Happy Thanksgiving! I can think of few better ways to give thanks than going down to your local occupation and sharing food with family and community members. But how about some full-belly culturejamming?
But somehow over the last few years, a wholesome family-oriented day of turkey overconsumption has become associated with an onerous stockholder-oriented day of retail overconsumption. Reportedly, there will be three times as many people camped out to start shopping at midnight tonight as there were on “Black Friday” in 2008. Say it ain’t so!
Let’s reclaim our bodies as people, rather than consumers. To this end, some members of Occupy Santa Cruz have autonomously initiated an action to engage Black Friday shoppers in questioning the forces that propel their shopping spree… And you can too! Print out a stack of these coupons (pdf here), cut them up and bring them down to your local shopping mall or big box store, and insert a little humourous resistance and respectful discourse into the gravy-drenched retail frenzy.
17 Responses to “Occupy Black Friday! Buy Nothing Agitprop Coupons”
Think Local First! Santa Cruz
If you have to buy, buy from a locally owned business.
Amen to that!
I <3 this!
We used these coupons and handed them out at the local mall. Thanks for sharing them!
Three thumbs up for these wonderful coupons! I’ll save a bundle!
These coupons were designed by Jess and she said to “Please share them far and wide”. Great job Jess!
Total Boycotts also harm sustainable market places and small local businesses, including those of farmers, artists, and craftspeople. Rather than repress commerce, learn to be a sustainable consumer year round. One day of repression with no education is lacking thought for the future.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2118441129822.2096194.1509585518&type=3
I agree with you 100%, this action has been thought out very badly in Santa Cruz and is very anti productive to the movement. Hardly the way to increase solidarity and togetherness in the community.
Pretty much every store I frequent in Santa Cruz is local/mom n pop/sole trader.
The first “coupon” suggests buying from local merchants. The target audience is not mom n pop shoppers.
Total Boycott/ One day… Stop whining about your so-called local businesses.
So-Called. Most of the owners live in Aptos, Los Gatos, etc.
Besides, In a town where Starbucks is kinder to the houseless than any locally owned coffee shop what’s a homeless person to do? Give the money to someone who treats them like dirt?
They may be local, and even their bank may be, but that’s of no matter when you live in a town RUN BY FASCISTS (authoritarian totalitarian social policies that pander to businesses at the expense of the citizens)
Word. I am employed at a local mom n pop shop, and let me tell you, they do not treat their employees respectfully. I am super grateful for my job. But don’t buy into the illusion that these business are saintly.
on November 25th, 2011 at 9:49 am #
[...] folks of Occupy Santa Cruz have provided a handy little collection of Buy Nothing Day “coupons,” redeemable for such non-tangible and invaluable “items” as community support, family [...]
If anyone wants to feel real gratitude, just bring anything to eat or to help the Occupiers keep warm, and they cannot thank you enough. I brought some sandwiches over at 11:30 today and about 7 different folks there thanked me sincerely as I walked away…you are the ones to be thanked. You guys/gals rock!
Many thanks go to Pizza My Heart, India Joze, Zen Center and others not named yet who generously brought food for the GAs over several weeks so far. Occupier people would do well to become customers of these local businesses and be sure to thank them for supporting OSC. When it comes to organizing meals out of chaos, no one can easily surpass the iron hand and good heart of server Jean, OSC’s Volunteer Food Czar.
Seconds on the India Joze thanks!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqBaXZQmGAk
you are all morons stop making humanity look bad