Yelpers Debate Boycotting Taiwan Over Blogger Imprisonment

A Taiwanese blogger's recent 30-day jail sentence over a supposedly slanderous restaurant review on her personal site sparked a boycott discussion on Yelp, a community that takes its freedom of ill-informed, inane speech very seriously. However one Yelper's suggestion of a Taiwan boycott quickly devolved into apathy, cynicism and a lengthy discussion about coffee.

Yelper Justin "Colonel Angus" S. says: "Boycotting huge industrial centers is like saying, 'I'm going to become a hermit, and write poetry in the forest.' Cool for you. But good luck getting anybody to join your crusade." Meanwhile, Yelper Jonny C. laments, "I'm seriously addicted to Taiwanese coffee. This is a fucking problem."

Trying to bring everyone back on topic, Claude F. notes, "any country that locks up a yelper (for simply having the courage to speak truth to power) does deserve some scorn. I mean- that could have been anyone of us." If only, Claude...if only.

· Read This: Time to Boycott Taiwan [Yelp]
· All Yelp Coverage on Eater [-E-]