What would one boycott from France?

[arminnie]

I'm not currently planning on boycotting products from France but it was mentioned in another thread.

I'm not sure what one would boycott. This is really a serious question - I'm not being sarcastic. I'm really hoping that someone might enlighten me on what products are provided by France.

I know wine and cheese come to mind for some people but I lived in N. Ca. for many, many years so my favorite wines and cheeses were the local CA ones. I can't remember the last time (literally decades ago) that I had a French wine. I enjoy wines from Australia as I spent a lot of time on temporary assignments there.

I certainly purchase lots of thing made overseas but can't think of anything from France. I can't think of a car or electronics device that I would purchase from France. They must manufacture something.

I used to buy Mephisto shoes until I discovered that Birkenstocks fit my foot better and were more comfortable. That's the only thing French that comes to mind except food and haute couture clothing which is not my bag.

I studied French for many, many years and at one time was what I would call almost fluent. It's a beautiful country to visit and the locals always seemed to appreciate my attempts to speak their language.

 

[tinkerbeth]

I can't offer any advice on what to boycott from France, though wine and/ or champagne come to mind.

I missed the other thread...why would one boycott France?

I too have studied French for years... you have to take it from grade 3 to grade 9 here in Ontario and I took it through Uni as well. I had exactly the opposite experience from you in Paris, where I didn't feel like my albeit not that great French was appreciated. That could be because I likely have a Quebecois accent when I speak French and I don't think that's very popular in France.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Pop Daddy]

white flags

 

[Mishetta]

Pop Daddy ~ you crack me up all the time!!! What a great answer though!!! You're just so witty! N'est pas?

 

[flyinglizard]

Pop Daddy, I salute you!

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

Originally posted by tinkerbeth
I missed the other thread...why would one boycott France?

Primarily because, after coming to their aid militarily twice in the 20th century, France declined to side with the USA over taking military action in Iraq to enforce UN Security Council resolutions 678, 687, and 1441.

 

[Goofymum]

How bout French Fries? hehe.


I suppose if you were boycotting France you could just refrain from buying anything from France in WS lol.

 

[cati]

xx

 

[crazyforgoofy]

Originally posted by cati
Frenches Mustard is made in France and the money goes directly to that country - at least that is what I heard on the news the other day.
I guess you could do a search to see what products are actually made in the USA and what amount of the money actually stays in the USA if you wanted to.

Yeah right. And while you're at it, don't watch any reruns of Family Affair on tv. Just say NO to Mr. French! Jeeze.

 

[rcyannacci]

Hmmmm....

Avoid dancing the Can-Can at all costs.

If your shopping at Christie's or Sotherby's, select a Rembrandt over a Monet or Renoir...heck, all the Impressionists.

When you're listening to the Official Album of the WDW Resort, skip past selection 15, Impressions de France.

Finally, give lots of mean stares to people saying trite expressions such as "C'est la vie!"

 

[ThreeCircles]

As I mentioned on the other thread, you should really forego buying any products or services offered by any branch of the Walt Disney Company (ABC television, Miramax, Walt Disney Films, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Store, Disney Catalog, theme parks, etc., etc., etc.) because they have theme parks in France. In fact, they just gave $183 million to those theme parks to prop them up through a downturn.

Wouldn't want any of that money going to those meanie French, now would we?

 

[Patty3]

As I mentioned on the other thread, I am trying to boycott French products. I listen to Bill O'Reilly on talk radio and this topic has been frequently discussed. I do agree with trying to buy products from countries that do support us, instead of those that do not. For example, when I buy perfume I will buy Burberry instead of Channel. Cosmetics, I will buy Jo Malone, Great Britain instead of Guerlain from France. When I am in DW, I no longer bring home french cosmetics or french perfume. This is just my personal belief. And no, I am not boycotting DW and I do see a difference even if some do not.

 

[N.Bailey]

Click here for a list of French products. I do think though that
Vivendi Universal, Universal Studios, and possibly Universal Music Group, were bought by another company. I can't remember who though, maybe someone can help out more with these?

http://www.boycottfrenchproducts.org/

 

[N.Bailey]

Originally posted by ThreeCircles
As I mentioned on the other thread, you should really forego buying any products or services offered by any branch of the Walt Disney Company (ABC television, Miramax, Walt Disney Films, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Store, Disney Catalog, theme parks, etc., etc., etc.) because they have theme parks in France. In fact, they just gave $183 million to those theme parks to prop them up through a downturn.

Wouldn't want any of that money going to those meanie French, now would we?

Just for the record, I do believe that any money Disney would make from the meanie French would go back into the US companies hands.

 

[Viking]

Originally posted by arminnie
I'm not currently planning on boycotting products from France but it was mentioned in another thread.

I'm not sure what one would boycott. This is really a serious question - I'm not being sarcastic. I'm really hoping that someone might enlighten me on what products are provided by France.

I know wine and cheese come to mind for some people but I lived in N. Ca. for many, many years so my favorite wines and cheeses were the local CA ones. I can't remember the last time (literally decades ago) that I had a French wine. I enjoy wines from Australia as I spent a lot of time on temporary assignments there.

I certainly purchase lots of thing made overseas but can't think of anything from France. I can't think of a car or electronics device that I would purchase from France. They must manufacture something.

I used to buy Mephisto shoes until I discovered that Birkenstocks fit my foot better and were more comfortable. That's the only thing French that comes to mind except food and haute couture clothing which is not my bag.

I studied French for many, many years and at one time was what I would call almost fluent. It's a beautiful country to visit and the locals always seemed to appreciate my attempts to speak their language.

Birkenstock is a German company

 

[Viking]

Her's some info for those thinking about boycotting things from France or other countries from the EU:
-Boycotts can backfire easily.
-Companies based in the EU employ about 1 million more people in the USA, than American companies in the EU. Thus a bilateral boycott would hit you harder than it would hit us.
-The USA's power in international trade is by far not as strong as it may seem to some of you. I.e. Germany makes more revenue in the 10 new EU-countries than in the USA.
-It is harebrained to boycott a country like France, which simply has some different opinions, but buy stuff for billions of dollars in China, which has a really poor record in human rights. But obviously the stuff from China is so cheap that you can't resist. Unfortunately that goes us as well

 

[Planogirl]

Originally posted by N.Bailey
Click here for a list of French products. I do think though that
Vivendi Universal, Universal Studios, and possibly Universal Music Group, were bought by another company. I can't remember who though, maybe someone can help out more with these?

http://www.boycottfrenchproducts.org/

Vivendi Universal Entertainment was sold to NBC and is now part of NBC Universal. VUE included Universal films and TV and the theme parks. I'm not sure about the Music Group.

 

[N.Bailey]

Originally posted by Viking
buy stuff for billions of dollars in China, which has a really poor record in human rights. But obviously the stuff from China is so cheap that you can't resist. Unfortunately that goes us as well

I agree that we shouldn't be buying things made in China. As long as we buy their products, their standard of living will never increase. Sure, if we stop buying their products, they would be hit hard for a while, but eventually things would change there. It's really a sad situation.

 

[acepepper]

Originally posted by Obi-Wan Pinobi
Primarily because, after coming to their aid militarily twice in the 20th century, France declined to side with the USA over taking military action in Iraq to enforce UN Security Council resolutions 678, 687, and 1441.

So because of that, France should permanently tow the US line on every foreign policy issue for evermore? What about the fact that without the French the US wouldn't have won the war of independence?

 

[inaminute]

So, we'll be paying them back forever because of something they did over 200 years ago? I believe that particular debt has been repaid by the hundreds (thousands?) of U.S. soldiers who lost their lives helping out our so-called "friends."

The most effective boycott I can think of is to spend my travel dollars elsewhere.

I'll visit countries that will help the new government in Iraq to become a secure independent country.

France is not on the list.