We have been studying the Minor Prophets in our Wednesday night class. Several weeks ago, David taught on Amos, with the main theme being social injustice.
They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals. They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed. Father and son use the same girl and so profane my holy name. Amos 2:6-7 (NIV)
Last night, Mike Wearly taught our class on Micah. Following David’s class and discussion, Mike started researching slavery in the world today and other social injustices.
It is estimated that since the Roe v Wade legislation was passed in 1973, the number of abortions in the US until 2007 is 49,551,703. Yes, that number is almost 50 million babies aborted in the US alone. National Right to Life Org - http://www.nrlc.org/ABORTION/facts/abortionstats.html
Another injustice, and something I sort of knew about but didn’t really know about, is the cause of slavery, specifically child slavery around the world. Something I really didn’t know is that much of the harvesting of the cocoa bean needed for chocolate is accomplished through the efforts of child slavery and child labor.
The child pictured here is carrying his harvest and a machete. Look at him carefully.
Below are some Web sites and articles related to this issue. I urge you to read and study the topic for yourself. Mostly I urge you to consider purchasing Fair Trade, Organic, or chocolate that is labeled “slave free”. If more of us purchased these brands of chocolate bars, mixes, and drinks, more chocolate will be produced without child labor.
http://www.cocoainitiative.org/
The ILO estimates that 132 million children work in agriculture around the world – in many cases out of sheer economic necessity. Founded in 2002, the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) is dedicated to ending child and forced labour in cocoa-growing.
A unique partnership between NGOs, labour unions, cocoa processors and the major chocolate brands, ICI works to change the way cocoa is grown. Learn more about our work…because every child deserves a childhood, an education and an opportunity to escape the cycle of poverty.
http://www.hersheys.com
Hersheys has a large link on their Web site labeled “Corporate Social Responsibility”. The company describes their efforts to partner with environmentally responsible growers, but stops short of saying their chocolate is produced without child labor.
Major chocolate companies Hersheys, Mars, Kraft, Nestle, and Cadbury Sweppes, are listed as partners on The Cocoa Initiative Web site, but do not label their chocolate ‘slave free’ or Fair Trade. Some may be just that, but not necessarily.
Although some progress has been made since 2001, specifically in the harvest of cocoa, child slavery for the production and harvesting of crops, including chocolate and coffee is still happening. Below are some links to Web sites where you can read and learn about slavery in the world today (copy and paste into your browser):
http://web.archive.org/web/20061027103158
/www.foodrevolution.org/slavery_chocolate.htm
http://www.freetheslaves.net/Page.aspx?pid=183
http://www.american.edu/TED/chocolate-slave.htm
http://vision.ucsd.edu/~kbranson/stopchocolateslavery
/main.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20070104062536/
www.radicalthought.org/A55868/cocoa.nsf/allpg!OpenPage
http://www.worldcocoafoundation.org/tree-to-table/default.asp
http://www.chocolateusa.org/News-and-Initiatives/
http://www.worldcocoafoundation.org/commitments/ghana.asp
http://www.torontosun.com/life/greenplanet/2008/
11/21/7489136.html#/life/greenplanet/2008/11/22/pf-7497371.html
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EPF/
is_24_101/ai_85103768
http://www.globalpolicy.org/socecon/labor/
2007/0313causecure.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocoa_Protocol
Below are the Web sites for the blog and foundation started by Pam and Randy Cope.
http://touchalifekids.blogspot.com/
http://www.touchalifekids.org/
Now that you know, you have a choice. The United States is the largest consumer of goods, including chocolate, in the world. The choice you make in purchasing chocolate (or coffee, or other goods) impacts others, specifically children, around the world. If you want to make a difference, purchase Fair Trade, Organic, or chocolate that is labeled “slave free”. Take a look at the chocolate you buy…
