Merely Symbolic Protest
I found this cartoon on Digg.com. (this is the Digg page about it; this is its original URL); 
It makes a good point – all the Olympics protests are symbolic. The American consumer has the potential to make a much stronger statement against China’s numerous human rights abuses.
This isn’t one of those protectionist “BUY AMERICAN PRODUCTS ONLY!!!!!” rants. Free trade is a wonderful thing, even free trade with China. And the current situation shows us another way in which it’s a wonderful thing – it allows us to make powerful statements.
But only if we want to.
When we have the opportunity to buy Chinese products (as we do), refusing to buy such products would send a powerful message – a message much more powerful than that conveyed by picketing torch-runners.
It’s a message we can easily send -
- but only if we want to.
Yo! Matt, I completely agree with you, or more precisely with this caricature. Protesting in our local streets serves nothing and no one. Stopping buying from the Chinese is one good form of protest, and another good one you probably have heard of is stealing the flame while it crosses your city (thanks to the British!).
If you really are true to your words, I hope you will be the first one to look out for Made In China’s labels and not buy them! Modeling is always a good start. One great thing that could be done would be to convince some large corporation to stop buying from China. That would be hot and sexy! Anyways, I believe it all has to start with the populace.
I have tried going “all American.” It’s actually fairly hard…especially at most of the “box stores.”
The very act of buying from China is allowing the perpetuation of human rights violations. Yeah.. we could boycott the Olympics, but why now? Why have we not cared for years about the lack of fair and ethical trade and the slave-like conditions of the laborers who make all the lovely products we consume?
By the way- Your cousin Sarah referred me to this site because she thought I’d be interested. She was correct. Your writings are very thought provoking.
Ha. Nice to know sarah is sending me hits. Glad you’re enjoying it.