Smoking in a bar with an obviously pregnant bartender

[PennyQuilts]

I really hope you found comfort in the hypocrisy of that statement.

How is that hypocritical? If I have no idea a child is being abused by something I did or bought (and I couldn't tell you a single instance, right now) but I help a child in need - where is the hypocracy?

[BBatesokc]

How is that hypocritical? If I have no idea a child is being abused by something I did or bought (and I couldn't tell you a single instance, right now) but I help a child in need - where is the hypocracy?

Forgive me, I didn't realize I was talking to someone with your background that had "no idea" cheap food, clothing and household items came at the expense of others. I guess ignorance (even if intentional) is the perfect defense to hypocrisy.

But, its all good, I've bought plenty of cheap shirts, hand picked fruit and brooms myself.

[PennyQuilts]

Forgive me, I didn't realize I was talking to someone with your background that had "no idea" cheap food, clothing and household items came at the expense of others. I guess ignorance (even if intentional) is the perfect defense to hypocrisy.

But, its all good, I've bought plenty of cheap shirts, hand picked fruit and brooms myself.

I used to teach at the graduate level International Business Transactions. We have a number of laws in place forbidding things such as the use of slave labor and child labor. I am certain that there are times when China, for example, gets around them. However, could you please share with us what group uses child labor so we can avoid being such moral reprobates that wanting to offer kindness to the children in front of us is worthy of being called a hypocrite? I mean, name names - not just spout off what you read somewhere or "believe" is true.

[Thunder]

Walmart uses child labor.

[PennyQuilts]

Walmart uses child labor.

Details. I have heard that crap for years and it is just gossip. How old? What products? Why isn't the government prosecuting them?

[Stew]

No one is going to save the world but if everyone tried to help the ones in front of them, at least some would be saved...

I don't fault you for your 'gotta save some of the world' feel-good liberal views. I guess it's good intentioned but I'm one of those people who would just as soon you worry about saving your own world and let the rest of us worry about saving ours. In fact I'd say your type of leftist attitude only serves to enable those who refuse to take personal responsibility for their own actions.

[BBatesokc]

I used to teach at the graduate level International Business Transactions. We have a number of laws in place forbidding things such as the use of slave labor and child labor. I am certain that there are times when China, for example, gets around them. However, could you please share with us what group uses child labor so we can avoid being such moral reprobates that wanting to offer kindness to the children in front of us is worthy of being called a hypocrite? I mean, name names - not just spout off what you read somewhere or "believe" is true.

For someone who taught - you really are out of touch.

Most recently in the U.K. the Primark child labor news has been explosive (I know, I know, you're naive enough to retort 'but that's not the USA). It was uncovered suppliers of the Gap were using child labor (10-13 year olds and paid nothing). Dateline (or one of those type news shows) did a great piece on US child labor in our farms and how little if anything is being done to stop it. It is estimated thousands of children harvest in the USA every year for little or no pay. While to say Wal-Mart itself uses child labor is a little far reaching, but their suppliers have been linked to child and forced labor. Hanes was uncovered as using a factory in Bangladesh that relied on child labor (children between the ages of 10-15 paid $.065 cents per hour - yes 6.5 cents). Making underwear for Hanes. It was uncovered Nike suppliers used child labor to produce both shoes and soccer balls.

Here's a Press Release from CommonDreams http://www.commondreams.org/news2006/1024-01.htm

[Thunder]

Details. I have heard that crap for years and it is just gossip. How old? What products? Why isn't the government prosecuting them?

I dunno. Our government has no authority in China and wherever other countries. I know many children works in factories over there and Walmart get their supplies from them. Everyone knows this, you should, too.

[fuzzytoad]

I dunno. Our government has no authority in China and wherever other countries. I know many children works in factories over there and Walmart get their supplies from them. Everyone knows this, you should, too.

There probably isn't a clothing retailer on the planet that doesn't use child labor at some point in their supply chain.

Singling out WalMart is dishonest

[PennyQuilts]

I dunno. Our government has no authority in China and wherever other countries. I know many children works in factories over there and Walmart get their supplies from them. Everyone knows this, you should, too.

They do have authority in this country over American retailers that sell goods made by unlawful means. They would be all over them if they could prove such a thing. "Everyone knows" a lot of things but not all of them are much more than gossip.

[PennyQuilts]

For someone who taught - you really are out of touch.

Most recently in the U.K. the Primark child labor news has been explosive (I know, I know, you're naive enough to retort 'but that's not the USA). It was uncovered suppliers of the Gap were using child labor (10-13 year olds and paid nothing). Dateline (or one of those type news shows) did a great piece on US child labor in our farms and how little if anything is being done to stop it. It is estimated thousands of children harvest in the USA every year for little or no pay. While to say Wal-Mart itself uses child labor is a little far reaching, but their suppliers have been linked to child and forced labor. Hanes was uncovered as using a factory in Bangladesh that relied on child labor (children between the ages of 10-15 paid $.065 cents per hour - yes 6.5 cents). Making underwear for Hanes. It was uncovered Nike suppliers used child labor to produce both shoes and soccer balls.

Here's a Press Release from CommonDreams http://www.commondreams.org/news2006/1024-01.htm

I never said it didn't happen. I said we have laws against it and I was not aware of any ongoing situations in this country. We were discussing caring about an unborn child and you went off on a tangent as if because there is child labor in the world I was being a hypocrit for caring. You can't even name a company in the states - just allegations about types of businesses. And no, I am not naive. What I am is being real. You aren't. I don't know anyone who would buy something that was made by exploiting children due to child labor but other than speculation, we just don't know. We hear about companies, but none of them are front row center, this company is doing blah, blah blah. Even you, who threw that out there like it was gospel just came up with an article that doesn't even apply to the states other than to imply and suggest without proof.

Pure and simple, you were looking for a reason to excuse caring about an unborn child and this was quite a reach. If you are waiting for the world to be perfect before someone can act in kindness without being a hypocrite, count on being surrounded by them.

[BBatesokc]

Did you even read the article - it gave specific company names that sell in the US and provided much more than gossip and speculation. The DateLine piece was taped in the US and interviewed the children being used in the fields.