Celebrate "Buy Nothing Day" [VIDEO]

This post, written by Howie Klien, originally appeared on Down With Tyranny!

I didn't celebrate Thanksgiving yesterday but today I am celebrating Buy Nothing Day, even if it does gross out MTV.

1969 found me in Kabul, Afghanistan... very young and very high. I got a letter through poste restante from my friend Helen telling me about an American student boycott of Coke and Pepsi in retribution for the ramping up of American aggression in Vietnam (I think... let I said... very young and very high). I've never had a sip of Coke or Pepsi or any related products since reading that letter at the cafe in front of the Finance Ministry. Only problem is, no one remembers any boycott and that includes Helen, who doesn't even remember writing me a letter. Basically, I'm not even sure I was in Afghanistan when I started my boycott. It may have been Kathmandu in 1970 (which makes more sense since I recall that the impetus was the tragic shootings at Kent State in May, 1970, a month or two after I got to Nepal).

Todays action is just a 24 hour moratorium on consumer spending. I think if I've gone for 37 or 38 years without a Coke or Pepsi, I can certainly handle that. Here's the ad MTV refuses to run; I hope it inspires you too.