Monopoly Bookstore Chains and the inanity of moralism

Doug Henwood dhenwood at panix.com
Thu Oct 22 19:59:30 PDT 1998


Carrol Cox wrote:


>K wrote: "Nathan ponders his childhood ....jesus christ on crutches!
>Borders is a union buster fer cryin' out loud Borders is a union
>buster!"
>
>This is an inanity, in fact a very vicious one, that those of us who
>suggested only *organized* boycotts need be honored, that personal
>boycotts were at best non-political, a mere private fancy. Now we see
>that such private fancies, raised to the level of (naturally
>super-moralistic) principle are anti-political, sources of disunity and
>the destruction of solidarity, for they lead to such fucking idiocies as
>K's personal attack on Nathan.
>
>*Every* corporation is a union busting company. K reminds me of those
>anarchist *idiotes* (private persons) of the 60s who wanted to live
>"outside" capitalism on some communal farm in the hills of Arkansas.

K, who is no idiot(e), can defend herself, but there *is* an organized campaign on to unionize Borders. Some of the active workers were on this list, but their mailboxes all backed up; they've got a website at <http://members.xoom.com/booksort/index.htm>. Yahoo has a whole subhead devoted to "Business and Economy: Companies: Books: Booksellers: Borders Books & Music: Union Activity", at <http://dir.yahoo.com/Business_and_Economy/Companies/Books/Booksellers/Borders_B ooks___Music/Union_Activity/>.

Doug



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