Ourview
Muslims
say no to Coke
Coca-Cola is America. McDonald’s is America.
Kentucky Fried Chicken, Marlboro, Pampers,
all America; at least, that is how much
of the world sees us. If you do not feel
that these companies represent the person
that you are, than the stereotypes that
much of the world has assigned for you,
as an American, should concern you.
These stereotypes make no distinction between
black, white, rich or poor - we are all
Americans, therefore we are all obese (a
result of Big Mac binges, no doubt), block-headed,
prone to stereotyping others, money-hungry,
the list goes on and on.
A couple of Muslim companies are attempting
to cash in on the growing anti-American
sentiment among Muslim populations around
the world. Most recently, Qibla Cola is
emerging in Britain as the moral alternative
to Coca-Cola. Founded by businesswoman Zahid
Parreen to offer “a real alternative for
people concerned about the practices of
some major Western multinationals who support
causes that oppress Muslims.”
This trend was initiated in France when
Tawfik Mathlouthi launched Mecca Cola to
“create a competing product to Coke that
would satisfy the needs of Arab speakers
in Europe and elsewhere for soft drinks,
while providing jobs and economic growth.”
Both of these infant corporations resemble
Coke in ways that verge on infringement.
Both Qibla and Mecca come in bottles with
a red background, white lettering and that
familiar white swoosh that runs across the
label. Both are in the money making business.
But there is one vital difference between
the Muslim brands and Coke: Coke is entirely
concerned with increasing capital, while
Qibla and Mecca donate generous percentages
of their profits to charities.
Mecca donates 10 percent of the profit made
from every bottle sold to a Palestinian
children’s fund and a further 10 percent
goes to a local charity. Qibla also donates
money to Muslim charities.
The emergence of these colas represents
a culture that is trying to lessen the power
and control of American based multi-national
corporations, or, in other words, they want
to stop contributing to violence against
their own people.
Coke is seen as representative of American
capitalism which supports the exploitation
of Muslims through our government’s support
of Israel. Mecca and Qibla Colas have accomplished
the unthinkable - they have successfully
provided the world with an alternative to
the all-powerful Coca-Cola or Pepsi drink.
Coke admits that the Arab boycott of its
product has hurt business. But it can not
be too deeply wounded, Coca-Cola still sells
more than 40 million 8-ounce servings every
hour around the world.
But in this world it is becoming more the
small local victories that are unifying
and encouraging people. More people should
take an active interest in who and what
they are supporting with their money - whether
it is the cola they drink or the Nike shoes
they wear.
The stereotypes we all have been plagued
with are unfair. We are being judged based
on the actions of an elite group of people
without consideration for the fact that
not all of us agree with U.S. foreign policy.
We are accused of being stereotypical when
that generalization, by its very nature,
is stereotyping an entire nation.
Fair or not, we must live with it, for now.
Perhaps if we began to pay more attention
to where our money goes, we could get a
fairer trial than what we have been experiencing
in the international court of public opinion.
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