New Phone App Will Help Americans See The Amount Of Forced Labor In What We Buy
A new phone app will help Americans see how much forced labor was involved to make the things we use each day.
“Was your smartphone made in a sweatshop? Were those diapers made by slaves? Were children in another country forced to put that stitching in your designer jeans? Consumers will be able to find out after the debut Thursday of a new app and website that measure the forced labor in everyday products. Created by the U.S. State Department and a watchdog group, the free app and website will make consumers aware of their “slavery imprint.” “This is a new way to create awareness about the issue of modern slavery and empower consumers,” said Ambassador Luis CdeBaca, director of the State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.”
Here is the website of State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.
While at the website, I signed up for e-mail updates.
Government has a role in informing consumers about the things they purchase. In this way, consumers can make decisions with as much information as possible.
I’m certain I buy things that are made with forced labor. I imagine we all do.
The good news is that we can address this problem and change how goods are made.
Government has a role in protecting the workers who make the products we buy in the United States. In a connected world, we cannot just wash our hands of the consequences of our decisions.
As mentioned above, Luis CdeBaca runs the State Department Trafficking office.
The Trafficking office reports to the Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs. Her name is Maria Otero.
While this proposal did not pass, Republicans are going after many of the protections that American workers have in our nation.
It is good that our federal government is involved in important work of addressing forced labor and human trafficking. Such work helps consumers at home, and helps working people all over the globe.
It is work that shows the United States living up to the promise of freedom for all.
Texas Considering Confederate License Plates To Honor Treason And Slavery—TPA Round-Up
At the end of this post is the weekly round-up of the Texas Progressive Alliance. The TPA is a confederation of the best political bloggers in Texas. TPA members are citizen-bloggers who are working hard for a better Texas.
Every Texan has the ability has the ability to attend a public meeting, attend or organize a protest, write or call an elected official, talk to friends and family, start a blog, donate money, write a letter to the editor, volunteer for candidates and causes, and even run for public office. The work of freedom is up to each of us.
With the round-up this week is news that the State of Texas is seriously considering a license plate honoring the Confederate army and the brutal and treasonous causes the Confederate army fought for in the Civil War.
Above you see an image of the license plate.
Some will claim that honoring the traitors who fought against American armies so that black men and women might remain slaves is a matter of culture or regional identity.
(Below–Southern culture and regional identity from the years before the Civil War.)
I’m certain that when borderline disloyal politicians like Texas Governor Rick Perry drip the hateful words of secession and nullification that all they have in mind is the protection of a noble heritage.
None of it has anything do to with a black President or increasing numbers of minorities in the U.S. or the desire of big corporations to be free of federal safety and environmental regulation.
Where was all this Tea Party talk when George W. Bush was running up the debt and raising the debt ceiling 19 times?
The State of Texas can offer these license plates to Texas motorists. Politicians in Texas and elsewhere can talk about secession and nullification of federal laws. I welcome all free speech in our great federal union.
For those of us who think that the outcome of the Civil War should stand, we need to remain aware that the enemy defeated in 1865 never goes away in this country.
The round-up—-
We have our first poll of Texas for next year’s presidential contest and Off the Kuff says that so far 2012 still looks like 2008.
Last week WCNews at Eye On Williamson posted on the Texas Republicans’ latest health care scheme: House GOP follows Oklahoma and Georgia into misguided health care compact.
Bay Area Houston has a theory about Rick Perry’s veto of the texting-while-driving ban. Continue reading
Facts About Juneteenth—The Freedom Of All People Is Connected
What is Juneteenth?
Juneteenth is the celebration to mark the end of slavery in the United States.
On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger, landing at Galveston, Texas, made the announcement that the Civil War was over and that slaves were free.
(Above–Ashton Villa. It was from the balcony of this house that the Emancipation Proclamation was read in the event now known as Juneteenth. Photo by Nick Saum www.nicksaumphotography.com)
Juneteenth for 2011 will be observed on Sunday, June 19.
It is important that we all be aware of Juneteenth. The freedom of all people is connected. If any group of Americans does not have all their rights, than we are all denied our rights.
Here is information on Juneteenth from the very useful Handbook of Texas Online.
From the Handbook—
“On June 19 (“Juneteenth”), 1865, Union general Gordon Granger read the Emancipation Proclamation in Galveston, thus belatedly bringing about the freeing of 250,000 slaves in Texas. The tidings of freedom reached slaves gradually as individual plantation owners read the proclamation to their bondsmen over the months following the end of the war. The news elicited an array of personal celebrations, some of which have been described in The Slave Narratives of Texas (1974). The first broader celebrations of Juneteenth were used as political rallies and to teach freed African-Americans about their voting rights. Within a short time, however, Juneteenth was marked by festivities throughout the state, some of which were organized by official Juneteenth committees.”
Though the Emancipation Proclamation took effect in 1863, it took time for word to get around that slavery was over. People went around for two years not knowing they were free.
After Juneteenth came the failure of Reconstruction and over 100 years of Jim Crow. Many people had their lives wasted in these years due to the racist beliefs of political leaders and of many everyday citizens.
Here is a history of Reconstruction.
Here is a history of Jim Crow.
Here is a collection of links that form a history of slavery in the United States.
These folks think Juneteenth should be a holiday.
Here is a list on Juneteenth events in Houston for 2011.
( I’ve also written the best Martin Luther King Reading & Reference List on the web. Please click here to see the list.)
Below is a picture of a man who was a slave and who was whipped many times.
The man in the picture above had no choice about his fate in life.
Even today we remain not in full control of our fates. Circumstance and chance play a role in life.
Sometimes our freedom is restricted by our self-imposed limits of imagination. Other times our freedom is challenged by the greed of the wealthy and powerful.
In any case, we must always press ahead towards freedom and emancipation. There is always progress to be made and great victories to be won.
Next Year May We Be Free
The following refers to the matzoh that was eaten in my home tonight at our Passover Seder, and is taken from the Haggadah that is read each year at Passover—
This is the bread of affliction that our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. All who are hungry-let them come and eat. All who are needy-let them come and celebrate the Passover with us. Now we are here; next year may we be in the Land of Israel. Now we are slaves; next year may we be free.
You can take this as literal or metaphoric. In any case, there is always the hope of being freed from bondage and affliction, and there is always the hope that we can move towards the place in life that we see as best and most just.
Here are facts about Passover, the Haggadah, and the Passover Seder. Passover marks the freedom of the Jews from slavery in Egypt.
Donation To Democratic National Committee—Consider What You Can Do As Election Nears
Above you see Franklin Roosevelt Action Figure, Andrew Jackson Action Figure, and George W. Bush Action Figure . They are standing with a $50 money order that they bought at the supermarket, and are going to send to the Democratic National Committee.
F.D.R.A.F. says that Health Care Reform is as close to a New Deal program that we going to see in our corporate owned nation. He reminds that HCR, among many helpful things, ends lifetime limits on policies, stops the practice of kicking people off insurance because they sick and offers free immunizations to kids. (Read about Health Care Reform on your own.)
Andrew Jackson A.F. says that in his day, slavery was expanded and Indian removal was aggressively pursued all in the name of expanded democracy and liberty. He says he would have done something about it all, but for the fact that he was in favor of all the bad things taking place. Old Hickory says that in our day, the so-called Tea Party and the Republican Party use talk of expanded democracy and liberty to empower the rich even further and to make sure that millions won’t have access to health insurance. (A good to book to learn about the “evolution” of democracy in the first half of the 19th century is The Rise of American Democracy–Jefferson to Lincoln by Sean Wilentz. )
George W. Bush A.F. says that many of our problems are indeed his fault.
The donation does not change my view that the Democratic Party sometimes ignores the poor and urban voters who are often it’s most reliable supporters.
Nor does it mean that I’m any less frustrated with President Obama‘s failure to communicate effectively for progressive values.
But we are where we are, and we must move ahead past the upcoming election.
The Republican Party has from the moment President Obama took office said no to everything he has proposed. They never had any intention of saying anything other than saying no.
They have said no regardless of the severity of the recession, regardless of the millions without health insurance and regardless of the reality of climate change.
They don’t appear to care about the severity of these problems.
I suggest that you please consider what you can do to help Democratic candidates in the weeks ahead.
After the election is done, there will be plenty of time to discuss what comes next.
Facts About Juneteenth—Juneteenth 2010
What is Juneteenth?
Juneteenth is the celebration to mark the end of slavery in the United States.
On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger, landing at Galveston, Texas, made the announcement that the Civil War was over and that slaves were free.
Juneteenth for 2010 will be observed on Saturday, June 19.
Here is information on Juneteenth from the very useful Handbook of Texas Online.
From the Handbook—
“On June 19 (“Juneteenth”), 1865, Union general Gordon Granger read the Emancipation Proclamation in Galveston, thus belatedly bringing about the freeing of 250,000 slaves in Texas. The tidings of freedom reached slaves gradually as individual plantation owners read the proclamation to their bondsmen over the months following the end of the war. The news elicited an array of personal celebrations, some of which have been described in The Slave Narratives of Texas (1974). The first broader celebrations of Juneteenth were used as political rallies and to teach freed African-Americans about their voting rights. Within a short time, however, Juneteenth was marked by festivities throughout the state, some of which were organized by official Juneteenth committees.”
Though the Emancipation Proclamation took effect in 1863, it took time for word to get around that slavery was over. People went around for two years not knowing they were free.
The knowledge you need for your freedom is out there. You just may not be aware.
It’s up to you to gain the knowledge you require about your history. I mean this for people of all colors because history is a shared thing. The fate of all people is connected.
The knowledge you need is on-line, in books, and at the library. The knowledge you need is all around you if you take the time and make the effort to learn.
You are intelligent and you are able to gain the knowledge you need.
After Juneteenth came the failure of Reconstruction and over 100 years of Jim Crow. many people had their lives wasted in these years.
Here is a history of Reconstruction.
Here is a history of Jim Crow.
Here is a collection of links that form a history of slavery in the United States.
These folks think Juneteenth should be a holiday.
Here is a list of Juneteenth events here in Houston.
( I’ve also written the best Martin Luther King Reading & Reference list on the web. Please click here to see the list.)
Below is a picture of a man who was a slave and who was whipped many times by his overseer.
The man in the picture above had no choice about his fate in life.
And even today we are not in full control of our fates. Circumstance and chance play a role in life.
Yet you always have the option to learn about your freedom and to conduct yourself as a free person.
Sometimes our freedom is restricted by our self-imposed limits of imagination. Other times our freedom is challenged by the greed of the wealthy.
In any case, we must always press ahead towards freedom and emancipation.
What Is Juneteenth?—It Is Up To You To Learn About Your Freedom
What is Juneteenth?
Juneteenth is the celebration to mark the end of slavery in the United States.
On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger, landing at Galveston, Texas, made the announcement that the Civil War was over and that slaves were free.
Please click here for a list of Juneteenth celebrations and observances in the United States.
Here is information on Juneteenth from the very useful Handbook of Texas Online.
From the Handbook—
“On June 19 (“Juneteenth”), 1865, Union general Gordon Granger read the Emancipation Proclamation in Galveston, thus belatedly bringing about the freeing of 250,000 slaves in Texas. The tidings of freedom reached slaves gradually as individual plantation owners read the proclamation to their bondsmen over the months following the end of the war. The news elicited an array of personal celebrations, some of which have been described in The Slave Narratives of Texas (1974). The first broader celebrations of Juneteenth were used as political rallies and to teach freed African Americanabout their voting rights. Within a short time, however, Juneteenth was marked by festivities throughout the state, some of which were organized by official Juneteenth committees.”
Though the Emancipation Proclamation took effect in 1863, it took time for word to get around that slavery was over. People went around for two years not knowing they were free.
The knowledge you need for your freedom is out there. You just may not be aware.
It’s up to you to gain the knowledge you require about your history. I mean this for people of all colors because history is a shared thing. The fate of all people is connected.
The knowledge you need is on-line, in books, and at the library. You don’t need money if you are willing to learn.
You are intelligent and you are able to gain the knowledge you need.
Of course— just because someone says that you are free, does not mean that you really are free.
After Juneteenth was the failure of Reconstruction and over 100 years of Jim Crow.
Here is a history of Reconstruction.
Here is a history of Jim Crow.
Here is a collection of links that form a history of slavery in the United States.
( I’ve also written what I think is the best Martin Luther King Reading & Reference list on the web. Please click here to see the list.)
Below is a picture of a man who was a slave and who was whipped many times by his overseer.
The man in the picture above had no choice about his fate in life.
And even today we are not in full control of our fates. Circumstance and chance play a role in life.
Yet you have the option to learn about your freedom and to conduct yourself as a free person.
I ask all people to make use of this option.