Don't confuse apathy with common sense. Boycotts do work--I was another who didn't eat grapes for a long time, or buy Gallo wine for decades. But in our Internet age the suggestion to boycott this or support that is so easy, and so fleeting, it's like the Judy Garland/Mickey Rooney line in those old movies: "Let's put on a show!" Except that most things don't end up like a Broadway musical at the drop of a hat, and many people are skeptical of the rather naive modern attempts at boycotts. If you want to particpate in a meaningful movement, then look around and find someone who is making a difference and join forces with them. MoveOn.org, for example. The ACLU. People for the American Way. But don't chastise people if they don't feel like going off half-cocked and don't feel like defending themselves for making that choice.

In other words, focus on what is important to you and move forward, don't scold those around you for not sharing your view of how to accomplish what needs to be done. Your heart is in the right place, dianavan, but you're coming across as the new kid on the block when the old campaigners have different prespectives and different approaches. Good luck, and please let us know what you do choose to do.

SRS