A Matter of Morals

Its products amply flow from spigots on every fountain, not just at Boston College, but at every McDonald's and Burger King around the world, as well as at every Major League Baseball game in America. Its name is plastered across vending machines, billboards, and on television screens. As far as its image goes, the Coca-Cola Company is as prolific as its multi-billion dollar profits. But the logos and clever slogans don't accurately portray the reality of Coke, according to some BC students who contribute to a larger, global movement against the forerunning beverage maker.

A recently formed BC coalition consists of students from several existing organizations including Ecopledge, the Global Justice Project, the Organization of Latin American Affairs, and the South Asian Students Association. Members of the Black Student Forum and Campus Ministry are also involved. The coalition is founded on what Nick Fuller-Googins, member of the Global Justice Project and A&S '06, called Coke's "long history of documented human rights abuses across the world."

Eric Ares, also of the Global Justice Project and A&S '05, focused on an issue that he found especially disturbing: the company's abuse of child labor in El Salvador. The coalition also draws influence from KillerCoke.org, which claims, "We are seeking to ... stop a gruesome cycle of murders, kidnappings, and torture of union leaders and organizers involved in daily life-and-death struggles at Coca-Cola bottling plants." Accusations of racism also plague the company's record.

While several worldwide organizations fight the alleged inhumane treatment of those who work for the Coca-Cola Company by encouraging national boycotts, initiating petitions against prominent Coca-Cola affiliates, and staging large protests at the entrances to Coca-Cola bottling plants, BC's coalition is starting smaller, right in its own community. Joe Previtera, member of the Global Justice Project and A&S '05, believes that although the most public of Coke's controversial behavior occurs on other continents, the BC campus is intimately influenced. "It affects us as much as anyone cares about anyone else's well-being," he said. "Our fellow brothers and sisters are being exploited due to Coke's neglect."

Fuller-Googins saw BC's contract with Coke as a "moral conflict" when he compared it to the school's stated commitment to "the pursuit of social justice."

The coalition's goal at BC is to convince administrators to abandon the company as soon as the current contract that arranges for the school to sell only Coca-Cola products expires. Although they have spoken with some of the authorities who facilitate the contracts, the coalition members have yet to discover how soon they can change BC's beverage of choice.

Fuller-Googins said, "If the contract is going to be renewed this year, that's much different than if it's going to be renewed in 10 years." The administrators responsible for the contract could not be contacted for this article.

As an alternative to Coke, the coalition suggests other name-brand beverage companies such as Cadberry-Schwepps or Snapple. Ideally, though, they would like BC to sell beverages from local bottling plants, like those to which some other universities and organizations have switched.

The members of the coalition are beginning an impressive battle against a steadfast opponent, and they realize that they will need support in order to win. To gain the confidence of fellow students, the organization is planning an event entitled "Coca-Cola or Killer-Cola? The Truth About Coca-Cola and Human Rights."

The affair will feature a presentation about Coke's alleged crimes against workers and consumers. The coalition suggested to the administration that a representative from the Coca-Cola Company should be invited to the event to defend against the students' allegations, but a response has not yet been received. Fuller-Googins plans to call Coke personally if they fail to acknowledge the challenge. For more information on the Killer-Coke Campaign, a talk will be held tomorrow at 7 p.m. in McGuinn 121.

Ares thinks the talk will give the group exactly the publicity boost they need. "Let's start with Tuesday," he said. "At this point we need to start educating people to promote awareness. Then we just hope that people will think twice about their choice of beverage."

When asked what he hopes to accomplish by trying to convert the BC community, which is small and sheltered compared to the whole of the Coca-Cola consuming world, Fuller-Googins said, "If we can take BC's business away from Coke, it will hopefully send Coke a message that people are watching and that they have to stop doing what they're doing."