Richard: If a store only sells televisions that I don’t like, is it okay if I don’t shop there? I mean, aren’t I trying to coerce them into carrying products I agree with? What if I tell my friends that store only sells televisions I think are junk, is that okay? I mean, aren’t I trying to get them to get their suppliers to supply them with different televisions?

When does it become “coercion”? Because your argument seems to consist of just calling it coercion. It can’t just be the amount of pressure. If Wendys stopped selling burgers and started selling only liver, the pressure would be just as extreme to get them to go back to burgers, but surely that’s perfectly legitimate.

David, if you go back and reread what I said, you will see that I stated only that you should have the right to argue that other’s should not patronize a “white’s only” diner. I said that you may ”state as strongly as you like that nobody else should listen to that show (or as with your example to not patronize a “white’s only” diner).”

Nowhere did I state that I was in favor of a boycott of the patrons of that business. In fact I stated just the opposite: “What I argued against was trying to force a third party to agree with your position by organizing a boycott of his business if he didn’t acquiesce to your demands.”

In any event, I disagree that there is any meaningful distinction between primary and secondary boycotts.

The distinction is obvious, David. In the first case you are trying to persuade others to go along with your point of view. Thus if you stood outside the diner with a sign that said don’t patronize this restaurant because they don’t serve blacks, you may be able to persuade people to not go into that diner. That should always be your right to do. However, if you start a boycott of the businesses of people who frequent that diner then you are trying to coerce them into not going to that diner. You are trying to hurt these people financially because they don’t agree with your position. What you fail to understand is that just because in your view your position is “correct” then any action you take to get others to acquiesce to your position is justified. It is not.

In any event, I disagree that there is any meaningful distinction between primary and secondary boycotts. If I boycott Apple because I dislike Foxconn’s labor practice, it is Apple’s patronizing of Foxconn that is motivating the boycott. If I boycott a company because they advertise on Rush’s show, it is their policy of financing Rush’s speech that is the direct motivation for the boycott.

Also, who’s to say that some of those advertisers were not reacting so much to outside pressure, but personal internal moral decisions. A lot of right-leaning individuals and groups stated their unfavorable opinion on his comments.

When Loew’s decided to drop its advertising from that TLC show about ‘American Muslims,’ several months ago, there was some typical lefty backlash, but ultimately Loews supporters used their free market power to show support and nullify any real effect to Loew’s bottom line.

As I am a centrist, and detest fringe elements on both side of the political spectrum, I just find that comments denigrating one side over the other do nothing but drag the debate downward, as neither side is showing any sort of constitutional superiority, especially when it comes to the First Amendment, be it the Free Speech components or the part concerning congress not making of any law respecting an establishment of religion somehow now being a contradiction of the second part that says it shall also not impede the free exercise of religion.

Finally, I believe the ACLU, definitely considered ‘lefty’ is one of the staunchest supporters of any American’s First Amendment rights, regardless of political ideology, i. e. the Westboro Church bunch.

The difference, a KEY difference, in this question of boycotts, etc is WHO is doing the organizing and boycotting. If private parties with private funds, then who cares. I can spend (or not) MY money on what ever product I want, from whomever I want, for whatever reason I want, and tell my friends said reasons and try and influence them to believe / act as I do.

If it’s the Government, or anyone with public monies, that’s a different matter.