Students urge SIUE to boycott companies, products |
Anthony Watt |
Larissa Miller is encouraging the SIUE community to participate in consumer boycotts. "I am pretty passionate about this," Miller, a 22-year-old elementary education major, said. "We (Americans) are the people on top of the economic ladder and we have the ability to initiate change." Miller and English major Devin Peipert manned a booth Wednesday in front of the Morris University Center. They handed out information packets on groups boycotting major corporations. One of these groups, the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade, is targeting Neiman Marcus for its alleged involvement in the fur trade. Other disputed practices include the use of Bovine Growth Hormone and the production of veal. Miller's booth also provided model letters for people to use to make their grievances known to the target businesses. "It's not just avoiding the products," Miller told passing students. "It's about writing the letters too." Miller said the Rev. Cherie Hambleton of United Campus Ministry inspired her to get involved. Hambleton said she has been involved in boycotting for 15 years and has boycotted Wal-Mart, Nestle, The Gap and the sale of California grapes. "I've always got at least three boycotts going at one time," she said. Hambleton said approx-imately 150 people stopped at the booth. "We are hoping to make this an annual thing," Miller said. "And we'll have a table during Peace Week." Peace Week is a week of activities April 9 through 12 to raise awareness of peace activism. It is sponsored by the Millennium of Peace Committee. The booth was sponsored by the Religious Center. For more information, contact the Religious Center at 650-3246. | |