A Quick Word on Boycotts
Last week I mentioned that Melissa and I are skipping what few French products we used to buy. Gone is brie and Camembert and that lovely, inexpensive Beaujolais which goes so well with chicken.
And, yeah, that’s in direct opposition to something I wrote last month: “I’m not a supporter of boycotts, because they usually hurt the boycotters more than the boycottees (a word that reminds me of canned pasta products).”
So, as someone wrote, what’s up with that?
Simple. I’m being silly and a little mean-spirited. I fully expect us to miss French wines a lot more than any French vintners will miss us. I don’t expect Chirac to come to his senses, exclaiming, “Mon dieu! I did not know Monsieur and Mademoiselle Green felt so strongly! I have been ze fool.” Nope, I don’t expect or hope or even pray to accomplish anything even remotely useful.
But neither did France in opposing us at the UN. Le tit pour le tat.
You’re nuts — nowadays there exist many credible (or even superior) replacements. French agriculture has long been coasting on its (admittedly deserved) reputation for quality, while other entrants have been working hard to match or even beat ‘em.
De-Frenchification need not be painful; I have found it pleasant, introducing me to new and better things.
Boyee is right. Not only is California wine as good as anything from France, there are plenty of other substitutes. Italy, Spain and Australia all have excellent wines (and are part of the Coalition). Chile and even South Africa have some decent wines as well. Consider this an opportunity to further educate your palate.
S
According to Bill Oreilly, an estimated 50 million Americans are boycotting France.
I know my whole family are too. Here are our conditions: Made in France label. I realize that a big fat French wino owns all the good Aussie labels which is fine with me. I dont really care if he gets rich off my purchases. What I do care about is that the product is grown, bottled, and shipped out of coalition countries so they can get the taxes on it and their workers can profit. The same kinda applies to French restaurants here, theres no use boycotting French in name only stuff. The whole thing is to reduce the tax revenue of the French govt and force a collapse on their socialist system. IMHO of course.
Hmm, i dont understand you guys. is american people real?
just start over to drink french wine. the war is over and there will be peace… perhaps your president will start another war, since there are other countries…
regards!
christian
I, too, am boycotting although I expect little in the way of concrete results.
I have a right to express my anger at our French ‘friends’ as pettily as I wish. If pettiness is good enough for an entire country (France) then it’s good enough for me.
There are many (verified, documented) reasons why I am angry but the one that continues to refresh my anger is the one statement (paraphrased): We will veto *any* resolution.
That’s when I knew it was personal for the French and it become so for me.
I console myself that the French will not enjoy Shar’ia very much.
Christian really doesn’t get it. We’ll see how American tourism goes this year in the collaborators’ country.
I would respond to christian, but I have no idea what he’s saying.
I am part of the boycott, but only by accident. I find that the difference in cost is not justified by the difference in quality. That is, Grey Goose is great vodka, but it’s not so much better as to justify the fact that it’s $10-$15 more than a fifth of Absolut or Stoli. At least in my opinion.
I think you’re wrong about the boycottees not suffering. French exports to the U.S. are way down, and the French are starting to feel the pinch. It was enough to get a french business group guy to come here and ask Americans to separate politics from trade so as not to damage the relationship. (Someone must remember that story and have a link).
On re-reading, I realize that my sarcasm may be a bit obscure. (I was referring to the WaPo story that started this discussion).
Don’t forget, Stephen, that there are a large number of excellent American-made Bries. And even, I’m told, some world-class Camembert from the States as well.
There’s no need to suffer culinary hardship to stick it to Pierre.
Its also the difference between an individual choosing to boycott, and an organized boycott, and a trade war. Right now, many individual Americans are choosing to reduce their purchases of French products. Each person is shoosing to bear the cost of doing so, just to send a signal to the French. This is a good thing.
It’s also just a matter of principle. I’d rather support my friends than my enemies (we Christians are called to love our enemies, but there’s room for tough love). Will France implode under the weight of not selling as much cheese? Of course not. However, there’s no reason for us to be complicit in their delusions by propping them up when we don’t want to. Personally, I don’t buy music from bands which I know give money to NARAL or Planned Parenthood. The Red Hot Chili Peppers aren’t going to go back on drugs over my boycott, but I refuse to knowingly support a pro-abortion organization, even if it’s only by a tiny fraction of a cent.
Also, no offense, but I think that VodkaWife would probably be surprised to learn that she’s a mademoiselle and not a madame…
Robert Bauer: “Will France implode under the weight of not selling as much cheese? Of course not.”
Implode? No. But I wonder (and I’d love to hear a political economist set me straight on this)… France’s farmers, for instance, wield political clout far out of proportion to their actual numbers or wealth, and they have shown willingness on many occasions to clobber central or regional governments.
A really smart boycott would not simply “squeeze all Frogs,” it’d split and exploit French opinion in ways that undermine the real enemy. For example, it might squeeze agricultural producers in a UMP-friendly r
I have no problem finding acceptable replacements for French wine and cheese being in the Bay Area…but Dijon mustard is a whole different story.
I almost wept as I scraped the final dollup from last jar of Fouchon tarragon mustard. Any one know of a good American made Dijon style mustard?
I expanded my palate some years ago, and found that there are much better offerings from South Africa, Italy and Spain.
I highly recommend Hidden Valley Pinotage from SA. The 1998 is excellent.
Charodei has also become my Vodka of choice, beating out Grey Goose by a wide margin.
Screw france.
Try New Zealand white wines or Australian Reds – both are arguably superior to many French wines, and since I have been boycotting American wine (in protest at the spread of the evil McDonalds worldwide) for years, living in NZ and enjoying wine and the best beer in the world outside of Denmark is most excellent, dude.
Oh, BTW, the NZ prime minister apologised to GWB for saying that Al Gore would not have gone to war, if he was pres.
She was really sorry if offence was taken after GWB asked her to “please explain”. Now she is off to the UK to sweet talk Chirac and Blair.
And the best Vodka IMO is Absolut. That Russian stuff (Stoly) is just a bit too rough for my tummy.
My relations with the French will be guided by the principle of Le tit pour le wringer.
Nicholas, be happy we never sent you White Castle’s. They’re not called Sliders for nothing. Especially at 4 AM after a pickle fight.
After a few of those, a rough tummy from Stoli will be the least of your worries.
I never thought I’d say this, but thank you for helping the NorK scientists escape.
We’ve really got to start watching what both hands are doing.
A little econ 101 is in order here. Steve, the marginal “utility” you gain from your french wines is clearly outweighed from the “utility” gained from so courageously depriving yourself of one of life’s little luxuries. I say this only half in irony. Now this may be a false consciousness on your part, though I would argue otherwise. Nonetheless, a good, inclusive understanding of microeconomics should take both sides of the equation into account. Regardless of whether any french as opposed to Californian wine growers are hurt/benefit, your own sense of well being is enhanced.
After all, Lloyd, it is all about how we feel or are perceived to feel, isn’t it?
I figure the boycott is worth any minor inconvenience just to hear the French whine.
Even better will be the whimpering we hear when they realise that we have no intention of honouring the contracts they had with Saddam.
Nicque la France!
Now, we all know that French wines are actually California wines after the 1880s vine blight.
We all know that French cooking, especially sauce prep, is a product of poverty (why else eat frog legs and snails).
We all know that French cooking is a joke played on the rest of the world (the National Lampoon came pretty close when it published a recipe — take 5 ordinary garden slugs, place in burlap bag, beat with two-by-four, order out for pizza).
The only things the French have done right in the past few years are the Clarion bullpup assault rifle (in American .223) and the Flexon/Marchon glasses frames. I don’t plan on buying either for a while.
feste: If you’re looking for a good American Dijon mustard, try Inglehoffer or Old Spice. Both brands make a plain and grainy Dijon. In my opinion, the Inglehoffer is best.
Hi folks, I have seen this suggestion made elsewhere – why not grant to any decent French entrepreneur, scientist, engineer, doctor and other worthy type a Green Card or the British, Australian, New Zealand or equivalent ticket? That’s surely a better way of shafting the French while not punishing the most able of their citizens, who are not all idiots, by a long shot.
Dear Lord!
All I want for Christmas,
For Easter,
For Hannukah,
For Kwaanzaa,
For Whatever…
…a ’98 bottle of Rosmont Estates Shiraz.
*Gasp* Such a thing would be too much to be borne. *Gasp*
O, Lovely!
O, Sweet!
O, Gentle Ivory Caress!
O, Rapture!
O, Joy!
Ahhhhhhh…
Stephen, if you want a good Beajolais substitute, grab some nice young (2002) Chilean red. I like the Undurraga Pinot Noir – it’s great with fish and chicken and it’s way cheap (at least here in Costa Rica). Plus they do a very interesting Gewürztraminer and a lovely Chardonnay Reserva.
Were boycotting as well…but we have come up against one thing we cannot replace. Wine is simple (New Zealand white, Chilean and Spanish reds), cheese…some of the best stuff comes from just up the road in Ft. Collins. Vermoth is Itallian…but what about Cuantro. Anyone have a replacement for those summer margaritas other than triple sec?