Boycott or not

Boycotting a consumer product or its maker should be make carefully, instead of being an instant reflex.  A good example is the nine-year boycott of Disney by the SBC and some fellow Christians:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/disney.htm

http://www.religioustolerance.org/disney3.htm

Personally I did not watch ABC or bought any Disney product from 1997-2001.  The first time I started watching ABC again was during the 9-11 coverage (with Peter Jennings).  I, like many others on that day, was glued to the TV set and scanning channels to see the latest developments.  It was during that day that the chain came loose and eventually broke, ending my own personal boycott of four years.  Since then I have been watching news and some programs on ABC, and began buying Disney DVD's for the my son after he was born in 2004.  In 2005, SBC also dropped their boycott officially.

The timing of SBC's decision and the release of Disney's movie Narnia in the same year does not appear to be a coincidence.  In my view, it is a good thing that may have come out of the pressure of the highly publicised boycott.

Interestingly, the hardliner CEO of Disney, Michael Eisner, also departed the company in 2005. 

Fast forward to 2008, another boycott is being called -- at least by a very small group of people already.  Apple, the maker of iPhones, iPods, iMac, has donated $100,000 to the "No on 8" campaign.  For a successful public company to tie itself to a highly controversal public issue may not be the wisest move in the first place (Does a public company have to take a stand on a social issue at all?  How about letting the company stay neutral and do all you want on a personal basis?)

Now, what about a counter-action to boycott the company?  What if people wants to use iPhone Apps to read the Bible?  And what happens to those who developed such nice Apps to do so?  What if electricity was invented by someone who is a homosexual, or something like that?  How about separating the tool itself and the ideological believes of the tool maker -- if the tool has nothing to do with it?

I suppose one can argue that Apple is using the proceeds from its sales to fund the ideological believes of its executives or major share holders, and buying their product is, in turn, fueling their believes.  Well, that's why I think the few decision makers are hijacking the will of the large number of Apple users and the employees of the company.  Certainly the company cannot represent the opinions of all their customers and its employees.  Their action is huge PR failure for the company.  

Boycotting may be too extreme an action now, but our voice should be heard.  Why haven't any influencial people spoken out yet?  We should not let the few top execs who made this decision give the false impression that all Mac users endorse their view.

I can buy an iPhone, use Google, and vote 'Yes on 8' -- tomorrow!