Wondering how to fight fascism funded by corporate greed? Simple. Don’t feed the beast. Withholding unnecessary spending is a powerful form of resistance against today’s robber barons, the American oligarchs currently participating in Grand Theft Government.
This Friday, February 28, is a nationwide economic boycott. Starting at 12am and running for a full 24 hours, this protest encourages supporters of representative democracy and accountability to refrain from making ANY purchases in person or online, especially from large corporations that have supported the current assault on government services and have removed diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives from their missions.
This February 28 shopping blackout will highlight the influence that consumers have over the economy and push for reforms to address economic disparities. By collectively pausing spending, we will send messages to large corporations and policymakers about the need for more equitable and humane economic practices.
Plan on purchasing any essentials BEFORE February 28 and, if you need anything that day, avoid big retailers like Amazon (which also owns Whole Foods), Walmart, Best Buy, Adolph Coors (Joseph Coors was a co-founder of the Heritage Foundation, creator of Project 2025) and Target, plus in other sectors like fast food and gasoline, to make a significant economic impact. Don’t use credit or debit cards either. If you need food, medicine or emergency essentials, only shop at small, local businesses and use cash.
And if you can withhold your hard-earned savings for one day, then see if you can limit your purchases over the next four years to protest the daily horrors perpetrated by this administration. Don’t buy large, durable goods, especially since they’ll likely soon be unaffordable due to tariffs.
History tells us that economic protests work, from the Montgomery Bus Boycott to the recent Black-led Target boycott, which cost the Minnesota-based conglomerate millions and caused stockholders to sue due to the bullseye company’s unenlightened miscalculation.
Make a statement on Friday, February 28 by hitting the top 1% with the only metric they seem to acknowledge: money. And frankly, consider NEVER shopping at stores that don’t align with your humanist values again. Make a plan to readjust future shopping patterns to not further line the pockets of unelected billionaires. Here are some suggestions to support local businesses after February 28 and beyond:
- Books. Amazon started as a bookseller, so get your book fix for free at Chicago Public Libraries (which also offer cool reading spots and free video rentals). Library usage can also increase community economic vitality so make sure to get a library card. Visit or create a Free Little Library in the neighborhood. Chicago also offers an amazing array of locally owned bookstores. Plan to visit all the outlets on Milwaukee Avenue alone! Squirrel away your top ten favorite banned books in case we enter Fahrenheit 451 territory. Then read your book(s) at a Silent Book Club event and delight in thwarting Christofascist book-banners (and become a living library worthy of Guy Montag).
- Food. Farmers market season is coming, so plan on supporting your regional growers with some delicious farm-to-table offerings (nutritious plus a lower carbon footprint as a locavore). Consider subscribing to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box and have seasonal produce delivered or picked up weekly. Clean out your pantry and donate to your local food bank.
- Reduce, recycle, reuse. Implement the February 28 economic blackout as a motivational kick-off to slow your capitalist cravings. Avoid fast (and often fascist) fashion, with all its environmental and humanitarian impacts, and thrift instead. Support artisans locally at events like the Handmade Market or online at Etsy. Shop locally at independent stores to keep dollars in your neighborhood. Most areas have listing guides, like in Northalsted or the Loop, and lists also exist for Indigenous, LGBTQ+, female, veteran, AAPI and BIPOC creators and businesses, such as this Black Business Guide.
- Donate and barter. I frequently use Next Door to give away items (recently, hundreds of hangers and parts of an old closet system) or find what you need for free (some banker’s boxes for me). Feels less data-harvesting than Facebook Marketplace (also avoid Meta products when possible. Signal is a more encrypted messaging app, especially between iPhones and Androids). Also, download and use the Buy Nothing app.
- Shop at home. You might already have what you need, or something you can repurpose, in the back of your closet or garage.
Wanna do something? Buy nothing. Boycott big businesses on February 28 and beyond. Making your financial voice heard to save democracy is more valuable than two-day shipping. Dr. Maya Angelou famously said, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time,” so if a company has revealed weak morals and capitulates to authoritarianism, take your precious dollars elsewhere. Don't obey in advance and continue to vote with your wallet. The Montgomery Bus Boycott took 13 months but brought the city to its knees. Another quote concurs: “The power of the people is much stronger than the people in power.”