Health and Diet Scottish Recipes Ferret for Ferrets


[pf] Report of Andersen Family "Buy Nothing Day" Street Demonstration Action
by John Andersen
25 November 2000 02:44 UTC

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This afternoon we joined a group of around 20 other demonstrators outside
Portland's downtown Banana Republic store (adjacent to Pioneer Courthouse
Square).

 Kory (8) carried a sign protesting the sale of animal fur.  Heidi (10)
created her own slogans and signs on the spot.  Two of her slogans were:
"What is it with these holidays?  They make the shopping virus spread," and
"Live long and prosper, but don't live your life out shopping!"

In order to attract more attention to her work, she climbed up on a lamppost
and held her sign high for all to see.  One of the mounted police saw and
rode over to order Heidi to come down.  That was our closest brush with the
law.

Kory, wearing his camoulflage trousers, was easily the most vocal of all the
demonstrators.  He walked back and forth with his sign in hand yelling (he's
an expert at that) "Buy Nothing Day, Buy Nothing Day, Buy Nothing Day."

The others in the group loved seeing Heidi and Kory take such an active role
in the demonstration.  I was both surprised and impressed with their
complete lack of shyness and self-consciousness.  Hopefully neither of those
things will kick in as they get older.

My contribution was recruiting several other demonstrators to sing
anti-consumerism carols.  We did three:  "Welcome to Consumer Wonderland" to
the tune of "Winter Wonderland, "Profits here, profits there, profits
everywhere" to the tune of "Jingle Bells," and "Slow down ye frantic
shoppers for there's something we must say" to the tune of "God Rest Ye
Merry Gentlemen.  There is a website which has the lyrics to all three of
these plus several other anti-consumerism carols.  You can find it at:
http://web.archive.org/web/20010926082204/http://www.newdream.org/commerc/songs.html

On the way home, both children asked when we'd be able to do that sort of
thing again.  They loved it.  For the three of us, this was our very first
street demonstration.

So, we're all looking forward to Buy Nothing Day 2001.  If you're in the
Portland area, why not join us next year.  The more the merrier.  A bunch of
young families among the demonstrators could send a powerful message to the
public; a message which needs to be heard.

John Andersen