ran banks, OCTOBER 1, 1974, PAGE’4'

Biron/s In General. .:

This summer I worked on several informational picketts boycotting pro— ducts that have been rec— ognized as detrimental to human rights. '

It was interesting to open ourselves to the criticism ﬁnd disposition of the public. A boycott demonstrates that we do live in a "global village" and neighbours are not limited to personal geo— graphy. Often we encounter hostility, indifference and often, to our good fortune we found people received literature with genuine ihterest and con— cern for boycotts.

Boycotts began in the 19th century and have been, since then, a refu— sal to buy, use or endorse a product, an action or a group that openly belitt— les the dignity of men. Most boycotts are direc— ted against profiteering, or exploitation of people.

The on the spot boycott is a mixture of many exper- iences. Boycotts are fruav trating because people must co—operate and for many, co-operation is a threat. Boycotts are "mind openers" when we discover how much man will rape, exploit and violate human rights to save a buck. Boycotts do not work over— night, sometimes we are fighting giants. It requ- ires that we are constant— ly aware of the need.for information, alertness and care. We must avoid unques— tioning acceptance and im— pulsive consumption of media and products. Often advertisement is merely attempting to pretepd imm— ediate gratification of our needs. Sometimes pro— ducts are produced under extreme conditions of in— humanity and exploitation of people who are oppressed Sometimes the profit from products that you buy are used to Supress political revolution, to deny facil— ities that we presume are basic, such as schools, hospital care, unemployw ment insurance and even washrooms and water while we work.

The harvest of some pro— ducts that you buy is controlled by the mafia.

Sometimes the convenie—‘ nces that you are being convinced to use in the name of efficency are just machines doing the same work in the same am— ount of time as men. (A

edit-Avin

‘é'ﬁ

cynical comment I received the other day was "Mach— ines don't go on drunks

or strikes do they?")

Boycotts are organized and carried out by people who are concerned for people's rights. That's probably why’they may appear small, on the con— trary, most of the boycotts that have taken place in Charlottetown have been a response to national, international an multi— national calls for supp- ort in boycotts.

This summer people res— ponded "Farmers...hum!!", "Kraft; what else would my kids eat?", "If I boy— cotted everything that I was asked to I couldn't ﬂw#3"mﬁmmjwtcmme trouble", "I don't care." Were people really saying, "Don't raise any conscien- ceness, I'm threatened",~

"The world is just a place

to poverty, to a high mor- tality rate, to oppression, to dehumanization of self, family and community. Youchoose, you can not pretend it doesn't matter. One of the pains of life in the 20th century is we can no longer honestly remain uninformed. It is an informed decision each of us makes. It is not an impulse or a passive response.

that I occupy", "It's 0.K. until I feel restrained", "I'm on vacation".

Yet many people responr ded with warm encourage- ment and support. .1

Unfortunately, the logic of illusion is sometimes/ sadly misinformed. Next time you are asked to de- cide on a boycott, think of the disease that begins with a germ, a revolution that begins in dialogue across a coffee table, a war settlement often ends with one‘thought. Think that you have power, as a person. You also have mon- etary power and whether or not you like it you use of abuse that power every time you spend a cent.

You may buy goods or sets s viCes or you may buy some— ones continued enslavement to threaten job security,

- Boycotts are people attempting to use their power as people for people.

' Boycott the Postal Code Boycott Algonian coffee Boycott South African

Brandy Boycott non-U.F.W. Grapes and lettuce Boycott Kraft.

D. MacDonald '