I recently posted a notice that a leftist anti-Israel group, South Bay Mobilization of San Jose, California was organizing an effort to force Trader Joes to remove Israeli items from its shelves. Here is an update:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From my contact:
"According to Bob Zeidman and Jonathan Bernstein of the Anti-Defamtion League (ADL), the word from Trader Joe's corporate headquarters is that the company has no intention of boycotting Israeli products. Here is the response that the ADL received from Jon Basalone, Senior VP, Marketing, Trader Joes:
“We have received a few letters like this via our customer relations email as well. Our response is that we sell products, and do not use our products as political tools or to make any statements about any political causes. We have no intention of removing any products based on pressure from any group, no matter what they support or don’t support. As always, we believe our customers are smart, and they are capable of making decisions about what they purchase. Let me know if you have any more questions or need more information.”
Jonathan Bernstein added: "There is another email rumor circulating around about Trader Joes supporting KPFK radio in Los Angeles (a far-left channel)which is apparently false. I think they are eager to set the record straight before these things get out of control. They sent us a note about this matter as well."
Although it seems that TJ's will ignore the SBM's letter requesting a boycott, there's still the threat of SBM's "follow-up action" in local Bay Area TJ's on June 20th, which could spook local customers and managers. Unfortunately June 20th is a Saturday, so I won't suggest a counter-action on that day, but perhaps people can give their local TJ's manager a heads-up of what might happen in the store on that day.
And of course it still couldn't hurt to buy Israeli products at your local TJ's and to encourage the managers to buy even more, like Israeli wines."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fousesquawk comment: It seems to be a pattern that all the anti-Israel events are scheduled on the Jewish sabbath (Saturday), probably to limit a Jewish turn-out to counter protest. I'll make it a point to do my wine run at Trader Joes in Orange County to see if the loons are trying to do their disruption thing.
13 comments:
I'm all for creative, non-violent ways of protesting, but this just seems silly. I mean, it'll only take a few minutes, tops, for TJ's employees to stock the products right back onto the shelves. Pretty pointless.
Specifically, buy Israeli products at TJ's on June 20 (or 19th for those who are Shabbat observant!). Also let the store manager know that there may be attempts at vandalism on the 20th.
http://www.bluetruth.net/2009/06/fight-bds-movement-shop-at-trader-joes.html
Bryan,
I suggest you watch the video of what they did in France. It was quite disruptive to the stores and should not be tolearted.
If ANYONE screws with my frozen chopped basil there will be hell to pay. There. I've said it.
The Zionist state is a parasite sucking the blood out of the USA.
I discuss the issue in detail at Ethnic Ashkenazim Against Zionist Israel which includes a chain of articles describing Jewish Zionist ethnonational financial war against non-Jews. A good place to start is Forbes: Zionist Ethnonational Financial Warfare.
To support Zionism is to aid and to abet Zionist terrorism as well as to support enemies that are bleeding the USA dry.
"Jewish Zionist ethnonational financial war against non-Jews."
Another example of how "anti-Zionism" slips over into anti-Jewish.
By the way, Joachim, is there any reason you are listed as a "follower" of this blog?
Berkeley's Kate Raphael of Queers United Against Israeli Terror has sent this out. isn't this illegal and isn't this an arrestable offense?
WAYS TO PARTICIPATE
There are many ways to participate in deshelving Israeli products. Each
group and individual should decide for yourselves what makes sense for you.
Possible actions include (& can be used in combination):
1. Leafleting outside stores (a downloadable leaflet will be posted here
very soon), with lists of the Israeli products carried by the establishment
you're targeting
2. Giving consumers a coupon to present to the cashier when they check
out, asking the store to stop carrying Israeli products
3. Putting "Don't Buy Into Apartheid" stickers on the products and
leaving them on the shelves (see exemplary photos)
4. Removing products from shelves and piling them in the front of the
store
5. Removing products from shelves and leaving them in hard-to-find places
in the store
6. Removing products from the store and dumping them in the street
7. Damaging products in some way (e.g., pouring fake blood or ketchup on
them) so they cannot be reshelved
8. Singing, guerrilla theater or speechifying inside or outside of the
store (see exemplary video)
9. Protesting/picketing/bannering outside the store
Most actions will have multiple components and options for people who don't
want to risk arrest, along with more confrontational options.
Leafleting is an important component of any action, because we are trying to educate the public about Israeli apartheid and human rights violations and the BDS campaign. We are working on a sample leaflet which will be downloadable here very soon.
Actions will have different legal consequences depending on what they are and the situation in your community. We recommend contacting your local National Lawyers' Guild chapter if there is one, or other progressive lawyers for advice before you take action.
Send us your plans!! Let us know if we can help!!
Anonymous,
I would say that numbers 3-7 would be considered misdomeaners and subject to enforcement actions.
HI! I WORK FOR TRADER JOE'S AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR NEGATIVE PUBLICITY! WE ARE SO BUSY MORE THAN EVER! OUR TJ'S DOES OVER $100,000 A DAY AND WE ARE BREAKING ARE YTD (YEAR TO DATE) DOLLAR AMOUNTS WHICH MEANS WE HAVE TO ORDER ALOT MORE ISRALI PRODUCTS THAT ARE FLYING OFF THE SHELVES SO YOU ARE DOING THEM A BIG FAVOR AS WELL AS OUR EMPLOYEE'S WE HAVE TO WORK OVER TIME BECAUSE OF OUR HIGH VOLUME SALES THANKS TO YOU! YOUR AWESOME!! PLEASE KEEP DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING! WE ARE MAKING SO MUCH MONEY AND WE OWE ALL TO YOU!
Dear Anonymous,
Thank you for your email though it is a little confusing. This site and its allies did not write NEGATIVE publicity about Trader Joe's. On the contrary, we alerted readers to what was being planned on June 20. I commend Trader Joe's for standing up to this pressure group, and it is great to know you did such great business.
There is widespread ignorance about Trader Joe's support of the extremist anti-Israel KPFK - it is not a "rumor" and it is not "false" - check out all the links and see for yourself
Trader Joe's gives donations with your money to KPFK and its Radio Intifada which is promoting the Israel boycott!
http://www.kpfk.org/programs/166-radiointifada/1825-326-radio-intifada-3pm-challenging-israeli-impunity-boycott-divestment-sanctions-movement.html
and is lending their name to support KPFKs fund raising efforts to pay for lots more of KPFK's extremist anti-Israel propaganda - and have done so for several years despite years of strenuous protests by friends of Israel
http://www.kpfk.org/kpfknews/164-newsaboutkpfk/617-fund-drive-food-donors.html
and despite claiming that they had removed their name from the KPFK supporters list
http://www.voy.com/119804/746.html
KPFK was recently exposed by the Jewish Journal for its anti-semitism
http://www.jewishjournal.com/community/article/latino_radio_show_stirs_concern_over_views_on_jews_20090318/
KPFK accuses Israel of "war crimes" and has been promoting anti-Israel demonstrations
http://www.kpfk.org/programs/166-radiointifada/1498-th-1-08-09-3pm-radio-intifada-special-israeli-violations-of-intl-law-demo-info.html
Trader Joe's supports KPFK and has done since at least as far back as 2006!
http://web.archive.org/web/20060411101938/http://www.kpfk.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=458&Itemid=113
Trader Joe's does not deserve our support.
http://www.jtbla.com
That Moslems think Trader Joe's is not anti-Israel enough is a stroke of luck.
Thank you to Trader Joes for not caving. I am a long time customer and now that I live in Colorado we do our shopping in New Mexico store when we can go there. I am aware of people all over the country who are encouraged to keep shopping TJS not only for all the reasons we always shopped there but because of their stand. Thanks and please come to Colorado Springs!!! Judith Barthel
Hows that boycott going, btw?
TEL AVIV, Feb 16 - Israel's economy grew at an annualised 4.4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009, its fastest pace in nearly two years and helped by a surge in exports as the country continued to recover from a brief downturn.
Exports -- which account for nearly half of Israel's economic activity -- surged 33 percent in the fourth quarter while consumer spending rose 4.4 percent, according to the government's prior estimate of fourth-quarter data.
Read more:
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20100216/tbs-israel-gdp-955c2a1.html?utm_source=CIC%20Test%20list&utm_campaign=f4ead647f7-DYK_100217&utm_medium=email
My question: Do you think the BDS movement has fueled this growth by calling attention to the wide variety of Israeli consumer goods available in America?
The thought makes me smile
Post a Comment