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April 4, 2003/Nisan 2 5763, Vol. 55, No. 32
Enjoy guilt-free Beaujolais
BARRY COHEN
Editor
If we are frustrated by French opposition to our foreign policy at the United Nations, we should ignore the call to boycott French goods. And we should refrain from dumping our French wine down the toilet. Instead, let's savor every sip.
I recently received an e-mail from a friend urging me to act now and boycott French goods. The message listed more than 90 companies to boycott.
Similar efforts to boycott U.S. companies are underway in opposition to "Operation Iraqi Freedom." The "Consumers Against War" Web page (www.consumers-against-war.de) claims the United States is obsessed with controlling Iraqi oil and lists 26 American companies to boycott.
Economic boycotts do not provide a viable means to protest opposition to nations' foreign policy. The world has become a globalized economic community, where borders have been eclipsed by multi-national economic agreements. Western Europe, North America and the Far East are economically dependent upon one another. American companies hold trillions of dollars of their assets in European markets and employ millions of European workers. European companies, likewise, hold trillions of dollars of their assets in the United States and employ millions of our workers.
Efforts by nations to punish other countries through grassroots economic boycotts or trade tariffs may affect the targeted nations, but the economic backfire can be painful. In a globalized world, when the economy of a European nation is weakened, NASDAQ and the Dow fall.
Arizona, too, has a healthy trade relationship with Europe. Arizonan companies export $4.43 million of goods to France every year, ranking third among European trading partners behind Great Britain and Germany, according to Sally Spray, director of the International Trade and Investment Division of the Arizona Department of Commerce.
The health of Arizona's economy depends in part upon the strength of the French economy, despite what we many think of Jacques Chirac.
If we are frustrated with France for opposing our foreign policy initiatives, we need to find a more constructive way of expressing our anger than through a boycott. In the near term we may feel good about refusing to buy Roquefort cheese and Yoplait yogurt, but we will feel bad if our boycott actually works, hurts the French economy and in turn, our investments and 401Ks.
Diplomacy is a more constructive avenue to voice our displeasure. If we are frustrated with France, we need to contact our senators and representatives in Congress, voice our anger, but urge them to keep diplomatic channels open.
In this way, we can preserve the possibility that in the near future, through constructive communication, U.S. diplomats can affect French foreign policy decisions and U.N. votes.
Though dumping French wine in the toilet may seem inviting, remember that when we do, we're pouring more than just wine down the drain.
Contact the writer at barry_cohen@jewishaz.com.
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