Driving down Broadway Boulevard just now, I noticed that the sign at Roses and More was asking Democrats to buy more flowers to “offset the Republican boycott.” So the Republicans are boycotting Roses and More because they have the cajones to actually be political (shocking!) on their signage? Anyone know anything more about this?

In the meantime, I’m buyin’ me some flowers. You should, too. Flowers are pretty. You deserve some flowers today.

This article appears in Nov 9-15, 2006.

2nd- generation Tucson native with a Tucson music problem. That is, a Tucson problem as well as a music problem.

10 replies on “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?”

  1. I believe in the past the owner of Roses and More came out publicly against the War (more power to him) as he was obviously correct. He was ahead of his time in his thinking just like the Dixie Chicks. Even some Democrats initially supported the War and may live to regret it.

    I think he also took out a full page advertorial in the Weekly about something although I’m sketchy on what.

    Since he mixes flowers with politics, some of his signage could’ve been anti Republican.

    Thanks for the heads up. I will just have to go there next week and buy flowers. What a good suggestion!

  2. Roses “Y Mas” has the right to encourage people to participate by voting. Their encouraging of “one side” to vote in such a public way also motivates the opposition to either vote themselves (counter-vote) or to disrupt the dispersal of the encouragement. The disruption method seems petty but is a tactic used by both “sides.”

    Roses should not demand that everyone that works for them agree with their idealistic stand on the conflict in Iraq or have influence in how they vote.

    It is however, a great way to get flower-children to buy flowers. The equivalent including “A Christian Business” on all your advertising?

    I like flowers too.

    –Tort

  3. Annie: Somewhere in our archives, there’s a good TQ&A John Banks did with Steven Schwartz. In that interview, in conversations with me and in some of the ads he’s run in the Weekly, he’s pointed out that his Democratic/leftist/antiwar leanings have hurt his business.

  4. Good point Mr. Jimmy Boegle. I do also recall soon after 9-11-01 there was a good drop in advertising for those liberal alternative weeklies. After all, back then, You was with us or ‘gainst us”.

    People vote with their wallets!! Wish they’d get their asses to an actual voting booth.

    –Tort

  5. You’re partially mistaken, Tortillas. There was a drop in ALL advertising after Sept. 11. Liberal alternative newsweeklies and stuffy mainstream dailies all suffered from a dip in advertising. It had nothing to do with politics; it has to do with businesses panicking and ill-advisedly cutting advertising.

  6. Oh! The terroristas really kneed us in the economic nuts that next year. All business was “thumped”.

    Hmmm maybe it was only the chain of weekly’s my partner worked for at the time. Maybe the money-grubbing scum-bag that ran the operation was just big sissy. It sure seemed like a great excuse to fire some staff, and “stop being so pilitical about everything”. After all, a Weekly with 16 pages automotive advertising wouldn’t want to suggest to the Red White & Blue Dodge dealer that he ain’t a patriot. No surrrrrie!! The Daily Republican will gladly take that advertising off their hands.

    Guess we all have our varied recollections of that time. Howz the weather over in Tucson?

    –Tort

  7. And I’m not really talking about the immediate “deer in plane-lights” effect we all suffered. I still say people voted with their wallets from dropping the Dixie Chicks to not shopping at the convenience store owned by the towel-head. Everything “left” was evil. Just how do you think we elected King George another time ’round?
    –Tort

  8. I have a question regarding comment #2… does Roses and More actually require their employees to agree with them politically? Do you have proof of that? That seems inconsistent with their political beliefs. And I know their signage is political— I was just wondering if there had been some kind of “official” Republican boycott of the store, which would have been interesting to know about, seeing as I don’t exactly keep up with goings-on in Republican world. Oh, and Jimmy, thanks for finding that TQ&A— I was searching for it when I wrote the blog originally, and for some reason, I couldn’t find it.

  9. Oh no, no conspiracy. And no suggestion that Roses’ politics have a specific effect on their employees. Only mentioned that as a potential. When your wear your politics on your business sleeve it must effect the individuals that are represented ond/or associated with that business, maybe?

    But I’d support them for practicing free speech. And flowers are nice.

  10. Say, that was fun bloggin’ with ya’ll. It was a boring Sunday I guess. Not sure what drew me to the TW site, but I couldn’t resist that little yellow burst button link to your blog. Miss Annie Holub’s post caught my eye.

    Did not Roses have issues with “The Man” concerning using the sides of their stores as a giant billboard? Seem to recall something like that in the way past.

    Have a great week kids!

    –Tort

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