Stop Black Friday?

Madness. (Image courtesy SheFinds.com)

So my old boss, who ironically is a manager in a retail store, sent me the link to Stop Black Friday. While I haven't spent too much time on the site, I took a quick look at it and I'm just flabbergasted at people's ignorance of the way big businesses operate.

Exactly like my feelings about the Occupy Wall Street Movement, I completely understand people's desire to boycott the big box stores. And for the most part, their logic behind the movement is sound. However, they are waging war without understanding the enemy well enough.

Yes, boycotting a store during the time they will make the most sales and pull in the most money will affect their bottom line. If the public can prevent a company from coming out of the red, that company will stand up and take notice. However, they will also fight back. See, what most people don't realize is that these corporations run by the 1% do not run businesses the way the government runs the public sector. The private sector will not maintain a losing status quo.

Scratch that. The private sector will not maintain a status quo that's even perceived as possibly losing. If there is even a hint that a business model will lose money, then the corporation will react. So if the public decides to boycott Walmart or Target or any of the others, who do you think will really suffer?

Their employees.

If Black Friday does not prove to be profitable, the lay-offs begin. People will start losing their jobs. And if that doesn't help to recoup the lost revenue from a shitty holiday season, then the corporation will look for other ways to cut costs. Like freeze cost-of-living wage increases, so employees won't even be getting their meager 15¢ per hour raise. Then they will pull whatever other benefits the employees get, like a retirement fund or a 401K match. Yes, some retail establishments do offer these perks. Or at least they did up until the economic downturn of a few years ago. And those that still do will stop.

I've been through all of this. I've worked for a company that took away raises and benefits. I went through it all, even getting laid off. What's more, a year after I lost my job, the company closed down the location I worked in, putting everyone in the store out of work.

You want to organize your boycotts of big business, go ahead. I won't stop you; I'm not even mad at you. However, when your plans don't go the way you want, and people you know begin losing their jobs, then you really can't blame the big businesses. They're only doing what you are doing; trying to survive.

Is it right? Not at all. Do I have any better ideas? No. But I do know that attacking the people that control so many jobs is not the best way to go. My recommendation would be to reduce the number of taxes these corporate and industrial entities pay, and to provide incentives to bring jobs back to America. I know that I'll be flamed for the idea that these businesses should pay less taxes, but I realize that one of the few ways to turn around our economic instability is to inflate the job market. We won't get that if we chase these companies away.

Face it. The Waltons can close down every single Walmart store worldwide, cease production of all goods and services, and still live like kings off of what they've already made. But where does that leave the millions of people they employ? In the lurch, fighting for the minute number of jobs that are available.

Should we still Stop Black Friday?