BOYCOTTS OF LAWBREAKER BUSINESSES

This column is a call to boycott two types of products and businesses: those sold, owned or operated by, or staffed by, followers of islam, and those sold, owned, operated or staffed by mexicans, whether legal or not.

Why? you ask. Isn't that a little broad-brushed of you?

Your Ostrich Killer has an explanation. How often do you hear any major leadership in the islamic community of this country, or any other, taking any significant action to reduce or thwart terrorism? Along the same lines, when do you hear of any major leadership in the mexican community standing up to encourage strong action against illegal immigration?

So your Ostrich Killer, who already knows the answers to those questions just as you do, has decided to let his dollars do the talking. Hurt them where it hurts: in their bank accounts until they take the lead on demanding the right sort of action on these matters, because otherwise they'll starve.

Nothing like a little starvation to help clarify right from wrong. In this case, bottom lines will improve when those two communities start standing up and doing what's right.

How do you start?

. Patronize no arab restaurants, gift shops, markets, etc. Buy no arabic goods, patronize no businesses whose employees seem to be arabic. Do the same with mexican products and businesses. Remember, you don't have to prove in a court of law that those businesses are arabic or mexican, or that employees are. It's enough to suspect it. It's your money, after all. You get to decide where to spend it.

. Insist on being spoken with in English in this country. Anyplace that brags about being multilingual (code for Spanish-speaking) ought not get your dollars.

. Let your friends and family know what you are doing, and why.

At some point in the future, when you are satisfied that those ethnic groups are doing what's right, you can adjust your spending habits.

One last note: your ostrich killer has exempted the Persian / Iranian community from this boycott, because there is a very strong ex-pat community in this country. They are vocal and noisy and carry signs and pass out leaflets condemning what is happening in Iran, their home country. They want to change it, but fear living in it for obvious reasons. So if you see a Persian business with revolutionary literature or posters in the windows, go out of your way to help them succeed. A successful Iranian revolution will benefit the entire world, and you want to be a part of that.