Forum Post: Is "Stop Shopping At Chain Stores And Large Corporations" Going To Cause A Civil War?
Posted 12 years ago on Nov. 24, 2011, 12:31 p.m. EST by Innervision
(180)
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Some of the "insiders" of this movement are trying to quiet me. I believe it is a lot less radical to "stop shopping" then occupy a park and get pepper sprayed or thrown in jail.
I do not want to put our corporations out of business. I want to get their attention and I want them to Help the 99% or we will not buy from them.
They have the lobbyists that can help us in Washington, and we have a stalemate in Washington.
The "insiders" say that it is "infantile" for me to make demands of our government.
Well, I think we should demand" free and fair elections, health care reforms, regulations on banking etc." I believe most of the 99% would agree with this. If the Corporations respond, I want to be a part of this conversation.
Tell me your views.
By shopping at Walmart, we condone every business practice, however horrible, they enact. By initiating a transaction with any business, large or small, we are agreeing to every business practice they instantiate. Those corporations with questionable practices should go out of business. We are the ones allowing them to continue. The American people nearly bankrupted the Pasta industry because of a fad diet. There is a lot of power in our consumerism. Our consumerism can destroy the world or it can save the world. But we cannot continue to point our fingers at despicable behavior when we are the ones who financially back and thus condone the behavior. In short, my view is that you are absolutely correct! Lets praise and give money to those corporations and businesses that do the right thing!! When walmart finally dies- and its end cant come soon enough for me. We can replace it with something better!
Thank you for responding.....It is so nice to hear from someone, who makes a lot of sense!
I feel bad for all those poor mistreated workers who have to work late on Christmas, or the night shifts when they're open 24/7 over the holidays. Maybe it would be a good idea to reach out to them -- bring them food and hot drinks for their breaks. They're the 99% too!
Not paying attention to adverts on television is a legitimate form of grassroot anti-capitalism.
I agree.....Maybe turn off the TV except for PBS and maybe OWN ,Oprah's channel!
The large problem with shopping at the "Big Box" stores and one that a lot of people do not realize is, that the money they take in for the most part does not circulate back into the community they are located in. Even the employees income gets recirculated back into the coffers of these establishments as they are encouraged through discounts to shop there. The money gets packed up and shipped out to the home-offices and leaves the community. Another factor is that they have prearranged tax deals with the local government to avoid taxes that could benefit the communities. The Ma and Pa businesses do not have this tax advantage.
Get involved with The Ninety-Nine Percent Declaration and make a difference. https://sites.google.com/site/the99percentdeclaration/
Well, so far I agree though I would say "not shopping" is perhaps in some ways More radical and I like that!
Besides, we have to hit "them" where it hurts. Being in the Streets only embarrasses "them". If "we" stop shopping "they" are gonna shit themselves.
I know! It is really going to get their attention.
If they voluntarily help, with say, election reform, or universal health care, without us having to boycott them, then they can be the corporation, with a heart!!! It will be great for their advertising!
In fact, if they really fear this idea, different corporations could adopt different reforms. We would still have to hold them accountable, but they could get on the front end of this fast moving train, and they wouldn't loose money, but actually make more money.
Everybody wins!!!!!!!
Yes... Let's be sure to Win! (or go down fighting).
I am now going to put my efforts into the 99% declaration. It is a petition for a Constitutional Convention in July 2012. I just signed it and I am going to direct my efforts with this movement instead of OWS. They have a great declaration, are organized, and Michael Moore is involved, and I trust him.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2065811/Occupy-Black-Friday-protesters-match-thousands-Macys-bargain-hunters-plan-buy-day-falls-flat.html
Four protesters showed up at Macy's in New York today. 4. And from all accounts, Black Friday 2011 is on track to be a record breaker. I don't think "stop shopping" is going to cause a civil war....or even a playground fight.
Damn, Oh well, tomorrow is another day.......
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you are right on. the people trying to squash your view are not supporters of OWS, rather extremists who who pretend to support and at time even imply that they speak for OWS. they seek to discredit OWS.
I have experienced people locally, who are running the G. A. meetings. They wanted to squash my view, and one of them, has been extremely rude on line. So I'm thinking that many extremists have gotten on the 'inside" of this movement.
Poor people shop at Walmart. They cannot afford to shop at Whole Foods. People are free to shop wherever they like, Walmart fills a niche.
I understand your point. The last thing I want to do is hurt, the poor.
I don't really want to put anyone out of business either. We the American people, put them into business. We didn't seem to care when we saw our manufacturing going to poor countries and taking the jobs from our workers and a decent wage was denied the off shore workers. We were only looking at the low price. And, we didn't look at what it was doing to our communities, by taking away the small businesses, and full time work and benefits were denied Walmart employees.
Well now Walmart is all over America and many Americans are suffering.
A large corporation bears a responsibility of fair wages and benefits to it's employees and also a responsibility to the communities it affects. It cannot just be beholding to the shareholder.
We need major reforms , such as election reform, and these large corporations have the lobbyists, in Washington. My contention is, that if they get their lobbyists to help us, we will continue to buy from them.
If not, we (the consumer) put them into business, and we can take them out.