Boycotts analogous to veganism

[selylidne]

In conversations with some local vegan acquaintances, I have been impressed by their commitment to gentleness, (a virtue I see severely lacking in myself and many of my fellow Catholics). That commitment leads them to educate themselves about and boycott a huge variety of products so that they do not contribute to the use of animal resources. Now whereas dietary choices are optional for Catholics, there are many moral issues that are very serious for us. We can’t always simply ban immorally produced things, but we can boycott. If there’s a movement to boycott immorally produced things, please let me in on it!

Potential aims of the boycott:

• Medicines produced using fetal stem cells
• Items produced using slave labor. Yes, it still exists.
• Items produced with wanton disregard for human health. (This could include environmental damage where it identifiably hurts specific people, and isn’t just a contributing factor to debatable processes.)
• Maybe items produced where companies use eminent domain to take people’s homes and put in a factory
• What else?

I’m not interested in boycotts aimed at people. Aiming boycotts at people is to be on exactly the wrong side of the sin/sinner distinction! So, for example:

• NOT against innocent business relationships with abortionists (e.g. selling them food, building their houses)
• NOT against businesses that give to bad “charities”
• NOT against entire corporations when some of their products are just fine
• NOT against whole countries with evil regimes

Does anything organized like this already exist? I’ve found a few single-issue boycotts online, but nothing aiming to be comprehensive.

 

[4elise]

In conversations with some local vegan acquaintances, I have been impressed by their commitment to gentleness, (a virtue I see severely lacking in myself and many of my fellow Catholics). That commitment leads them to educate themselves about and boycott a huge variety of products so that they do not contribute to the use of animal resources. Now whereas dietary choices are optional for Catholics, there are many moral issues that are very serious for us. We can’t always simply ban immorally produced things, but we can boycott. If there’s a movement to boycott immorally produced things, please let me in on it!

Potential aims of the boycott:

• Medicines produced using fetal stem cells
• Items produced using slave labor. Yes, it still exists.
• Items produced with wanton disregard for human health. (This could include environmental damage where it identifiably hurts specific people, and isn’t just a contributing factor to debatable processes.)
• Maybe items produced where companies use eminent domain to take people’s homes and put in a factory
• What else?

I’m not interested in boycotts aimed at people. Aiming boycotts at people is to be on exactly the wrong side of the sin/sinner distinction! So, for example:

• NOT against innocent business relationships with abortionists (e.g. selling them food, building their houses)
• NOT against businesses that give to bad “charities”
• NOT against entire corporations when some of their products are just fine
• NOT against whole countries with evil regimes

Does anything organized like this already exist? I’ve found a few single-issue boycotts online, but nothing aiming to be comprehensive.

I am so glad that your vegan acquaintances have impressed you with their commitment - we have a group here of Catholic Vegetarians and Vegans - many of us do make this choice because like your friends we recognize that our choice in this regard matters. I for one find it reinforced by the teaching of the Church in regard to caring for each other, for creation.

I also strive to purchase only fair trade / shade grown coffee because I’ve learned about this industry.
My daughter chose not to have a diamond for an engagement ring because she learned about blood diamonds (and we have friends who were missionaries in Sierra Leone)
I try very hard to avoid items from China - very difficult - but when I have a choice I try to avoid it… their human rights record is horrible.

I too would always be grateful if people can share this kind of information - our choices matter - and we can make choices that reflect our faith.

Wishing you a joyful Easter!