Rev Billy Visits SF Before Buy Nothing Day Action

Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping want you to do more Not-Buying the Day After Thanksgiving than you do the entire rest of the year. They want you to get up at 5 am and find all the early-bird, Not-Buying opportunities you can.

On 11/21 Reverend Billy will speak at Modern Times Books in the Mission District about his new manifesto "What Should I Do if Reverend Billy is in My Store," along with his plans to celebrate Buy Nothing Day, the largest Not-Buying Day of the Year. This year’s Buy Nothing Day celebration is doubly special, as Reverend Billy will travel through the night to preside over Buy Nothing Day UK, which is exactly the same as ours, only celebrants will Not-Buy using the Metric System.

As P-Diddy and Wal-Mart face accusations of labor abuse, the Reverend has a grand message: “Children. American Consumerism is funny, because it’s an addiction, but it’s sad, because it kills people who don’t rush to buy. Now, at the High Holy Day of the Stop Shopping Church, let us insert into the mono-mind this idea: SAVE YOUR SOUL! STOP SHOPPING!”

The theme for Buy Nothing Day 2003 is co-operation. Activists from all over NYC will assist the Church in Retail Interventions, theatrical disruptions inside stores intended to disrupt the flow of dollars and credit card orders. Themes range from the corporate takeover of everyday life to the sweatshops that produce throw-away knickknacks.

Modern Times Bookstore in the Mission District
888 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
11/28 7:30pm

(Reverend Billy is the creation of actor Bill Talen. The New Press will release his book, “What Should I Do If Reverend Billy is in My Store?” on Buy Nothing Day, but don’t buy it then. Seriously. Just wait a couple days. It will still be there.)