(What I won't be driving in 2008)I visited the blog What About Out Daughters? this morning a saw a post about PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). I have a grudge against PETA for their 2005 ad campaign which juxtaposed pictures of African Americans and Animals. I suppose their point was don't treat animals the way African Americans were treated. Since then I have no use what so ever for PETA. They are on my boycott list.
Gina's post at What About Our Daughters? made a valid point about PETA's ability to get their message out. I agree they can get their message out effectively and quickly. Even when it's the wrong message.
But seeing Gina's post about PETA and how I feel about them made me wonder how many other African Americans quietly boycott companies that offend them racially.
I have a list of companies that I will not under any circumstance patronize. Kentucky Fried Chicken is one. They have been using the racist song Sweet Home Alabama in their ads for quite sometime. And even though there is a KFC just a few blocks from me (which would be very convenient on those days when I don't feel like cooking) I refuse to ever shop with them again.
Volkswagen is another company I refuse to patronize. Volkswagen has an SUV called the Touareg. The name Touareg refers to a nomadic people who live in West Africa that where instrumental in capturing and selling slaves in the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. Even today the Touareg are known to hold slaves and to be very racist against Black Africans.
So Volkswagen will never, ever get any of my money. Not one year from now or 20 years from now.
Another company I refuse to patronize is Viacom. They are the media giant responsible for more stereotyping of African Americans then any other entity. On their cable outlets you can see great examples of Viacom's use of stereotyping for profit on VH1, BET and MTV.
So since ala carte cable is not available, this past summer I cancelled my cable. I refuse to give any money to Viacom. I will not help to pay for the racist programming they put on the air.
Every time you pay your cable bill a portion of your money goes directly to Viacom.
Recently at work we had a luncheon, the group in charge bought KFC. And even though I was really looking forward to eating lunch that day (I was so hungry). Once I realized what they had planned for lunch I declined to eat.
And even though I plan to buy a car in 2008 and would have surely had a Volkswagen Beetle on my list of possible choices. I refuse to even consider a Volkswagen.
Do you quietly boycott companies that have offended your racial sensibilities? If so what companies and why?
