It’s a really easy habit to get into. You consume the things that you like, the things you need, the things that make you happy . . . all without much thought to the people behind getting them to your table. I know I haven’t in the past and I’m not trying to cause you a crisis of conscience if you haven’t either. Much unlike my past malaise, a group of Princeton students took offense to the Sabra hummus being offered by school dining services.

The delicious chick pea spread caused a rift at the school because Sabra is 50% owned by the Strauss Group, Israel’s second largest food and beverages company. The students that have organized against serving Sabra don’t like that the Strauss Group has “Made public statements in support of the Israeli Defense Forces and also sends care pacakges to soldiers.” A Princeton pro-Palestine group has been trying to garner support for the boycott.

This made me think about the aftermath of the BP oil spill. Many advocated for a boycott of BP and I thought about all the people that such a thing would effect. The franchisees across the country, the truck drivers, the station employees, etc. In these matters, there never seems to be an easy solution that doesn’t leave somebody hurting. But at the same time, boycotts have been successful tools of raising awareness and sending a message, sometimes the only way you can—with your wallet. It’s not nearly at the same level, but I wonder the same thing about Sabra and if they were to lose accounts, who would that really impact and how?

We Want to Know:

• Have you ever participated in a boycott? If yes, explain.
• Has your community or a business in your community ever been impacted by a boycott?

These thoughts were inspired by an article in the Gothamist about the Princeton students fight against Sabra. We would love to hear your thoughts. Get the discussion started!