It’s time to ‘black out’ stores not meeting America’s standards of fairness and equality
- North Shore Democrats of Travis County
- Apr 29
- 2 min read
By Mike Killalea
Wondering whether boycotts are effective? Tesla is the poster child, and #TeslaTakedown participants cheer at the crash of its stock price and sales revenue, but check out Target, as well.
Boycotted for its abandonment of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs, Target is hurting.
Target’s stock price is down 60% from mid-2021 – a five-year low – and traffic is down significantly in all states but West Virginia.
For the week beginning March 31, Target's store traffic was down 7.9% year over year, according to the foot traffic software site Placer.ai. That was after a 43% increase in store visits in the previous 10 months leading up to December 2024.
Boycotts and strikes work, if we hang together. Expoect to see more actieve boycotts.
Here are some events to prepare for:
May 6 to 12: Amazon Boycott (the second event targeting the online retailer)
May 20 to 26: Walmart Boycott (the second time targeting the store)
June 3 to 9: Boycott of Target
June 24 to 30: McDonald's Boycott
July 4: Independence Day Boycott
What People Are Saying
John Schwarz, who founded the People's Union USA, in a video promoting the February 28 boycott: "For decades, they have told us that we are powerless, that we have no control, and that this system is too big, too strong, too unshakable. We are going to remind them who has the power. For one day, we turn it off. For one day, we shut it down. For one day, we remind them that this country does not belong to the elite, it belongs to the people, and this will work."
Activist organization We Are Somebody, on X, formerly Twitter, on April 14: "We are still boycotting Target due to them bending to bigotry by eroding their DEI programs. We are maintaining our boycott until they reinstate these programs. Target stock has gone down and their projections remain flat. DEI was good for business. Do the right thing."
Nina Turner, a senior fellow at The Institute on Race Power and Political Economy, The New School, New York, on X in February: "Boycotts are effective. Boycotts must have a demand. We are boycotting Target because they bent to bigotry. Target's foot traffic is down 10% since we called for a boycott. We will continue to boycott until our demands are met. We will keep organizing."
People's Union USA founder John Schwarz previously told Newsweek: "Our mission is simple. We want these corporations to start paying their fair share of taxes so the American people can finally be relieved of the burden of federal income tax.
"We're also calling for real equality, across the board, without question. This boycott is about showing them that we are the economy. We fund their success. And we can shift our money to local businesses or simply choose not to shop at all, anytime we want. If they want our dollars, they need to start respecting the people who keep them in business."
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