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Carl, <br><br>
Of course you are correct! In market-based systems, the freedom of choice
in the market is essential. And every individual is free to and
should exercise that choice. But for individuals or groups to
persuade others to shop or not shop at a particular store, only to
advance their own political or religious agenda is hostile behavior and
will usually provoke a market failure(s). Such actions usually
result in "trade wars" wherein both sides retaliate in a
"tit for tat" strategy - further segmenting the market.
If such actions persist, the market will adjust - usually a new party
enters the business niche and the combating groups disappear. In
this particular battle front, it would appear that the sides are becoming
more clearly defined - the "for lack of a better " description
MCA group versus the Christ Church group. Both have their
supporters, both have their detractors. At the end of the economic
turmoil, neither side will prevail, both sides will lose - perhaps
several Christ Church businesses will falter, perhaps some MCA businesses
will falter. <br><br>
For the Moscow area, rich with diversity, it is difficult to entice a
majority of folks to participate in the trade wars - they are just too
busy with their own lives, agendas, etc. Interestingly, the new
participants in the market will likely prosper - most consumers don't
want to get caught up in those ideological disputes. Those consumers have
lots of alternatives for their shopping dollars. Perhaps there are
many in town that are waiting for both boycott lists to be published so
that ... well, you can draw your own conclusions.<br><br>
Bottom line, you are absolutely right Carl - you should shop where you
want to shop.<br><br>
At 07:29 AM 11/19/2007, you wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Jeff, if the bottom line is that
an individual is loath to see 10% or more of his dollars spent at a
certain business be tithed to a church run by a man who that individual
believes to be a total whack job, does not that individual have every
right to personally refuse to spend his money there? That's all
this is to me. And I don't shop at those places for that very
reason. CW<br><br>
<dl><hr>
<dd>Date: Sun, 18 Nov 2007 22:15:48 -0800<br>
<dd>To: vision2020@moscow.com<br>
<dd>From: jeffh@moscow.com<br>
<dd>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] boycotting & religion<br><br>
<dd>The following was posted by Dr. Campbell on Nov 6, 2007:
<dl>
<dd>"I don't determine people's religious beliefs before I shop.
Give this up. I’m a
<dd>Christian, too, just like the Kirkers."
<dd>"I happen to know of some businesses downtown that are owned by
Kirkers
<dd>and I do not frequent them."<br><br>
</dl>
<dd>Hmmmmm! Must be divine intervention - or cognitive dissonance.
Perhaps someone willing to be prejudiced, as long as it doesn't require
too much effort.<br><br>
<dd>Nonetheless, all rather confusing.<br><br>
<dd>At 08:46 AM 11/18/2007, you wrote:<br>
<dl>
<dd>Paul,<br><br>
<dd>You are incorrectly describing Keely’s position and talking past
her.<br><br>
<dd>First, where does Keely say anything about boycotting Christ Church
<br>
<dd>businesses? She is merely talking about her personal choice of where
to <br>
<dd>shop, which you note is her business.<br><br>
<dd>Second, I don't know of anyone who is critical of Christ Church
affiliated <br>
<dd>people merely because of their religious beliefs. Keely made this
point below <br>
<dd>but you ignore it.<br><br>
<dd>Third, how can you call the belief that slavery was OK a religious
belief? How <br>
<dd>can you call the belief that Islam is a religion of hate a religious
belief? I could go on.<br><br>
<dd>Fourth, please tell us what you think about some of the recent
political actions <br>
<dd>of members of Christ Church -- the sign suggesting that three
candidates are <br>
<dd>bigots, and Dale Courtney's involvement with an anti-levy ad, where
he used <br>
<dd>the name of a dead man instead of his own name. In light of these and
other <br>
<dd>actions, how can you continue to think that Christ Church is merely a
church?<br><br>
<dd>Best, Joe<br><br>
<dd>------------------------------<br><br>
<dd>Date: Sat, 17 Nov 2007 15:07:50 -0800<br>
<dd>From: Paul Rumelhart <godshatter@yahoo.com><br>
<dd>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] boycotting & religion<br>
<dd>To: keely emerinemix <kjajmix1@msn.com><br><br>
<dd>Keely,<br><br>
<dd>I don't like the idea of boycotting people based on their religious
<br>
<dd>choices. You think that Doug Wilson is arrogant and
evasive. I can see <br>
<dd>that. They believe that he is helping them to interpret the
Bible and <br>
<dd>their religion in a way that they believe is true. Boycotting
people <br>
<dd>who believe this and tithe to the church *is* boycotting for
religious <br>
<dd>reasons. The fact that you find this particular religion more
odious <br>
<dd>than most is beside the point. I could care less about the 10%
that <br>
<dd>they give to the church. Why deny them the 90% you otherwise
would have <br>
<dd>given to them? <br><br>
<dd>You've made a choice to not give money to people who give a small
amount <br>
<dd>of it to Doug Wilson, and that's fine. Why urge others to do so
en <br>
<dd>masse? Let people make their own choices. My choice, for
example, is <br>
<dd>not to care what religion the people I do business with follow, nor
what <br>
<dd>the character of the people are that they give some of their money
to.<br><br>
<dd>I don't like the divide that is growing ever larger between the
people <br>
<dd>of this church and others in the community. I don't think it's
healthy <br>
<dd>for Moscow. I disagree with both the boycotting of Christ
Church-owned <br>
<dd>businesses and the practice that I've heard mentioned of Christ
Church <br>
<dd>members being urged to patronize only those same businesses.<br><br>
<dd>I disagree with their theology as much as or possibly even more than
you <br>
<dd>do. When it comes down to it, they are just a bunch of everyday
Joes <br>
<dd>trying to make a living. I propose going out of our way to
welcome them <br>
<dd>into the community, while holding an extremely firm line on
forbidding <br>
<dd>them to change any of our laws to favor the ideals of their
church. I <br>
<dd>propose this, actually, for people of all religions - not just Christ
<br>
<dd>Church members.<br><br>
<dd>Paul<br><br>
<dd>keely emerinemix wrote:<br>
<dd>><br>
<dd>> I've been reading some of the Daily News letters to the editor
and <br>
<dd>> comments from my letter regarding Francis Foucachon's objection
to <br>
<dd>> boycotts "based on religion." He is horrified by
the Christ Church <br>
<dd>> congregant-owned list, and it appears a lot of folks are angry
about <br>
<dd>> my publicly stating that I won't patronize businesses owned by
Doug <br>
<dd>> Wilson's followers. They call is "religious
bigotry." It isn't.<br>
<dd>><br>
<dd>> I would remind people that I am a Trinitarian, evangelical
Christian <br>
<dd>> with a high and conservative view of Scripture, so it certainly,
in <br>
<dd>> this case, isn't about Christ Church's religion. I care
absolutely <br>
<dd>> not at all about the religious beliefs, or lack thereof, of
those who <br>
<dd>> own businesses in our town. I care about their behavior,
and it is <br>
<dd>> properly called "behavior" to follow and support
financially a man who <br>
<dd>> has, in the name of the religion he and I both share, elevated
<br>
<dd>> arrogance and evasion, not to mention prejudice, to an art
form. My <br>
<dd>> behavior in response to the behavior of following such a
man? I'll <br>
<dd>> act in a way that ensures that not a dime of my money goes to
support him.<br>
<dd>><br>
<dd>> It really is that simple. <br>
<dd>><br>
<dd>> keely<br><br>
<br><br>
<dd>=======================================================<br>
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<dd> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
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<dd>=======================================================<br><br>
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