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Occupy targets retailers on Black Friday
The Occupy movement is taking on the biggest retail day of the season, calling on protesters to occupy major retailers on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.
"OCCUPY BLACK FRIDAY by occupying/boycotting large chain stores and publicly traded retail" is the message posted on the website stopblackfriday.com.
The movement contends that 1% of the country is making money at the expense of the other 99%.
"The credit cards the 99% overcharge will allow the 1% to enrich themselves gluttonously on the backs of hardworking people who simply want to provide a memorable time for their families," the website says.
"So just imagine what would happen to the 1% if the 99% did not spend on Black Friday."
The site asks protesters to target only "publicly traded large businesses" and support small businesses "that serve our local communities."
The site lists Abercrombie & Fitch, Amazon.com, AT&T Wireless, Burlington Coat Factory, Dick's Sporting Goods, Dollar Tree, The Home Depot, Neiman Marcus, Office Max, Toys "R" Us, Verizon Wireless and Wal-Mart as businesses that should be boycotted or occupied.
"We are NOT anti-capitalist, just anti-crapitalist," the site says.
Are you participating in an Occupy Black Friday protest? Send your iReport.
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Uhhh, what would happen to the 1 percent if the 99 percent spent their money responsibly and didn't overcharge their credit cards in the first place? No one group is at fault here people. If some want to spend their money on a few luxuries for the people they care about, and they can afford to do so, why should anyone stop them? This is getting really stupid, really quick.
lol...use them for target practice
These morons don't even know what black friday is. Here is a little lesson occupy morons, it is the day that most retailers are FINALLY in the black for the year and from this point forward actually make a profit. So in reality, they have about 5 weeks to make any profits. It is laugahble you try to compare a retail worker with a somewhat at a corporate level and somehow think they should paid similiarly. While I 'might' agree that many CEO's make too much, you cannot group all of the workers in the CORPORATE office into that. Perhaps if you worked above a minimum wage job you would understand everything in between a retail worker and the CEO. Here is a hint, there is everthing from executive secrataries, to IT staff, to Accounting staff, to cleaning staff, to Marketing staff, to Finance Staff, etc etc etc. It is not simply 'retail workers at the store' and the big bad terrible executives.
So essentially what you are doing affecting 99% of America who actually works instead of complaining that finding a job is tough. I'm sure they will join your cause (sarcasm) when profits are down and layoffs occur. That is one way to keep your movement going, the same movement that no longer gets coverage on CNN or MSNBC or any other outlet on a regular basis because even main stream media is getting tired of a NON-MESSAGE.
I....applaud you.
These OWS people love trying to tell you how you should live your life.
Kinda like republicans, huh.
The truth is they need to be told how to live theirs. from what i can see most of them have wasted theirs so far. One of the reason's people join movements like this is to give purpose to a purposeless life.
Kinda like democrats, huh.
Ok, so make a new day and call it like, black Saturday or something. That would really mess the occupy people up. I do not agree with OWS, tea party or the 50w/e%er's. None of them are doing anything to change anything or make anything better. The occupy people are just going to make people more uncomfortable on black friday. Its not going to stop anyone from shopping. Also, what about the children? People with kids are going to be out and about. None of the occupy people think about anything but themselves, from what I see. No different than anyone else trying to rip the country off.
This whole movement is idiotic. I work for a big corporation and you know what? I still struggle to pay my bills. Do you honestly believe that the people in the "1%" will be shopping at your local Wal-Mart or Target? Who will? That's right, the people who can't afford Christmas for their children WITHOUT black friday sales. So, by showing up and "protesting" the retailers, what are you actually doing aside from getting in the way? The occupy movement is a great idea, too bad great ideas need great minds to make it happen. Maybe they'd finally figure out that by harassing employees at department stores who make $8.00/hr or less, and harassing Tellers at a bank who make about the same, all they're doing is being an annoyance. You want to make change? Stop wasting your time "occupying". Get a job, support local business, and put your money back into the economy whenever you can. Until then, you'd better be out of my way when those doors open at 5 a.m.!!!!
one suggestion to you: READ
Vman: one suggestion to you: BATHE
kristy of course the 1% will not be at Target shopping like the rest of us BUT they own shares in Target, WalMart and the factories that make the products and she shipping companies that send them and the oil companies who keep the shipping companies going. The 1% makes money when we spend money we are their life blood. If the life blood is cut off then they feel the pinch just like we do.
J.O.B. stands for Just Over Broke......keep pushing.....that American Dream.
vman take your own advice.
Not to mention that their idiotic target (publicly traded companies) are the ones "owned" by the people – the shareholders are those of us responsible enough to invest in mutual funds, et al which are composed of stocks. Aside from the fact that the 99% has handed this "wealth" over to large companies for the service they provide by making the tangibles affordable to those in the 99% looking for instant gratification of getting their big screen TV long before they can actually afford it. They are their own problem. Perhaps a mass suicide would make their point?
Seriously, did you even read the article you just commented on? Idiot
The focus should be on cutting government waste that is hurting us. Billions that should be spent on OUR country go to other countries. Take care of this country FIRST. Stop handing out money to foreign countries – at least cut way back. Congress is only intent on filling their own pockets and enjoying the fruits of our tax dollars. Loopholes that allow them to make millions, while the ones who voted them in stand by and watch their lives go down the drain. Limit terms for these turkeys – lame career politicans have got to be cut off.
As an employee at a retail store, I fully support OWS in this and have privately encouraged my friends and family to boycott Black Friday shopping. Including where I work.
You see, I'm twenty-six and have a college degree (in IT, so I'm not exactly an English major with a useless degree) and a pile of student debt, yet the only job I can find (I apply for 10+ a day) is retail. I work thirty hours a week and make less than eight dollars an hour. I have no insurance, despite having a chronic illness (asthma, so I'm not exactly someone faking a fantasy diagnosis to get on disability– I just want to be able to get a prescription for a rescue inhaler!). My medical plan in the event of a serious incident? I'll have to go to the emergency room, then file for bankruptcy when the bill comes in. And this will only work once, so I'd better hope I only get sick once, ever. And to top it all off, being single with no children puts me (somehow) into the 33% tax bracket. I lose one-third of my tiny income (which is barely enough to put a leaking roof in an unsafe neighborhood over my head) every paycheck to that, and seeing as I have no children to claim as a tax credit I don't get most of what I pay in back, let alone government aid.
Shopping at my employer isn't going to get me more money or any benefits. It's all going into the shareholders' pockets. At this point, I want them to go under; at least then I can get some of the money I've already paid back as unemployment, for a little while. Not everyone in the 99% movement is a freeloader; some of us are already doing what holier-than-thou Baby Boomers proclaim they did, and we're still getting completely screwed over by the system. We can't win. I went to college in a field that was supposed to be useful, worked hard, and have never taken aid, but I still live in fear that I'll either have an asthma attack or be evicted from my terrible apartment or both.
Ruin these companies like they've ruined us.
Ellen,
considering the "only job you can find" is at a retail store, why would you want us to ruin that retailer? So you can sit at home and collect unemployment benefits?
I worked three part time retail jobs when I graduated college, then various temp jobs, then found a crappy full time job, used that to learn about the field my crappy job was in, and worked my way up from there. I now (at 32) make $80,000 a year (not rich but comfortable) because I worked hard every day at crappy jobs until I made my way into a good one.
And all with a "useless" degree in English.
I get your point, but my point is that you don't have to find a job in IT just because that's what your major was. Find a job as a receptionist, get paid decently, get medical insurance, and then work your way up to your "dream job".
You don't pay any taxes. If you make under $8/hr and you only work 30 hrs a week, you get it all back. But you would know that if your story was true. Your lying you don't have a degree or a job.
I once read an interview with the dean of the business college in a large public university. He was asked which major he recommends for success. His response: English. The process of comparing and contrasting ideas teaches analytical skills. As they say, they can teach employees how to make widgets and other concrete skills; they cannot teach employees how to communicate and analyze issues.
Finally, an intelligent comment from someone who knows the truth. Hopefully your situation will improve – hang in there, and don't give up hope.
This is the problem. People such as yourself that would rather be on unemployment than work hard. The company didn't ruin you, nor did any other company. You are in charge of your own success and your own failure and until you and other OWS supporters begin to take responsibility for their own actions, nothing will be solved or fixed. I messed up and racked up a nice chunk of debt due to student loans and that was my doing and mine alone. I have an amazing high paying job right now because I did MORE than simply fill out applications: I networked and met the right people. There is no reason you or anyone else can't get a job other than you are simply not trying hard enough.
Elllen–English degrees are not useless and are in fact quite versatile. Major strengths of an English major include enhanced critical thinking skills, strong written communication skills, and strong oral communication skills; these are strengths that tend to be lacking in college grads these days, thus putting the English major at an advantage. I know plenty of people who have degrees in the liberal arts who are doing very well for themselves–even in a bad economy.
Ellen,
I'm sorry times are tough for you right now, but you are delusional. I graduated in 2009 with a "useless liberal arts degree" and make 17 dollars an hour working for an industry leading corporation. So don't think somehow an IT degree is more useful than an english or liberal arts degree. Go work on your skills in analysis and maybe you'll make more than 8/hour. Also, if you only make 8 per hour, chances are you qualify for medical assistance. I qualify for medical assistance, but I don't use or need it. If i do, you must. One last thing, you are NOT in a 30+ percent tax bracket (wow i can't believe you even said that) and if you are making 8 dollars an hour you will get most of your taxes back in the spring.
You are a perfect picture of an OWS supporter. Whine and complain, make excuses, stretch the truth, and use little or no thought.
IT. like information technology? there arr TONS of jobs in that field. maybe not where you live. but i see lots of them out there. relocate. that what i plan to do when i get my degree. see i work IT now ( no degree ) and going for something else.
Thanx for supporting Occupy. If you're able to and you're interesting in the details of how big business and big money, which includes the 1%, are doing this to you and the rest of the 99%, and don't already know, see, "Capitalism Hits the Fan", by Prof. of Economics, Richard Wolff, PhD, which is a video available on youtube; the Professor doesn't begin his pretty dry, but extremely informative 1:45 talk until after the 7 minute introduction. "Zeitgeist: Addendum" is also very good, but more flashy. And incidentally, it is the board of directors that gets to decide how to use ALL of the surplus and profits from a corporation; stockholders have ZERO claim on ANY money from the board. It's a common misconception to believe that the board of directors owes anything, whatsoever, to any stockholders, at all; they do tend to grease the top stockholders since it is they that choose the board (unless they are the board), but that is the only thing that any stockholders can get. There are all sorts of huge corporations that have been around forever that have never paid a cent to any stockholders at all...because they are not obligated to do so. The only thing that the pieces of paper called stock are worth, are solely what you can get for them if you can find someone to buy them...that's it. Dividends are always at the discretion of the board, and since that means less money for them, then they don't bother unless they want to get some capital together. THUS, most of the profits go solely to the board of directors, which, on average is about 10-20 people, who are selected by the top stockholders, which, again, average about 10-20 people and can also be board members. So all of that money in profit, which doesn't happen without all of you employees, and all of you customers, and all of you tax payers that maintain a government, is going to...drum roll...the boards of directors...about 10-20 people per corporation š Good luck to you in getting a decent job worthy of your education and expense.
Ellen, have you considered suicide?
I know money is tight, but you can probably find some rope in a dumpster. Tieing a proper knot might be beyond your abilities though.
I'd recommend filling your pockets with rocks and jumping off a bridge, but someone useful might see you go in and feel compelled to risk their life to go in after you, so I guess that's out.
Maybe there's a tall parking garage in your neighborhood? Try not to land on anyone's car, even if it's an expensive foreign one that might belong to some rich jerk who's just bound to have been exploiting you in some fashion.
Or maybe you should just stop whining so damn much?
Hey OWS, how about focusing on something! Term Limits, Make PAC illegal, kill the idea of "corporation is a person" Get into something real and maybe you can change the world.
The capricious actions of the movement will hurt the hourly workers at these companies. Think about ways that will bring needed change instead of knee jerk reactions.
Just because one can Occupy doesn't mean that one should...
also doesn't mean that one shouldn't
And just because one doesn't occupy, doesn't mean they shouldn't
There are 2 sides to every coin.
AT SOME POINT, WE, AS AMERICANS, ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GO OUT AND WHOOP THEIR A$$ES REAL BAD!!! THESE DEMOCRATS CAN NOT BE TOLERATED ANY LONGER. 200 METH HEAD COMMUNISTS DON'T REPRESENT THE 99%.
Caps lock is cruise control for stupid.
It's true. The occupiers do not speak for me! A successful Black Friday is what this economy needs to get back on track. They are just too stupid to understand it.
ONCE AGAIN! A LIBERAL PROVES HIS INTELLECTUAL CAPABILITY WITH A PERSONAL INSULT RATHER THAN TRYING TO DEBATE THE ISSUE. HAHA! YOU DEMOCRATS ARE SO WEAK!
I WISH THEY'D TRY TO OCCUPY ME. I'D WHOOP THEIR A$$ES!
Typical of a right-winger to want to resort to "whooping asses" too. I suppose you think that pepper-spraying of students incident in CA was justified too.
So if the OWS pukes are going to be busy protesting, who's going to shop at Old Navy...lol...
i agree with a few points made by the movement but whats next occupy my living room for spending hard earned money trying to get a TV that i wont afford any other day of the year?
I don't support the occupy movement, T-bags, republicans or the Obama socialism club. There is no way I'll be out in that feeding frenzy. I do support my fellow American's jobs by trying to buy American made products. (getting harder to do) Look and see where the products were made that are being sold by the underpaid employees of these retailers. Lots of people can't afford to have a happy holiday season because Americans are killing, pushing, and shoving each other to spend money on products made overseas. Don't blame politicians and don't blame the companies for what the American public did. YOU BOUGHT THE CHEEP IMPORTS, live with the results and quit crying and pointing fingers. Yes, I am talking to you! That is where unemployment here comes from. It happens when people quit buying products a company makes and they have lay-offs.
For America's financial wows, I blame the citizens that would not buy American made products.
The people of this country made their own bed......well...you know the rest...
Hint OWS: Congress does not meet at Macy's this Friday!
Doesn't do any good to protest Congress. They are already bought. Have to protest at the source of the corruption – the corporations and the wealthiest 1% who can afford to buy their own politicians.