The recent killings in Colorado raise a number of questions, but basically why and what to do about it. Many would execute James Holmes; others would eliminate guns, which is not likely in our world of hate and munitions.
The answer is as old as mankind and revealed in people who have died seeking to help neighbors and often strangers. It is as simple as the teachings of Christ and compassion of Buddha and seen in Gandhi as well as Martin Luther King Jr., even in Mother Teresa and many mothers who have reared children in loving sacrifice. Occasionally, it may be found in TV ads, as presented by Liberty Mutual, where people take time to help others in need, though one senses this advertisement is for corporate gain, as are most corporations and mankind's governments, which have all failed down through the centuries.
Many think government controls are needed to deal with deranged people, though governments usually only gratify their leaders, as is evident in our Congress and partisan politicians, establishing programs to promote themselves. Such governments fail, as do many humans, victims of secularism. All are destined to die, but the question is for what: to help others or to help ourselves?
Selfishness will never be eliminated in this world, but it can be changed. Not by laws or technology. It is done only in a culture of sacrificial love and spiritual devotion as seen in people of Christ-like reverence, giving of themselves in eternal faith.
JIM HELVEY Winston-Salem
"A very volatile subject"
When I saw John Railey's July 29 column, "I'm sticking to my (reasonable) guns, but ...," my first thought was, here is another leave-the-poor-gun-owners-alone column. However, the thought was dispelled very quickly. In fact, I agree with him. I also believe in the Second Amendment, and own a couple of hunting guns myself. Gun control is a very volatile subject, as anyone who has had a discussion with an avid NRA/Second Amendment advocate knows. There seems to be very little middle ground in this debate, simply because they are very entrenched in their opinion and are not willing to move from their position.
I most heartedly disagree with the comment from the gun-rights people regarding a concealed-permit holder ending this tragedy sooner. Yes, they have had all the required instruction concerning proper handling of a handgun. However, have they had any training in how to act in an emergency? The reasoning of, "If I had been there, things would have been different," could be very true. There may have been many more deaths and injuries. Does anyone truly know that there were no concealed-permit holders in the theater?
Yes, the president and Congress should move to enact some meaningful legislation on reasonable gun control. However, as long as the NRA remains the powerful lobby that it is, I see no hope of that happening. Perhaps it should change its name to the National Assault Rifle Association. Somehow, that seems more appropriate to me.
In lieu of raising and spending several million dollars on a sports stadium overlooking Hanes Park, if the supporters of the effort were to give serious thought to the health and well-being of the school's athletes, they might happily abandon their ill-advised bricks-and-mortar plans in favor of a more innovative, useful project, perhaps something like the following modest proposal:
Raise 50 percent of the projected cost of the stadium to serve as an endowment. Establish a nonprofit agency to assist all Reynolds interscholastic athletes to accomplish the following goals between ages 15 and 28: 1. earn his or her high school graduation diploma;
2. then enroll, commence and complete a course of formal academic education in a traditional undergraduate college, community college or the equivalent setting; either before, during or after he or she
3. enters the civilian or military work force;
4. avoids criminal behavior; and
5. maintains healthy dietary and exercise habits.
"Assistance" would primarily consist of actively monitoring the progress that each individual is making, or failing to make, as the case may be, and to intervene appropriately. The efforts of agency personnel can be amplified considerably through use of the very social media to which these kids are already addicted.
Operate the agency with the kind of success that will encourage corporations, foundations and individuals to contribute funds to allow the enterprise to survive its infancy and thrive for at least three decades.
Once again, Republican gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory has proposed a policy for North Carolina with no explanation of how to pay for it. First it was his education proposal, which calls for sweeping reforms with no mention of funding. Now, it's coming in his constant praise for the tax policies of Florida and Tennessee.
McCrory points to these two states as examples for North Carolina to follow in its collection of revenue, where they pay little to no income tax but pay monstrous sales taxes and taxes on food. If McCrory wants to eliminate North Carolina's income tax, the only way for the state to make up the gap would be to copy Florida and Tennessee's high consumption taxes.
It's almost unbelievable that, just as we are coming out of this recession, Pat McCrory want to put another burden on the backs of North Carolina's working families. That at a time when many in this state are struggling just to get by, McCrory wants them to have to make hard choices in order to feed their families. McCrory's lack of concern for the working people of this state is alarming, and his inability to explain how he'd pay for his plans is just plain irresponsible.
CARRIE VICKERY Winston-Salem
"Sum It Up"
The Sum It Up question from Sunday was: Do you think boycotts and "buycotts" are effective?
* * * * * As a general rule, I don't think boycotts ever accomplish much. On the other hand, "buycotts" do have the potential of sending a particular message. As in the recent case of Chick-fil-A, the buycott was carried out to show appreciation of Chick-fil-A and its First Amendment right of free speech. It was very successful. Americans showed up in droves to support Chick-fil-A and free speech, including many gays.
On the other hand, the Chick-fil-A haters weren't even a blip on anyone's radar during their protest. Who cares? Do I like Home Depot's support of gays? No. Do I believe it has a right to do business and support anyone it wishes? Absolutely yes. It's a free country.
WES PATTERSON
* * * * * Boycotts "speak" to employee terminations; buycotts to hiring — but only "temps." Get government out of the private sector, and it's prime cuts for all.
" A number of questions". The answer is, there are evil people in the world. Even in the time of Christ. Government controls can't "deal" with deranged people because governments are in themselves "deranged".
"A very volatile subject". Yes it is. Deranged people in government are to be counted on to enact "reasonable" gun control? The NRA is a powerful lobbying group but they are not the only powerful group in DC. AS far as a debate in Congress on this matter, it is impossible because it takes two sides. One side at least has a position but the other side has no position except near the exit to where the tall grass is found. The issue is settled. The only reason the NRA has its clout is because it represents the overwhelming majority of citizens on 2nd amendment matters. THAT is what some pols fear, not the NRA. This majority of citizens IS the gun lobby. If news accounts are to be believed, gun sales have skyrocketed in the last few years. As far as government goes--all governments prefer their peasants be unarmed.
WP seems to have the same compulsion to show off his ignorance as at least one other that I could name...the two of them make up a homegrown Confederacy of Dunces.
Throughout history, boycotts have worked time and again, some with enormous international repercussions. Gandhi's boycotts in India led to independence from British rule. The boycotts against South Africa led to the end of apartheid. The grape and lettuce boycotts of the 1960s brought growers to their knees and gave itinerant farm workers decent wages. Various boycotts, including the Boston Tea Party, led to the American Revolution.
One of the biggest impacts has been the 1973 oil boycott against Israel and her allies which effected much of the world. European and Asian nations rushed to distance themselves from US Israel policy, but the direct impact on the US was devastating, including a stock market crash and the worst recession since the Great Depression.
The other biggy was the Montgomery bus boycott, a total success that, by demonstrating the economic power of blacks, led directly to the wider ranging Civil Rights Movement.
There have been many successful corporate boycotts, ranging from McDonalds to banks to cereal manufacturers. My favorite so far was the "girlcott" by a bunch of 14-16 year old girls against Abercrombie & Fitch over a line of offensive T-shirts ("Who needs brains when I've got these?", etc). The girls hit the internet, attracted international media attention, met with A&F execs and within a month the shirts were gone.
I just generally skim the LTE's, if I bother to read them at all (most of the comments posted here are more interesting and instructive). However, I read Wes', and found it to be one of the worst offerings he has ever offered. He and his ilk are one of several reasons that I have moved some of my political positions toward the center, along with ending political party affiliation.
"Birds of a feather" has some weight with me. Years ago, I had a firearms dealer's license and frequented gun shows. Then, Fritz Klenner and Susie Newsome committed their murders. It developed that Fritz was a gun nut, frequented guns. I realized that I had probably passed the evil bastard at those shows many times. I let my license lapse, gave my fatigue jacket to Goodwill, and stopped going to gun shows, wanted no part of that community.
I did drop by a recent gun show to pick up some ammunition for an upcoming trip to a range, noted that the attendees were somewhat less troubling in appearance. But the firepower on sale was astonishing, with dozens of civilian variants of the M16/M4 weapons. Much less evident were tables of sporting weapons or older surplus military rifles from past times.
In my gun dealing days, a friend of mine who also went to gun shows once surveyed the bearded, potbellied attendees in their camouflage jackets, and remarked, "Going to gun shows makes you want to buy lots of guns and ammunition to protect yourself from people who go to gun shows!"
A lot of people that haven't been anywhere or really done anything in their lives, like Rush, have no idea how unstable the world is.
Most people don't know what it's like to lie in awake at night hearing bombs going off, and the sound of gun fire in the distance. Then once morning breaks, bodies are in the streets, and the U.S. Embassy in that country has been blown to smithereens.
Yeah, some of the guys you see walking around at those guns shows have 'really' been there, unlike the great pretender(s), like Rush. That's why they are buying those weapons, because they know what 'could' happen.
Wes would have done best had he stopped at: "As a general rule, I don't think."
Or ask the East India Company: Boycotts are part of the fabric of American political culture. Although the word was not coined until 1880, they have been an American political tradition since colonial days when British settlers, breaking from royal domination, refused to consume English tea and other goods. The founders not only boycotted the tea, they destroyed ~$1mil in property belonging to a big business. The Montgomery Bus boycott, the UFW boycott of table grapes, Susan Komen Foundation. 2010 Nestlé gave in to pressure from Greenpeace and promised a zero deforestation policy in its palm oil supply chain. Fruit of the Loom crumbled in the face of pressure from the largest ever student boycott. In an incredible about-face the company re-opened a Honduran factory it had closed after workers had unionised. Furthermore, it also gave all 1,200 employees their jobs back, awarded them $2.5 million in compensation and restored all union rights. 2009 Kimberly-Clark announced a new paper procurement policy that would reduce its impact on ancient forest in North America that were being destroyed for tissue brands such as Kleenex and Andrex. Greenpeace boycott. 2008 Donna Karan and the DKNY brand are no longer on our boycott list because of a welcome campaign success from the National Mobilization Against Sweatshops and the Chinese Staff and Workers Association. US workers in supplier factories came to a settlement with the company over their claims of discrimination and failure to pay minimum wages or overtime. 2007 May - The De Beers boycott has been called off by Survival International after the company sold its diamond deposit at Gope on the lands of the Kalahari Bushmen. The Bushmen have been forced from their ancestral homelands.The campaign had made Gope ‘a problematic asset for De Beers’.
Millions Lost: Rush Limbaugh Continues To Be Bad For Business Cumulus CEO tells investors that Limbaugh ad troubles remain a "drag" on businesshttp://mediamatters.org/blog/2012/08/10/millions-lost-rush-limbaugh-continues-to-be-bad/189239
Too funny: A judge has ordered Tea Party Nation founder Judson Phillips to pay a six-figure hotel bill for a large number of rooms he booked for a tea party rally, which he later cancelled when the event failed to draw enough attendees. The Venetian Las Vegas Casino Resort alleged that Phillips had reserved 1,637 rooms for the July 2010 event, and then cancelled the reservations just a few weeks before the scheduled date. He did not pay for the rooms. The Venetian lodged its legal claim against Judson Phillips in July of 2011. The hotel makes regular appearances in political news since its owner is billionaire Republican mega-donor Sheldon Adelson.
it makes a big difference not waking to politics and religion so early in the am. I still get up early, I just set my A attitude on something else each day. positive affirmations
I went to a Tea Party gathering on the WFU lawn during the TP's heyday a couple of years ago. I found my politics somewhat dissimilar and the speeches boring, so I departed in favor of Susan, Stella, and dinner.
The people in attendance were mannerly and polite. They did not leave trash, fecal material, and computers and cellphones paid for by mommies and daddies scattered about, as occurred at gatherings by another group that was beatified in the media.
"...so I departed in favor of Susan, Stella, and dinner" If I had a choice between a bunch of angry old white men or Susan, Stella, and dinner, well...that's a no brainer in my book :)
dotnet....I attended that very same gathering at WFU as it was my first venture from home on my own after my cancer surgery. I did not see angry old white men or angry anything. I saw all ages including many WFU students. As Stab already reported, the grounds were kept clean and the assigned security presence was not needed though required I'm sure.
if the attendees remained a calm group, that's rather unusual from the political gatherings I've been unfortunately dragged into or accidently come across. They were usually a bunch of emotional pleas of "yeah for the home team" plus generating anger at all perceived opposition for being the cause every wrong that has ever happened in history (only slight hyperbole). I try to avoid such gatherings at all costs.
dotnet, the folks in attendance were indeed good-natured, docile, and genial, about the same sort of folks you'd see at Costco, minus the kids. The speechifying was anything but incendiary, to the point of inducing somnolence. Motivated the folks may have been, but infuriated they were not.
One thing about Obama, he keeps 'some' of his promises. He promised he'd change politics in Washington, and he did. He made them more divisive, more hateful, more intolerant, more bigoted, and more racist.
Yeah, I was lying (not laying...chickens lay eggs at CfA) awake the other night, listening to bombs going off, and the sound of gunfire in the distance. It was just too scary, so I got up drove over to the all-night gun show in East Bend and bought several handguns, three assault rifles, fifty thousand rounds of ammo and a couple of Stinger missiles. As I was leaving, somebody gave me two old M-60 machine guns. With all that under my pillow I felt better and was able to get some sleep.
When dawn finally broke (morning doesn't break) I decided to walk down to Breakfast of Course for some breakfast, of course. The street was littered with bodies, but being an old hand at this, I just stepped over each one and continued my stroll. I passed the U.S. Embassy. It had been blown to smithereens.
Suddenly three black helicopters swept down, their miniguns chattering at me. Since I was carrying the two M-60s, one under each arm, I just raised the barrels and blew the choppers out of the sky.
Then dawn really did break, on my head, and I woke up.
What kind of idiot fantasizes this kind of nonsense? And what do these fantasies have with buying guns?
I'm afraid that the Dunce watches way too much TV. If he's buying guns because of bombs and gunfire and body littered streets in some far away land, he is a bigger idiot than his usual posts prove him to be, which would be gargantuan.
Hey OT, how about lending me one of the M60s and a belt of ammunition? One of the neighbors' dogs barks at night, and I want to make an example of him.
The Stinger is an interesting missile. In addition to homing on infrared emissions from the target, it also can home in on the "hole" the target creates in the ulraviolet sky. This makes the Stinger less susceptible to countermeasures.
Damn!! After reading OT's account of his surroundings, I now know why I live and have lived in the county for decades. Only some rogue deer to deal with and they use small arms by treaty. If needed I can have at most a jump jet land in my front or back yard. You guys are some dangerous fellas.
WW, that's only on week nights. On the weekends, we also get the coyotes raising a ruckus along the railroad track and the man eating cougars sipping martinis at Tates.
And Stab, you can have the M-60 and all the rest. Having all that under my pillow has given me a headache. I'm going back to my pepper spray, which is all anybody really needs.
Everybody wants to take on 'Bucky'. It's like trying to ride a mechanical bull for most liberals. And you know what happens to most people when they get on mechanical a bull don't you? Exactly.
OT, all I normally have outside my residence is a Maglite in the car. I'd love to fire an M60 or similar, but Susan frowns upon putting one under a pillow.
Man-eating cougars and cleavage, eh? I think I'll stick to River Birch for my Stellas. Of course, I have aged out of being cougar meat, so maybe nothing to worry about.
Good afternoon folks! LTE 1: More seeking of answers. Establishing a "culture of sacrificial love and spiritual devotion" sounds good, but when you're dealing with mental illness, that all goes out the window. This country does a poor job identifying and dealing with mentally ill people. Combine that with easy access to military style weapons and all the ammo one could ever want and you have the perfect scenario for mass killings to take place on a regular basis...which is the case in the US.
LTE 2: An actual sane letter acknowledging the reality of the CO situation. In a dark, smoke filled, chaotic scene, having a couple of people pull out guns then firing at...whoever has a gun?, whoever looks suspicious? whoever wears a black hat? When someone already has a gun pointed at you, all of those guns and ammo you've bought won't do a bit of good.
LTE 3: More RJR stadium chatter. Interesting ideas from Mr. Gibson, but why limit it to just RJR athletes?
LTE 4: Broad proposals that are short on details on how they are to be accomplished or paid for are standard fare during the political silly season. NC's legislatures won't even approve of a $0.0075 sales tax increase. I hardly think they would go along with a sales tax increase sufficient to replace the income tax.
Sum it up: Bringing to light the behavior that is spurring the boycotters to action is often as effective or more effective than the actual shunning. Wes may not think of boycotts having any effect, but would there have been a CFA "Appreciation Day" or any awareness at all of Cathy's remarks if it weren't for the CFA boycott? (And to repeat La Sombra, it had nothing to do with FOS, rather only speech one agrees with). Boycotts continue to be used because they are effective in changing corporate behavior. As for "Get government out of the private sector", there's a clause in the Constitution that grants Congress the power to regulate commerce, so that ain't gonna happen. A glance at black markets reveals there wouldn't be "prime cuts for all" either.
I'm currently boycotting JC Penny, and I rather enjoy it so far. I'm just not going to buy a jacket from a gay lifestyle, endorsing company. Everytime I think of JC Penny, I think of Ellen Degenerate rolling around naked with other BDs. It's just too horrid to fathom.
One of the biggest impacts has been the 1973 oil boycott against Israel and her allies which effected much of the world.
Rush
Since you're the grammar queen or king, I'm not sure which. Take a look at the above sentence, and then rewrite it properly 100 times for me.
You're such a dope, Rush.
**************************************************** It should be "affected", but the other day I wrote you were "vial" not "vile" so your critique of Rush's post gives me the opportunity to apologize for my error, and to state I'm so thankful that so far Rush does not critique my posts. I'm sure he knows the difference between affect and effect. Me, I had to ask my husband and interrupt the basketball game.
Wordly, everybody makes typos, or 'rushed' mistakes, if you will. The only fool in here, that's stupid enough to point them out is our resident NW-Rush.
And you are correct. It should have been 'affected'.
"A number of questions"
ReplyDeleteThe recent killings in Colorado raise a number of questions, but basically why and what to do about it. Many would execute James Holmes; others would eliminate guns, which is not likely in our world of hate and munitions.
The answer is as old as mankind and revealed in people who have died seeking to help neighbors and often strangers. It is as simple as the teachings of Christ and compassion of Buddha and seen in Gandhi as well as Martin Luther King Jr., even in Mother Teresa and many mothers who have reared children in loving sacrifice. Occasionally, it may be found in TV ads, as presented by Liberty Mutual, where people take time to help others in need, though one senses this advertisement is for corporate gain, as are most corporations and mankind's governments, which have all failed down through the centuries.
Many think government controls are needed to deal with deranged people, though governments usually only gratify their leaders, as is evident in our Congress and partisan politicians, establishing programs to promote themselves. Such governments fail, as do many humans, victims of secularism. All are destined to die, but the question is for what: to help others or to help ourselves?
Selfishness will never be eliminated in this world, but it can be changed. Not by laws or technology. It is done only in a culture of sacrificial love and spiritual devotion as seen in people of Christ-like reverence, giving of themselves in eternal faith.
JIM HELVEY
Winston-Salem
"A very volatile subject"
When I saw John Railey's July 29 column, "I'm sticking to my (reasonable) guns, but ...," my first thought was, here is another leave-the-poor-gun-owners-alone column. However, the thought was dispelled very quickly. In fact, I agree with him. I also believe in the Second Amendment, and own a couple of hunting guns myself. Gun control is a very volatile subject, as anyone who has had a discussion with an avid NRA/Second Amendment advocate knows. There seems to be very little middle ground in this debate, simply because they are very entrenched in their opinion and are not willing to move from their position.
I most heartedly disagree with the comment from the gun-rights people regarding a concealed-permit holder ending this tragedy sooner. Yes, they have had all the required instruction concerning proper handling of a handgun. However, have they had any training in how to act in an emergency? The reasoning of, "If I had been there, things would have been different," could be very true. There may have been many more deaths and injuries. Does anyone truly know that there were no concealed-permit holders in the theater?
Yes, the president and Congress should move to enact some meaningful legislation on reasonable gun control. However, as long as the NRA remains the powerful lobby that it is, I see no hope of that happening. Perhaps it should change its name to the National Assault Rifle Association. Somehow, that seems more appropriate to me.
RONALD LEONARD
Lexington
"A modest proposal"
DeleteIn lieu of raising and spending several million dollars on a sports stadium overlooking Hanes Park, if the supporters of the effort were to give serious thought to the health and well-being of the school's athletes, they might happily abandon their ill-advised bricks-and-mortar plans in favor of a more innovative, useful project, perhaps something like the following modest proposal:
Raise 50 percent of the projected cost of the stadium to serve as an endowment.
Establish a nonprofit agency to assist all Reynolds interscholastic athletes to accomplish the following goals between ages 15 and 28:
1. earn his or her high school graduation diploma;
2. then enroll, commence and complete a course of formal academic education in a traditional undergraduate college, community college or the equivalent setting; either before, during or after he or she
3. enters the civilian or military work force;
4. avoids criminal behavior; and
5. maintains healthy dietary and exercise habits.
"Assistance" would primarily consist of actively monitoring the progress that each individual is making, or failing to make, as the case may be, and to intervene appropriately. The efforts of agency personnel can be amplified considerably through use of the very social media to which these kids are already addicted.
Operate the agency with the kind of success that will encourage corporations, foundations and individuals to contribute funds to allow the enterprise to survive its infancy and thrive for at least three decades.
WILLIAM B. GIBSON
Winston-Salem
"Another burden"
DeleteOnce again, Republican gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory has proposed a policy for North Carolina with no explanation of how to pay for it. First it was his education proposal, which calls for sweeping reforms with no mention of funding. Now, it's coming in his constant praise for the tax policies of Florida and Tennessee.
McCrory points to these two states as examples for North Carolina to follow in its collection of revenue, where they pay little to no income tax but pay monstrous sales taxes and taxes on food. If McCrory wants to eliminate North Carolina's income tax, the only way for the state to make up the gap would be to copy Florida and Tennessee's high consumption taxes.
It's almost unbelievable that, just as we are coming out of this recession, Pat McCrory want to put another burden on the backs of North Carolina's working families. That at a time when many in this state are struggling just to get by, McCrory wants them to have to make hard choices in order to feed their families. McCrory's lack of concern for the working people of this state is alarming, and his inability to explain how he'd pay for his plans is just plain irresponsible.
CARRIE VICKERY
Winston-Salem
"Sum It Up"
The Sum It Up question from Sunday was: Do you think boycotts and "buycotts" are effective?
* * * * *
As a general rule, I don't think boycotts ever accomplish much. On the other hand, "buycotts" do have the potential of sending a particular message. As in the recent case of Chick-fil-A, the buycott was carried out to show appreciation of Chick-fil-A and its First Amendment right of free speech. It was very successful. Americans showed up in droves to support Chick-fil-A and free speech, including many gays.
On the other hand, the Chick-fil-A haters weren't even a blip on anyone's radar during their protest. Who cares? Do I like Home Depot's support of gays? No. Do I believe it has a right to do business and support anyone it wishes? Absolutely yes. It's a free country.
WES PATTERSON
* * * * *
Boycotts "speak" to employee terminations; buycotts to hiring — but only "temps." Get government out of the private sector, and it's prime cuts for all.
LLOYD V. EVANS II
"At the end of the day," used unendingly by the chattering class. "At the start of the evening" might be a good replacement?
ReplyDelete" A number of questions". The answer is, there are evil people in the world. Even in the time of Christ. Government controls can't "deal" with deranged people because governments are in themselves "deranged".
ReplyDeleteYes...reminiscent of "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest".
Delete"A very volatile subject". Yes it is. Deranged people in government are to be counted on to enact "reasonable" gun control? The NRA is a powerful lobbying group but they are not the only powerful group in DC. AS far as a debate in Congress on this matter, it is impossible because it takes two sides. One side at least has a position but the other side has no position except near the exit to where the tall grass is found. The issue is settled. The only reason the NRA has its clout is because it represents the overwhelming majority of citizens on 2nd amendment matters. THAT is what some pols fear, not the NRA. This majority of citizens IS the gun lobby. If news accounts are to be believed, gun sales have skyrocketed in the last few years. As far as government goes--all governments prefer their peasants be unarmed.
ReplyDelete"A modest proposal". Try this one: leave Hanes Park the hell alone.
ReplyDeleteAnother Burden. "how do we pay for it"? When has that ever mattered? Don't let that notion catch on.
ReplyDeleteDo you think boycotts and "buycotts" are effective? Probably not. But they can be instructive.
ReplyDeleteA soliloquy worthy of MacBeth.
ReplyDeleteWP seems to have the same compulsion to show off his ignorance as at least one other that I could name...the two of them make up a homegrown Confederacy of Dunces.
ReplyDeleteThroughout history, boycotts have worked time and again, some with enormous international repercussions. Gandhi's boycotts in India led to independence from British rule. The boycotts against South Africa led to the end of apartheid. The grape and lettuce boycotts of the 1960s brought growers to their knees and gave itinerant farm workers decent wages. Various boycotts, including the Boston Tea Party, led to the American Revolution.
One of the biggest impacts has been the 1973 oil boycott against Israel and her allies which effected much of the world. European and Asian nations rushed to distance themselves from US Israel policy, but the direct impact on the US was devastating, including a stock market crash and the worst recession since the Great Depression.
The other biggy was the Montgomery bus boycott, a total success that, by demonstrating the economic power of blacks, led directly to the wider ranging Civil Rights Movement.
There have been many successful corporate boycotts, ranging from McDonalds to banks to cereal manufacturers. My favorite so far was the "girlcott" by a bunch of 14-16 year old girls against Abercrombie & Fitch over a line of offensive T-shirts ("Who needs brains when I've got these?", etc). The girls hit the internet, attracted international media attention, met with A&F execs and within a month the shirts were gone.
I just generally skim the LTE's, if I bother to read them at all (most of the comments posted here are more interesting and instructive). However, I read Wes', and found it to be one of the worst offerings he has ever offered. He and his ilk are one of several reasons that I have moved some of my political positions toward the center, along with ending political party affiliation.
Delete"Birds of a feather" has some weight with me. Years ago, I had a firearms dealer's license and frequented gun shows. Then, Fritz Klenner and Susie Newsome committed their murders. It developed that Fritz was a gun nut, frequented guns. I realized that I had probably passed the evil bastard at those shows many times. I let my license lapse, gave my fatigue jacket to Goodwill, and stopped going to gun shows, wanted no part of that community.
I did drop by a recent gun show to pick up some ammunition for an upcoming trip to a range, noted that the attendees were somewhat less troubling in appearance. But the firepower on sale was astonishing, with dozens of civilian variants of the M16/M4 weapons. Much less evident were tables of sporting weapons or older surplus military rifles from past times.
In my gun dealing days, a friend of mine who also went to gun shows once surveyed the bearded, potbellied attendees in their camouflage jackets, and remarked, "Going to gun shows makes you want to buy lots of guns and ammunition to protect yourself from people who go to gun shows!"
A lot of people that haven't been anywhere or really done anything in their lives, like Rush, have no idea how unstable the world is.
DeleteMost people don't know what it's like to lie in awake at night hearing bombs going off, and the sound of gun fire in the distance. Then once morning breaks, bodies are in the streets, and the U.S. Embassy in that country has been blown to smithereens.
Yeah, some of the guys you see walking around at those guns shows have 'really' been there, unlike the great pretender(s), like Rush. That's why they are buying those weapons, because they know what 'could' happen.
I'll probably ride over to CfilA today with my 'ACORN' hat on, just to see if I get any comments.
DeleteI'll bet Rielle's got a 'real' ACORN hat.
DeleteWhat a bimbo!
Here's to the memories:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/rielle-hunter
Wes has definitely got the Ignatius J. Reilly physique.
DeleteIt's a cheap shot, but I can't help it sometimes.
Wes would have done best had he stopped at: "As a general rule, I don't think."
ReplyDeleteOr ask the East India Company: Boycotts are part of the fabric of American political culture. Although the word was not coined until 1880, they have been an American political tradition since colonial days when British settlers, breaking from royal domination, refused to consume English tea and other goods. The founders not only boycotted the tea, they destroyed ~$1mil in property belonging to a big business. The Montgomery Bus boycott, the UFW boycott of table grapes, Susan Komen Foundation.
2010 Nestlé gave in to pressure from Greenpeace and promised a zero deforestation policy in its palm oil supply chain.
Fruit of the Loom crumbled in the face of pressure from the largest ever student boycott. In an incredible about-face the company re-opened a Honduran factory it had closed after workers had unionised. Furthermore, it also gave all 1,200 employees their jobs back, awarded them $2.5 million in compensation and restored all union rights.
2009 Kimberly-Clark announced a new paper procurement policy that would reduce its impact on ancient forest in North America that were being destroyed for tissue brands such as Kleenex and Andrex. Greenpeace boycott.
2008 Donna Karan and the DKNY brand are no longer on our boycott list because of a welcome campaign success from the National Mobilization Against Sweatshops and the Chinese Staff and Workers Association. US workers in supplier factories came to a settlement with the company over their claims of discrimination and failure to pay minimum wages or overtime.
2007 May - The De Beers boycott has been called off by Survival International after the company sold its diamond deposit at Gope on the lands of the Kalahari Bushmen. The Bushmen have been forced from their ancestral homelands.The campaign had made Gope ‘a problematic asset for De Beers’.
Doesn't Wes fancy himself as a member of the Tea Party? Oh, the irony.
DeleteMillions Lost: Rush Limbaugh Continues To Be Bad For Business
DeleteCumulus CEO tells investors that Limbaugh ad troubles remain a "drag" on businesshttp://mediamatters.org/blog/2012/08/10/millions-lost-rush-limbaugh-continues-to-be-bad/189239
Too funny: A judge has ordered Tea Party Nation founder Judson Phillips to pay a six-figure hotel bill for a large number of rooms he booked for a tea party rally, which he later cancelled when the event failed to draw enough attendees.
ReplyDeleteThe Venetian Las Vegas Casino Resort alleged that Phillips had reserved 1,637 rooms for the July 2010 event, and then cancelled the reservations just a few weeks before the scheduled date. He did not pay for the rooms.
The Venetian lodged its legal claim against Judson Phillips in July of 2011. The hotel makes regular appearances in political news since its owner is billionaire Republican mega-donor Sheldon Adelson.
I wonder where the Tea Party has been this election cycle?
DeleteI was thinking of going to one of their rallies.
They had one recently in Reidsville.
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DeleteDang, keep me informed Bob. I wanna go and see what it's all about.
DeleteAnd by the way, I'm glad to see you back in the forum
it makes a big difference not waking to politics and religion so early in the am. I still get up early, I just set my A attitude on something else each day. positive affirmations
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DeleteI went to a Tea Party gathering on the WFU lawn during the TP's heyday a couple of years ago. I found my politics somewhat dissimilar and the speeches boring, so I departed in favor of Susan, Stella, and dinner.
ReplyDeleteThe people in attendance were mannerly and polite. They did not leave trash, fecal material, and computers and cellphones paid for by mommies and daddies scattered about, as occurred at gatherings by another group that was beatified in the media.
"...so I departed in favor of Susan, Stella, and dinner"
DeleteIf I had a choice between a bunch of angry old white men or Susan, Stella, and dinner, well...that's a no brainer in my book :)
dotnet....I attended that very same gathering at WFU as it was my first venture from home on my own after my cancer surgery. I did not see angry old white men or angry anything. I saw all ages including many WFU students. As Stab already reported, the grounds were kept clean and the assigned security presence was not needed though required I'm sure.
Deleteif the attendees remained a calm group, that's rather unusual from the political gatherings I've been unfortunately dragged into or accidently come across. They were usually a bunch of emotional pleas of "yeah for the home team" plus generating anger at all perceived opposition for being the cause every wrong that has ever happened in history (only slight hyperbole). I try to avoid such gatherings at all costs.
Deletedotnet, the folks in attendance were indeed good-natured, docile, and genial, about the same sort of folks you'd see at Costco, minus the kids. The speechifying was anything but incendiary, to the point of inducing somnolence. Motivated the folks may have been, but infuriated they were not.
DeleteOne thing about Obama, he keeps 'some' of his promises. He promised he'd change politics in Washington, and he did. He made them more divisive, more hateful, more intolerant, more bigoted, and more racist.
ReplyDeleteChange occurred. Hope went out the window.
Let's see.....Romney hasn't paid taxes for ten years, and he killed a woman? What other lies will the Democrats come up with?
DeleteThe sad thing is, it doesn't really matter. So long as it gets Obama elected.
Yeah, I was lying (not laying...chickens lay eggs at CfA) awake the other night, listening to bombs going off, and the sound of gunfire in the distance. It was just too scary, so I got up drove over to the all-night gun show in East Bend and bought several handguns, three assault rifles, fifty thousand rounds of ammo and a couple of Stinger missiles. As I was leaving, somebody gave me two old M-60 machine guns. With all that under my pillow I felt better and was able to get some sleep.
ReplyDeleteWhen dawn finally broke (morning doesn't break) I decided to walk down to Breakfast of Course for some breakfast, of course. The street was littered with bodies, but being an old hand at this, I just stepped over each one and continued my stroll. I passed the U.S. Embassy. It had been blown to smithereens.
Suddenly three black helicopters swept down, their miniguns chattering at me. Since I was carrying the two M-60s, one under each arm, I just raised the barrels and blew the choppers out of the sky.
Then dawn really did break, on my head, and I woke up.
What kind of idiot fantasizes this kind of nonsense? And what do these fantasies have with buying guns?
I'm afraid that the Dunce watches way too much TV. If he's buying guns because of bombs and gunfire and body littered streets in some far away land, he is a bigger idiot than his usual posts prove him to be, which would be gargantuan.
Poor Rush. He just hates it when somebody calls him the fool that he is.
DeleteDid the doctor ever come and see you Rush? Seems like he needs to increase your meds.
One of the biggest impacts has been the 1973 oil boycott against Israel and her allies which effected much of the world.
DeleteRush
Since you're the grammar queen or king, I'm not sure which. Take a look at the above sentence, and then rewrite it properly 100 times for me.
You're such a dope, Rush.
Hey OT, how about lending me one of the M60s and a belt of ammunition? One of the neighbors' dogs barks at night, and I want to make an example of him.
DeleteThe Stinger is an interesting missile. In addition to homing on infrared emissions from the target, it also can home in on the "hole" the target creates in the ulraviolet sky. This makes the Stinger less susceptible to countermeasures.
Let's hear some more of you dopey Zimmerman comments Rush. I need a good laugh.
DeleteDamn!! After reading OT's account of his surroundings, I now know why I live and have lived in the county for decades. Only some rogue deer to deal with and they use small arms by treaty. If needed I can have at most a jump jet land in my front or back yard. You guys are some dangerous fellas.
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DeleteYou interrupted the bball game? Hmmm.
DeleteYep. Reposted below. Did not mean for it to post here.
DeleteWW, that's only on week nights. On the weekends, we also get the coyotes raising a ruckus along the railroad track and the man eating cougars sipping martinis at Tates.
DeleteAnd Stab, you can have the M-60 and all the rest. Having all that under my pillow has given me a headache. I'm going back to my pepper spray, which is all anybody really needs.
Stab, you just reinforced my point.
DeleteEverybody wants to take on 'Bucky'. It's like trying to ride a mechanical bull for most liberals. And you know what happens to most people when they get on mechanical a bull don't you? Exactly.
Delete"the man eating cougars sipping martinis at Tates"
DeleteI can testify to that. I went there for drinks with a buddy of mine last weekend...it was a cleavage explosion.
Such a change from my teenage years when 4th St. was deader than Elvis.
OT, all I normally have outside my residence is a Maglite in the car. I'd love to fire an M60 or similar, but Susan frowns upon putting one under a pillow.
DeleteMan-eating cougars and cleavage, eh? I think I'll stick to River Birch for my Stellas. Of course, I have aged out of being cougar meat, so maybe nothing to worry about.
You've gotta watch out for the stilettos as well. Talk about a war zone...almost as bad as Soi Cowboy.
DeleteGood afternoon folks!
ReplyDeleteLTE 1: More seeking of answers. Establishing a "culture of sacrificial love and spiritual devotion" sounds good, but when you're dealing with mental illness, that all goes out the window. This country does a poor job identifying and dealing with mentally ill people. Combine that with easy access to military style weapons and all the ammo one could ever want and you have the perfect scenario for mass killings to take place on a regular basis...which is the case in the US.
LTE 2: An actual sane letter acknowledging the reality of the CO situation. In a dark, smoke filled, chaotic scene, having a couple of people pull out guns then firing at...whoever has a gun?, whoever looks suspicious? whoever wears a black hat? When someone already has a gun pointed at you, all of those guns and ammo you've bought won't do a bit of good.
LTE 3: More RJR stadium chatter. Interesting ideas from Mr. Gibson, but why limit it to just RJR athletes?
LTE 4: Broad proposals that are short on details on how they are to be accomplished or paid for are standard fare during the political silly season. NC's legislatures won't even approve of a $0.0075 sales tax increase. I hardly think they would go along with a sales tax increase sufficient to replace the income tax.
Sum it up: Bringing to light the behavior that is spurring the boycotters to action is often as effective or more effective than the actual shunning. Wes may not think of boycotts having any effect, but would there have been a CFA "Appreciation Day" or any awareness at all of Cathy's remarks if it weren't for the CFA boycott? (And to repeat La Sombra, it had nothing to do with FOS, rather only speech one agrees with). Boycotts continue to be used because they are effective in changing corporate behavior. As for "Get government out of the private sector", there's a clause in the Constitution that grants Congress the power to regulate commerce, so that ain't gonna happen. A glance at black markets reveals there wouldn't be "prime cuts for all" either.
I'm currently boycotting JC Penny, and I rather enjoy it so far. I'm just not going to buy a jacket from a gay lifestyle, endorsing company. Everytime I think of JC Penny, I think of Ellen Degenerate rolling around naked with other BDs. It's just too horrid to fathom.
DeleteBucky at 2:33 pm
ReplyDeleteOne of the biggest impacts has been the 1973 oil boycott against Israel and her allies which effected much of the world.
Rush
Since you're the grammar queen or king, I'm not sure which. Take a look at the above sentence, and then rewrite it properly 100 times for me.
You're such a dope, Rush.
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It should be "affected", but the other day I wrote you were "vial" not "vile" so your critique of Rush's post gives me the opportunity to apologize for my error, and to state I'm so thankful that so far Rush does not critique my posts. I'm sure he knows the difference between affect and effect. Me, I had to ask my husband and interrupt the basketball game.
Remember Wordly is only an aspirational moniker.
Wordly, everybody makes typos, or 'rushed' mistakes, if you will. The only fool in here, that's stupid enough to point them out is our resident NW-Rush.
DeleteAnd you are correct. It should have been 'affected'.
I wish these dirty, rotten, liberals would leave lolo Jones ALONE!
ReplyDeleteTwo days before her Olympic race, some boneheaded liberal, that probably can barely get out of his bath tub, bad mouths her. Disgusting!
It just breaks my heart to see this video.
http://www.nbc.com/news-sports/today-show/2012/08/lolo-jones-media-ripped-me-to-shreds-before-race/
HEART?
Delete