Is it ethical to wreck a Pepsi machine at school for a protest?

I know this probably belongs in the activism section, but I want the opinions of a wider variety of people.

The Hamilton school board has some secret contract with the Pepsi corporation, making it so that nobody else in the school is permitted to sell any kind of foods or soft drinks. The cafeteria is catered by the Pepsi corporation, as are all of them in the city. The schools are full of exclusively Pepsi vending machines. And nobody is allowed to see that contract.

The social justice club at school is protesting it...
The teacher involved has the attitude that it's okay to break any policies or laws if we're standing up for a cause we believe in. He's willing to put himself at risk to do this.

Now, he very briefly mentioned the idea of destroying the internal workings of a Pepsi machine so that Pepsi would not be able to sell their products to the students. We're also selling fair trade healthier drinks.

I'm thinking of wrecking the machines. I would probably pour/inject some kind of electrolyte (salt water would do the job) into some part of the machine to short-circuit the electronics.

Is this kind of vandalism justified?

 

I wouldn't blame ya - but you'll probably get in a lot of trouble.

 

vandalism,destroying property is never justified..

 

Good on you. I fucking hate bull shit like that, these big businesses think they can just rule our or lives. This is a school, it shouldn't be used to promote unhealthy unethical companies to children. It could be worse though I suppose it could have been coca cola, not that you can taste the bloody difference.

 

so ya destroy the pepsi machine.. it accomplishes what?

a whole buncha folks gettin hassled by the authority's and the pepsi machines will be gone for what,,48 hours? i mean its not like there the only pepsi machines around. what ya think ya destroy it they just wont put another one in its place? fat chance..
nope all you will accomplish is someone at least gettin hassled and at worst someone getting arrested..

so i ask you, what purpose would it serve?

 

You'll probably get lynched by other students when they can't get their Mountain Dew.

But I'd do it regardless. The soda companies say they'll give a portion of the proceeds to the schools which amounts to little more than a bribe. Then they put in machines all over the school and make loads of cash minus their piddling donation. Meanwhile everyone is wondering how our kids are getting so fat.

 

Maybe the school would take heed of the fact that it is not right that Pepsi should monopolise the choice of drinks in the school and allow a fairer choice.

Direct action has been known to work.

 

Wtf? someone else from my city! :O

 

its already been stated that the school district has a CONTRACT with pepsi.. it aint up to the school.. there hands are tied..

and i assure you the school board will not be pleased to learn a disgruntled child chose to act like one and do such a thing..

i dont know of to many people in authority who respond to acts of aggression by giving in to the aggressor,especially not when the aggressor is a child..
it will accomplish nothing but to get someone in trouble..

 

Do it with signs, give people a choice. When you destroy the machine you destroy choice by force. And most people don't like being pushed around by anybody. The Pepsi contract thing is just another "follow the money" affair. Keep up the heat. Put signs around that say "Where does the money go?" etc.

But destroying the machine is dirty pool and they have an army of lawyers ready to pounce. When they do, you will be all alone. All cases are handled individually in court, so your "movement" will be squashed like a bug before it gets started. If you need some kind of environmental street cred, go for it. But you're fooling with the law, and the law is worse than Vegas.

CF

 

It isn't an act of aggression, he is talking about disabling a machine.

The fact that it isn't up to the school only makes it worse, fuck Pepsi and their bone rotting poison.

 

aggression

(ə-grĕsh'ən)

1. The act of initiating hostilities or invasion.
2. The practice or habit of launching attacks.
3. Hostile or destructive behavior or actions.

it is by definition a act of aggression my friend.. plain and simple.

 

Fair comment.

But would you perhaps also say that Pepsi, and it's school soft drinks oligarchy, are also guilty of aggressive marketing?

 

If you owned a car and someone decide to fire bomb it because of enviromental reasons, would it be justified? No it wouldn't, destruction of other peoples property to make a statement is wrong. If you really want to make a difference get the word out, post up signs, make petitions anything but destruction.

 

That is fair enough, but Pepsi machines aren't the property of people, they are owned by large corporations who like to feed us poison and tell us lies.

You could happily justify burning down a tobacco factory, or flushing a junkies skag down the pan, so why is a Pepsi machine any difference?

 

So you can justify destroying what's not yours?

 

If what is theirs is destroying my land and my health, yes.

 

It's a strong message, that's all I can say. It will get a strong opinion out there. Hopefully some media coverage on what you guys stand for.

 

We've had simliar arguements in my area. I do not think the Pepsi machines should be removed, or taken out. Yes, they are unhealthy. But it should be a choice.

I think you would be justified in demanding machines to sell water and healthy drinks, like tea, juice, and milk. Yes, more students will still buy Pepsi. But healthy eating/drinking is a choice. You should be informed, of course, of the health detractors/benefits and allowed to decide what goes into your body.

We all have to take a Health course. We all know Pepsi is bad. But it should be there, because freedom and choice is really the most important thing.

Also, corporations are more like families or countries than like individual people. An example of this is that the people that own Pepsi also own Taco Bell and other things. No one in Pepsi will take notice of this. It will change nothing, outside of your school. You will be punished if found out, and you will have a criminal record, either adult or juvenile depending on what state you live in.

You will be seen as a violent and unreasonable individual, not as a savior, by the school authorities. Believe me, they don't care. That is the worst mistake young people make, thinking that the school board or principals care. They will just see you as another spoiled troublemaker.

 

Destroying the Pepsi machine will do nothing to stop Pepsico from selling their products. We like to bash these big corporations, but it really is the consumers spending their money with them that fuel the corporate entity.

The way to stop them is to stop buying their products. So if you can get all the students to stop using their machines then you've done something.