Do you avoid shopping in stores that donate to causes and candidates you don't agree with?

Yes, absolutely. However, if they are not public about it, obviously I can’t make a distinction.
Voting with our dollars is a good way to make a statement, however small.
I applaud the people that do this, living by one’s principles, when possible, is a good thing IMO.

I love hobby lobby. I could shop for hours in their store. I have no idea what their beliefs are other than they are Christian based. Same for chik fil a.
If they are blatantly obvious in their beliefs and treating people unfairly,I am unaware of it.

Business is businees and politics is politics. I don’t care who you vote for, I only care you give me a good service as a company. If I want to buy some goods I need for the house, I’ll buy them. I never asked about your private life and who you voted for.

@chyna The CEOs of both Hobby Lobby and Chik Fil A have been outspoken in their anti- LGBT views. (I can’t seem to link today, googling must occur, sorry)

@chyna Hobby Lobby was recently at the center of a landmark Supreme Court case that decided that employers have the right to deny women birth control coverage in their health insurance plan if they disagree with it.

@chyna Here is an article about Hobby Lobby but know that the source is extremely biased. Even I think they over twist some of the statements they make, but I do think organizations Hobby Lobby donates to actively pursue discriminating against some groups.

There is a little mention in the beginning of the article about an employee saying Hobby Lobby doesn’t have Chanukah decorations, because they are Christian. I find that kind of hard to believe. I think that employee is just an idiot. Stupid stuff like that is a distraction to bigger issues. When I lived in TN I had a hard time finding Chanukah stuff even stories that carry Chanukah items in other cities.

Chik fila was also in Florida passing out free food to survivors and families of the Pulse Club shooting.

so if a company does a good thing, does it make up for the bad things it’s done?

Yes. I stopped going to Hobby Lobby when they became political, and I stopped going to Chick Fil A for several years.

I have no problem voting with my wallet. That’s capitalism.

@chyna I think it’s tricky. I have many friends who were very against gay marriage who I would say aren’t hateful or bigots and who would certainly be friendly or helpful to a gay person they met or who they know. My bringing up those two businesses in no way is me making some sort of statement that I judge people who shop there.

@jleslie. I honestly didn’t think you were. I thought it was just two that popped into your mind first.

I could say I boycott those places, but the truth is I’ve never really been a patron of ether to begin with.

I don’t like Walmart Corp. but otherwise no, I have friends that boycott Target and Safeway and movie theaters because they are not allowed to carry their concealed weapons in those establishments, whatever. I do boycott goose down products and Fois Gras and won’t dine in a restaurant that serves Fois Gras, that’s about it.

I absolutely vote with my wallet. I don’t shop at a lot of big stores for that reason – I want to know store owners/farmers/producers/people I buy from. I want to help support people/causes I have an interest in/like/enjoy. I don’t do it to the point of craziness – i.e. I wouldn’t pay $20 for a head of cauliflower to support a particular farmer when cauliflower can be purchased for between $1 and $4 locally. I’m willing to pay a limited premium – but am more likely to source another good (to my eyes) provider.

@chyna Right. They popped into my mind. I don’t really take it to an extreme. I just go to Michaels and McD’s instead. If Hobby Lobby and Chick-fil-a were the only two places where I happened to be I’d patronize them if I needed an item. I’m slack about my boycotting.

Lol, “I’m slack about my boycotting.” At least you are honest!

Oh, I boycott Honey Crisp apples (my favorite apple of all time) if they are over $3 a pound. I just really doubt it costs twice as much to cultivate a honey crisp than a Gala or Fuji. I want honey crisp to stop selling when they are expensive so the price comes down. That’s not a political boycott, it’s a money grubbing boycott.

When America invaded Iraq the second time, I boycotted American products. I’m currently boycotting anything I can at the grocery store from Israel.

@cazzie , you’ve reminded me that Setanta won’t buy/wear anything that comes from China. It turned me into a clothing label reader when I started buying him gifts. The big upside to that is that we’ve never bought any pet products from China which was a very good thing for our dogs.

I would like to say I won’t shop at Hobby Lobby because of their political views, and I’d try not to but the main reason I don’t go there is that there’s not one anywhere near me.

I bet Walmart’s founders are Republicans but I do love Walmart.

I’ve never heard of Hobby Lobby, must be an east Coast chain.

Chick-fil-A is a franchise. The local owner can be doing good despite the corporate owners’ bad works. I’d be reluctant to go in unless I knew about the franchisee. Moot question, though. I don’t know where any Chick-fil-A stores are.

I don’t go to Walmart due to their business practices. And six Walton family members hold wealth equal to the bottom 40% of Americans. Six people have more wealth than 120,000,000 people. That wasn’t possible during America’s most prosperous decades in the 20th century.

I wouldn’t set foot in a Hobby Lobby.

@Coloma there’s at least one hobby lobby out here in Madison, WI. I also will never set foot in one.

I’m with @Sneki95 .

@Call_Me_Jay There is a Chick-fil-A restaurant on my college’s campus. In 2012, when the controversy over Chick-fil-A was going on, my special relativity professor penned a brilliant open letter to the university president urging him to end the school’s contract with the franchise. A majority of the professors in my department signed the letter. It made me very proud.

Here is the open letter.

The restaurant’s still there, by the way.

@chyna, I am encouraged to hear that about helping after the Pulse shooting. The other reports are older than that, maybe new leaves are being turned. It’s a positive start anyway.

^^Helping people doesn’t mean they won’t vote against the rights of those people. It’s not that simple.

No but it’s a step in the right direction.

It was a publicity stunt.

Well, gosh, @JLeslie, ya think?
and before you get your knickers in a twist about my sarcastically toned response, please read your post right above mine.

Have fun kids, stopping with this one.

@chyna I think there is a good chance the owners would always have helped people who were attacked. Especially attacked by a Muslim in a mass shooting. I don’t think anything changed in the last several years since Hobby Lobby first came on the radar for supporting Christian organizations that push through legislation.

@anonymousaccount8 Site your source that it was a publicity stunt.

I think it does have a side benefit of good publicity, but I also think they wanted to do something to help.

@chyna how? it’s my opinion. Just like your belief that it signals a step in the right direction is your opinion. And anyway, it garnered good publicity for them, didn’t it?

@canidmajor My point is I disagree with you. I don’t think it’s some sort of “start.” I think they are still the same.

I don’t see where I was sarcastic to you?

@anonymous So you say it, it is so? Meh. I’m unfollowing. You are ridiculous.

@chyna what, why?

“So you say it, it is so?” When did I say anything like that?

I stopped shopping at Harrods for a brief period due to the outlandish cost of their butler uniforms.
Then it dawned on me I could slash Carstairs’ wages to fund the purchase & went back that very afternoon…which was nice.

@JLeslie Actually for me I avoid shopping at businesses who refuse to support causes I believe are worthy. And do support businesses like you mention above.

Absolutely.

A Chick fil-A franchise owner passed out food after the Pulse shooting. Chick fil-A corporate did nothing.

I stopped drinking Yuengling and Killian’s beer after both companies’ owners (Coor’s makes Killian’s) came out in support of Trump. Now I stick with local microbrewery stock or my favorite Canadian brewery, Unibroue. I spend more per drink but I feel better about it.

Yes. I also have an app for identifying products (by scanning UPC symbols using the smartphone camera) whose companies have policies I disagree with, called Buycott . My regular shopping habits have changed quite a bit since I started using it some years ago.

For phone company, I use Credo Mobile which claims to be the opposite of the others in terms of corporate support, and has you vote each month on which organizations Credo should support.

I boycott nutella because the company that produces it sponsors the destruction of Indonesian rainforests (to make way for palm oil plantations).

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/french-minister-blames-nutella-for-growing-deforestation/

BP gas, and Chick fila…

I usually don’t because I often don’t care. Just being honest. I wish I were less apathetic about it. Once I found out about Chick-fil-A, I realized I had never seen a Chick-fil-A in my life (then I found out there’s one in Walnut Creek, but I’d never been there). If it was a place I shopped at frequently and I found out something particularly negative about them or their business practices, I might make an effort not to shop there, but so far it hasn’t come up.

@AnonymousAccount8 our nutella is now made without palm oil.

If I had a car and bought gas, I would boycott Shell because of what they do in Africa.

Nutella?! My husband would be very upset to have to give that up.

As for the beers, my husband will easily pass on those tout suite now that I know the Trump thing. He rarely drinks beer, but he will still like to know.

Nutella is basically frosting anyway. However, according to this article I just found, I may have been wrong to identify it as a driver of Indonesian deforestation.

I don’t know what to believe anymore.

@Zaku

How good is Credo’s coverage?

In what state do you live? If you don’t want post that here, how about sending me a PM with that info?

Yeah, the Yuengling thing was tough. I live close to the factory and had a connection for cheap beer by the case (employee discount), not to mention Yuengling Porter, which they don’t even sell in stores…

Ah, Well.

@Brian1946 Credo has had good coverage for me. It uses the Sprint network, so it’s going to be the same, and there is free roaming (other networks that use the same tech) in the USA. There is coverage in Canada but then it costs rather than being free (unlimited minutes). It can also work in Europe, though you need to have them program your phone for that which takes some advance notice. I’m usually in Washington State, but have used it all over the West Coast, Colorado and several states on the East Coast, and the only places I remember it hasn’t worked were middle-of-nowhere and/or wilderness or an island in Puget Sound, or a few spots tucked behind a cliff.

I’m boycotting the economy for the next four years. I will buy food and socks but that is about it. Those b-day and c-mas presents I give every year. Congrats, this year you are getting donations to Planned Parenthood in your name.

My boyfriend is a professor and researcher in the atmospheric sciences/pure sciences. He’s worried his name is going to show up on some list soon because of his work. He’s putting proposals together for a new grant, but he’s not holding his breath unless he can somehow manipulate his past work into something for the DOD. ‘Weaponising Lightning’ is starting to sound like a really good fake proposal that this administration would give him money for. We joked about that for a minute and then he said, ‘Even if they want to give me money for a project, I’m not going to take it.’ So, yeah. I wonder how many scientists are going to refuse Trump administration money on principal.
BTW, in case anyone is interested, there is going to be a march on DC by Scientists. http://www.scientistsmarchonwashington.com/

@cazzie This reminds me of Surgeon General Coop refusing to lie about abortions for Reagan. People in government positions don’t make a ton of money, so I don’t think the jobs and salaries have as much pull as for the average person on the street. Plus, lying about science is a matter of not just ethics and morals for the individual, but reputation in the very field their life’s work (usually their life’s work) is in. We have to hope that holds a lot of weight.

Wait, @cazzie, I think we are answering the wrong Q. Lol.

@JLeslie I’m saying that my boyfriend will be boycotting, essentially, taking money from certain agencies of the US government. Seemed relevant. He’ll be taking his research projects and shopping them to other parties, perhaps even over here.

Oh, I just saw the question you mentioned, and no, I’m not going to answer that one. Poorly worded and the replies of the OP are just unreadable.

@cazzie It’s my mistake. I understand your answer now.

No, I’ve never boycotted anything. I don’t subscribe to the ‘if I don’t like you, I’ll try to hurt you’ philosophy. I buy products I like and don’t really look into the politics of the vendor. BTW I wouldn’t refuse to sell to someone just because I don’t like their politics, either. Would you?

@Jaxk – is continuing to buy something (from a company that has policies you disagree with) simply a tacit endorsement of the values of that company?

Why not use the capitalist, free market system to show disapproval?

No it’s not an endorsement of the company but rather an endorsement of the product/location/pricing. I’d buy from any store that provides the value I’m looking for. Even if the owner was a democrat.

Meh. I gave up a mediocre lager because I didn’t want my money going (however indirectly) into the pocket of someone I dislike. Now I drink better beer and support local small business. Win/win

In fact, I haven’t bought Barilla pasta since the CEO of that company revealed his homophobia, too. I buy other brands now, and can’t tell the difference in the product.

Not buying a product is hurting the business, it’s not buying their product. Every time we lay our money down we choose one product over another for any number of reasons. Maybe you simply prefer one product over its competitor. Maybe one is more convenient for you. Maybe one store has that cute little clerk that you kinda like. Choosing not to favor a certain product because of politics or personal values is no different from any other reason. It’s the free market in action (and we all love free markets, right?).

There’s been a handful of times when I’ve decided against patronizing a business because of politics/values. Once was when a tornado hit our town. A lot of people lost everything (personally, me and mine were unscathed). Part of the relief efforts for these folks were food vouchers from the Red Cross. Every place in town accepted them, except the KFC. I don’t believe it had anything to do with KFC corporate policy, but rather the stinginess of the store’s manager, who proclaimed “we’re not giving out free food!” (only it wasn’t free, it was a voucher, the stores were being reimbursed). I decided then that for as long as that manager was in place I would no longer give that particular KFC location my money.

You reminded me of my neighbour, @Darth_Algar . The guy runs a gym out of a converted barn/shed. He also sells firewood. Buying my firewood from him would be really convenient, because he’s just down the road, but I won’t, and I won’t attend his gym (not that I go to gyms, ever) but my first summer in the neighbourhood, everyone pitched in to clear up the beach. It was the county’s first summer being the new owners and opening up the area as a beautiful public park. We hauled down wheelbarrows and rakes and we raked up the old seaweed and rubbish that was on the beach and chucked it into a huge skip to be hauled off. As we were talking, seemed someone went over to this neighbour with the gym and asked if he would come and help out with his big tractor. He quoted us a price for it’s use… and then she explained, hey, everyone is volunteering their time and equipment, so it would be awfully good if you could show up, as the only business in the subdivision. He said ‘no’. Seems the guy is a bit of a dick. I order my firewood from a charity home for kids with disabilities. Turned out the guy who runs it is from New Mexico. Complete coincidence, but a happy one and that is who I ring now.

I hate shopping period!
Rather be home eating my cinnamon and raisin
toast and drinking my hot coffee….and shopping on line.

My husband just told me that some Mexicans are boycotting American products and companies.

Well that cuts it. My next car will not be a Mexican brand. Oh wait, there are no Mexican brands. Shit, I’m certainly not giving up my Dos Equis. Maybe I’ll stop buying Sombreros.

The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in Mexican global shipments during 2015. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Mexico.
Vehicles: US$90.4 billion (23.7% of total exports)
Electronic equipment: $81.2 billion (21.3%)
Machines, engines, pumps: $58.9 billion (15.5%)
Oil: $22.8 billion (6%)
Medical, technical equipment: $15.2 billion (4%)
Furniture, lighting, signs: $9.9 billion (2.6%)
Plastics: $8.3 billion (2.2%)
Gems, precious metals, coins: $7.1 billion (1.9%)
Iron or steel products: $5.7 billion (1.5%)
Vegetables: $5.6 billion (1.5%)

(source: http://www.worldstopexports.com/mexicos-top-exports/)

@Jaxk

Chrysler. Last one I bought was made in Mexico. “Imported from Detroit” my ass.

Chrysler is not a Mexican brand.

Toyotas aren’t all made in Japan. ‘Brand’ means very little these days.

I suspect much of the Hobby Lobby merchandise is made in Mexico as well. I’m allowed to be just as hypocritical as everyone else.

@Jaxk I have to agree it’s easy for hypocrisy to find its way in. That’s why I’m kinda slack about it. I don’t bend myself out of shape to avoid shopping in a store. I do avoid to some extent buying products I think are poison. My mom makes me promise not to buy fish from China, but I’m sure I eat fish from China at times. I don’t ask where food utvfrim when I eat at a restaurant.

That I can agree with. I don’t buy products that I believe are inferior in any way, let alone poison.

@Jaxk

Which is more important – where the company has their corporate HQ, or where they send the jobs?

@Darth_Algar – They’re both important but If I had to choose one it would be the jobs.

@Jaxk

Right. Chrysler may be an American company, but they’ve sent jobs out of America for years.

But anywhos…