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A 24-hour economic blackout is scheduled for February 28 across the USA to protest against the rollback of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) by the Donald Trump administration. It has been organized by the consumer activist group called The People’s Union USA.
"If we disrupt the economy for just ONE day, it sends a powerful message. 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," the group wrote on its website.
Participants are urged to avoid shopping for non-essential items online and in-store from 12 am to 11:59 pm and refrain from using credit and debit cards as well as other modes of payments for the same. The nationwide economic blackout is meant for all discretionary expenditures.
However, certain big corporations including Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Target, Nestle, General Mills, and McDonald’s, have been specifically targeted by the advocacy group. People are also asked to halt spending money on buying gas or fast food from major retailers and instead focus on supporting small local businesses for essential items including food, medicine, and other emergency supplies using cash only.
In the wake of February 28’s 24-hour clamp down, the internet is having diverse reactions. Here are some of them from the social networking site, X from users who are both for and against the economic blackout.
“Feb 28th there is an economic blackout planned. Spending 0 money for 1 day. Showing the rich elite a**holes who are destroying this planet, that we can still rally. We can still hit them where it hurts. Resisting in the only ways we can,” a person wrote.
“Liberal cry-babies have scheduled Friday, Feb. 28th as an 'Economic Blackout' day (don't buy anything) to boycott businesses who dropped the DEI agenda because it was literally hurting their business bottom line. I'll be shopping that day & SPENDING DOUBLE,” another person wrote.
Others continued to chime in.
“REMEMBER FEBRUARY 28 is NATIONAL BLACKOUT DAY. Hit these mega corp. that are funding this adm. In their bottom line. No spending unless it's at a small, independent business, no fast food, no Amazon or Walmart, no chain stores,” a netizen wrote.
“The Feb 28 economic blackout is a fine idea, except for the part about only spending at local businesses in an emergency. I would prefer to spend at local businesses enthusiastically. In fact, it's such a good idea I would make it a monthly holiday. The 28th is a good day,” another netizen wrote.
More about the February 28 economic blackout
Major retailers such as Amazon, Ford, Meta, Walmart, Best Buy, Google, and Target have pulled back on DEI initiatives following the Trump administration’s directives, as per Forbes and CBS News' February 25 reports. PBS has even shut down its DEI office.
This came after Donald Trump issued an executive order early into his second term as President, which warned that funds for companies that do not comply with the DEI policies would be frozen.
Amid this, The People’s Union USA has called for an economic blackout this coming Friday to disrupt the economic order for a day and “take back control of our economy, government, and future of our country,” CBS News reported on Tuesday.
Following the grassroot campaign, the advocacy group intends to make week-long boycotts against particular retailers, according to Forbes. Amazon will face protests from March 7 to 14, while Nestle and Walmart will be boycotted from March 21 to 28 and April 7 to 13, respectively.
Civil rights leader Reverend Al Sharpton who has been an influential figure behind the economic blackout told Neighborhood Talk on February 25, “DEI was created to fix past discrimination. Now they want to erase it.” Meanwhile, in a similar protest, Black faith leaders have called for a 40-day ‘fast’ or ban of Target for pulling back on its DEI initiatives, starting with Ash Wednesday on March 5 and continuing throughout Lent.
People’s Union USA founder John Schwarz described the February 28 economic blackout as the start of a lasting movement. He explained that the date February 28 was chosen to give the movement "time to get amped up, to push this out there and really spread the word."
“For too long, they have dictated the rules. They have rigged the system. They have lined their pockets while we work harder, we struggle more, and we fight for the bare minimum. They keep us divided. They’ve kept us distracted and they keep us desperate, because that’s how they have stayed in power,” the Queens, New York City native shared in a video.
The 57-year-old Schwarz added, “But on February 28, we make it clear we do not have to play by their rules anymore. For one day, we stop everywhere, no Amazon, no Walmart, no fast food, no gas, no major corporations, nothing. For one day, we remind them who actually runs this economy, and when they don’t listen, because they’re going to pretend, they don’t hear us, we will go harder because this is just our warning shot.”
Schwarz mentioned that the economic boycott was not only against the DEI backout but also “insane prices, the corporate greed, the billionaire tax breaks” and more that have dictated people’s entire lives without giving them much “choice,” as they struggled to “just get by.” He shared that on February 28, consumers were going to “finally turn the tables” and not spend “a single unnecessary dollar” for 24 hours.
Notably, The People's Union USA describes itself as having no political affiliation, and rather aims for "fairness, economic justice and real systemic change." The economic blackout is being supported by celebrities via social media including John Leguizamo, Stephen King, and Bette Midler, as per CBS News's February 25 report.
The upcoming economic blackout is part of a growing trend of consumer activism. In fact, earlier in 2023, conservative-led boycotts of Budlight and Target garnered traction. Both were protests to get the companies’ DEL policies under control.
