Occupy San Diego flash mobs two Walmarts today!

[Juneboarder]

Approximately 75 people met up this morning at a transit center with the knowledge of flash mob that will happen and nothing else. I was a little apprehensive being that I didn't know how we could incoroprate dancing into the 99% movement, nor having much ability to dance. Their idea on the flash mob was that we'd all enter Walmart inconspicuously and shop for 30 minutes, filling up our carts as much as possible. Then we'd meet at the front to check out and the first person to get up to a checker calls asks the cashier to page their child (Michael Check) to the checkstand cause they're ready to leave, and then right after the page:

MIC CHECK!
Citizens of Walmart!!
Greetings and welcome back from the food coma!!
In the spirit of holiday giving, we believe a discussion is in order about the meaning of value and low cost.
For every low-priced product purchased at Walmart, your communities pay the difference.
Every price drop represents mistreated workers who STILL cannot feed their families, STILL cannot afford their homes, and STILL cannot payoff their tuitions.
Every sweet deal can be attributed to our jobs being outsourced from American communities.
Each item on sale helps bankrupt small businesses.
YOU, YOUR COMMUNITIES, AND YOUR WORKERS ARE BEING ABUSED!!
Walmart intentionally underemploys, forgoing REAL benefits for social services, costing California taxpayers $86 million annually.
Walmart employees are overworked, underpaid, and left under-insured in poor and unsafe conditions.
Walmart could fire its employees for the mere mention of forming a workers union; which is the best tool American workers have to protect their rights.
Corporate beasts such as this one bleed our communities dry by putting the local business owners, who actually have personal stake in your communities, at a disadvantage against these gluttonous juggernauts. Yet they have the nerve to tell you it's for your benefit.
WE DO NOT HAVE TO BUY THE SCAM!!
WE DO NOT HAVE TO BUY DOLLAR-COLLARS FOR OUR FAMILIES!!
WE DO NOT HAVE TO BUY ANY OF THIS!!
SELF-MADE GIFTS HAVE MORE POWER ANYWAY!!
So this holiday season, give yourselves, your families, and your communities the gift of empowerment!!
ACT LOCALLY!!
SHOP SMALL BUSINESS!!
BUY AMERICAN!!
Thank you, Exit Safely, and remember to smile...

After that there was applause as we all 75 left our carts and exited the disgusting, big box store. We received thumbs ups from employess, smiles from most, claps at the end, and when walking out the three cops there smiled at us as we walked past shouting, "We are the 99%, YOU are the 99%!" We did the same to a second Walmart and then had to call it a day since other activities were planned.

Sorry for the length, I didn't know how else to post the mic-check. It was entirely envigorating.

There was one asshat that charged past us and screamed "You f*cking socialists!" Yes, a good laugh; as what a prime example he was setting for his 7 or 8 year old daughter he was dragging along while huffing and puffing. BTW, did Occupy ever say they were for socialism? LOL... Well, heaven forbid they ever need Social Security or Medicare...

Age range from was from 2-80; quite the mix of races present; very much a good example of the 99%.

I am proud to stand in solidarity with Occupy San Diego.

Video from the first Walmart flash mob: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgafr1uO_EY&feature=shar...

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. And me still nursing this dang cold or would have been

there to record it...

Yes I know excuses and you know what... but don't feel like having this become pneumonia.

Good job!

[Juneboarder]

7. I wish you woulda been there!!

We were looking for someone that could say our message in spanish over the mic check... Hope you feel better soon; my family has been fighting the same cold for close to a month now.

[Remember Me]

47. here's something for that cold

http://amzn.com/1463773447

[Raksha]

100. Well, hurry up and get better so you can be part of the next one!

Sorry, this ended up in the wrong place. I meant to address it to Nadin.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

2. Wow, and shoppers are repeating along! nt

[Electric Monk]

3. K&R

[Sarah Ibarruri]

4. I love this!!! nt

[Sarah Ibarruri]

5. I would do this! nt

[Juneboarder]

6. I have to say...

for Black Friday specials deals, they sucked at Walmart. Maybe there was some fancy electronic for 60% off, but I didn't study any sales. I was looking at the deals for all the millions of toys my son asks for and couldn't believe how uncheap they were.

I thanked each employee I encountered for being there today; wonder how many thanks they got today?

[Sarah Ibarruri]

11. I'm sure none. I went to Walmart around 7 p.m. yesterday to 'walk' my mom. :)

She walks the mall every day, and yesterday most everything was closed. I don't shop at Walmart, but I got a chance to look around and realized another reason why I don't buy there (in addition to all the others). The store is dark, underlit, it's cavernous, giving one a feeling of doom, and its clothes are quite unattractive.

[SalviaBlue]

8. K&R

[Raine]

9. LOVE it!!!

[Bluenorthwest]

10. Fantastic

How fun. Occupy San Diego is my hero of the day.

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. Kick

[lunatica]

13. I knew OWS would use flash mobs!

How amazingly creative and great! You guys are awesome!

[OneGrassRoot]

48. Yes!!!!! "You are the 99%"!!! :) n/t

[Huey P. Long]

14. Mother Fin OCCUPY.

[pennylane100]

15. So how does one sign up for a flash mob.

I would love to do that.

[Juneboarder]

30. Attend your local Occupy!!

I am an hour drive from my local Occupy, so I can't attend but maybe once a week. Instead, I've been online following their tweets, facebook posts and message board updates and just learned about the flash mob through their daily updates

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. Hilarious comment on youtube

Another nice thing about Wal-Mart is, they have really cheap hammers, for when you come to appreciate the quality of your $30 DVD player. Another nice thing about Wal-Mart is, they have really cheap first-aid kits, for when you come to appreciate the quality of your really cheap hammer. And perhaps, the nicest thing about Wal-Mart is, in most communities, they sell beer, to help you cope with the fact that you are a Wal-Mart shopper.

[coalition_unwilling]

23. Wonderful. Thanks for posting - n/t

[MADem]

36. That's kinda backhanded in a way, eh?

The one percent don't shop at WALMART...they OWN it. The people buying shit at WALMART can't afford to shop elsewhere, often as not, or they can't afford (time/gas) to drive to a place where they can shop, if they're living in a rural environment where WM is the only option nearby.

I suppose if you want to target the one percent of shoppers, the place to do it is Tiffany's or Needless Markup....

[Juneboarder]

44. The only way we can control is how we choose to spend our dollar.

The message was conveyed to the shoppers to inform and educate; while the action hit the 1%'ers bottom line. It is acknowledged that the "1% OWN it" so affecting their bottom line (profit) is IMHO no way bad. The headline was Occupy San Diego, where there is an endless array of stores to choose from; far from the rural living environment depicted above.

[MADem]

51. The "inform and educate" is fine. The action only fucked over the wage slaves.

Messing with the workers, creating a mess that they have to clean up, that they are responsible for, isn't helpful to them at all.

The One Percent could give a fuck--they want it done, and if it isn't done, they'll fire people and hire people who CAN get it done.

In this economy, the worker has no rights and damn few protections. Fucking with the stock to make a stupid point (one that the worker has to clean up) is just anti-worker.

If there's an "endless array" of stores to choose from, pick one that's high-end.

Go where the one percent shop, fachrissake.

[LuckyLib]

60. I agree. They should have wandered the store with EMPTY carts, then met at the

front and left empty carts as a symbol of what should happen everywhere -- no shopping at WalMart.

[MADem]

61. Very clever idea--the symbolism is apparent, too, and is accomplished without

screwing over the wage slaves.

Brilliant.

[Juneboarder]

82. That wasn't our point.

Our point was to show that "we do not have to buy any of this". I agree, unfair to the workers, and I would offer this suggestion if and when there was another flash mob of this nature at my local occupy. But, it did affect Walmart's bottom line regardless, and that is what we were shooting for. The stores already looked as if a tornado hit them before we got there, and thus the bottom line is that the employees, who work their shift hours regardless of the duties required have lost nothing.

Do you ever complain that you have too much work, because in my line of work that is a GOOD thing. I hope each day I go in for something to do so that my company does not shut down, so maybe look at this as job security for those that work at Walmart.

[MADem]

90. I can't believe you are suggesting that making more work is "helping" the workers.

I think you need to read the remarks of the people here on this thread who have worked retail, and who have reported that, even after their shifts are finished, they cannot go home until the store is put back in order.

I just can't get behind your logic--at all. Be grateful, we fucked up the place FOR YOUUUUUU? Now your job is "secure?"

Come on. That's just perverse.

It didn't affect the bottom line--WALMART workers still had to do their regular work, AND clean up after you. On or off the clock.

You know how much notice the One Percenters gave this episode? None. See--none of them were IN that WALMART.

[Juneboarder]

91. Whatever

I have things to do with the rest of my day than debate with someone that can do nothing but project negativity. Again, I wish you a great day.

[MADem]

96. So now, being pro-worker is "projecting negativity?"

I've heard it all.

[Name removed]

80. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[WillowTree]

17. I'll bet those overworked, underpaid employees...

....really appreciated having 75 carts "filled.....as much as possible" with merchandise to put away amidst the throngs of Black Friday shoppers, too.

[lunatica]

19. I bet they appreciated being defended and respected by the flash mob much more

The work? Who gives a shit. But having a bunch of people doing a mic check on how abusive your bosses are and how hard your life is made by your bosses? Priceless.

[MADem]

53. The work? Who gives a shit.....Oh, really? What, they're there as a hobby?

That's the livelihood for a lot of people, not a pastime.

Not "priceless" if you have to clean up the mess made by your so-called "defenders" before you can go home to the family you are supporting with that crappy-ass job.

The chanting is fine. The carts full of shit? That's asshattery to the Nth degree.

[Raine]

22. There ALWAYS has to be at least one

crepe-hanger in a DU thread.

[Name removed]

56. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[IDemo]

26. Agreed entirely

What was the point of dumping on your fellow 99%'ers while trying to advocate for them? Was the mic check itself not enough?
Oh and yes, I know they get paid by the hour anyway. But I also know people who do this job, and they agree that restocking items from abandoned carts is a pain.
This was simply a poorly thought out action.

[Juneboarder]

28. A Pain...

A pain comes from eating too much turkey and stuffing, or stubbing your toe, or falling over, or ...

Try and look beyond the immediate annoyance (as there are many annoyances in life) and look at the broad picture here. The employees were not put off by us, Walmart did not ask us to leave, and even customers were chiming in.

It was a beautiful experience.

[IDemo]

32. Sorry, but it was simply childish and accomplished nothing

The cart thing distracted from the experience that the mic check was intended to provide. It was completely unnecessary. If there were smiling employees at the front of the store, they were checkers or service people, not the crew responsible for stocking shelves. I know several people whose job it is to unload the trucks and stock shelves, and they are agreed that cleaning up displaced merchandise and entire carts sucks. You need to keep the focus on the mic checks without straying with nonsense such as this.

[Juneboarder]

33. Childish or just not the norm?

I have personally stocked shelves for one year and three months of my wonderful life. I wouldn't sign up for it again if i got paid living wages. Yes, I'd be upset at restocking, but personally I'd be more happy that I didn't have to deal with the customers as much as when you sit in a department just waiting to assist. Working retail during the holidays is pretty grueling, and the customers are typically rude and abnoxious (at least here in Southern California). There's just too many people, too few workers.

Occupy Wall Street is simply about doing things against the norm. You hear the MSM saying they need a leader, they need a clear message, they need, they need, they need. OWS is doing things all different right now and their numbers are growing despite all the negative connotations that the MSM and 1%'ers try and convey.

I was physically there and can say our message was taken very well.

[IDemo]

34. Again, what exactly did it add to the statement you were trying to make?

You attempted to multi-task here when the mic check was all that was necessary. If you worked this job for over a year, you know that these stores keep a close eye on employee hours from week to week. Anyone who adds up to 40 hours plus is very likely going to work very few hours in the week or weeks following. You might have considered trying to locate and speak with someone there doing this job before agreeing unanimously it was a wonderful idea.

I haven't done this kind of work in ~35 years, but my SO has unloaded trucks and stocked shelves for nearly ten years, and she agreed that this would not have been welcomed with high-fives all around.

[Juneboarder]

35. It affected Walmarts bottom line. nt

[MADem]

62. How? Because a group of workers on one shift had to work twice as hard for the SAME PAY?

Cleaning up the mess that seventy five assholes abandoning full carts made? For no extra pay?

Please. The "bottom line" wasn't affected at all.

In fact, WALMART got some free advertising out of it, of the "Spell my name right" variety.

[MADem]

38. +1. nt

[Remember Me]

46. You have no way of knowing what it did or didn't accomplish -- NONE!

This is the kind of thing that raises awareness and plants seeds. I guarantee you that SOME of those people heard ideas presented in an arresting way that they've never heard of before, let alone pondered.

I say Good on the Flash Mob Occupiers!! Wish I'd have been there.

[IDemo]

52. I never said nor implied that the entire action was a mistake

The aspect I addressed was the filling of 75 shopping carts for no apparent reason other than to cause the store some grief and overtime. I have no doubt that many of the shoppers and employees were paying attention to the mic check. But the abandoned cart aspect was simply a poorly thought out addition that did not add to the message one iota.

[Remember Me]

97. I apologize -- I clearly didn't read enough of the thread

But, to be honest, I'm not so sure my point doesn't stand.

[MADem]

54. I agree with you. Someone either had to work twice as fast, or LATE, to clean that mess up.

Take those workers away from their families EVEN MORE to make a point! Make 'em work harder -- that'll show the One Percent (not).

The vocals are wonderful, the cart-filling petit-vandalism, not so wonderful. Nonsensical, as you noted.

[Juneboarder]

27. The bottom line...

The bottom line is that this affects Walmarts bottom line. The employees get paid on an hourly basis and are required to do whatever work is needed in the store, they do not lose any money as they have to be there regardless. This just keeps them from stocking the shelves with black friday deals as the employees are busy putting away 75 shopping carts filled to the brim.

Worst Case Scenario: Those employees might have to work overtime and force Walmart to provide benefits.

And on a side note, the majority of employees were smiling, giving thumbs up and clapped when we were done as well. The looks on their faces when we screamed out, "Walmart employees are overworked, underpaid and left under-insured in poor and unsafe conditions" was as if they were saying thank you with their eyes. How can one working slave wages at a slave job not support someone standing up for them?

[MADem]

37. I think that's shitty, too. We're opposed to the corporation, so screw the workers!!!

Especially at a corporation that is famous for "stealing" breaks and lunch times from the workers.

[Occulus]

40. You're opposed to any sort of viral activism, aren't you?

Pardon me. Any sort that actually works.

[MADem]

41. No, just viral activism that victimizes the people that are purportedly the object of support.

Why not demonstrate a little real brass, and do that shit at Tiffany's?

It's easy to go into WALMART and fuck with minimum wage slaves, who will have to clean up the results of a "Let's make a mess to be self-important assholes" protest. It's a lot harder to actually impact the One Percenters who are laughing at a little street theater, and then telling their wage-slave workers to clean up the mess, while docking each one of them thirty seconds of time off--so it's a wash for them, financially.

It's also way easier to denigrate people who point out this obvious set of circumstances, than to see a "fail" (as the children say) for what it is.

The verbal protest was just fine; amusing, on point and engaging--the "fucking with shit to make the wage slaves have to clean it up"--not so much. So "pardon ME" if you don't get that, if you don't see how actions impact ordinary people-- it's your problem if you think that shitting on the lowest-level worker makes a sustaining point. Enough of that shit and the wage slaves will start siding with their "overlords."

[Occulus]

42. "Why not demonstrate a little real brass, and do that shit at Tiffany's?"

Because there's exactly one Tiffany's?

I'm so very sorry the employees now have to restock a whole big pile of stuff, especially if it results in an opening on the shift for a night for someone who is off work or wants the extra time. We can't have that at all. It's a terrible inconvenience to make work for someone or for someone extra. Why, Walmart might even have to pay someone to do it! Life isn't always fair and convenient! Horrors!

Yet you offer Tiffany's as "effective". Again, you seem to be able to only provide feeble solutions.

Try reading what they said in the store.

[MADem]

50. I'm so very sorry the employees now have to restock a whole big pile of stuff...

No, you're not. You think it's just dandy. You really could give a shit about how it affects anyone, save YOUR personal sense of misplaced righteousness.

And if you think the WALMART is going to hire ANOTHER person, or call in extra help, to sort that shit out, you're dreaming! The people who are there will just have to hustle a little faster for their lousy, shitty minimum wage--and they'd better have it done before their shift ends, or WALMART will fire them for failing to keep the store in good order and hire someone (without any time-in-service pay increases and less authorized vacation) who is willing to work at breakneck speed for their daily bread.

If anyone is being a bit "feeble" here, it's you and your lame justifications for fucking with working class, minimum wage people for what passes as your idea of the "greater good."

And hey, bright eyes--there isn't just "one" Tiffany's. Where did you get THAT idea? Same place where you got the idea that screwing with the stock at WALMART screws anyone but the workers there?

They're all over the damn place, and have been for eons. Here's a list of the ones just in the USA:

http://www.tiffany.com/locations/CountryStoreLocationLi...

[Occulus]

67. Horrors! A pile of work!

You'll note a couple others (actual store workers) on the thread are saying something rather different from what you're so breathlessly asserting. So that's that.

Google Maps lied to me and showed me one location, in New York. I went back to look just now and used the same search term and it's showing all of them now. I don't know what happened. Google burped.

That said, there are a lot more Walmarts than there are Tiffanys, and a lot more people are shopping for groceries than they are for expensive, elegant decor.

[MADem]

68. No, they aren't. In fact, I'm getting agreement from workers. Look again.

Take off the blinders this time.

[Occulus]

69. .

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

edit: I'm done squabbling, I have other things to do, have a nice day

[MADem]

70. Yeah, sure, because you ignored the detailed response to that rather generic assertion.

Here, let me give you a few links--maybe you'll find time from your 'busy' day to look them over:

The workers paid for the cart stunt
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

Why hassle the workers?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

Succinct...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

You don't make friends with people by forcing them to work even harder on a day when they'd rather be home with their families.

But whatever--insist that "making a mess" is helpful and will teach those one percenters a lesson--even though there likely wasn't a one percenter within a mile of that little effort.

[christx30]

71. From my training when I

was going to work at Walmart:
"If you are not able to get your work done during the time alloted, this is because of poor time management, ano not because of too much work."

Walmart doesn't care how much work they give you. If you are unable to complete it, you aren't working fast enough.
So in addition to the tons of work they had already with black friday, they have to do the 75 carts thing. And Walmart does not want to pay over time. They'll just take 2 or 3 people off the registers and have them help out, which makes the lines longer for the customers. This won't get the message across at all. This won't make the 1% change their ways. All of the decisions and trouble is brought onto the customers, the workers, and the local supervisors. There might be a report at the end of the day, and the Waltons will see it on the TV news. But it'll change nothing.
Screwing with people on a stressful day for absolutely no reason.

[MADem]

72. The flash mob business with the chanting I thought was fine. The fucking with the "stuff"

--75 cart loads--is just shitty. Makes you wonder which rocket scientist thought that turkey of an idea up?

[christx30]

73. I totally agree

It's like trashing a Pizza Hut, handing a mop to an employee and saying "You don't need to thank me. The look of on your face is thanks enough. Laters!"

[Juneboarder]

84. Wowsers!

I'm sorry, you must have had a really horrible Thanksgiving to be projecting such negativity.

[MADem]

94. I wasn't the one who crapped on a whole store of minimum wage workers.

Have a good look in that mirror if you want a definition of "negativity."

I had a great thanksgiving, thanks for asking--probably better than the holiday of those WALMART workers for whom you and your buddies made Black Friday a hellish moment to remember.

[Pacifist Patriot]

45. You'd be surprised.

I worked at a store where we squabbled over who got to restock the abandoned carts. It meant we got a break from the register and non-stop customer interaction for a little while.

[Juneboarder]

88. That's my experience

in retail. I'd rather be busy doing something than have to deal with the customers and bs that come across your plate.

[MS68]

55. I worked at a Walgreens for years

And that was my first thought too. I rarely got Thanksgiving or Christmss off and certainly never got a 4 day weekend during any holiday -especially between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The day after Thanksgiving until Christmas was a nightmare working retail, and the registers always had to be manned, so there was no "taking a break from the registers" to put stuff away. If there was 75 cartloads of crap that needed to be put away, we'd be scrambling after a hard days work to get it put away before we could go home.

I support the movement and am not a fan of Walmart, but the workers paid for the cart stunt. Nobody else....

[MADem]

63. +1. nt

[backscatter712]

81. Aww, would you like a tissue? A pearl necklace to clutch? An extra pillow for your fainting couch?

Non-violent activism requires disruption in the face of recalcitrant elites. Without disruption, all the Occupy movement, and any other political movement is doing is making noise that is easily ignored and laughed at by the corrupt subhuman fucks that control our government and the corporations.

So excuuuuuuuuse me when I advocate disrupting the shopping routine for shoppers, making a mess for workers, blocking streets, disrupting services, and being so ambitious as bringing entire economic sectors to a HALT!

It's the only way to drive the bastards to make concessions. You have to hit the fuckers where it hurts - in the wallet, by disrupting their revenue streams.

If that creates inconveniences, too fucking bad. I'm willing to break those eggs to make this omelette.

[MADem]

95. Why would "the bastards" make concessions? How would they be hurt?

Here's what they will do:

They'll fire a few of those wage slaves you screwed over, and hire a few security guards with that cash.

The remaining wage slaves will be ordered to work harder.

They'll put the police on speed dial.

They'll tell those security guards to lock the doors the second that crap starts, and make sure every security camera is operating.

The cops will come, round everyone up, take 'em to jail, and fine 'em/issue restraining orders....

....and the wage slaves will STILL get stuck restocking all that crapola in the carts.

The One Percent will laugh, laugh, laugh. Their bottom line won't be affected in the slightest. The only ones inconvenienced will be the POOR...as always.

No omelette for you. You won't even get powdered eggs...

[pipi_k]

102. Well that's sort of...

what I was thinking, too, and hoping that any who had to stay longer were paid overtime.

[WiffenPoof]

18. I Don't Shop At Walmart....n/t

[Juneboarder]

29. OMG it was my 1st time since 2000...

It was a little intimidating with the poor lighting and dismal atmosphere. I don't think I'll venture back to Walmart again unless there's another mob

[Name removed]

49. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Huey P. Long]

20. Video description-

OSD flash mob invades wal mart on 11/25/2011 in San Diego, CA. Wal-mart attempted to silence the human mic via their "seasons greetings" recording over the intercom, succeeding only slightly. Wal-mart vs Human Mic, Wal-mart loses!

[AntiFascist]

21. Awesome!

[Revlon10]

24. love this

Iam getting chills,thisis so great.

[ellisonz]

25. Socialists!

Damn, dirty socialists!

Wal-Mart better hope this doesn't spread.

[MADem]

39. It should spread to Nordstrom's or Neiman Marcus, where rich people actually shop. nt

[ellisonz]

57. Wal-Mart is a bit more symbolic.

Plus Nordstom's and Neiman Marcus largely sell high-end clothing as opposed to Wal-Mart's full spread. Take it to Target and Home Depot.

[MADem]

65. Symbolic of what? It's where the poor people shop.

Hey, you!!! Part of the 99 percent!! I know your kid needs socks, but feel like a shit for buying them here, because this is the only store where they are affordable!!!!

I just don't get the symbolism. It's amusing, to an extent, but that sort of thing won't have much shelf life if it gets routine.

Target is a step up, certainly--it's where the "middle class" shop. Of course, they're still schmucks, but with slightly more economic security (until it goes away, anyway).

But the rich shop at Needless Markup and the other high-end joints.

Of course, to get in to those fancy venues without attracting suspicion, your flash mob would have to take a little effort to try to fit in....

[greytdemocrat]

31. Great Job!

Idiots.

[femrap]

43. How very cool! K and R nt

[Yo_Mama]

58. Why hassle the workers?

The chanting and flash mob and all that could have been done without leaving a lot of extra work for the staff, which is already probably bone tired and will be flogged on to get it all done.

If I had been working in either of those stores, I'd really be pissed. People LOVE flash mobs - why not just do the mob and the chant?

[sufrommich]

59. Lesson #324 in how incredibly tone deaf the left is.

" Hey everybody, lets go shame the Walmart shoppers!" I notice they don't bother shaming the shoppers over at the local Mega Mall in line at the Abercrombie and Fitch store where people who can afford to shop for better gifts are shopping.

[MADem]

66. Damn right! nt

[Balbus]

64. They really showed all those 1% employees and shoppers at Walmart...

Fucking idiots.

[LWolf]

74. There are some angry responses posted to that video.

Who are these people who are so ignorant?

[IDemo]

86. The employees, maybe?

Comment from a few minutes ago:

I work at that Walmart? and do you really think we are going to change our minds
and fight for your cause when all " you guys" did was make more work for me and
my co workers on a already busy day. Buy leaving carts full of stuff for my co workers
and I to put back is not cool. Fuck you guys at least you could have put
back all the fucken things you put in the carts. You guys are just ASSHOLES with
nothing better to do!

[backscatter712]

92. My ass.

It's the same gang of professional astroturfing shills working for FreedomWorks and all the other right-wing think tanks that are spamming the Internet with these sorts of comments to create the false impression that the Occupy movement is failing and nobody supports their actions.

[IDemo]

98. Gee, that's funny

Because my SO, who has unloaded trucks and stocked shelves for almost ten years at Target, said almost the same thing as the commenter. It would absolutely not leave her feeling warm and fuzzy about those who left more of a mess than she has to deal with anyway.

If you're reading the comments against the cart action as an attempt to paint OWS as failing or lacking in support, I for one did not intend that. I think there should be many more flash mobs; they could offer much more flexibility and energy than a static encampment. I just think that if your mic check moment is going to advocate for the workers at a given location, you won't leave them with much of a good impression with this kind of thing.

[quakerboy]

103. Gee, thats also funny

Because everyone in the room with me who watched that video over my shoulder, who have also unloaded and stocked and done the various aspects of retail work, thought it was great, that they would have appreciated the action, even if they found it a bit annoying to have more work.

Bottom line is that the people who complain about this would have found things to complain about. If it wasn't the carts, it would have been creating a safety hazard by adding people to a mob, or by shouting out the store audio, or "it was a neat idea, but they shouldn't have trespassed to do it". And if they had done it outside, on public ground, it would have been blocking traffic, or inciting riot. and if they had stayed in their own homes and mused about it on line, it would have been something else. It will always be something. There will always be a reason to crap on and complain about anyone who takes action. or anyone who does not take action. Or anyone who is not in line with the complainers own personal agenda, whether it be a prepaid agenda, or from the heart.

[nadinbrzezinski]

104. I hate to point this out

not that it will sound right, but I have been to BOTH of those stores... you do realize most of the staff speaks very good SPANISH right?

No, I am not kidding. Wally World here hires staff that does not speak much English, either they are legal immigrants or come from the Barrio. THeir other preferred primary language is Tagalog... followed by a few with Russian as their first choice of language.

I know what you will say, but yes, that comment is pretty much astro turf...

But you would have to KNOW that here to spot the astroturf post, Not that it could not be, just highly unlikely given what workers they prefer to hire. Target, in that sense, is a tad better and far more diverse.

[IDemo]

105. ¿Es posible que tambien los trabajadores pueden hablar ingles?

No, I haven't been to San Diego since the 60's. Many Spanish folk, more-so than most of us Norteños anyway, are bilingual.

One thing I can guarantee - the woman I have lived with for over 20 years is not an astroturfer (and all but apolitical), and she had some colorful language to use in describing what her reaction would have been.

These are real people, they have often been scheduled with overnight shifts and longer hours to cover the holiday demands. What they want is to finish up their shift and go home for sleep or to be with family. Or in many cases, to get to that second or third job that the Chimp thought was such a great American way of life.

[nadinbrzezinski]

106. I can tell you that yes, people speak English

but that post is quite smelly from an astro turf post... just a feeling.

Nor would it be the first time.

And yes Nortenos are bilingual, but that is not the population they like to hire, well maybe for management. It is kind of well known issue locally. And yes I know people in retail

[bertman]

75. Whoever took the video was awful, but the idea and execution were FANTASTIC!!!

Great job, Occupy San Diego!

REC.

[Name removed]

76. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Juneboarder]

83. It's really easy to point fingers

"No! You did it all wrong... THIS is what you should have done..."

[Politicub]

77. You do realize that the hourly workers can't go home until the abandoned merchandise

is put back on the shelves, don't you?

I hope you were able to awaken some people, but this demonstration seemed off pitch to me.

[Juneboarder]

85. Hourly workers here in California

get paid by the hour. When I worked in retail it was a big deal to clock out right when your shift ends, as they did not want to incur any overage in hours or overtime.

[alcibiades_mystery]

78. Anything that jams up the works is fine with me

Lots of hand-wringing about the poor victimized workers here. Whatever, really. Cut the smoothness of the shopping experience. Make it a hassle. Keep on.

Nobody had their hands cut off. Nobody will die as a result of this, unlike many who die as a result of Walmart's policies. The hue and cry for the poor Walmart workers is little more than an attempt to prevent actions that jam up the works. Jam 'em up. Fuck the naysayers, who never DO anything anyway.

[nadinbrzezinski]

101. + Brazillion

[joanbarnes]

79. I for one am beginning to LOVE the words "mic check!"

[butterfly77]

87. Yay!!!

[valerief]

89. Love it, love it, love it! nt

[nc4bo]

93. Wonderful! Good, no GREAT job!!!

Very proud of you all!

[Raksha]

99. K & R - Love it!!!

[luv_mykatz]

107. I'm lovin' it!!!!!!!!!!!

K & R to the max.

[Juneboarder]

108. A better video (without the shaking)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEQKH94jWQg&feature=yout...