Conscious Consumers Action for Black Friday

[tzipporar]

This could be occupy-movement wide, not just in Chi, and not just on State street either.  All I'm proposing at this point is to work on this!  Get organized so that communities all OVER the place can advocate conscious consumer choices over the blind support of unethical corporations.

Anti-consumerism is also important, but more delicate.  I don't want this action to condemn- and thereby alienate people.  That's why I'm proposing "conscious consumer choice."

Look forward to collaborating on this one! 

[tzipporar]

to elaborate: 

There is something called buy-nothing day in the US on Saturday 11/26 and internationally on 11/27.  I think an anti-consumerism message is really important, and that's where my heart is, but for this movement, because it's about the %99, including small business owners, with good products, who depend on consumption, which is not inherently bad, I want to work on a national conscious consumer choice action for Black Friday itself, 11/25.  I propose (though not formally yet) making a flyer listing criterion for ethical consumption.  What are the things you should ask about a product, before you devote your paycheck to it?

And I want this action to be decentralized.  I want leaders in communities across the country to organize to have a presence at their local shopping centers.  Yes, we should march on State street, but also at every mall in every burb and town throughout the country.  I plan to call my contacts at Occupy Boston, and Occupy wallstreet, and I want people to call THEIR contacts everywhere, to make this massive.  I want to work with some thoughtful people to craft a clear message that doesn't condemn or alienate anyone, but that aleives the societal pressure to buy buy buy, a pressure which is at it's symbolic height on Black Friday.

[melly]

Feel this is a great way to give back to our local communities economically, and its a good way to show, again, the corporations that exploits its resources for its own gain. Knowing where we spend our gifts is vital in a change of greed and putting back into our pockets the money we as the 99% work hard on. I support this proposal.