On March 27, 2012, the ParkSlope Food Coop‘s General Meeting will discuss a proposal by the Boycott,Divestment and Sanctionss (BDS) movement to boycott Israeli products. More about this meeting here.
Who is the PSFC BDS andwhy do they want to boycott Israeli products?
The PSFC Boycott, Divestmentand Sanctions (BDS) movement are members of the Park Slope Food Coop whobelieve that a boycott of Israeli products is a valid tactic in the strugglefor peace and equality in Israeland Palestine.
Because the BDS believes in the democratic of the Park SlopeFood Coop, they have initiated a coop-wide referendum to vote on this issue theway other coop boycotts have been initiated, via a General Meeting.
Previous issues takento a vote by the PSFC:
- Whether to introduce meat
- Boycott Nestlé for promoting formula over breastfeeding
- Boycott of Coca-Cola products
- Whether to sell beer (result: yes over two referendums spaced 10 years apart)
- Ban on bottled water
- Ban on plastic bags
- Boycott on Chilean grapes during the Pinochet regime
- Boycott on South African products during apartheid
- Ban on manufacturers with poor labor practices
- Ban on GE lightbulbs because GE sold jet engines to the US Defense Department
- Ban on items from Colorado for passing an anti-gay rights ordinance
- Ban on Domino sugar products because of a Brooklyn labor dispute
- Temporary ban of a member for misbehavior.
(from AComplete History of Park Slope Food Coop Bans, The Atlantic Citiesand the WSJ)
Those opposing theBDS:
Stop BDS atthe Park Slope Food Coop: “Upon any serious consideration, it becomes clearthat BDS actually has no problem with oppression, no problem with oppression ofArabs, and no problem with the oppression of Palestinian Arabs. BDS actuallyhas a problem only with Israeland it can only be deduced that their problem is truly with Jews.”
(If you would like to be added to this list, please leave acomment and a link below.)
Who is talking aboutthis?
“’It’s kind of silly,’ he said afterward. ‘We expect anIsraeli company that makes flat bread to influence their government’spolicies?’”
-Wall Street Journal: FoodCo-op Readies For Boycott Vote, February 12, 2012
“The Park Slope Food Co-op’s campaign to ban Israeli foodproducts is a hate-spewing affront on the Jewish State that will injure thewhole human race.”
-Glenn Beck: GlennBeck is angry at the Park Slope Food Coop, The Brooklyn Paper, February 23,2012
(If you would like to add to this list, please leave acomment with a link below.)
What products areaffected?
It seems this is a huge deal about seven items.
According to the Food Coop, it carries very few itemsproduced in Israel.
Here is a current list:
- Sodastream seltzer maker
- Sodastream replacement cartridges
- Organic paprika
- Israeli couscous
- Olive pesto or tapenade
- Vegan marshmallows
- Organic sweet red peppers.
What are yourthoughts? Leave comments below.
All text and photos by DopamineJunkie.org unless otherwise indicated. ©2012 DopamineJunkie.org
