What if a terrorist organization struck and killed 1000 people? Everyone would call for banning that organization and bringing the perpetrators to justice.
What if my favorite drink is tarnished with blood? I would immediately throw it away.
The above two things provide a clear answer whether one should boycott Coke, Pepsi and Dow Chemicals (and some more like the DeBeer diamonds, Tata Steel., etc)
Coke tried to curb formation of workers union by killing the union workers in Columbia. In India, Coke and Pepsi are wreaking havoc in rural areas by drawing massive amounts of ground water with out permission and dumping toxic waste without treating. The end product: drink itself does not meet the European standards on pesticide content. Yet they get away with kick backs. It is for the people to lead when the leaders fail.
Similarly Dow Chemicals (acquirer of Union Carbide) seems to elude the responsibility of killing over 15,000 people and maiming over 120,000 in the worst industrial disaster in Bhopal: an avoidable disaster caused due to removal of safety equipment to save money. The toxic waste from the plant was never cleaned and it continues to contaminate the city. Can't they be branded greedy terrorists? If so, why would the government want to do business with them?
The experiment of boycotting Coke and Pepsi was successful. We don't consume them and will not buy it for any of our guests.
But boycotting Dow Chemicals was not that successful as their products reach many of us through indirect channels. The best solution here is to ask the state to ban Dow from doing business here.
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