So what's this all about?

Having had strong views on matters for as long as I can remember, yet derived with an open mind on issues spanning sex, politics, religion, food, wine and other apparently equally 'controversial' subjects, I have been encouraged to put fingers to blog, and put some structure to it all.

My hope is simply to evoke discussion, nurture strong debate, and entertain all at the same time. I therefore invite you to join me on this journey..

Monday 1 December 2014

Is the BDS's Paradoxical Campaign selectively targeting Woolworths?

I feel particularly strongly about religious interference in anything.  Influence, sure, but not interference in so far as my constitutional right is concerned as either a believer in another religion or no religion at all.  That goes for one's political beliefs too.  Share your views, debate vociferously (I love debate) and yet respect the other's perspective and stance.  That way there would be far fewer wars and friendships ending in tears. After all, there are always two sides to the story at the end of the day. It really should be as simple as all that.

With that theme in mind, it could be argued that the Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions Campaign (BDS), current targeting Woolies in apparent isolation, (Woolworths South Africa not to be confused with Woolworths Australia or UK), raises serious questions about the BDS's apparent contradictorily selective agenda. Perhaps it is merely designed to stir up media hype, however it is highly unlikely to influence Israel's approach regarding the Palestinian situation.  There is not doubt that if this is in fact their real objective, that there are far better ways of going about this.  This is tantamount to bullying, not only the retailer but other shoppers and consumers too.  Just as one may argue against having to have one's own religion's stamp of approval on everyone else's food, be-it Kosher or Halaal or anything else for that matter.  And then usually at the exclusion of the other's stamp, just for spite.  Why not have everyone's if any at all?  Ok, so bacon may only need to have a cross on it, but then will Christian Vegans get uptight?  I have a very Christian aunt who refuses to buy products with Halaal stamps on them, but that's entirely her own choice.  She's never suggested that other people should boycott Woolies because they have Halaal stamps on their chicken packaging, due to human rights abuses in many Muslim run Middle Eastern countries.  She simply follows her own convictions albeit purely religiously motivated.

At the same time, I find it rather ironic and disingenuous that countries with far worse human rights abuses on record, are somehow exempt from the BDS campaign.  Is it due to their religious or political alignment perhaps, which may blinker their objectivity?  Could that not be argued to be racist, anti-Semitic or xenophobic, or all of the above?


I want to be able to make my own choices based upon available information and my own moral convictions, and therefore don't need anyone else to tell me which figs or pretzels I should or should not buy.  Particularly if their agenda is not totally transparent or equitably targeted...

See article by Stephen Grootes on the subject.. BDS vs. Woolworths: Just stop it!