Word on The Street: How do you feel about the UNC boycott?
The latest wave in the protesting of Silent Sam has been the boycott of all UNC products.
While the monument itself has sparked controversy, this protest in particular has seemed to create another point of contention.
Staff writer Abby Cantrell went around campus to find out what five UNC students thought about the effectiveness of the boycott.
Kate Hickert
Senior, exercise and sport science major
“I didn’t know it had an official name now. I know lots of friends that are doing it. Personally, I’m not, because I think it's inconvenient and won’t have as big an impact as the other protest we had on campus. I think the protest by Silent Sam at the beginning of September had a huge impact and garnered a lot of news and media attention, but I feel like the UNC boycott is not widespread enough to raise awareness. UNC is such a big institution that the money that they make from Student Stores and campus eating is not going to have a big enough impact for that to change anything.”
Adriana Quijano
First-year, undecided
“I think it’s a good idea and I feel like it could be potentially very effective, but from what I’ve been hearing through talking to people it seems like individually people don’t think they’re going to make a difference unless everyone is part of it, but everybody seems to be very pro the idea. Professors too, have been like ‘I’m not going to make you guys buy Scantrons or blue books, you can just use notebook paper’ and stuff so I feel like everyone is very pro the idea but individually I don’t know if everyone is as serious about it. But I think it has the potential to be effective if people stick with it for a period of time.”
Naomi Foust
First-year, biology major
“I don’t see anything wrong with it. They’re standing up for something they believe in. I personally wanted to be a part of the protest. I didn’t know about the boycott, but I think it’s interesting that they’re actually protesting this much and as diligently about the protest but I respect it.”
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“I feel like their voices are not being heard to begin with and if this is the way that they have to go about it in order for their voices to be heard then this is the way. Because it's not a violent thing and it's not harming anyone, so I’m definitely for it versus going violently about it. And if the outcome is productive then I think they should definitely go for it. “
El Russell
Sophomore, psychology major
“I don’t think it’s particularly effective because it’s going to negatively impact the workers at the Student Stores and at the Bottom of Lenoir, and those are a lot of the people who would share the same beliefs as the people who are fighting to take Silent Sam down. I think if you’re going to try to boycott something you should do something that more directly impacts either the cause you’re protesting or the people that you’re trying to speak to.”
