Freedom and Fear

"Over the years, I have come to understand a critical difference between the world of fear and the world of freedom.  In the former, the primary challenge is finding the inner strength to confront evil.  In the latter, the primary challenge is finding the moral clarity to see evil."

"Can a person walk into the middle of the town square and express his or her views without fear of arrest, imprisonment, or physical harm?  If he can, then that person is living in a free society.  If not, it's a fear society. Some people who live in free societies may consider this test too expansive since, in addition to the liberal democracies, it includes many countries not always considered free.  According to the town square test, societies where women are not allowed to vote, where discrimination is rampant, or where the economy is rigidly controlled can still be free.  This valid criticism demonstrates that every society that meets the definition of "free" is not necessarily just. Rather, this test shows only that every society that passes it has crossed the threshold of freedom.  In contrast, fear societies never cross this threshold and are always unjust."  -Natan Sharansky in The Case for Democracy

Mr. Sharansky was imprisoned in Soviet Russia as a political prisoner for nine years, so he's a pretty big fan of democracy and human rights. Haven't finished the book yet, but I like it so far.  Definitely some food for thought.  U.S. foreign policy tends to favor other nations based on their diplomatic behavior in the international world, rather than the treatment of their own citizens, but the book points out the moral and strategic flaws in that mindset.  It was written in 2004, so some of the middle eastern "current events" are dated, but the ideas are still timely.

This quote really stuck with me:

"A country that does not respect the rights of its own people will not respect the rights of its neighbors." - Andrei Sakharov

"Democrazia, Democracia, Democracy, Démocratie, Demokratie" - Emilio Chapela Perez (2010) 
These series of paintings re`present the total number of searches for different "keywords" in Google. The painting above represents the total volume of searches for the word "democracy" in Italian, Spanish, English, French and German respectively. In this case, Spanish speakers search for "democracia" the most, while English speaking users search for "democracy" the least.

Kony 2012

Suddenly Joseph Kony's name is all over the place.  Wow. Invisible Children has created an brilliant awareness movement from the ground up. That's the way it should be done.  Watch this (it's just 30 minutes) and share.

 There's also a pledge you can sign.

I have heard some criticism of Invisible Children as an organization. They support the Ugandan military which has its own issues, they spend a lot of money on travel (which is not uncommon) and a LOT of money on filmmaking (see above).
They may have some problems. But there are a few things I really like about I.C.  They are focused on their cause. They have a target in sight and no one can deny that he is evil.  They help rebuild schools. And when you sign up to donate through their organization (TRI), they state that when Joseph Kony is brought to justice and his child soldiers are rescued, your donation will end.  A lot of charitable organizations have extremely muddy goals with no conclusion in sight...ever.  This one may not be perfect, but it has a clear, attainable, worthy purpose. This can happen.  Joseph Kony's LRA terror can be over this year.

My friend theothermarkmiller (now So Long Solo), wrote a song inspired by Invisible Children and the conflict in Uganda.  It's gooood.

lots to learn

I really need to educate myself a lot more about the economics behind fair trade, free trade, and the global economy as it relates to labor slavery.

So... here's my free time for the next five weeks:

Some of these were recommended to me.  Others just looked interesting. Have you read any of these books?  Do you have any thoughts about them... or other book recommendations on these topics?

In other news of the day, Home Depot apparently doesn't carry any light bulbs made in the USA.  That's disappointing.  The employees were extremely helpful and willing to call supervisors to inquire for me though.  (Yeah, I just became one of those people.)  I think I'll visit a few more stores before I resort to lighting candles.

loving chocolate

It's been well documented that the cocoa farming industry has tons of issues with regards to child labor and trafficking.  Uggghhh.  

Protest, but don't despair, O chocolate lovers! Hershey just announced that they will FINALLY be offering a version of their Bliss brand chocolate that is 100% from Rainforest Alliance-certified farms beginning later this year.  It's a step. In the meantime, there are other companies that are actually committed to investigating their supply chain and providing ethically sourced chocolate. 

Here are just a few:

1. Newman's Own Organics

2. Divine

3. Alter Eco

4. Chocolove

Sorry if this is slanted slightly towards dark chocolate. It's a weakness. :) Several of the above are available at Whole Foods (where I just tried Chocolove for the first time a few days ago. YUM!). Henhouse and HyVee carry quite a few Newman's Own products. I've heard that Trader Joe's also has some good options. 

Chocolate labeled "Fair-Trade" is probably the best way to be sure you're not supporting slavery, but buying organic chocolate is a pretty good guarantee as well since US companies go through a very detailed process to be certified organic.

Happy Valentine's Day and all that. 

xoxo

I have 47 slaves working for me

That's crazy.
It may not be a perfect calculation, and they might not be my full-time personal slaves, but isn't even one a slave too many? As the world is now, it's next to impossible to be 100% "slave free," but we can definitely reduce our dependence on slavery by paying attention to our purchases.

slaveryfootprint.org.  Go find out how many slaves are working for you and take a few minutes to check out the methodology they use.

They also have a "take action" app you can download for iphone or android.  Because, of course, consumer driven action is the important part.  I just downloaded it, so I don't have a review, but I love the concept.

the project

Who made this stuff?

Was it a 7-year-old kid who should be in school learning to read?  Was it a dad who never sees his family because he lives at the factory?  Was it a political prisoner in a restrictive nation?  Was it a slave? I wonder about these things when I’m buying Christmas lights and my tenth pair of flip-flops.

I’ll be honest.  I like cheap, cute stuff. I like Target clearance.  I like Snickers bars just about as much as any expensive Swiss chocolate you can throw at me.  I’m not rich by American standards.  I’ll probably never spend $200 on a pair of jeans. My wedding dress didn’t even cost that much.

Nevertheless, I am rich.  I’m a stinking rich American consumer when compared to most of the world.  I have more than I need.  I make purchasing choices almost every day that are above and beyond basic necessity, and I want to start thinking about those choices as they relate to a world bigger than myself.

For this next year (yeah, I never start anything on January 1, sorry), these are my personal shopping guidelines:

1. Buy it used/shop thrift

            [saves me money + great for the environment = win]

2. Buy local and/or handmade

            [support my community + support individuals and small businesses]

3. Buy “made in the USA”

[Not always a guarantee of fair labor or environmental practices, BUT, far more of a guarantee than “made in China.”  And who can argue with supporting those businesses that create US jobs?]

4. Buy from businesses that advertise their fair labor/fair trade practices or social business model

         [Being good for people IS a good business plan.  I want to support this.]

5. Don’t buy it

            [“Use it up. Wear it out. Make it do or do without.” 

            If my grandma could do it, I can too.]

So why this blog place?

It’s true; I could do all of the above without a blog. My hope is that this will be a year of discovering great new places to shop (online and off), finding quality organizations to support, and gathering new knowledge about economics and human rights.  It’s no fun if you don’t have anyone with whom to share these tidbits. I hope I get a few readers.  If not, well… at least I’ll have a journal of a small adventure. 

Ok?

Ok.

P.S. I’m praying my computer doesn’t break this year, guys.  I don’t know what I’ll do.