Boycott Florida orange juice

[brush]

I was listening to Talk Left radio today and one of the guests on was advocating a boycott of Florida orange juice as a way to fight back against the travesty of the Trayvon Martin trial. Seems like a good way to send a message to the state and Gov. Rick Scott who has refused so far to do anything about the stand your ground law there, even though protestors have been demonstrating there since the trial.

We're talking Florida juice only, not California juice or juice from other states or countries.

Please pass on the idea and begin doing it. This worked in California back in the day when Cesar Chavez organized the grape boycott.

[npk]

1. My problem with boycotting in general is that it's usually the innocent people that get hurt

No business in Florida, as far as I can tell, had anything to do with the SYG law or the miscarriage of justice in the Zimmerman trial. Lets just say people did boycott Florida Orange Juice. What do you think is going to happen? The company would begin to loose profits, then they would be forced to layoff innocent employees. Those innocent employees would then have to find another source of income, not an easy thing to do in this current economy. Yes the State of Florida would collect a little less tax revenue, but it would be the last entity to fully suffer in this ordeal.

So I don't see punishing a company that had nothing to do with the murder of Trayvon Martin.

[brush]

5. If you feel that way, fine. But boycotts have worked historically

Like Cesar Chavez's when he organized the United Farm Workers' Union in Cali in the early 70s and got better working conditions for his members. And the workers undertook the sacrifice (they were hurt economically) for the greater good.

[Recursion]

21. Boycotts need specific goals. What's yours?

Boycotts are the use of economic leverage to achieve specific policy results. MLK used then very effectively against segregation: stop riding the city's buses until the bus system integrates. During apartheid, the logic was similar: deny profits to companies using apartheid labor. Some people are trying a similar tactic with Israel and the territories today. In all cases it has been an economic activity that was intrinsic to the policy people want changed. Simply picking stuff at random to boycott, with no such ties and without a specific demand, is just a pretty silly way to express anger.

Effective boycotts are never about the boycotters.

[HiPointDem]

25. the goal is to get rid of stand your ground.

[brush]

32. Stand your ground law

It's about getting the Stand Your Ground law abolished. There is a group now sitting in at the capital asking the governor to convene a special section.

There are also several big-name entertainers that have pledged to boycott Florida until SYG is abolished,

This is something the average person (although DU people are certainly not average) can do to apply pressure to get rid of SYG.

It would be for the long haul. It won't work overnight but I remember the Cesar Chavez-led United Farm Workers boycott that was successful. And of course there was the successful Montgomery Bus Boycott led by MLK.

Like I said in the OP, this is not my idea, a guest on Talk Left radio proposed it and I thought it was worth discussing on DU.

[delrem]

15. The point of boycotts is to wake "innocent people" up.

To become aware of and responsible for what is being one in their name.

A boycott will end when enough people wake up to change things.

[Recursion]

24. No. The point of boycotts is to incent and deincent specific policies and behaviors

As in, cut off an important source of revenue to Birmingham's bus system until it integrates.

[LanternWaste]

69. You seem to be confusing means with agenda.

You seem to be confusing means with agenda.

[HiPointDem]

26. the stated goal is to get rid of stand your ground, not to wake people up.

[Katashi_itto]

44. Mongomery Bus Boycott had lots of collatertal damage.

But it worked.

[npk]

71. The Montgomery Bus Boycott targeted a specific discriminatory organization/business

The Montgomery Bus system perpetuated institutionalized racism and was targeted directly. The OP is asking people to target a business that has nothing to do racism, again as far as I can tell.

[Katashi_itto]

95. No one said a boycott would be clean

[calimary]

88. I can understand this point - up to a point.

But I have to ask - ARE THEY, indeed, really so "innocent"? If majorities of them voted people into office in the state legislature and the governor's mansion who turn around and pull this shit, and enact these laws, and take these stands, and involve themselves with organizations like ALEC, and keep assholes like rick scott employed and gave us jeb bush and katherine harris and allen west? If a majority of Floridians vote for asshole regressives like this? If they obviously approve of shit like this?

ARE THEY REALLY so "innocent"?

You've heard the saying "if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem." Well - there it is.

Please forgive me for waxing a little simplistic here (and I know some here won't), but it seems to me that if the "innocent" people in Florida don't want to have to deal with boycotts, then THEY need to stop legislation like Stand Your Ground, THEY need to stop voting for republi-CONS who only want to take their Social Security and Medicare away. Nobody's holding guns to their heads and forcing them to watch and swallow whole the propaganda of Pox Noise, or forcing them to listen to limbaugh & company. They choose this stuff. A majority of them chooses this, and votes for this, and donates to this, and supports this.

So - maybe they end up having to reap the whirlwind then.

As for those who don't support these things, they damn well better get themselves to precinct meetings and into lines on Election Day, and in the upcoming midterms get their asses out and vote rather than being apathetic or assuming that it doesn't make any difference or feel as though they don't want to bother. They need to rise up, get everybody they know to the polls, make sure everybody they know is educated about the candidates and issues, GET INVOLVED, AND TAKE THEIR STATE BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have little patience with harm that's self-inflicted.

One more thing - California produces GREAT orange juice!

[NV Whino]

2. Too late

I've been boycotting Florida juice since Anita Bryant.

[brush]

3. Keep it up. Now you have a different reason. It's never too late. Send a message. nt

[Recursion]

22. What message? To whom?

That's the bit I'm still not seeing. What specific change do you want, and how does the citrus industry relate to it.

[Vinnie From Indy]

59. Oranges are round! Zimmy is round! What more do you need!

Cheers!

[tumtum]

61. Damn!!!!

There's the common denominator! Does this mean I have to boycott Florida oranges now?

[pipi_k]

63. There's another

reason as well...

Oranges are orange

So is




Coincidence?

[lpbk2713]

4. Chavez worked on behalf of the pickers.

What you suggest would hurt the present day Florida pickers more than anyone else.

[brush]

7. You think it didn't hurt the farm workers back then?

They understood what was at stake and withstood the sacrifice.

[JVS]

29. No it didn't hurt them, they were on strike. Boycotting grapes only hurt scabs and employers.

[brush]

34. The boycott was an extention of the strike. Strikes hurt the strikers too

They sacrificed alright and took the hit but it worked and they got a contract and better working conditions.

This oj boycott would be against SYG.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

6. it's a great idea to boycott them anyway. Florida orange juice isn't healthy at all

they can advertise it's not "from concentrate" but the thing they do to it chemically to keep it "fresh" and shipped to stores are not pretty.

[BainsBane]

8. That means no OJ

because all OJ is from Florida. I'm not doing it. Imagining that that racist justice is unique to Florida is absurd. It exists in every state in the union. People don't want to acknowledge the nature of the society we live in so they externalize this as being about Florida.

[brush]

9. All oj isn't from Florida

Last edited Tue Jul 23, 2013, 08:13 AM - Edit history (1)

It's just a small way to fight back against a racist trial and SYG. No need to over-intellectualize it.

[BainsBane]

10. No need to over intellectualize it?

How does not thinking help anything? People's lives are harmed by boycotts. If you're just trying to make yourself feel better, have a drink.

[uppityperson]

41. Don't think, just do it? How does boycotting a product change a law unrelated to that product?

[brush]

43. It's against SYG

It's not that complicated. Money talks. If said boycott, along with other efforts on a broad front are sustained long enough Florida will get the point and do something about the heinous law.

[uppityperson]

46. How does stopping buying juice change SYG law? Stopping economic flow into the state will what?

Make the lawmakers change the law? Is that the point? HOW will it make them change the law/

[brush]

54. Think it through. nt

[uppityperson]

56. I did. Which is why I am asking you because it makes no sense to me.

"Just do it, don't think."
Why?
"Think it through."

[brush]

64. Economic pressure is how boycotts work over the long haul. nt

[uppityperson]

70. And if we boycott oj, eventually the oj workers will have better work conditions. Got it, thx.

[brush]

90. It could help get rid of SYG

Last edited Wed Jul 24, 2013, 08:56 AM - Edit history (1)

and save some brown lives as well as black ones.

Got it now?

[uppityperson]

96. Stopping buying a product with a state brand on it will cause legislation to happen?

You keep repeating "it will get rid of syg" but have not shown how boycotting something with a state name on it will cause legislation on an unrelated issue to happen. Boycott a product to get changes for the workers nd even maybe legislation for the product, that works. But boycotting something named after a state to get legislation on an unrelated product or issue?

HOW would it work beyond "it will"?

[brush]

97. I said it "could" not will.

And if you don't want to participate that's fine. Others might want to do something, even if it's just a small thing to stand against SYG.

I might add though that a lot of small "could" contribute to a big result.

[tumtum]

57. What about the other 30 states with SYG laws?

Are we supposed to boycott them also?

[frylock]

73. eventually

[brush]

12. You don't have to participate. No biggie. nt

[HiPointDem]

27. look at the labels on your oj. not all from florida.

[pipoman]

11. What about the oyher 48 states which would have likely ended the same way?

[Nye Bevan]

13. I've been boycotting California orange juice since the OJ Simpson verdict (nt)

[tblue]

28. I've been boycotting The Simpsons

since the OJ verdict.


My apologies to those who want to keep this a serious discussion. Sorry I can't add to the discussion. Y'all have already made every good point I could think of.

[bigwillq]

39. Are they out of business yet?

[bhikkhu]

14. Boycotts are a good way of highlighting the imprtance of some issues and behavior

...they work great against corporate bad behavior, and they work fairly well at influencing state politics away from bad policy. I'm not sure what effect this might have on Florida, as it was a court case not a policy decision. In a way, it demands that a jury trial decision be politicized, which isn't ever a good thing in practice.

[Brother Buzz]

16. I've been avoiding Florida OJ since the Anita Bryant kerfuffle.

I'm not compelled to change horses now.

[tblue]

30. I've been buying banana cream pie since Anita Bryant.

[William769]

17. Does this mean I can't pick the oranges in my back yard?

[uppityperson]

42. I am sorry William769. I am going to stop replying to your posts because, after all, you are in

Florida and we must boycott all things Florida to change SYG law there. Wondering if I should start a new thread on Boycott Florida DUers, save the pixels to call attention to My New Cause.

Just in case someone take me seriously

[William769]

48. I have six honeybell orange trees & five regular orange trees

The honeybell one's are harvested once a year (mid December), these six trees pays my mortage for 3 months of the year. Thats a huge benifit for me. I will say though that honeybells are so addicting that I'm not worried about a boycott. People actually get mad at me when I run out. I do however keep a supply for myself.

[uppityperson]

49. I managed to eat a fresh picked orange once. It was great. Being able to sell some is a good thing

and sounds like quite the help for you.

I understand people are upset about the whole Zimmy/Trayvon thing as they should be but see it as trying to simplify some deep issues.

[William769]

55. I agree.

I'm still pissed about the verdict myself. But boycotting the whole State especially the orange industry is just ridiculous. If the boycott were to actually work, it would be hurting the people who need to be protected the most (the one's picking the organes). I do not include myslef in this group for I do not employ anyone (I do the work myself).

[HooptieWagon]

18. Holding your breath until you turn blue is just as ineffective.

Whether anyone drinks Fl orange juice or not will have no effect on SYG law. But knock yourself out if you wish.

PS: Do any racists live in your state?

[Recursion]

19. What do you want Scott to do about the SYG law?

And why do you think a boycott will help your goal?

Read some of the BDS literature from the apartheid years, or about Israel today, to get some sense of how complex this can be.

[Cha]

20. Like back in the day when we boycotted Florida

Orange Juice because of Anita Bryant's Ignorant anti-Gay screed.

Four days after George Zimmerman was acquitted in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, civil rights activists decried Florida's controversial self-defense law, with one calling for a possible boycott of the state's orange juice.

Speaking at the NAACP's national convention in Orlando, Martin Luther King III said one possible way to protest the state's controversial "Stand Your Ground" law is to stop consuming Florida orange juice.

"The true way generally when people don't understand your plight is when you decide to exercise your buying power elsewhere," King said.

King is not the first to suggest a boycott of citrus from the Sunshine State since the verdict. According to philly.com, several hundred protesters at Philadelphia's Love Park on Sunday called for a boycott of Florida oranges and orange juice.

Florida oranges have been the target of boycotts several times over the years. In 1977, anti-gay comments by celebrity spokesperson Anita Bryant sparked a national boycott.

http://www.wctv.tv/home/headlines/Orange-Juice--215887171.html

Good Luck!

[NoPasaran]

72. The Anita Bryant boycott was more directly targeted though

The marketing board for Florida orange juice had hired her as their spokesperson, so the point of the boycott was to get them to fire her. The link between OJ and SYG is a bit more tenuous.

I don't really have a fruit in this fight. I don't even like orange juice, whatever its origin.

[Cha]

98. Thanks for the distinction, NoPasaran..

Yeah, I like grapefriut. I just hope people are able to do something productive that shines more of a light on the SYG law.

[HiPointDem]

23. problem is, orange juice is often mixed from different sources these days. if you look at the

cans they'll often name several states a/o countries as possible sources.

so i doubt you can actually boycott *all* florida juice, only those specifically labeled florida & only florida.

you'd have to boycott all oj, i think.

[bravenak]

31. Can this work?

I love juice and my kids need the vitamins and they're picky. My state has stand your ground too, are we going to boycott my state too?

[Le Taz Hot]

33. California's oranges are MUCH better anyway.

California has managed to reverse Prop. H8 AND we don't have a stand your ground law so a good way to reward us it to buy our oranges. And peaches, nectarines, plums, melons, pecans, grapes, raisins, kiwis, cherries, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries . . . .

Did I mention I live in one of California's agricultural areas?

[CatWoman]

52. and California peaches too

Georgia peaches just plain suck

[Le Taz Hot]

65. Funny you should mention that.

I've got two lugs of peaches coming straight from the farm tomorrow -- organic and tree-ripened. I'll be making Peach Butter and Peach Jam with them (for eating and to enter into the County Fair). Btw, this year's peaches are REALLY sweet. And this year's Red Flame grapes are the best I've ever tasted. Oh hell, it's ALL good!

[pipi_k]

35. Selective boycotting...

Really.

Why stop at OJ?

If people are really serious about this, why not do an extensive search for all the things that grow, or are made, in Florida?


I would bet it gets real complicated if what someone needs is only produced in two places...Florida, or some other place everybody's supposed to be pissed off at. What then? I'm not talking about want, either. I'm talking about need.

I think many boycotts are carried out by people who aren't really making that huge of a sacrifice anyway.

[brush]

37. It's about repealing SYG in Florida

Nothing more. It's simple, a small thing concerned progressives can do to put pressure on Florida to get rid of a heinous law. So we sacrifice a little and not buy Florida orange juice and switch to California OJ, it's not that complicated. We can all read OJ labels.

Seems it can be part of a broader effort along with entertainers that have announced a boycott of the state, and the sit-in demonstration at the state capitol to let Florida know that people can protest with their buying power against SYG also.

[LeftyMom]

36. I already don't buy it because it tastes like ass. California oranges are better.

[L0oniX]

38. I'm sure the Martins will appreciate the economic hit ...yea they live there too.

[Puzzledtraveller]

40. I'll buy some today

I don't like orange juice. Leave Florida alone.

[brush]

45. Huh? nt

[frylock]

74. just a little "fuck you, liberals" drive by

[brush]

78. You wasted your time with some 20k plus posts

to do that 2ok times. Getta life, willya.

[frylock]

81. you really shouldn't drink this early in the day..

please try posting this again when sober.

[brush]

102. Sorry

I thought your post was from Puzzledtraveler.

[uppityperson]

83. Why insult someone who is explaining using a disgusted tone? Seems they don't like that

post. Odd.

[brush]

89. Are you responding to my post or Frylock's

He posted "just a little "fuck you, liberals" drive by".

I hope you're not admonishing me for responding to an insult to liberals because some teabagger doesn't like it?

Pls tell me I misunderstood your post.

[uppityperson]

93. Frylock is explaining what puzzledtraveler is saying. Who is a teabagger?

Yea, you misunderstood. Frylock is explaining, briefly, that puzzledtravler did a drive by post saying "fu libs". Are you calling frylock a teabagger? Explain.

[brush]

94. Sorry. My bad

I thought both posts were from Frylock. My apologies to you both.

[NightWatcher]

47. I doubt Rick Scott will "get the message" that a few people online say they're not buying OJ

There's currently more than a dozen activists camped in his office day and night demanding he call a special session to overturn SYG. He has ignored/denied their requests.

But you and a few other people online be sure to send the "message" that you are convinced your Slactivism will in fact send.

While you're at it why not go sign a meaningless petition as well. Because petitions and weak boycotts seem to work all the time to fix injustice. The great thing is you never even have to leave your laptop.

[uppityperson]

58. +1000

[brush]

60. Ahhh . . . things don't happen overnight

It takes patient, a defined target and a long view. The Montgomery Bus boycott took months. The grape boycott took years. Mandela and the ANC used boycotts as well.

If such a boycott went viral (national) it can be part of a broader effort to put pressure on Florida legislators and the governor to fix or repeal SYG.

It's not asking a lot of progressives to do this. If you can read an OJ label just chose a container from Cali instead of Florida.

[brush]

62. All I have to say to that is big things start small

Mandela used boycotts.

Ghandi, MLK, Chavez; they all understood the power of the pocketbook.

[Dash87]

50. That's "Freedom Juice" to you, sonny!

[CatWoman]

53. now that ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

is funny!!!

[tumtum]

51. I'm not going to boycott a product that has nothing to do with the SYG laws.

That doesn't make sense, why boycott a product that has nothing to do with those laws?
The only people that would be hurt would be the growers, pickers, processors, truck drivers, store employees.
Why do you want to mess with their livelihood?

[Zoeisright]

87. And many of those people vote repuke.

That's the only way we have to send them a message.

Boycotts work.

Read this and learn something:

http://www.newser.com/story/157575/its-a-rough-day-for-papa-johns.html

[brush]

91. Thanks for the post, Zoeisright.

Seems there are a lot of contrarians opposed to a proven and effective tactic.

[tumtum]

99. I don't need to learn anything thank you.

And I still stand by my words, I'm not going to boycott any product that has nothing to do with SYG laws, you want to, fine, go get em, me, I'll mind my own business and continue to buy products coming from Florida, including orange juice.

[snooper2]

66. "Florida Orange Juice" really comes from Georgia

It's been a scam for 20 years now and people still fall for it LOL


You can't say "George Orange Juice" on the side of the box and expect people to buy it. Georgia looks like shit. Slap a different state with a couple nice beaches and BAM! Profits through the roof!

[brush]

67. You're saying they don't grown oranges in Florida? nt

[snooper2]

68. They have a couple thousand trees but that is it

The whole state has been in on the scam for a long time now. Even the old folks who move there from up North have to sign a NDA with the State Attorney General not to reveal the truth.


They have come after me before for posting about this. They came knocking on the door posing as Mormons trying to scare me.

[ksoze]

75. Book your Moscow trip NOW

I hear they have excellent facilities at the airport, comrade

[snooper2]

77. Nope, I'm not scared, I'm going to stay here and expose the truth!

[ksoze]

79. Didn't we see your name on a flight to Cuba?

We need to all book seats near you. This will be fun.

[brush]

76. Is the industry still there?

You know with the plants, packaging, marketing and all?

[snooper2]

82. that's the most fucked up part-

The oranges are picked in Georgia by illegal Cubans and processed at plants in Florida, then shipped out on trucks.

It's why there was a big dust-up in Georgia about cracking down on illegals from Mexico working there a few years back. The Repukes needed the cheap labor but had pressure from Florida manufactures who wanted even cheaper labor trucked in from Florida.

This shit goes all the way to the top-

[ksoze]

84. I can also confirm the trucks use gas imported from Venezula

which is imported on container ships which fly an Emirates flag. The flag is usually flown upside down - a clue to the port workers who move quickly and remove the fuel.

[djean111]

92. Oh, thank you!!!!! Best post about the whole stupid thing yet!!!!!

Sitting here laughing. And drinking Georgia orange juice.

[Phentex]

85. DU was already boycotting Georgia...

thanks to Michael Moore.

I don't think it's working.

[aikoaiko]

80. No thank you.

[Zoeisright]

86. Oh what a good idea.

I hadn't thought of that. Thanks.

[Egalitarian Thug]

100. K&R. n/t

[displacedtexan]

101. We've already done this.

Back in the 70's, we boycotted Florida OJ until they fired Anita Bryant as their spokesperson. It worked.