly stated. . ." (Quebec).
"Boycotter les States, c'est pas donner, étant donné que les entreprises américaines. . .possèdent à peu près tout et n'importe quoi sur cette planète! Mais bon, comme le prophétisaient des chefs indiens au XIX ième siècle, quand les Yankees auront tout acheté, . . .peut-être s'apercevront-ils qu'il n'y a plus rien que le dollar puisse aliéner et qu'eux-mêmes finissent en poussière" (France).
"sono perfettamente d'accordo"(Italy).
". . .I am very scared of what will come next if there won´t be a change of tendency" (Sweden).
"good plan. been doing it for years" (Vancouver)
"Alas, there shall be no successful boycotts until we can lobby the government to step in" (Ontario).
"In earlier times it was the American left. . .that supported and in fact helped organize Canadian workers in eastern Canada. . .These same folks although from different generations. . .continue to give us support and in many cases lead the way. . .We are all under terrorist attacks both internally and externally, physically, economically and culturally."(Victoria, BC).