i've been slacking recently on my posts.
they've mostly been pictures or things i've been cooking.
mostly because i've been home from school and not
doing much besides working, training for the half marathon,
and spending time with family and friends.
but i've still been reading!
i picked up the book disposable people by kevin bales
from the library last week and it is sooo fascinating.
a teacher of mine had recommended it as one of the best books
on modern day slavery, so i added it to my list of books to
read months ago. the most important thing i've learned so far
can be summed up in this excerpt...
"although the direct value of slave labor i nthe world economy may
seem relatively small, the indirect value is much greater.
for example, slave-produced charcoal is crucial to making steel in brazil.
much of this steel is then made into the cars, car parts, and other
metal goods that make up a quarter of all brazil's exports. britian alone
imports 1.6 billion in goods from brazil each year, and the US significantly
more. slavery lowers a factory's production costs; these savings can
be passed up the economic stream, ultimately reaching shops of europe
and north america as lower prices or higher profits for retailers."
pg. 23 of disposable people by kevin bales
this was so crazy to me when i first read it! when we buy something
that is significantly cheaper than a top brand of the same item
sold somewhere else, it may not just be because you got
a good deal or the quality is less. it could be because somewhere
down the line of production, innocent people were being exploited.
obviously, this would be almost impossible to discover because
a consumer can't trace an item back that far to know.
there are more slaves now in the world than ever and the types
of slavery being used now are different, more profitable for the
slaveholders and more destructive to the lives of the slaves.
the first step towards freedom for these slaves is raising
awareness and becoming educated.
the more people that know, the more who will step up and
try to stop it. another book that my sister recommended to me
is not for sale. i hope to read that next.
i've posted on here before about sex trafficking which
is a type of the new slavery that kevin bales discusses.
also, i wanted to share a quote that i've posted on here before when
talking about the prisons in america fits a little with this topic
and makes you think about imprisonment in a different way...
“in the face of the largest prison buildup in the history of civilization, with two million citizens in prison, and one in every three black men under judicial constraint, we start to wonder what good the thirteenth amendment is if slavery is illegal unless a person is convicted of a crime.” (152, the irresistible revolution by shane claiborne)
another huge thing i've realized is that even though i am
completely disgusted with the people that are directly
involved in modern day slavery and i cannot understand
why they would do this, God still loves them and cares
so deeply for them. and honestly, i should too.
also, even though most aren't directly involved in slavery, almost
everyone is indirectly involved and has the responsibility as a human
being (and a christian, if you are) to do something.
they've mostly been pictures or things i've been cooking.
mostly because i've been home from school and not
doing much besides working, training for the half marathon,
and spending time with family and friends.
but i've still been reading!
i picked up the book disposable people by kevin bales
from the library last week and it is sooo fascinating.
a teacher of mine had recommended it as one of the best books
on modern day slavery, so i added it to my list of books to
read months ago. the most important thing i've learned so far
can be summed up in this excerpt...
"although the direct value of slave labor i nthe world economy may
seem relatively small, the indirect value is much greater.
for example, slave-produced charcoal is crucial to making steel in brazil.
much of this steel is then made into the cars, car parts, and other
metal goods that make up a quarter of all brazil's exports. britian alone
imports 1.6 billion in goods from brazil each year, and the US significantly
more. slavery lowers a factory's production costs; these savings can
be passed up the economic stream, ultimately reaching shops of europe
and north america as lower prices or higher profits for retailers."
pg. 23 of disposable people by kevin bales
this was so crazy to me when i first read it! when we buy something
that is significantly cheaper than a top brand of the same item
sold somewhere else, it may not just be because you got
a good deal or the quality is less. it could be because somewhere
down the line of production, innocent people were being exploited.
obviously, this would be almost impossible to discover because
a consumer can't trace an item back that far to know.
there are more slaves now in the world than ever and the types
of slavery being used now are different, more profitable for the
slaveholders and more destructive to the lives of the slaves.
the first step towards freedom for these slaves is raising
awareness and becoming educated.
the more people that know, the more who will step up and
try to stop it. another book that my sister recommended to me
is not for sale. i hope to read that next.
i've posted on here before about sex trafficking which
is a type of the new slavery that kevin bales discusses.
also, i wanted to share a quote that i've posted on here before when
talking about the prisons in america fits a little with this topic
and makes you think about imprisonment in a different way...
“in the face of the largest prison buildup in the history of civilization, with two million citizens in prison, and one in every three black men under judicial constraint, we start to wonder what good the thirteenth amendment is if slavery is illegal unless a person is convicted of a crime.” (152, the irresistible revolution by shane claiborne)
another huge thing i've realized is that even though i am
completely disgusted with the people that are directly
involved in modern day slavery and i cannot understand
why they would do this, God still loves them and cares
so deeply for them. and honestly, i should too.
also, even though most aren't directly involved in slavery, almost
everyone is indirectly involved and has the responsibility as a human
being (and a christian, if you are) to do something.
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