Rev. Billy wants to save your (consumerist) soul

I've been preparing my family for our Year of Consuming Consciously and, right on time, God delivered word of Rev. Billy. No, not that Rev. Billy. Rev. Billy, the blond pompadoured preacher (actually actor and activist Bill Talen) from the Church of Stop Shopping, star of the independent documentary What Would Jesus Buy? Rev. Billy has an important message:

Statement of Belief : Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping
Gospel Choir believe that Consumerism is overwhelming our lives. The
corporations want us to have experiences only through their products. Our neighborhoods, "commons" places like stoops and parks and streets and libraries, are disappearing into the corporatized world of big boxes and chain stores. But if we "back away from the product" - even a little bit, well then we Put The Odd Back In God! The supermodels fly away and we're left with our original
sensuality. So we are singing and preaching for local economies and real - not mediated through products -- experience. We like independent shops where you know the person behind the counter or at least - you like them enough to share a story.We ask that local activists who are defending themselves against supermalls, nuke plants, gentrification -- call us and we'll come and put on our
"Fabulous Worship!" Remember children... Love is a Gift Economy! — The Rev

I need to be saved by Rev. Billy's message, but so do a lot of other folks, particularly black Americans. Consider this:

In 2002, according to Census Bureau data, the median net worth of the average
Black household was less than $6,000 – barely 7 percent of the $88,651 median
wealth of their white counterpart. White Americans enjoy a 14-to-1 wealth
advantage over Black Americans, a competitive springboard which buffers and may
soften any economic downturns in the economy.

And there is a recession a-coming, folks.

During this time frame, though, 42 percent of all U.S. households boasted a
net worth of more than $100,000, only 18 percent of Black Americans held this
much wealth. To magnify this point, the Consumer Federation of America
calculated that 25 percent of U.S. households were "wealth poor"–holding net
assets less than $10,000. This statistic is a far cry from the 45 percent of
Black households who fall into this category.

Blacks spend 23 percent more on their shoes than the population at large;
and Black females consume 26 percent more perfume than any other ethnic group of
females. Finally, Black males age 13 to 24, who comprise less than 3 percent of
U.S. population, purchase 10 percent of the $15 billion athletic shoe market,
and more than 20 percent (one of every five pairs) of Nike shoes! SOURCE

It occurs to me that there must be a special place in capitalist hell for folks to who target poor urban youth for high-price products they can't afford to buy. (I'm looking at you, Nike and P. Diddy)

Rev. Bill can preach to you better than I can, so: