I found out a friend’s viewpoint on America, being that she won’t deliberately buy or use services which directly prosper the US economy, because she doesn’t like the democratic system and government in place. Whilst I respect her viewpoint, I don’t agree with it.

I do think that we can take a stand against things that do not sit comfortably with our ethics, in the form of prayer, protest and petition. When it comes to whole countries, however, it becomes very difficult to form a focussed approach.

I believe that trying to boycott the products and services of the United States will not hurt those in the highest positions of power (ie the President, and the Republicans) – what it will do (even if in some tiny way) is hurt ordinary American people.

Unless there is some quibble with the American people as a whole, then personally attempting to sanction the country only hurts those providing the goods and services. Even those running the US-originating multinational corporations will suffer little – those who do are the public, and not necessarily limited to American public.

For example, refusing to shop at Asda (because it is now owned by Wal-Mart) will hardly touch the directors of Wal-Mart – and in fact even if it did it would have little direct, immediate effect on the US government itself, only on the US economy. It will touch the employees of Wal-Mart in America, the employees of Asda in the UK, and so on. Such employees may get a pretty raw deal as it is, but withdrawing custom may mean that some of these people are redundant.

As another example: not holidayiny in the US. Firstly, it is possible to fly to the US using a non-US airline (British Airways, Air France etc.) Of course, some of these companies have US subsidiaries or parents, and simply flying into American airspace and airports provides revenue to the US.

If the issue prompting an avoidance of all things US is based on recent world events and conflict, then the UK must also share some of the blame, and yet a large proportion of the population opposed the war. Should sanctions be brought against the British people and their businesses and organisations because of the decisions of those in positions of authority?

The possible benefits of widescale, coordianted sanctions and boycotts must be weighed up against the human cost to individual citizens, many of which have no part in, and indeed oppose, their government’s views and actions.