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Indybay Feature

Sheep Herd Jams Union Square Area on Buy Everything Day (12 photos)

by B. Marsh (subbrian3 [at] yahoo.com)
12 photos followed by text (496K)...
sheepshopsf.jpg
___

On the busiest shopping day of the year a herd of consumer sheep
crowded into the Union Square area, bleating “baah...buuy moore
stuuff” and “sweeeatshop”.

Signs carried by the sheep read:
United We $pend - Don’t worry - buy happy
Global Justice is the only national security
America - Open For Mindless Consumption
America - Open For Immoral Capitalism

Lady Liberty accompanied the herd as she handed out Christmas
Gift Exemption Vouchers:
http://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/bnd/toolbox/voucher.html

The herd was tailed by SFPD’s elite Shopping Enforcement Squad.
As the herd meandered on crowded sidewalks SFPD officers
preemptively blocked access to major retail establishments.

Later, a smaller herd made its way to the Constitutional Rights-free
public/private space of the Mall.
Starting at Nordstrom on the top floors of the San Francisco
Shopping Centre, the bleating sheep took the circular escalators in
the central atrium down several floors before men in suits began
talking into their sleeves. The herd was escorted out by nervous,
underpaid, security guards as they took the escalators down the
last few floors.

On the street a person walking by the herd said “This is great - I
thought irony was dead!”
In front of the GAP, as the sheep bleated “buuy moore stuuff”,
a shopper asked, “What’s this about? You’re protesting the Gap
using wool in their clothes or something?”
___

For information on Buy Nothing Day go to Adbusters:
http://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/bnd/

> Consumerism <
___

Street Theater - Sheep Herd hits SF stores for Buy Everything Day!
2nd Annual Convergence of the Consumer Herd
A Buy Nothing Day celebration

November 23, 2001

Union Square Area with an excursion to Nordstrom
and the San Francisco Shopping Center, Market St.
San Francisco, CA USA
___
Hats Off to those who formed, created and pulled off the Sheep Demonstration! When the going gets rough,'turn up the heat' with even 'more' creative statements. Bring 'mirrors' to hold up in the face of shapeshifting officials of 'any' persuasion. 'Reflective Mylar' constructed in a frame for this.
Stage a few minute complete strip of all clothes. Get down big time and in their face with peaceful and (highly) creative forms of 'art' that will dazzle even the conservatives! Super! super and wonderful is the work of these people who care! Thanks to 'each' and every one of you involved!
May the public worldwide from now on be informed by this most 'wonderful' and highly significant work of Living 'Art'!












Thanks to your website, two common men started a discussion. Here is what follows (please keep in mind freedom of speech is great thing to have in the USA):
darkduskx: whacha talking bout
bea_dennis: http://www.indybay.org/2001/11/110836.php
darkduskx: whatcha think?
bea_dennis: they're nuts
darkduskx: well..
bea_dennis: we need debi here...
darkduskx: i think they mean while others countries are getting shit for their products..
darkduskx: and can't make a living..
darkduskx: the threat of terrorism is always there..
bea_dennis: it's not our responsibility... we help when we can...
bea_dennis: i didn't see them wearing burlap sacks or anything, so they seem like they are better off than others..
bea_dennis: it's very hypocritical of them, in that regard...
darkduskx: well if you buy from an Indian manufacturer that is using children as slaves..
darkduskx: you are helping the injustice..
darkduskx: that is a good point..
darkduskx: they could have dressed down..
darkduskx: if they really wanted to make a point..
bea_dennis: well, first off, if you don't like the fact of where they got their labor from, don't buy from them... but, the reality is that most people don't give a damn...
bea_dennis: but, they would still go back home and get into their clothes for their friday night party...
darkduskx: i think that's what they are trying to tell ppl..
darkduskx: hehehe
bea_dennis: i wonder how many of them go shopping for themselves on a regular basis?
darkduskx: you should reply to that website..
darkduskx: you got a good point..
bea_dennis: that's why i say their a bunch of idiots...
darkduskx: but two wrongs still don't make a right..
bea_dennis: they have these high idealistics that they want everyone to follow, but in reality, they can't even follow...
darkduskx: that is a more realistic point..
bea_dennis: and, they haven't thought it through as to what would happen in america if everyone did as they said...
darkduskx: i think everything would go up in prices..
bea_dennis: if everyone this year, or even a large chunk of people, didn't go holiday shopping, we would have millions of new homeless people...
darkduskx: since everyone would be paid more fairly..
darkduskx: but..
bea_dennis: people that work in stores... and factories... and then there is the food industry... remember the food courts? and then that effects the farmers, and then we start having bigger issues from there...
darkduskx: if Nike which makes $60 for a shoe that costs $0.60 to make lets go of some of its profits..
darkduskx: then the american consumer should see no effect..
bea_dennis: it might cost them .60, but then they have to pay people to manage the logistics of getting that shoe to the store...
bea_dennis: and advertising...
bea_dennis: and research and design...
bea_dennis: and accounting...
darkduskx: for a shoe?
darkduskx: it shouldn't be that hard..
bea_dennis: and so on... it's much more than .60 for a pair of shoes
bea_dennis: you make and sell millions of shoes in a year, and let me know how easy it is...
darkduskx: yeah ..
darkduskx: just put in online..
darkduskx: hehehe
darkduskx: like the commercial..
darkduskx: and see the sells roll..
bea_dennis: in 20 years, these people will have families, and jobs, and so on... and then, their idealistic views will be gone...
darkduskx: that's the sad part..
bea_dennis: it's easy to form views of the world when you don't have the whole picture...
darkduskx: we drop any high ideals at the frightful face of reality..
bea_dennis: that's the sad part...
bea_dennis: reality dictates what we do... ideals are a goal
darkduskx: it takes a strong person to stay with ideals in the midst of reality
bea_dennis: but, ideals should never be confused with reality...
darkduskx: but that is the problem with the world..
bea_dennis: if they really wanted to change the world, they could do what others have done... work through life, and donate to the charities that are working to change the world...
bea_dennis: carrying protest signs through SF isn't going to change the world...
darkduskx: ideals should never be confused with reality? you shoudn't say that to the founding fathers then..
darkduskx: hehehe
bea_dennis: they we're in reality... they did what they could realistically do to change the world...
darkduskx: i think they are trying to change ideas..
darkduskx: which if the pen is mightier than the sword.. it may work.
bea_dennis: but, if you're not in a position where you can make change, than you are not being realistic in trying to change the world...
bea_dennis: well, to be honest, a well written article in the paper would have a much better affect on people's mindset than a bunch of college students dressed up as sheep running through SF...
darkduskx: each person has to determine what is his/her threshold of ideals vs. reality
darkduskx: rappers are extremely into reality...maybe that's why they have followers..
bea_dennis: but, that would take much more effort... it's hard to write those words down in a concise article... it's easy to look like a fool with some catchy phrases on a piece of cardboard, running though a street...
darkduskx: they just talk about money and sex...without ideals
bea_dennis: rappers? they might have been in that reality before, but i don't think the life of a rapper is a reasonable reality for most people...
bea_dennis: anyway...
darkduskx: because most ppl have ideals..
darkduskx: :)
by anti-sheep
so, you figured out why boycotts aren't effective... good job. most activists i know realized this long ago. the reason people don't care is that they don't know. and if they do know and they still don't care, well then. we have to think of some way to stop the subsidization of american consumer demand by other people's exploitation. it is the perfect metaphor for what is wrong with capitalism ... consumers and slaves are both necessary components of a system that makes no sense. why should we throw away tons of food each day in order to keep in place a system wherein it is guaranteed that in order for there to be people desperate enough to work those shit jobs, they must be as closer to starvation. it is stupid, illogical, unfair, repressive, etc. and that's what this is all about. putting an end to it.
by dude (dude [at] dude.com)
<i>so, you figured out why boycotts aren't effective... good job. most activists i know realized this long ago. the reason people don't care is that they don't know. and if they do know and they still don't care, well then. we have to think of some way to stop the subsidization of american consumer demand by other people's exploitation. it is the perfect metaphor for what is wrong with capitalism ... consumers and slaves are both necessary components of a system that makes no sense. why should we throw away tons of food each day in order to keep in place a system wherein it is guaranteed that in order for there to be people desperate enough to work those shit jobs, they must be as closer to starvation. it is stupid, illogical, unfair, repressive, etc. and that's what this is all about. putting an end to it.</i>

I have a question -- what do you propose putting in it's place?

What kind of incentive do you provide for people to contribute?

I agree, what we have doesn't make sense, but we've already seen what Communism has done. Captialism has survived because, in the end, it works. Come up with something better, and the world will bow before you. Good luck.
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