Coito ergo sum wrote:
PordFrefect wrote:
PordFrefect wrote:
child labour in China, etc.. but Walmart is one of the most successful retailers in America.
Yes, many of us are against child labor. And, Walmart is one of the most successful retails in the UK, too, what with their acquisition of Asda and such...
Define 'many'. Clearly not as 'many' as support child labour through their purchasing habits. Commerce follows the market does it not? Clearly then 'most' of the market supports child labour.
The UK is an unrelated topic.
We in the US are as likely as not approximately the same in our purchasing habits as others who might be more holier-than-thou in their own attitudes on the topic.
Most Americans probably do not know whether the product they are buying was child labor produced. That is likely true of Europeans too. So, the reason why it is relevant to bring up other nationalities here is that typically these threads single out "America" and "Americans" when there is no reason to do so. We may as well say "people" support child labor with their buying habits, whether they are American, European or otherwise.
To focus on Americans and then say "oh, but such other country is unrelated" is like saying "blacks support child labor through their buying habits..." and then when the response is -- "hey, wait a minute, whites' buying habits are no better..." we say "well, whites are unrelated..." See?
Yes, I see. It's a tu quoque argument and irrelevant as it is people from the US who are throwing this little hypocritical fit, not some European country who may be just as bad. It's irrelevant to the point at hand.
PordFrefect wrote:
PordFrefect wrote:
In light of that, I have to agree with Rum: What's the problem?
I think the problem would stem from the same objections folks have toward companies hiring low wage employees in the process of "outsourcing," having horrid working conditions, and the like. The impact on American workers, particularly union workers, is felt to be unfair because businesses will build a factory or a textile mill in China, rather than in the US, thereby doing an end around unions.
Heck, it was a "problem" for Boeing to build a new plant in South Carolina. I would imagine there would have been some concern had they built that same plant in China, wouldn't you think?
The question was a rhetorical one, not literal. As 'most' of the US market supports child labour through their purchasing habits it is hypocritical to complain that your country's uniforms are manufactured by it. The government is clearly acting in accordance with the beliefs and practices of the majority of its citizens.
You'll need to support your "most of the US market" allegation.
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As I stated earlier, commerce follows the market. Walmart and other hugely successful commercial entities simply follow the demands of the market - cheap goods produced by slave/child labour in foreign countries. The commercial entities are so hugely successful because they corner the demands of "most of the market".
And, it is not "clearly acting in accordance with the beliefs and practices of the majority of citizens." Citizens can buy products that they don't know were or weren't made by child labor. They aren't in favor of child labor by doing so. There isn't a label on it that says "made with child labor" and most products made in China are not made by child labor.
Perhaps not always. China's economy has come a long way. However, these goods are produced and sold wholesale to commercial entities, such as Walmart, at cutrate prices because they are produced by companies who have no regard for employee welfare and benefits, environmental damage, or even basic human rights. Often this amounts to little more than slave labour. But, if I'm wrong, what is the moral objection to having your uniforms manufactured in China again?
Furthermore, I doubt there are many people anywhere in the western world who aren't aware of the, at best, dubious sources of cheap goods available at stores such as Walmart. Citizens know these products are made overseas, probably under conditions they'd consider to be infringements of their rights, but they don't care. They only want the cheapest. The outrage at 'outsourcing' your uniforms is hilariously ironic in the face of the bald reality that your citizens regularly support such outsourcing of labour, and with good cheer.
This whole argument of yours is utter tripe. Apply the same thing to Europe -- just because some products sold in Europe and bought by Europeans doesn't mean those Europeans are in favor of child labor.
Nonsense. You're trying to twist my argument around so it appears I'm attempting to single out and vilify the United States.
Of course it means they are in favour of it - they support it through their actions. Ignorance is not a viable defence as public awareness campaigns against just this issue have been going on for decades.
And, your allegation that "the majority" of US citizens purchase products that were made in child labor factories, or knowingly do so.
It is a well known fact that many of the cheap goods available at big retailers such as Walmart are produced using child labour, but even disregarding that and focusing instead on the issue of outsourcing of potential American jobs you cannot deny that a majority of the market supports such outsourcing by their purchasing habits. Again, ignorance is not a viable defence.
To bitch and moan about something so comparatively trivial as the uniforms for the Olympics is hilariously hypocritical and narrow minded.
Moreover, in the US, the Olympic Committee is not part of the government. It's a private organization. So,what the hell does this have to do with the American government?
Is it not? No matter. I was simply following the train of argument from other posters. This private organization is acting with the same business ethics your society has come to welcome in almost every other facet of commerce, so why is something this trivial an issue?
