Is it morally acceptable to patronize a business owned by an outspoken conservative?

[el_bryanto]

In your opinion. This is inspired by some comments on a post about conservative authors.

Bryant

22 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Definitely
	10 (45%)
	Probably
	0 (0%)
	Maybe
	1 (5%)
	Probably not
	0 (0%)
	Definitely not
	9 (41%)
	It is morally unacceptable to post these bullshit polls
	2 (9%)
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[Recursion]

1. Sure

Political views don't guarantee anything. There are conservatives who run businesses ethically and liberals who run them unethically. The farmer I buy meat from is a total paleo, and just about the most environmentally responsible farmer I've ever met.

[leftyohiolib]

18. yes but by supporting these businesses you're supporting whichever gop senator or gongress-person

the owner donates money to.

[Zorra]

22. +1 nt

[Recursion]

23. I personally think the good of an ethical sustainable business outweighs the harm

of the political contributions.

(This is assuming the business is actually ethical and sustainable, which in the case I'm thinking of it is.)

YMMV, certainly, and I do take your point.

[Pryderi]

2. It depends on the level of derangement. My brother is a

conservative ...an 80's-90's conservative.

hmmm...actually I think that would make him a moderate democrat today.

[el_bryanto]

3. is that a mark of how far right the Democratic party has moved?

or how extreme the Republicans have become.

[Pryderi]

15. Yes.

[CBGLuthier]

4. Merely conservative or outrageous RW asshole conservative?

I will never spend my money at Chik fil whatever it is called as their owner is a bigot full of hate.

Meanwhile I imagine a lot of the companies I do business with are owned by conservatives but so long as they don't rail against liberals, or the gay agenda, or tell me to pray I don't mind giving them my business.

But if there is a true liberal alternative I would prefer it.

[el_bryanto]

6. Outspoken was what i intended to cover that - i don't know if you can be outspoken

without being an asshole - but they are at least open about their political philosophy.

[CBGLuthier]

10. I kind of missed the word OUTSPOKEN

So yeah I assume you mean all the ones who tend to make asses of themselves so no it is never morally correct to do business with them.

[Heidi]

5. I certainly wouldn't allow my cat to starve for lack of a liberal cat food supplier.

However, given a choice, I do try to spend my money with business people who share my values.

[rurallib]

14. If there is a choice provided, I will take the liberal first

Often that choice isn't available. but i limit my purchases as much as i can.
i do not like the idea of my own money coming back to fight me on healthcare or social security.

[Heidi]

16. Exactly.

Good morning, rurallib!

[Sherman A1]

7. Absolutely

You go to a business to buy goods or services, not politics.

My Auto Repair Shop is run by an extreme conservative and he is exceptionally ethical in his treatment of his customers and his workers. He is also one with whom you can at least have a discussion.

[onehandle]

8. Unless you live in the woods off of twigs and berries, you patronize an outspoken conservative. nt

[MindPilot]

9. Absolutely. In fact it is pretty difficult to avoid.

My financial guy is very conservative. He is also very ethical, trustworthy and a good friend.

[HappyMe]

11. I don't ask or even

care much about politics when it comes to local businesses.

As long as I am treated fairly, merchandise is of good quality and the prices are good I support them.

Crappy business practices know no political party.

[leftyohiolib]

21. so when papa johns and the other restaurants did the price hikes due to the aca - did you join the

boycott/letter campaign

[HappyMe]

25. There isn't any Papa Johns here.

Yes, I did send an email. Same with that nasty chicken sandwich place.

[hrmjustin]

12. Depends how crazy the person is.

[Maeve]

13. It can be morally nuetral

I still buy from Hobby Lobby (usually when I have a coupon for 40% off and I prefer to shop Michael's or Jo-Anne's--but sometimes HL is the only place to find what I need for a project). The employees still need the jobs and they aren't responsible for the boss's idiocy.

That said, I don't buy Georgia Pacific anything (Koch brothers), I don't eat Chik-fil-A and I don't read authors whose RW politics come thru in their writing (Orson Scott Card or Patricia Cornwall, altho I liked some of their earlier works). I also don't care if Mel Gibson ever works again.

[pipi_k]

17. Like a few others...

I don't give a damn about someone's politics when it comes to their products or services.

If my money is supporting a RWer or Conservative, then (unless they're obsessive about hiring only people who share their values) I figure my money is also supporting their employees, many of whom must surely be Democrats.

GASP!!!! imagine that!!!

Democrats who need to support their families!

I'm well aware that there are some who would call those people traitors (or worse) for wanting to support their families even if they have to work for a Conservative.

No doubt there are many Conservatives who won't patronize a business owner who employs Democrats.

It's ridiculous and childish no matter which side is playing the game.

[el_bryanto]

19. I tend to agree - but what about the argument that the owner is taking some of the profits

and supporting candidates and positions you don't agree with - ones that are detrimental to your community and/or the nation as a whole?

Bryant

[leftyohiolib]

20. by supporting these businesses you're supporting whichever gop senator or gongress-person the owner

donates money to. you are supporting legitimate rape - privatization of social security - racism vaginal probes - KIDS WHO DONT GET B'S AT SCHOOL DONT EAT did i leave any out? are these childish reasons?
MAYBE IT'S TIME YOU GAVE A DAMN ABOUT WHERE YOUR MONEY IS GOING

[HappyMe]

26. I am not going to walk into the

women's clothing shop and ask about their politics before I start looking or buying.
Maybe I like supporting the local mom and pop businesses.

MAYBE IT ISN'T YOUR BUSINESS WHERE I SPEND MY MONEY.

[Seeking Serenity]

24. Y'know

some people don't have the time, energy, wherewithal, or simple desire to allow their personal politics to inform virtually every aspect of their daily lives, including the products one chooses to purchase or where one chooses to shop.

Other people do, I suppose.

To each his own.

I'm one of the former.

[dkf]

27. When you patronize a business you are basically hiring someone to do a job for you.

So think about the reverse...is it okay for a conservative person who is hiring to not employ anyone who vocally supports unions?

Is that really the world you want to live in where people are hired and employed based on ideology?

[Left2Tackle]

46. +1

+1 to this

[Zorra]

28. Don't feed the hand that bites you...

Last edited Thu Jan 31, 2013, 01:01 PM - Edit history (1)

I believe it is especially morally wrong to do so when there are reasonable alternatives. Sometimes I am pretty much compelled by necessity to support enterprises owned by conservatives.

I do it when there's no other reasonable alternative, and I hate it when I am compelled to do it, but it still makes me feel like a loser no matter what.

I suppose I could drive the 100 or 200 mile round trip to purchase the same necessity, but that presents a moral dilemma as well, of course.

Sometimes I do wait until I have other pressing business in the city to buy something I need, if the item is not an absolute crucial immediate necessity, rather than support a fascist with my business.

[Throd]

29. Looking at everything through the prism of politics makes my ass tired.

I try to avoid extremists of both ends of the political spectrum if I can.

[frogmarch]

30. I don't know if

it would be morally acceptable, but I wouldn't do it.

[el_bryanto]

31. Why wouldn't you do it then? Aesthetics?

I admit that if I went into a shop or restaurant with Limbaugh/Hannity on and Conservative Posters, there's a chance I wouldn't go back there. Just because it made me uncomfortable.

[frogmarch]

32. Aesthetics? No.

It would be because business owners who are outspoken conservatives often help fund anti-gay and anti-choice movements and organizations.

[el_bryanto]

34. Do you believe the choice to support anti-gay or anti-choice movements to be morally neutral? nt

[frogmarch]

35. I consider them immoral,

but I wouldn’t consider myself immoral for patronizing businesses that support such movements, just hypocritical.

[el_bryanto]

36. ah ok - just curious. That makes sense. nt

[melm00se]

33. The assumption

is that the "outspoken conservative" business owner contributes (monetarily) to conservative causes. Many people (on both sides of the aisle) are strongly outspoken but rarely, if ever, crack open their wallets or checkbooks to financially support their cause.

personally, I couldn't care less which side of the aisle a person (or their business) comes down on. I evaluate using (or not) a business based upon how they treat their customers and the quality of their products/services.

There are many many more factors that influence me than just politics.

[Bake]

37. All I can say is, I haven't ordered a Papa John's pizza since Papa proved to be such a douchebag

And I may NOT do so for quite a while....

Maybe he'll get the message, maybe not. Meanwhile, I'm getting great pizza from a local shop here in Louisville!

Bake

[DainBramaged]

38. NO

period.


Why support their shit?

[el_bryanto]

39. does it make a difference to you if it is a locally owned or national enterprise? nt

[DainBramaged]

40. I boycott LOTS of National products and companies, doesn't matter a whit to me

and lots of local ones too.


And please don't think gotcha works with me.


I boycott Home depot, ALL of the pizza companies, ALL of the eatery chains, Wal-MArt, Sam's Club, shall I go on?

[el_bryanto]

41. Damn you saw right through that - i guess i'm more interested in the local ones though

I mean it's one thing to say "Sam Walton who donates millions to conservative causes doesn't need my money to do it." It's another thing, perhaps, when it's your local barber shop or auto mechanic who has Rush on when you go in.

Bryant

[DainBramaged]

43. LOTS of local business in my RED county in NJ have Rushblo and FAUX on

and I tell them I will not be back and neither will my friends.....

I am VOCALLY anti-Reich wing.


Fuck Home Depot, Darden Restaurants, all of them....

[el_bryanto]

45. Thus ensuring they see the error of their ways. nt

[MyshkinCommaPrince]

42. In a town like this one...

Here in Tinyville, Kentuckiana, almost everyone seems to vote RW. Very likely any given business is run or managed by someone whose political views would trouble me greatly. Meanwhile, one still must eat and stuff. I don't eat the Papa John's pizzas these days, unless someone else has already bought them (they're popular at family gatherings). Beyond that, options for protest through selective shopping are kind of limited.

In general, though, I think situations of this sort need to be considered separately as each case comes up. Our fellow citizens, even the hateful whackadoodles, have a right to their political opinions and ideals as much as we do.

On the other hand, maybe I'm just trying to rationalize the fact that a dearth of options forces me to shop at the local Wam-Lart more frequently than I'd like.

[demwing]

44. Define "morally acceptable" /nt

[smirkymonkey]

47. No. I will not. I live in a city and I have choices.

Period.

[LaydeeBug]

48. This is capitalism, hon. Each day we spend money, we're voting with our dollars. nt

[rjj621]

49. Sure

I care less about their personal political views than I do about the cost and quality of their product. I'm not going to someone I agree with who has in my opinion far less quality just because of their politics.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

50. If the person has no other options, sure.

If they do have other options why not exercise them? There's no reason to pad the pockets of hate spewing jerks if we can avoid it.

[abelenkpe]

51. If I know someone is an outspoken conservative

who supports today's version of the republican party I wouldn't patronize their business. But it's not about morals. It's because I don't want to give my hard earned cash to an asshole who supports policies that would decimate the economy, leave the elderly to starve, children uninsured, policies that deny climate change and seek to deny women the right to make their own medical decisions etc etc.

Smart businessmen keep their politics and religion to themselves. Otherwise they invite half the population to boycott their business.