Economic Blackout? Remember who the real enemy is...

It seems like the country is waking up to the negative impacts that concentrated wealth and power can have on our lives and communities. Over the past month, we started to see coordinated action on the part of regular folks to send a message to our country's leadership that we too have power--the power of our consumer dollars. Protests against Tesla has prompted many to rethink Tesla ownership and send its stock price tumbling. Protesters have also responded to the anti-DEI actions of major retailers like Target and Amazon by boycotting these stores. And today is the first of what will likely be many "economic blackouts" nationwide--days that we are asked as good citizens and supporters of democracy to withhold our consumer power and not buy anything for 24 hours. And even though such actions don't often lead to meaningful change, I never say never, and I love the feeling that "the beast" (us) is finally waking up.

And yes--there's a "but." BUT. As activists we need to always keep focus on who the target of the action actually is. We need to consider the downstream impacts of our actions, and understand just how interconnected our economic system is. We need to "read the fine print," as it were, before embarking on any action. The organizer of this action states that the blackout makes an exception for buying "essentials of absolutely necessary" — like medicine, food or emergency supplies — but urges consumers to make those purchases at small, local businesses.

As a small businees manager and member-owner of the Co-op, I urge you to consider spending money--cash, if you can--at the Co-op today. You may think that just deferring your Co-op shop for one day won't harm the Co-op, but remember that we are struggling to maintain a healthy cashflow, struggling to pay our (largely local) vendors, and obligated to keep the lights on and pay payroll whether you come in or not. One night of a zero dollar deposit has knock-on effects for weeks afterwards, as anyone who has looked at our bank account shortly after a "snow day" can attest.

Consider what Main Street would look like with even fewer of the businesses than we have here today, and remember who the real enemy is. Shop local. Always.