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Boycotts Don’t Amount to a Hill of Beans.
Tomatoe, Tomato. Potatoe, Potata. Boycott, Buycott.
Saturday Raul Reyes, a member of the USA Today board of contributors (whatever that means), wrote an op-ed piece for CNN Business. It began with “Adios Goya!” Why? Surely you have heard by now. Goya Foods CEO Robert Unanue praised President Trump at a White House ceremony on Thursday afternoon. Speaking at a Rose Garden event, Unanue said, “We’re all truly blessed, at the same time, to have a leader like President Trump who is a builder.”
And the left roared. Social media’s daily outrage turned its short attention span to a can of refried beans. Hashtags like #Goyaway and #BoycottGoya started trending faster than Speedy Gonzalez can say “undelay!”
And the right went to the store and bought enough cans of Goya garbanzo beans to spread hummus from sea to shining sea. Buycott.
In the emotion of the moment, a boycott and a buycott are such an “I’ll show you!” But, even in the era of the new normal, we go back to the old normal. If you bought Goya products before you likely will buy plenty more. If you never heard of them you’ll likely stare at your emotional purchase of canned black beans sitting in your panty till the expiration date nears. Hopefully, the local food drive knocks on the front door before then.
Don’t believe us? Do you remember 2012? Way back then Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy made comments expressing his opposition to gay marriage.
And the left roared. Boston Mayor Thomas Menino wrote a letter to Cathy urging him to back out of plans to open a restaurant in the city. Then, according to the Boston Herald, he warned, “if they need licenses in the city, it will be very difficult — unless they open up their policies.”
Meanwhile, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said that he would work to stop any attempt by Chick-fil-A to expand in the city.
“Chick-fil-A’s values are not Chicago values. They’re not respectful of our residents, our neighbors, and our family members. And if you’re gonna be part of the Chicago community, you should reflect Chicago values.” He could barely be heard above the constant staccato of gunfire emanating from the respectful south side neighbors, but we digress.
And the right lined up around the building to eat overpriced chicken and waffled fries.
How is Chick-fil-A doing today? In spite of stepping in the political chicken, um, waste, again and again, it’s doing quite well. In fact, its location count is 2363 and counting. If you still don’t believe us, go wait in an ever-present double drive-thru line for some.
How will Goya do? The largest Spanish owned company in the U.S. will likely continue to do quite well.
Right now it’s in some hot sauce.
But, by tomorrow The Movement will have moved on. In cancel culture you are always looking for the next outrageous moment.
Salsa Verde anyone?
Comment section
This writing is as hot as Dominique Salsa.
Pass the tortilla chips.
I boycott CNN and MSNBC because of what they say. I guess we all have that option. Michael Jordan said, “Republicans buy sneakers, too.”, and I say, “Republicans buy beans, too.”
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