So what is the point of the French products boycott?

Martin

Lifer
Jan 15, 2000
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Perhaps someone can explain it to me.

Do you want to hurt the French goverment? They weren't the only ones vocally opposed to the war or threatening a veto. Are you guys also boycotting German and Chinese products? Are you making sure the oil you buy doesn't come from Siberia?

Perhaps you want to hurt the french people themselves? But if that is so, then why aren't you hurting the poeple of every single country, other than Israel and perhaps Britain? The majority of people in both "old" and "new" Europe were against the war, including the people of Italy and Spain.

Is it as simple as taking out your anger on people you love to hate?

 

Alistar7

Lifer
May 13, 2002
11,978
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Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak
Perhaps someone can explain it to me.

Do you want to hurt the French goverment? They weren't the only ones vocally opposed to the war or threatening a veto. Are you guys also boycotting German and Chinese products? Are you making sure the oil you buy doesn't come from Siberia?

Perhaps you want to hurt the french people themselves? But if that is so, then why aren't you hurting the poeple of every single country, other than Israel and perhaps Britain? The majority of people in both "old" and "new" Europe were against the war, including the people of Italy and Spain.

Is it as simple as taking out your anger on people you love to hate?

Italy and Spain gave their OFFICIAL support.

Maybe it's because we find the French duplicity appaling, especially coupled with their incessant whining.
The other countries have already come groveling back anyway, even France did this yesterday, why, because of $$$, the only thing that motivates them.

We have every right to show them how we feel by using boycotts, maybe they should re-examine their position. I don't really care what the people think, it's not as if France or the other countries admitted their backdoor deals with Saddam or pointed out their violations of UN resoltuions they signed regarding arms sales. They believed what they were told by their leaders, which was nothing more than a cover up at best, and another attempt to make a buck off the plight of the Iraqi people.

If they don't like our decision, boycott us, since everyone seems to be kissing our butt I guess it doesn't work both ways though..


 

Tiger

Platinum Member
Oct 9, 1999
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None of the above.
The French boycott isn't government sanctioned. It's simply the American consumer expressing their displeasure with the French government through their wallets. It's democracy in action.

While Russia, China, and Germany also oppose America's position, they have not nearly been as proactive as France. The French went out of their way to kill the last UN resolution. Simply using their own veto would have been enough to kill it. They didn't need to bribe the African members of the SC but did it anyway. This proves that the french don't see this as an honest disagreement over Iraq and Saddam. This is about Chiraq trying to position France as the defacto European counterweight to the US. Why is it that most French leaders end up getting this Napoleanic syndrome? This from a country who's bacon we've saved 3 times in the last 100 years.

If French business is punished to the point of pain maybe when they have elections there will be more moderate leadership.


 

43st

Diamond Member
Nov 7, 2001
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Since France exports mostly luxury items it's a pretty easy country to protest against. If France was the worlds #1 exporter of steel or oil then US citizens couldn't really do anything about it.

It doesn't much matter to me. Protesters are all idiots anyway.
 

yowolabi

Diamond Member
Jun 29, 2001
4,183
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Originally posted by: Thera
Since France exports mostly luxury items it's a pretty easy country to protest against. If France was the worlds #1 exporter of steel or oil then US citizens couldn't really do anything about it.

It doesn't much matter to me. Protesters are all idiots anyway.

Good point about the luxury items. If the things we bought from them were significantly cheaper than competing products, we also wouldn't have a boycott. The fact that it's so easy to switch wines makes the boycott more effective. Some claim that the 25% drop in tourism to France is due to the boycott, but someone else pointed out that tourism to England has dropped by similar percentages and they were our ally.

It's mostly a knee-jerk reaction by people who can't handle the fact that an action that they supported was contested most vocally by France. They can't understand why France should want to stand in our way. If they silently objected, it would have been okay, but campaigning in opposition to us is them not staying in their place. There is no real moral ground. All of the "legitimate reasons" like the ones Alistar7 keeps repeating in every thread are not proven in any way, but those who have a grudge against France choose to believe them.

I watched O'Reilly last night, and he seems to be taking credit for starting the boycotts. I don't know if that's true or not, but his guests also gave him that credit.
 

Martin

Lifer
Jan 15, 2000
29,178
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Originally posted by: Tiger
While Russia, China, and Germany also oppose America's position, they have not nearly been as proactive as France. The French went out of their way to kill the last UN resolution.

First, I know it isn't gov sanctioned, I am asking for individual opinions, since there seems to be an adundance of people who boycott french products here.

Second France may have been the most proactive, but it was followed VERY closely by Germany and Russia. Remember the German election in the summer of 02? They were more vocal than france. As for Russia, they would stood right beside france in the SC and both worked closely to counteract the US and UK.
Yet, none of these countries have earned comsumers' hatred like France. I have not heard of people boycotting BMWs, Benz, VWs or Audis. I haven't seen anyone boycotting AMD processors of Infeneon RAM. No one checks if their gas comes from siberia and absolutely none gives a sh!t if the crap they buy from walmart comes from china.

Look at this forum too. You don't see any threads demeaning Germany or Russia, but France? There are 5 threads on this first page of this forum (other than this one) and none of them are friendly. They all try to put France and the French.
 

Alistar7

Lifer
May 13, 2002
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We still have RECENT arms sales, and the money interests are well publicized, this is all very recent and done with a degree on duplicity, publicly working one way, and privately doing the exact opposite. All the while they are continuing to doom the people of Iraq to oppression. I have no grudge with France, could care less about them, but their actions are deplorable in THIS case, as ours and theirs have been at various points in history.

That is why there is no continous boycott of the French as American policy, private people are responding to THIS incident, apparently many of them feel the same way and have every right to protest through boycotts, just as much as the Muslims have every right to protest Israel's existence in Paris, they do step over the line when they start beating jews in the street with metal bars though.
 

drewshin

Golden Member
Dec 14, 1999
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i dont think most people have gone along with the boycott, people that have are pretty petty.
you're right, i dont see people boycotting german or chinese products, even though they were "against" us as well. they must have realized damn, half of our consumables/wearables are made in china!
 

Alistar7

Lifer
May 13, 2002
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Originally posted by: drewshin
i dont think most people have gone along with the boycott, people that have are pretty petty.
you're right, i dont see people boycotting german or chinese products, even though they were "against" us as well. they must have realized damn, half of our consumables/wearables are made in china!

And every country INCLUDING France has realized the need for good relations with the US for their own economies, far more so than we need theirs, why else do you think they have ALL come to us FIRST, or is that just their admission of being wrong on this issue?
 

Martin

Lifer
Jan 15, 2000
29,178
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Originally posted by: Alistar7
We still have RECENT arms sales, and the money interests are well publicized, this is all very recent and done with a degree on duplicity, publicly working one way, and privately doing the exact opposite.


You mean just like Russia?

 

Alistar7

Lifer
May 13, 2002
11,978
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Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak
Originally posted by: Alistar7
We still have RECENT arms sales, and the money interests are well publicized, this is all very recent and done with a degree on duplicity, publicly working one way, and privately doing the exact opposite.


You mean just like Russia?

The Soviets as well, but they have not nearly been as hostile, and signaled early on this conflict would not jeapordize our relationship. They are far more dependent on us than the French or Germans. Their criticism has not been nearly as vocal or pointed. Maybe the rampant anti-semitism prevelant in France is another factor.

 

mastertech01

Moderator Emeritus Elite Member
Nov 13, 1999
11,875
282
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I think its funny. People buy 50 bottles of French wine and dump it out... they STILL made the sale. I think the French want to see more of this..
 

Alistar7

Lifer
May 13, 2002
11,978
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Originally posted by: mastertech01
I think its funny. People buy 50 bottles of French wine and dump it out... they STILL made the sale. I think the French want to see more of this..

It's the sales that are not happening that pushed them to make that phone call....
 

mastertech01

Moderator Emeritus Elite Member
Nov 13, 1999
11,875
282
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Originally posted by: Alistar7
Originally posted by: mastertech01
I think its funny. People buy 50 bottles of French wine and dump it out... they STILL made the sale. I think the French want to see more of this..

It's the sales that are not happening that pushed them to make that phone call....

I heard it was our President who made the call?

 

43st

Diamond Member
Nov 7, 2001
3,197
0
0
Originally posted by: mastertech01
Originally posted by: Alistar7
Originally posted by: mastertech01
I think its funny. People buy 50 bottles of French wine and dump it out... they STILL made the sale. I think the French want to see more of this..

It's the sales that are not happening that pushed them to make that phone call....

I heard it was our President who made the call?

He did... but he said "Do you give up yet?" Big difference. :p
 

Imdmn04

Platinum Member
Jan 28, 2002
2,566
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because french people are the easiest to pick on.

germany got some quality stuff, we cant really afford to boycott china either because walmart would go bankrupt. so we pick france, what the hell can they make? elastic goods (luxury goods), things that u can live without really giving a damn. besides, after losing every godamn war they have been in, they still have this "we have the most sophisticated culture in the world" attitude and most french look down on americans. so with the crap they make combined with their cocky attitude, of course the french was the easiest choice.
 

aznparty

Member
Aug 9, 2002
70
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0
Originally posted by: Alistar7
Originally posted by: drewshin
i dont think most people have gone along with the boycott, people that have are pretty petty.
you're right, i dont see people boycotting german or chinese products, even though they were "against" us as well. they must have realized damn, half of our consumables/wearables are made in china!

And every country INCLUDING France has realized the need for good relations with the US for their own economies, far more so than we need theirs, why else do you think they have ALL come to us FIRST, or is that just their admission of being wrong on this issue?

Far more so than we need theirs? Please, this is not a us vs them thing. This is a global economy, no1 can live without any1 else. China or Germany cut off trade to US, you think its good for the economy?
 

freegeeks

Diamond Member
May 7, 2001
5,460
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because the americans who are active in this boycot are just plain dumb.

Most of them would probably not even find France on a map
 

charrison

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
17,033
1
81
Originally posted by: freegeeks
because the americans who are active in this boycot are just plain dumb.

Most of them would probably not even find France on a map

Are the French that are boycotting US products because of our stance Iraq just plain dumb as well?
 

Tiger

Platinum Member
Oct 9, 1999
2,312
0
0
because the americans who are active in this boycot are just plain dumb.
Which is dumber, continue buying French goods and indirectly supporting a government which has turned openly hostile to us, or boycott french products to let them know americans recognize their duplicity and will fight back? The government has to play nice, we don't.
Most of them would probably not even find France on a map.
I guarantee my family knows exactly where france is. A few of them went there to free their backstabbing asses and got shot for their trouble.
The french are whores. Anything for money. If your a female in france run for your lives. The Chiraq may be selling you next.


 

spaceman

Lifer
Dec 4, 2000
17,611
172
106
Originally posted by: freegeeks
because the americans who are active in this boycot are just plain dumb.

Most of them would probably not even find France on a map

i cannot bring myself to boycott ze zig zags!
they are IMHO,hands down, the best cigarette papers in the world, and ive tried my share of exotic rolling papers.


BTW:freegeeks, france and you suck like a hoover.


 

sandorski

No Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
70,493
6,043
126
US vs France is an old issue, that's why France is the target and not Germany, Russia(the Soviet Union is dead Alistar), and China. The biggest problem here is that France is the closest form of the US outside of the US, it's ironic that they hate each other! :)
 

bolinger

Member
Apr 16, 2003
132
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0
France was just the figurehead for a coalition of internation countries that opposed the war. Germany and Russia were the right and left hand men for France, but Americans are a little reluctant to give up their vodka, steel, BMWs, and microchips.

But I think this whole boycott of France will fade into oblivion soon enough. Yes, we hear in the news about how sales of French wine are down; it's true. But that's because the average American only has enough intelligence to associate France with French wine (and laughingly, french fries). There is a very, very small percentage of Americans who actually know the full list of French products in the US (such as tires, cosmetics, etc.), so that is why we never hear about the other French industries getting hurt by this boycott.

Go ahead and hurt the French wineries all you want right now(along with the American liquor store owners and resteraunts that bought them). The good thing about French wine is that it only gets better with age.

And for those boycotting Michelins and Yoplait, I'm sure those respective companies are hurting from the .0001% in sales the boycott has cost them.
 

etech

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
10,597
0
0
Originally posted by: freegeeks
because the americans who are active in this boycot are just plain dumb.

Most of them would probably not even find France on a map

If there was absolutely no reason than it would be 'dumb' but the France government by it's actions hurt the US. It was their choice in the action that they took. It is American's choice to decide whether that action was ill-conceived.

If it would have absoletly no effect than it would be 'dumb'. It does seem to be having some effect as shown in the link in the first post.

What was 'dumb' is a response consisting of calling a large group of people 'dumb' because they are taking an action that you don't agree with. Your erudition was not overwhelming.

Personally, my next bottle of wine will not be from France. I might buy Michelin tires since some are made in the US. When France gets a new president I will reconsider my views based on his stated policies.

Many Americans do know where France is. They are buried there from serving in WWI and WWII.

That is all.

 

aznparty

Member
Aug 9, 2002
70
0
0
Originally posted by: bolinger
France was just the figurehead for a coalition of internation countries that opposed the war. Germany and Russia were the right and left hand men for France, but Americans are a little reluctant to give up their vodka, steel, BMWs, and microchips.

But I think this whole boycott of France will fade into oblivion soon enough. Yes, we hear in the news about how sales of French wine are down; it's true. But that's because the average American only has enough intelligence to associate France with French wine (and laughingly, french fries). There is a very, very small percentage of Americans who actually know the full list of French products in the US (such as tires, cosmetics, etc.), so that is why we never hear about the other French industries getting hurt by this boycott.

Go ahead and hurt the French wineries all you want right now(along with the American liquor store owners and resteraunts that bought them). The good thing about French wine is that it only gets better with age.

And for those boycotting Michelins and Yoplait, I'm sure those respective companies are hurting from the .0001% in sales the boycott has cost them.

Have a sale and ppl won't care if its from Syria.