Woke Activists Declare Economic War With Feb 28th “Retail Blackout” Initiatives–Investors Beware?

In the latest edition of America Weaponizing Its Wallet, consumers are planning a nationwide spending blackout on February 28 to protest companies backpedaling on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives—a move that’s been accelerated by Teflon Don’s executive orders targeting DEI programs in both government and the private sector.

(Source: Giphy) 

Now whether you agree with the EO’s or not, the idea is pretty much as simple as it gets: Don’t spend a single cent—no Amazon splurges, no Walmart runs, no Best Buy impulse buys. Not even gas or fast food. If you absolutely have to buy something, organizers insist you refrain your members at all costs. 

For more context, the movement, which has been gaining traction across social media, is being pushed by The People's Union USA, along with activists like Instagram user "TheOneCalledJai", who’s been rallying followers with messages about economic resistance and the idea that "we the people are the system” while claiming "The People's Union is not just about resisting corruption, it is about exposing it. For decades, corporations, politicians, and industries have worked together to rig the system against the American people." (Ok, calm down Braveheart). 

(Source: USA Today) 

Of course, while this may or may not be inspirational, the big question here is if it will work or not. My answer? Probably not in the way organizers hope. Sure, boycotts can work—just ask Bud Light, which got obliterated by a right-wing backlash after partnering with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. That entertaining clusterf**k resulted in a sales collapse, a rebranding scramble, and executives getting quietly shuffled out the door.

Additionally, there’s Target, which moved its Pride displays to the back of stores after a conservative meltdown, only to now find itself under fire from the other side for scaling back DEI efforts. But those were sustained boycotts. A one-day spending freeze? That’s harder to measure. Unless this escalates into a long-term movement, most corporations will barely register the dip in revenue—especially since many people will just shift their spending to the day before or after.

(Source: Newsweek) 

So yeah, what’s actually being targeted is corporations rolling back DEI efforts, to which include Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy—essentially, the places where Americans dump most of their disposable income. But organizers also want people to skip gas stations, fast food, and other discretionary spending. 

Call it “Woke” or call it having no sense of reality, a single day of “economic resistance” is symbolic—but then again, symbols don’t hit quarterly earnings reports. If activists want real change, they’ll need to turn this into a sustained, organized effort—something the right-wing “Go Woke, Go Broke” crowd has executed with flawless efficiency LOL. 

In the meantime, while this may be a blimp on many investors' radar, it’s not a terrible idea to be aware of it. Meaning, place your bets accordingly and get ready for the memes. Because they’re definitely coming—and to which I say, you may or may not see them in some of our future writings. As always, stay safe and stay frosty! Until next time… 

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Stocks.News holds positions in Amazon as mentioned in the article.