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Easter Chocolate - 4/1/2010 6:36:02 PM

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From: Tamaris
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I am just watching a re run of last Wednesdays edition of the BBC investigative programme, Panorama, this week's edition coincides with Easter and the tradition of giving and eating cholcolate easter eggs. The programme has revealed many of our high street chocolate manufacturer names are using cocoa beans which have been farmed by child slave labour in places such as Ghana and Ivory coast. Now sometimes the children are sold into slavery, or they are abducted for use on the farms, they are denied schooling and not paid, all so we in our rich lives can eat chocolate, and this easter, loads of it.

Now, the programme goes to where the cocoa beans are farmed, and they manage to talk with some of these exported children, and also talk to others all the way up the chain from bean to chocolate bar, it was very interesting, and my initial thought was; that's it, I can do without chocolate, I am not supporting this. But I am arriving at a bit of a dilemma here, for the programme revealed the poor countries that farm the stuff, they need the trade to survive, so yes, they may be using slave child labour, but if we become educated to where our little treat comes from and there apply our standards, people in some of the poorest regions of the world suffer, it literally means the difference between life and death for these people.

So, if it happens in the case of chocolate we all know where it starts out and who farms it, what do we do, get on our high horse and say no because children are being used to farm the stuff or what, what do we do, how can we help these people, or do we care ?

Chocolate is only one example of things we like sourced from the poorer parts of the world, parts of the world which go against our western standards, if we knew everything, about our food,where it is sourced, would we still buy it ?

_____________________________

Everything we are is the result of what we have thought, the mind is everything, what we think, we become - Guatama Buddha

Conservatism is distrust of people tempered by fear - William Gladstone

RE: Easter Chocolate - 4/1/2010 6:39:03 PM

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Unfortunately, most people don't give a shit how their food's produced, especially not when it comes to stuffing little kids full of cheap, crappy "candy" .

Easter: don't do it. They don't even know what the fuck's the reason behind it

!

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(in reply to Aneirin)

RE: Easter Chocolate - 4/1/2010 6:43:58 PM

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Diamonds, oil, coffee, etc... would we stop buying any of those things if we looked at where they came from or how the people in these places are treated? Without a doubt the answer is yes. I am not sure what that says about us as a society, but I can't see everybody giving up these pleasures just because of the agony of the people where they are harvested from.

It is a catch 22, damned if you do something and they are damned if we don't. So have a nice chocolate egg, and enjoy it even more knowing what some folks have gone through so that you could enjoy it. Harsh? Probably, but honest as well.

Thanks for sharing the story.

I wish you well,
Thadius

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When the character of a man is not clear to you, look at his friends." ~ Japanese Proverb

(in reply to Aneirin)

RE: Easter Chocolate - 4/1/2010 6:45:22 PM

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quote:

ORIGINAL: kittinSol

Unfortunately, most people don't give a shit how their food's produced, especially not when it comes to stuffing little kids full of cheap, crappy "candy" .

Easter: don't do it. They don't even know what the fuck's the reason behind it !

Some of us do...

If all of the fertility symbolism wasn't obvious.

_____________________________

When the character of a man is not clear to you, look at his friends." ~ Japanese Proverb

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RE: Easter Chocolate - 4/1/2010 6:49:08 PM

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So buy American chocolate. We get our beans from a different continent. If these whole communities that will starve are completely accepting of the practices, fuck them anyway.

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RE: Easter Chocolate - 4/1/2010 6:58:26 PM

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From: Tamaris
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quote:

ORIGINAL: TheHeretic

So buy American chocolate. We get our beans from a different continent. If these whole communities that will starve are completely accepting of the practices, fuck them anyway.

Are you so sure where the beans come from, as it was demonstrated people will buy beans provenance irrelevant, it is down to the best price, the question is not asked, and the answer is not told, all that matters is the west gets it's chocolate and there are big businesses here ready to respond.

Now I believe in the programme, when the Panorama team challenged one of the big chocolate manufacturing corporations about the origin of their beans, they said they are aware of the conditions the farmers live and work in, and so plan to spend 65 million on improving their lot in the next few years. Improvements to include access to healthcare, schooling and clean water, all things we take for granted whilst munching our chocolate.

Manufacturers hide behind the FairTrade label, a standard which demands certain working practices, but where the farms are these standards are largely ignored, because they are poor and need to eat, they do what is necessary to survive so beware what we are told.

_____________________________

Everything we are is the result of what we have thought, the mind is everything, what we think, we become - Guatama Buddha

Conservatism is distrust of people tempered by fear - William Gladstone

(in reply to TheHeretic)

RE: Easter Chocolate - 4/2/2010 12:58:03 AM

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Fair Trade Chocolate

http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/fairtrade/coffee/retailers.html

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So in this gray haze we'll be meating again, and on that
great day, I will tease you all the same."
"WOLF MOON", OCTOBER RUST, TYPE O NEGATIVE

http://KinkMeet.co.uk

(in reply to Aneirin)

RE: Easter Chocolate - 4/2/2010 5:35:46 AM

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Its a difficult question alright. Last night I watched Lindsay Lohan's programme about trafficked child workers in India who work ridiculous hours in mad conditions to produce trinkets for us idiots. LL was with one of the charities that roams the suburbs of the big cities, rescuing the kids and sending them home - there are ample laws but the police dont act and the courts are disinterested.

The parents send their children off with the traffickers on the promise that their wages will be sent back to support the family, which otherwise doesnt have the means or the money to feed itself let alone do anything more. When the child is returned by the charity, he/she is given compensation for being forced to work by the Indian government and a monthly allowance, but this is nowhere near enough to provide for one extra mouth to feed and the loss of wages. The result is often that the child is sent off with the next trafficker to appear in the village and the cycle repeats. It would be easy to vilify the parents, but realistically they have no other options.

Meanwhile should we buy the trinkets or not? If we do then we support poor Indian families but also contribute to the whole mess. If we dont then its very simple, these people will starve. The annoying aspect of all this is that the trinkets produced are the same as those sold in so called "New Age" shops where enlightened values are supposedly celebrated. But it runs out across the high street too, with all manner of goods and especially clothing coming from the same sources.

E

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RE: Easter Chocolate - 4/2/2010 6:44:16 AM

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Thadius

quote:

ORIGINAL: kittinSol

Unfortunately, most people don't give a shit how their food's produced, especially not when it comes to stuffing little kids full of cheap, crappy "candy" .

Easter: don't do it. They don't even know what the fuck's the reason behind it !

Some of us do... If all of the fertility symbolism wasn't obvious.

Actually, I think a lot do. I have to say after reading kittins opinions of americans, I have to wonder about the people she hangs out with. Maybe if she got a higher class of friends, she would know more people who actually care about others.

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(in reply to Thadius)

RE: Easter Chocolate - 4/2/2010 7:47:31 AM

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It's a good job the Americans I hang out with aren't in the least like you. Has anyone ever told you what a cretin you are :-) ?

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RE: Easter Chocolate - 4/2/2010 10:27:27 AM

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From: S.E. London U.K.
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FRFRFR etcetera

I think rather than allowing manufacturers of such items to do so as they wish the government should police it and fair trade should be the norm and better regulated

A lot of fair trade items are a nonsense because manufacturers blur the line and often don't consider every aspect of their production chain although they claim to. Also there is nothing really stopping some unscrupulous manufacturers from just ripping off people.

This farmer was recently prosecuted for relabeling battery eggs as free range eggs, he'd been doing it for years and obviously all they say about superior quality was total nonsense because people hadn't noticed the difference. Although in this case he can be prosecuted but what is the definition of 'fair trade'? this is not as simple to establish as whether or not a chicken gets to take fag breaks.

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RE: Easter Chocolate - 4/3/2010 5:50:36 PM

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Joined: 3/18/2006
From: Tamaris
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All I have to say, is all of you who have read this topic and will enjoy the sunday of eating chocolate easter eggs there think of what others in the world may go through to allow you to enjoy your festivity.

To quit chocolate to stop the activity of abducted or sold children who against ILO regulations farm the cocoa beans, might lead to starvation, just remember them, thank them and offer them a positive and kind thought, for we cannot extend our beliefs of this world on the world they live in.

It is far from being an ideal world.

< Message edited by Aneirin -- 4/3/2010 5:51:10 PM >

_____________________________

Everything we are is the result of what we have thought, the mind is everything, what we think, we become - Guatama Buddha

Conservatism is distrust of people tempered by fear - William Gladstone

(in reply to SL4V3M4YB3)

RE: Easter Chocolate - 4/3/2010 6:11:34 PM

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Nope

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"Sweetie, you're wasting your gum" .. Albert

This here is the boi formerly known as orfunboi

(in reply to kittinSol)

RE: Easter Chocolate - 4/3/2010 6:54:52 PM

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Would cooperatives work? They're used in small scale in various countries to manufacture local crafts/products, etc. (I'm thinking of Tibet and some countries in South/Central America.) Pay is much better and people stay in their communities. It would be different to have children involved but may be worth a look.

quote:

ORIGINAL: LadyEllen

Its a difficult question alright. Last night I watched Lindsay Lohan's programme about trafficked child workers in India who work ridiculous hours in mad conditions to produce trinkets for us idiots. LL was with one of the charities that roams the suburbs of the big cities, rescuing the kids and sending them home - there are ample laws but the police dont act and the courts are disinterested.

The parents send their children off with the traffickers on the promise that their wages will be sent back to support the family, which otherwise doesnt have the means or the money to feed itself let alone do anything more. When the child is returned by the charity, he/she is given compensation for being forced to work by the Indian government and a monthly allowance, but this is nowhere near enough to provide for one extra mouth to feed and the loss of wages. The result is often that the child is sent off with the next trafficker to appear in the village and the cycle repeats. It would be easy to vilify the parents, but realistically they have no other options.

Meanwhile should we buy the trinkets or not? If we do then we support poor Indian families but also contribute to the whole mess. If we dont then its very simple, these people will starve. The annoying aspect of all this is that the trinkets produced are the same as those sold in so called "New Age" shops where enlightened values are supposedly celebrated. But it runs out across the high street too, with all manner of goods and especially clothing coming from the same sources.

E

(in reply to LadyEllen)

RE: Easter Chocolate - 4/3/2010 7:17:22 PM

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there is a thread about the US bolstering the Saudia Arabian leadership - and one of the suggestions was to withdraw all support from the region, and let all parties duke it out until someone actually wins. The poster felt that maybe this would be the most efficient way of bringing peace to the region. No-one was really horrified at the notion. It was sort of along the lines of letting the water reach its own equalibrium.

I guess it depends on how many people and cultures we as the developed world think we can support. If we don't buy coca beans, then people starve. If we do buy them, people live in horrific conditions. If they are dead we don't get coca beans and they don't suffer. Which is better - dead or living badly.

How much guilt can we individually stand?

(in reply to thornhappy)

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