American boycott

[Rob Allanson]

Has anyone heard that Americans are being urged to boycott Scotch due to the release on compassionate grounds of the Lockerbie bomber?

[ClubSmed]

Yup:

http://www.boycottscotland.com

[kildalton kid]

All this fuss, if the guys appeal had been heard it would have been far more embarassing for Scottish Justice and the CIA

[talisker10]

Wow, really surprised you mentioned that here..I ain't touchin' that with a 10-foot pole!

[lockejn]

All other comments aside, I won't be boycotting Scotch whisky any time soon.

[talisker10]

Not me either, I never liked the idea of boycotts or embargos..they almost always have no effect on the person/people and intended and instead seem to affect the average person (i.e. Scottish distillery workers)

[bankerjoe]

I haven't heard of this until now.

Definitely joining the ranks of the non-boycotters.

[Ganga]

Is anyone else having recollections of "The Mouse That Roared"? Even some of the friends and family have admitted that it was right to release him. Nope, no boycott here and this is as far as I go with the discussion.

[lohssanami]

I really think this "Boycott Scotland" is utterly ridiculous. The website is registered to a Domain Privacy Group in Canada, no doubt started by someone in a media hungry entity (my opinion). Or...if you really hate the US, it was started by the CIA.

It's only been reported by "UK-based" media outlets (Daily Telegraph and BBC), and most likely picked up by some blogs or Yahoo searches since the initial reports.

I think it's a farce, but as these reports originate and/or grow from the UK side of the pond, they will no doubt become stories on the US side. Other than the 1,000 or so loudmouthed US bloggers and/or citizens, this is something that will die once the next big story hits the major media outlets.

[Holysinner]

[quote="lohssanami"]It's only been reported by "UK-based" media outlets (Daily Telegraph and BBC), and most likely picked up by some blogs or Yahoo searches since the initial reports.[/quote]

The boycott campaign was reported on CNN yesterday, along with a response from an SWA rep.
If anyone's interested (url tags don't work in this subforum)
article - http://connecttheworld.blogs.cnn.com/20 ... up-scotch/
transcript (long, so search 'whisky') - http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/ ... om.01.html

I'll happily continue buying Scotch and believe this boycott has no staying power.

[pkt77242]

I will not be boycotting. I can understand that the families and friends of the deceased may feel anger and betrayal. Though any anger over this issue should be put into constructive use (say changing the law so that it can't happen again) instead of destructive use (such as boycotting industries that had nothing to do with it and possibly costing innocent individuals their jobs).

Sean

[lohssanami]

Oops...I should have been more clear in my response.

- boycottscotland website was registered on 8/20.
- web reports from daily telegraph and bbc follow this past weekend.
- blogs and yahoo searches begin to show up.
- CNN mentions the boycottscotland.com site and their statements in a report about the release.

I just meant that, of course, other news agencies will eventually pick up the boycott story. However, this boycott movement is something created by a website whose source is anonymous, and all subsequent "calls", "quotes" and "statements" are a direct result of those responsible for the site and not a collective movement by the citizens of the US.

Either way...I'm not boycotting Scotland, but I think I'll now boycott "Boycott Scotland" threads.

:)

[Ganga]

It ought to be really interesting as Gadaffi (or whichever spelling you prefer) is scheduled to be staying in New Jersey, home state for 20 of the victims of the bombing of Flight 103.

[Rob Allanson]

Well chaps I want to thank you for a pretty clear headed discussion on this. The boycott news was something someone said to me (have been away so am still catching up with the news) and was curious about it. I realise its a little political hot potato...
I will be locking this thread later today unless anyone has anything else they wish to add.

[jmrl]

A brave decision to bring this topic to the forum. Whisky is obviously a target of any potential embargos of Scottish products so the issue isn't irrelevant here despite the possibility of strong and controversial views being expressed.

For those reading this overseas I can assure you our opposition and ruling politicians seem so outraged by the release decision that we're going to start boycotting ourselves.

I was born on the day Martin Luther King died and in that time I'm pretty sure this is the most significant event I've experienced as regards Scotland's place on the world stage. We never achieved any real success as a footballing nation although I think its fair to say we did seriously challenge on a few occassions. I wonder if we can kick a political football any better.

[ClubSmed]

This parody seems to be doing the rounds

http://www.boycottscotland.co.uk/

[Pure Pot Head]

I heard bits and pieces about this. Is there any real momentum in it or has it all fizzled out?

[lockejn]

To be honest, this thread is the entirety of what I've heard about the subject. . .

[Iain]

Congratulations to all the posters here who've adopted a cool, rational and sensible approach to the subject, without the Jerry Springer-like silly confrontationalism that's broken out in some other places...

[talisker10]

There is no doubt that the release offended many Americans, but as near as I can tell it offended a great many in Scotland and England as well. I just can't imagine any rational American boycotting Scotch whisky. As I said in a previous posts, boycotts and embargoes never have any affect on the intended target, they usually only hurt the innocent and I KNOW the average American harbors no ill-will against the Scottish people. Heck, if you are like me and from the southern U.S. your heritage is full of Scottish immigrants. The U.S. has few true friends in the world today, I'd like to think that despite some differences that we can still count the UK and Ireland in that small group.

[Liechtenstein]

I've decided to boycott Lybian whiskies in protest.

[lockejn]

[quote="Liechtenstein"]I've decided to boycott Lybian whiskies in protest.[/quote]
Now that's the sort of notion I can raise a glass of fine Scotch Whisky to.

[Liechtenstein]

[quote="lockejn"]Now that's the sort of notion I can raise a glass of fine Scotch Whisky to.[/quote]

A glass of Caol Ila 12 is raised to you, sir!

Damn Lybian whisky!

[daveski]

Whisky should not be the scapegoat.

[Pure Pot Head]

I'm boycotting oil.

Pure Pot Head

[p_elliott]

This is the very first I've heard of a boycott, a boycott of Scotland and UK products would be stupid. However the release of this terrorist was even stupider you should have let him rot in prison.

[Reggaeblues]

[quote="Liechtenstein"][quote="lockejn"]Now that's the sort of notion I can raise a glass of fine Scotch Whisky to.[/quote]

A glass of Caol Ila 12 is raised to you, sir!

Damn Lybian whisky![/quote]

LOL!!

Yes, indeed! It's Gadaffal stuff!(cue canned laughter...)

It crossed my mind to start a thread on this. First, as has been pointed out, the majority of Scots are up in arms according to the latest poll, and second, why on earth boycott the Water of Life? What have the craftsmen of our Spirit, and benefactors of our tastebuds got to do with this "political hot potato?"

As for our government's "token " outrage, and the fact that in Libya petrol is way cheaper than water, and you do start to wonder...

[Ganga]

I heard on the radio yesterday that "82% of Americans are upset about the release." Um, I don't know anyone. Cue quote: "90% of statistics are made up." Cue quote 2: "There are lies, damn lies and statistics."

[Liechtenstein]

[quote="Ganga"]I heard on the radio yesterday that "82% of Americans are upset about the release." Um, I don't know anyone.[/quote]

«Upset» is too strong a word but the media likes buzzwords. Most people may be «against» the release in theory but in their day-to-day lives, they just don't care.

I would be in such a position. I am maintaining my boycott of Lybian whiskies.

[jazz lover]

Boycott? More whisky for me to buy...

[Ganga]

JL, ever the optomist. He see's the good in the bad.