Forum Post: Take Back WallStreet Boycott Black Friday
Posted 12 years ago on Nov. 11, 2011, 5:43 p.m. EST by kenny89
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BOYCOTT BLACK FRIDAY The movement has the media’s attention and the support of the 99%, but corporate America and Washington continue with business as usual. What better way to show 1% that we mean business than denting their pocket books directly by boycotting the biggest shopping day of the year, Black Friday.
Just imagine it, the most frenzied shopping day of the year without lines of families that have camped out on Thanksgiving night to get the best deal. No reports of mobs of shoppers hysterically trampling employees and fellow bargain hunters for the new tickle-me-Elmo.
I believe this boycott would encompass the principles expressed in the movement and provide a non-violent means of protest that could include many others that are not yet involved. More importantly remind the corporations that it is the consumers who control the economy not the CEO’s in their ivory towers.
I do not wish to harm the economy, I hope that this could help boost local economies by redirecting shoppers to local businesses. Simultaneously, with the boycott events featuring local vendors and family shopping, it would show the world that we can get on just fine without big business.
A boycott of this measure would be sure to test the solidarity of the movement, but through effective communication between the cities across the nation we can achieve this vision. Fliers, street teams, and even door-to-door canvassing operations would all be effective means of getting the word out to those not yet involved. Media and press releases would be the biggest tool. Leaders would have to coordinate interviews on local stations, and if enough press is generated ideally even national news interviews pre-boycott to get the word out.
I am a member of the 99% a collage grad with mounting student loan debt, job prospects are slim and am forced to work positions that I am under-qualified for, but fortunately I do have work. Awaiting to go to law school to hopefully work in the arena of constitutional law, but more than anything I am just a supporter with a vision for the movement.
Thank you for your time. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me. In Solidarity,
Kendal Micklethwaite Sacramento, CA
awESOME
I am a small retail business owner. My employees will be with their families on Thanksgiving and will not have to leave the dinner table to prepare to work a night shift. Please remember when you shop Thanksgiving night or midnight on friday you are making the selfish choice to have these employees work for your convenience. No it's not for the bagains . Just check the news paper next week and I promise there will be merchandise on sale. (sometimes with lower prices.) Thanks to OWS the retail worker can be visible as part of the 99% serving the big corporations.
I'm well over 60, and never in my family's history have any of us treated the pre-Christmas season like a buying binge. We all still believe that a few small, thoughtful gifts are the most meaningful ones. Your outlook is all in your upbringing. Your kids need to know that family traditions trump peer group pressure. Have, have, have; and get, get, get; and own, own, own are the mantras of consumerism and are the "raison d'etre" for advertising agencies.
ThatOneguy doesn't seem to understand that much of the purchases on Black Friday, and the holiday season, are done with credit cards. That doesn't mean the purchasers have money.
This boycott is a valid continuation of the OWS movement. The next step is to figure out ways to transfer IRA and 401K funds out of Wall Street controlled funds and into social sustainability funds without incurring IRS penalties. While you have their attention the only way to hurt them is to take away their play money.
So if all you money less losers can't afford shit, how exactly is your boycott going to work? The people with money will be there? Are you really that stupid?