Forum Post: Occupy Xmas. Buy American.
Posted 12 years ago on Dec. 20, 2011, 5:54 a.m. EST by TheScreamingHead
(239)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
Occupy Christmas this season by buying American and buying small. Stay away from corporations like Wal-Mart that treat their employees like crap and take your money just to give it to politicians who hate you.
My husband decided to organize his closet last weekend and was so shocked to discover the cheap clothing made in China that he decided to rid his closet and our home of similar items. He examined everything in our house...furniture, tools, etc...and discovered too much to mention. I've been on the ' buy American, support small business' philosophy for years and I have not shopped at a Walmart since 1998. But, for some reason his revelation this weekend really created a movement within him and I think he and I are on the same page now :D I think it's because I bought a beautiful old antique dresser made in America and he realized how truly good it felt to have a piece of furniture that was made of real wood and that had lasting character and value. He also discovered that the clothes he purchased 20 years ago looked better than the ones he got last Christmas so he made a pile of all his ' new' clothes to give aways. SO, the long and short of this is that we filled our truck ( several times) full of the ' junk' and took it to the Good Will store. Then, we went to the local antique stores and replaced some of our furniture, dishes, glassware, etc.. with valuable, quality-made items for a fraction of what it would have cost to buy junk at Walmart or World Market or those other trendy stores. I can't even begin to tell you the change it has created in us as well as our home! We truly feel as if we are living in a home, not a house full of material junk. Our home feels warm, it's beautiful and we feel good about knowing that we have filled out home with value and supported small businesses. What we purchased this weekend will last for another hundred years or more. Granted, we cannot completely escape cheap goods all at once. But, the market for antiques ( that actually have value) is a good one and the prices are down right now due to the economy. There's nothing wrong with giving someone a really nice set of antique glasses or even books for Christmas. I found ( and purchased) a leather bound magazine of " Natural History' from 1945 for only 10 dollars! WHat a great gift for a history buff or even a Biologist ( like myself :D ). I found all sorts of beautiful handmade linens from Ireland, Germany and Scandinavia. Even a nice dish set of antique china can be found for around 65.00 and I guarantee you would pay about 300 or more for that same set made by slave labor in China today.
Always attempt to make a sustainable and ethical choice by shopping in small businesses, farmer's markets, fair trade stores. We vote with our dollars every time we make a purchase.
I particularly agree with the last paragraph. We can own stuff, or stuff can own us.(guilty)
Absolutely, Gillian.
Also, if you can not physically Occupy a big store, Occupy the Facebook pages and the websites of these businesses. Visit http://occupyxmas.net for the blacklist
Thanks for the link! I wasn't aware of the occupy xmas site. Oh uggh. When I saw the list, my stomach turned. I can honestly say that I don't shop at any of those stores which I feel good about. Sometimes it takes just one thing to alter our attitudes and behaviors in this world. For me, it was a news program about how Burlington Coat Factory acquired the fur on their coats. The story was so upsetting that I cannot even find it in my being to search for a link to that news program. But, they showed a beautiful dog being skinned by a vietnamese man and the dog was wagging it's tail. I've never forgotten that image and as traumatic as that was for me, I'm glad I don't forget it because it truly changed the way I shop and that was many moons ago.
Apple computer = 100% made in China. Walmart = 80% products from China. When are we going to see a boycott of the iPhone/ iPad/ iEtc ?
But walmart has such great deals.
Great deals are definitely outweighed by higher taxes and tariffs that'll get passed through Wal-Mart contributions to politicians that hate you.
http://occupyxmas.net
Shop local. Support businesses that support your immediate community. That is the only responsible way to keep the highest tax bites down, local and state taxes.