#occupymlkday?

When I saw Gap’s advertisement I closed my eyes and disturbing images began to flood my mind (art historians are the keepers of the pictures…)   Maybe I should be excited that MLK Day is being exploited as a shopping holiday just like President’s Day or Labor Day. Now there is true equality in corporate opportunism, at least.  

What are we opening the door to?  I see this scenario going a couple of ways:

People of all colors and creeds could get ripped off for overpriced and poor-quality merchandise side by side, shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand in perfect harmony...*

...as they contemplate the days when it was not possible for African Americans to even try on clothes in a department store (if they were even allowed in the store at all).

I hope that as consumers walk the aisles side by side they remember the multitudes who marched in front of segregated establishments and braved police brutality unarmed. Perhaps there could be a moment of silence at the cash registers. 

These sales must be stopped or we run the risk of losing the memory of MLK’s accomplishments and their legacy for worthless trinkets. #

Oh wait…

* http://independentfilmnewsandmedia.com/chaos-stores-u-s-thousands-shoppers-scramble-nike-air-jordans/   "Brawl over Jordans: Arrests, pepper spray, gunshots, brawls and doors pulled off hinges” December 12, 2012
# http://functionalshmunctional.blogspot.com/2010/11/black-friday-crazin

The Heart of the (Gray) Matter: The Aftermath of Black Friday

The Buyological Urge, Adbusters Media Foundation

Various media outlets offered compelling calls to action for consumers to avoid materialism and encourage a level of consciousness on black Friday that would keep consumers aware of the SHAMELESS banking fiascoes, the unemployment rates, and continuing home foreclosures. This consciousness was personal for me because my sister “occupied” a banking district of a major city. She shared some humiliating experiences that involved name calling. I know that I would not have been able to endure her experience. Therefore I could not rationalize occupying the Target parking lot for the sake of consumerism. This quote from the Huffington Post sums it up: “Only in America would we violently trample each other to get the best deal less than 24 hours after giving thanks for what we already have” (Jordan Zakarin).

But some good things came out of all of this consciousness (sadly the new buzz word/commodity)—an awareness that I hope will last beyond Kwanzaa and into 2012:

• An article, “5 Good Reasons To Buy Nothing & Avoid Holiday Shopping Completely” Black Enterprise
• I was elated to see this list of AfAm artists on Etsy recognized in the Huffington Post, bringing awareness to some of talent in our community!