Wednesday, February 16, 2005

More Thoughts on Wal-Mart

I really do not mean to oversimplify, but we must consider this kind of thing...

From DashHouse.com: From Colossians Remixed:

Every time we step into a Wal-Mart or Niketown or Gap or Winners and exclaim over the great deal we get on an article of clothing, or how trendy we now look, we've made sweatshop workers our slaves. Every time we buy coffee that isn't shade grown and fairly traded, we've made those coffee producers and their children into our slaves. Every time we have purchased a product - any product - that says Made in China, or Indonesia, or the Philippines, or Sri Lanka, it is pretty likely that we have made someone our slave...

The truth is we have many choices...Our point is that when there are options available - whether various consumer choices or lobbying - to decide to do nothing is itself a choice. The Gospels call it the wide and easy path. But we can choose another path. There are ways to proclaim and enact Paul's word of release to slaves, women and children.


I do not think it is just as simple as not buying from Wal-Mart (although this is a good starting place perhaps) because as my friend Jesse pointed out, "is putting no money in their pockets really better than really bad wages?" That's not his words verbatim (which means I shouldn't have used quotes, but oh well).

Interesting.

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