Crossposted from my Generation X-Y Democrat blog, I felt compelled to detail my own little journey of boycotting my favorite Dunkin' Donuts (one that I visit very frequently) because they had the FOX News Channel playing on their big-screen TV for all of their customers to watch.
On the mornings that I am going into the office at work, I begin the day by turning on my computer and downloading three audio podcasts onto my phone/mp3 player that will get me through my day: "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" (which lasts on my morning drive until the I-90, I-294 cross), "The Rachael Maddow Show" (which I listen to on my drive home), and "The Randi Rhodes Show" (man I wish she was on our local Chicago progressive talk station!). Around the "Oddball" segment of "Countdown", I pass a Dunkin’ Donuts that, except for its temporary closing to rebuild, I have been visiting for about 5 years now, consistently 2-3 times a week. 100% of the time I go through the drive-thru.
Usually, they are quick. This past Wednesday, they were not, and I spent a good 30 seconds looking into the store through the drive-thru window, watching the waiting customers inside with their heads glued to the non-sense bigotry that was protruding from the mouths of the hosts on "FOX & Friends" on FOX News Channel.
I was disgusted. I couldn’t believe this was on display at my favorite morning stop.
I recalled the "Countdown" from June 1st, when Olbermann spoke about Right-Wing Hatred coming from FOX News Channel could be contributing to the type of hate crimes and violence that Homeland Security detailed earlier this year following the election of an African-American Democratic President. The point was further discussed in a Daily Kos diary, particularly Olbermann’s request that the best way to limit FOX News Channel’s destruction was to do an indirect boycott by not giving business to stores, restaurants, etc. that play FOX News Channel on their public televisions.
So I asked the nice drive-thru lady, "Is FOX News always on your televisions?"
"Oh yes", she said, "all the time!"
I then made up my mind that I could no longer go to this Dunkin’ Donuts if they were willing to be an outlet for lies disguised as news.
I had a feeling that Nice Drive-Thru Lady would not be able to relay my choice (she is the busiest lady I have ever seen – a true workhorse there for sure), so I made it a point to visit the Dunkin’ Donuts for the last time that evening to speak with the manager. I would explain how much I like the place, but would not be able to continue as their customer if FOX News Channel would be on. I would not make odd threats or make a scene – I just wanted to relay my opinion to the person that actually has control of the TV.
So, just in case they were busy and I would not be able to make all of my points to the manager, I also wrote a letter that I would give to him/her after we were done speaking:
June 10, 2009
Dear Store Manager:
Let me begin by stating that, since your restore reopened in its current location, your customer service and the products I have purchased have been outstanding. I visit your store at least two times per week for my coffee and/or breakfast foods, and though I have locations closer to my house, I have always found that your particular location has provided me with the best service.
However, I write this letter to tell you that from this day forward, I will no longer be a customer of yours until you permanently remove FOX News Channel from the televisions that you are displaying in your store. I usually use your drive-thru service, so this morning was the first time I have ever witnessed the channel on first-hand. Your drive-thru specialist informed me that FOX News Channel is always displayed on your televisions.
FOX News Channel is an outlet of radical right-wing propaganda and a frequent spreader of hate speech, bigotry, and false information in an effort to smear our President and anyone who does not agree with the Republican Party. Its very existence is dangerous because uninformed individuals may very well believe that what FOX News Channel reports is truth, when it is in fact not that at all.
The hatred spewed by FOX News Channel during the November 2008 election was highly publicized, so you may have heard about the times where FOX News Channel compared the president to a terrorist (http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/200806060007), or when FOX News Channel made racist remarks towards the President and his wife (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/11/fox-news-calls-michelle-o_n_106655.html). Now, you may be unaware of the frequency with which FOX News Channel commonly slanders people and twists words to fit their own agenda, so here are a few examples given in just the past week. All examples have been provided by Media Matters for America at MediaMatters.org:
On June 8, 2009: Fox News on-screen text falsely asserted that, during his Cairo speech, President Obama claimed "there is no more terrorism," and Fox News analyst Ralph Peters accused him of "pretending" it "doesn't exist." In fact, Obama addressed at length the issue of "violent extremism" in his speech (http://mediamatters.org/research/200906080011)
On June 8, 2009: Sean Hannity falsely claimed or suggested that the Obama administration acted to "take over Fannie, take over Freddie." In fact, it was the Bush administration that made the decision to "take over" Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. (http://mediamatters.org/research/200906080042)
On June 8, 2009: Andrew Napolitano cited a DailyTech article headlined, "NASA Study Acknowledges Solar Cycle, Not Man, Responsible for Past Warming," to deny that humans are causing global warming. In fact, the article itself noted that NASA does not dispute that human activities are responsible for global warming. (http://mediamatters.org/research/200906080004)
On June 5, 2009: Sean Hannity falsely claimed that President Obama gave "pretty much the go-ahead ... that Iran can now pursue their nuclear ambitions," and asked, "We're gonna allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon?" In fact, Obama said Iran must comply with the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which bans it from acquiring nuclear weapons. (http://mediamatters.org/research/200906050003)
On the June 3 edition of Fox News' Special Report, Fox News displayed an on-screen graphic that asked about Obama: "Islam or Isn't He?" (http://mediamatters.org/research/200906040045)
On June 2, 2009: Fox & Friends falsely claimed an AP article reported that Dick Durbin has been "accused in [a] pay-to-play scheme" involving Rod Blagojevich. In fact, the article did not include any suggestion that Durbin was involved in a "pay-to-play scheme." (http://mediamatters.org/research/200906020012)
While the views and opinions of FOX News Channel may not represent your own, by displaying FOX News Channel on your televisions you have become an outlet for dangerously false information and hate propaganda. I simply cannot and will not be a customer of a store that provides a channel of lies to its visitors. Please contact me once you have permanently removed FOX News Channel from your store so that I may return again as a happy customer.
Sincerely,
Edward Rotchford
When I made my way back to the Dunkin’ Donuts, the place was relatively calm with just a few customers, and to my surprise, CNN was on the television. I asked to speak with a manager anyways, but the cashier told me they were only in the place in the morning. I briefly voiced my concerns with FNC and asked who switched the channel to CNN, but nobody knew. Pretty odd, considering Nice Drive-Thru Lady told me FNC was on all the time.
Finally I made my morning trip to the Dunkin’ Donuts for the last time. The place was busier than busy, and I was afraid I would be waiting 20 minutes to the see manager. It only took me 30 seconds worth of commercials, though, to see that FOX News Channel was NOT on the television. CNN was still on.
What was I to do? Wait until they turned FNC back on to make my point? I decided to still speak with the manager. I told her my love for the place, and my continued and consistent business. Then I told her the following: "I had planned on coming in here to tell you that as of today I would no longer be a customer here as long as FOX News Channel was on your televisions, but here I am and CNN is on instead." The manager said she was not too familiar with the content of FOX News channel, so I briefly explained my argument and how CNN was a much more neutral news channel to have on.
She smiled and said "Okay".
I followed with "I was going to give you a letter further describing my point, but instead I will let you go back to what you need to do, and I will order a Large Extra-Extra. Thank you so much for listening!"
***
So did my attempted boycott work? Did Nice Drive-Thru Lady somehow relay my concerns? Or did the cashier make the point to the manager that would be coming into work in the morning? I guess I will never know, but I hope that my decision to continue doing business with them simply because FNC was not on the television will make them decide to keep CNN on the television from now on.
Soon, I will be hand delivering a new version of my letter, thanking the kind manager for listening to my concerns, but still warning them of the potentially dangerous lies FNC puts on the air.
However, should I walk in again with FNC on the TV, I will have a copy of the old letter, just in case.