more on (with a comment on mail protocol) Rising Anti-American Sentiment Could Slam the Tech Sector

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: Mitra <mitra () earth path net>
Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2003 13:21:05 +1100
To: dave () farber net, ip <ip () v2 listbox com>
Subject: Re: [IP] Rising Anti-American Sentiment Could Slam the Tech Sector

This call for a boycott could be a very real threat. Until I did a search, I
hadn't seen it reported in any of the news, but there were quite specific
calls, at the rally I was at in Australia for a boycott of ALL american
products.  I've heard anecdotally of similar calls at other marches across
Australia and elsewhere.  This may seem insignificant, but there were
approximately 16% of the county's population at the rally, and from the
level of applause the suggestion was warmly received.

The essential argument presented by the speaker was that the US government
is no longer a democracy, but is controlled by US corporations,  it's a
corporate war (to get the oil, and raise the military budget, and detract
attention from the worsening economy and environment), so boycott all US
products.  I presume, but don't know, that similar arguments were being
presented elsewhere. What was interesting was that the call was not
specific, for exmple against US oil companies which have a strong presence
here. Another popular slogan went "For every McDonald's there is a McDonald
Douglas", which I think comes from the anti-globalization protests,
inferring that military power will be used more and more to enforce US style
globalization.

Before I post some links I found, I'd ask people not to bother sending me
any more angry email (as followed my post on France), I'm not trying to
convince anyone, and am trying hard to put aside my opinions, and  just post
some observations of what is happening, that people IN the us might not have
seen.  If you disagree or have different observations then post them to the
list, so we can all see them, and let Dave do the filtering.

Canadian Broadcast Service
http://uw2.abs-cbnnews.com/abs_news_body.asp?section=World&OID=16094
> Muslims, who make up around 10 percent of Thailand's 63 million people,
> focused on plans to boycott American brands such as Coca-Cola and McDonald's
> in the event of war.


S.F. Chronicle
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/02/14
/MN95334.DTL
The huge, glittering mall is full of Saudis worshiping at the shrine of U.S.
consumerism. There are Nine West, Nike, Starbucks and Liz Claiborne outlets
and just about every American clothing and fast-food chain imaginable.

But there's a backlash brewing in the oil-rich kingdom, one that could tip
it away from the U.S. orbit -- where it has been the most important,
dependable American ally in the Arab world -- and damage Washington's
interests in the region.
...
"There is a tendency that we should try other products than American ones,"
said Fouad Al-Fakhri, the mall's general manager. "The feeling is there,

and it's increasing. People here don't like Saddam (Hussein), I don't like
Saddam, but we very much like the Iraqi people. What have they done to be
punished? People are disappointed about this."
He's not alone. Internet e-mail circulars are asking people to boycott
American goods. In the mall, Baskin-Robbins had to put a sign out saying
it's a Canadian firm, not American, and a store named America Furniture
changed its name to Home Furniture.


- Mitra


-- 
Mitra Technology Consulting -  www.mitra.biz - mitra () mitra biz
02-6684-8096  or 0414-648-0722

Life is a Mystery to be Lived, not a Problem to be Solved


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