Ferguson protesters, angry at the decision not to indict police officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown, are asking people not to bargain-shop on “Black Friday” in the hope that not shopping will change public policy.
Here’s “Gray’s Anatomy” star Jesse Williams, for example, asking his 800,000+ followers on Twitter to stay home on Friday and explaining the link between shopping and police shootings:
My fellow New Yorkers: Get some fresh air this #BlackFriday w/ @MillionHoodies & the rest of the Love Movement. pic.twitter.com/JaNQK89wLr
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) November 27, 2014
Recognize the stranglehold that corporate money has on the neck of public policy, including the levers of [in]justice. #BlackoutBlackFriday
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) November 25, 2014
OK then.
Although Williams’s hashtag ins’t trending this morning, the related #NotOneDime is … along with major retailers advertising their Black Friday deals:
The protesters really think their hashtag activism will influence Americans to think more about what happened in Ferguson and with what’s happening across the country:
The Montgomery Bus Boycott wasn't comfortable. Walked everywhere for months in unity. You can't not shop for one day in unity? #NotOneDime
— Ayanna E. Jackson – Career Coach (@ayanna313) November 28, 2014
Something has to change this #BlackFriday. Don't buy anything. Stand in solidarity with your brothers & sisters. #BlackoutBlackFriday
— Shree ✊?❤️?? (@shreec) November 28, 2014
Recommended
I will not spend any money today!!!#NotOneDime
— Michelle (@MRSSEXYONE) November 28, 2014
Words and feelings are nothing without action. Stand… #BlackoutBlackFriday #NotOneDime
— JD Armelin (@JDArmelin) November 28, 2014
A shopping boycott today and weekend. Use the hashtags #BlackOutBlackFriday and #NotOneDime. Let's take up the… http://t.co/Z4cj768z6O
— George X Muhammad (@GeorgeXMuhammad) November 28, 2014
There are already reports out, however, that not only are people shopping, but they’re shopping a lot:
Bargain hunting has always been insane. Super @theretronaut photo spread. http://t.co/oVe7F6Fpz7 #BlackFriday pic.twitter.com/tFdFiseAML
— Jim Roberts (@nycjim) November 28, 2014
#BlackFriday is here. We've got LIVE coverage off the biggest shopping day of the year: http://t.co/psgQNsXhAB pic.twitter.com/BboHW2362G
— Reuters (@Reuters) November 28, 2014
#BlackFriday brings bargains, chaos and brawls | http://t.co/JsghepiWeN
— Fox News Video (@foxnewsvideo) November 28, 2014
Watch: record crowd shops Macy's Herald Square, the largest dept store in the world http://t.co/thhico8QWL #BlackFriday This was nuts to see
— Hadley Malcolm (@hadleypdxdc) November 28, 2014
This comes on the heels of another spectacular failure of over-hyped hashtag activism from yesterday, #StopTheParade, where protesters were hoping to disrupt the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in an effort to get Americans to focus on Ferguson:
Why Stopping The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (#stoptheparade) Ultimately Failed. http://t.co/8gVELpJEAB #life
— Life Agent (@Life_Agent) November 27, 2014
Spoiler alert for SJWs on the west coast: they didn't #stoptheparade.
— Jimmy (@JimmyPrinceton) November 27, 2014
Even Mayor De Blasio knows you don't eff w/ the @Macys parade. LOL!! #StoptheParade
— Queen ?? SCIF (@LaReinaCreole) November 27, 2014
And the most iconic picture from #StopTheParade was this Photoshop:
via @NaomiAKlein #stoptheparade pic.twitter.com/2UYhGpix5u
— #OccupyWallStreet & #CLOSErikers with #NoNewJails (@OccupyWallStNYC) November 27, 2014
Not just a fail, but an epic fail on the national stage.
Related:
Twitchy coverage of Ferguson here.