MY MISSION, TO FIND 'REASONABLE' COST SLAVE FREE CHOCOLATE IN AMERICA

I am on a mission, to find Reasonable [because some of us are NOT rich and our grocery budget is limited and no our children do NOT want to live on beans and water LOL] Fair Trade-Slave FREE chocolate,

and I'm talking about baking chocolate, not just candy bars. So, I've seen tons in UK and in Australia,
but where I am at,

the choices are nill to none.

I've thus far found some candy bars, that's it...and only dark chocolate. And they were 'seasonal' so, I will be checking Whole Foods which is the only place I have found online that even Sells Fair Trade chocolate in the States, at least where I am.

This Really makes me angry, I'd like to SUE Hershey's and the Rest of them for selling Child Slave Chocolate, to think that My children and I for years, baked, cooked, drank and ate, chocolate harvested by Child Slaves!

It IS infuriating, it really is. How dare they really? And the fact that they hide this from the public, is a type of Fraud.

America the Free--but oh, the chocolate your kids eat--its made by kid slaves.

Yep, just dandy ain't it?

Makes me sick....really does.

I will be writing a lot on this because Valentine's Day is coming up, and we know that day is a huge one for selling Chocolates---not only that but the flowers too, often are farmed by slaves. I stopped buying flowers long time ago due to that [unless its local food market and grown here, but even There you have to be careful--some exploit migrant workers].

OK then,

will tell you what I find out, when I find out.

On another note, I want to re-post this here, because the work this man is doing to save young women and girls/children who have been trafficked into sex slavery, is just inspiring...

in my book, a man who really Shows Christ in Action. A man who gives me hope, that yes, we Can make a difference.

http://homesewersneedleworkersunion-hsnwu.blogspot.com/2010/01/no-words-needed-tribute-to-real-hero.html

Also, to the side bar, I added two links to blogs, two Amazing women, who work pretty much Daily, advocating for human rights. Green Consciousness, whom I've corresponded with for some time, does so much for advocating for animal rights and women's rights, including confronting oppression in Islam. I make mention of that because it's one of my pet peeves is the selling OUT of these women by so many Western feminists...and Green is not Right Wing [nor am I for that fact] yet she is diligent in standing up for the rights of ALL women, no matter what religion, culture, region, etc and well, I just love her. Though she may not get a lot of popularity, she plugs on, non stop...writing and advocacy and she's dedicated her Life to standing up for those with little power. Her blog roll is one if not The BEST resources for just about Any issue pertaining to women's human rights. She is truly, a warrior for women whom I am honored, to have been able to meet and work with.

Another blog, I have her listed in two other places, Live Honestly, another amazing woman who works hard in connecting and advocating against trafficking of women, children and animals. She dedicates her photography to the causes as well. I have corresponded with her and she's just a really awesome person and she inspired me.

You know, its not Easy writing blogs like this because they Can be controversial and they aren't always about subject matter that women want to read about...they can hit nerves, you know, not only that but they are not always cheerful and bright. More so however, is that they don't necessarily fit into any 'box', e.g. I am Christian but I am more to the left on numerous issues and I am a feminist. Not exactly your run of the mill, if you know what I mean...however I am not anti-maternal or anti-feminine either,

I guess you could say, some of us are just an eclectic lot who care about people and don't like to see suffering and want to do something, to make this world, at least try, a better place. Its hard because writing on issues as Individuals rather than as a member of a group think tank, well, you don't always have the support you would if you were writing with a group, per se.

But we do it, because we believe in the issues, they matter to us. And when I first started blogging on issues I often times became frustrated because if I didn't 'fit' into a certain 'political or religious or ideological' mold I would get the nasty comments and so forth and it was easy to just think,

ok Why am I doing this? But then I met Green and then a few other individuals who are just that, individuals who really do not care if they fit into a certain personality type or group or what have you...who write/advocate/work because they want to see change, real change,

and those individuals so many times inspired me to keep on, to not give up, to keep working for change as well as change in My own life and in my own person/even my relationship with God, to become what I preach, know what I mean...

to Live what I believe, and as I grow and learn....all I can say is, I didn't do it alone. I had a lot of inspiration and help and encouragement from many of the bloggers I have listed, especially on the women confronting patriarchy in Christianity, women confronting patriarchy and abuses in other countries/religions and people,

who have dedicated their lives and work, to lift up others.

And as I write and learn about many issues, I learn about myself, good and bad. And how it is important, to live in our lives and to love others, as much as it is, to be vocal about injustices elsewhere. Of all the lessons I have learned,

that one, is the Most important of all. I would have never thought, years ago that the activism would challenge me as a person and would eventually lead me to my Faith...because you see, you can't just rage at the darkness you have to also walk the walk, not as Easy I am finding. Yes, I admit it...you see sometimes we can rage at the injustices of the world to mask our own demons, so you kind of have to deal with both,

confront the darkness in the world and the darkness that is in ourselves. [if we are being honest] I always found the first to be much easier, but love works like that, eventually it touches you and then you see yourself in the mirror and realize how you have hurt others too, in word or deed, in action, and it may not be like a gross human right abuse but you know,

hurt is hurt, and when you realize how those little hurts are all connected to the bigger picture,

well, it just changes you. God does work in mysterious ways, that's for sure. Well anyway...

that's it in a nutshell, now I"m off, to see about that chocolate. I will post here, what I find out.

Peace, Love and Solidarity,


Jane

COTTON--CHILD LABOR--BOYCOTT THESE STORES UNTIL THEY STOP USING COTTON PICKED BY CHILD SLAVES

ACTION ALERT--BOYCOTT--RECYCLE, RECONSTRUCT, OR SHOP FOR COTTON NOT MADE BY SLAVES, THIS CHRISTMAS

End Child Labor in the Cotton Industry!

Uzbekistan is the second largest cotton exporter in the world. Every year, the government of Uzbekistan forces thousands of children and teachers out of the classrooms and into the fields to harvest cotton. They work under harsh conditions, live in crowded barracks and miss out on valuable time in school.

The cotton these children are forced to pick ends up in the clothing we buy. While many companies have agreed to stop sourcing cotton from Uzbekistan, some are lagging behind.

Please join our efforts today to eradicate the use of forced child labor in Uzbek cotton fields and demand that Abercrombie & Fitch, Fred's, Gymboree and J Crew stop sourcing cotton from Uzbekistan.

Send a letter to the following decision maker(s):
Bruce Efrid, CEO, Fred's Inc
Customer Service J Crew
Customer Service, Abercrombie & Fitch
Jeff Harris, Gymboree
Matthew McCauley, CEO, Gymboree
Michael Hayes, Chairman, Fred's Inc.
Michael Jeffries, CEO, Abercrombie & Fitch
Millard Drexler, CEO, J Crew

Below is the sample letter:

Subject: Are you against the use of forced child labor?

Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],

I am shocked and concerned to learn that thousands of children are being forced from their classrooms to pick cotton in Uzbekistan. Since the International Labor Rights Forum's initial call to companies in 2008 to stop sourcing cotton from Uzbekistan, many companies in the clothing industry have made a commitment to do so, but your company has not.

Your lack of action in the case of Uzbek cotton has resulted in the continued use of forced child labor in Uzbekistan. You can contribute to ending these egregious abuses by joining other brands and retailers within the garment industry that have already been working on the campaign to end forced child labor in Uzbekistan.

I would like to hear from YOUR company specifically that you plan to join the International Labor Rights Forum and the brands and retailers in your industry, who have already made a commitment, in our efforts to end the use of child labor in the cotton fields of Uzbekistan. You can start b y issuing a public statement indicating that your company will not buy cotton from Uzbekistan and that you will notify all of your suppliers of this commitment.

I look forward to you joining our efforts to ensure that no products within the clothing industry are made with forced child labor.

Sincerely,

http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/Uzbekcotton/d8wbgw6417d6j6dt?

SOME WAYS TO AVOID PURCHASING 'COTTON' GARMENTS MADE BY CHILD SLAVES

1. buy organic--or handmade, if possible
2. buy union garments [tee shirts] that will have labeled [non-sweatshop], etc.
3. if you sew, reconstruct what you do have--you can make awesome dresses, shirts, aprons, you name it, from reconstructed tee shirts, skirts, old dresses, etc., as well as making baby toys, children's toys, garments, so forth---there are numerous sites that tell how to make your own gifts, via reconstruction-recycling
4. shop at thrift stores, these clothes are already used and it helps keep the landfills down, as well as helps the job resources for non-profits, etc
5. have a clothing swap-or gift exchange at your church, community, with friends, etc

6. teach your children-teens about the working conditions of other nations/children, sweatshop labor, etc., what really goes behind many 'brand names' and yes, including low end stores, many of their garments are made 'sweatshop', etc., the more children-teens are aware, the more they themselves, will become more ethical 'shoppers', and they may take it upon themselves to learn to sew, exchange, and advocate--to be more conscious of how our decisions/behaviors do effect our neighbors, including across the oceans.

7. learn that quantity isn't always quality, or that 'labels' don't necessarily mean 'quality' either. Learn how to recycle--reconstruct and how to do actual sewing/arts, etc., not only for yourself but teach your children, not only is it good for the environment, good for fair trade, its good for their self-esteem [and yours] and good for learning to be creative, to explore one's creative side. [empowerment] Skills such as embroidery, painting, silk-printing, etc., are good to know and not hard to do, and one can use those to 'remake' an old garment.

8. when you find fair trade companies--anti-sweatshop, be sure to tell people about them, the more support they have, the more the demand will go up--for fair trade garments/items, therefore making it beneficial for corporations to choose to be ethical.

FAIR TRADE--CHOCOLATE AND FABRICS and Universal Rights for Women

see: http://www.globalexchangestore.org/harvestofhope.html

These chocolates are a bit expensive for my budget, but I am considering not buying any chocolate from the store, and buying from them,

and stocking up. Also, there is Fair Trade Fabrics, I am looking into those as well,

I did a search for Fair Trade suppliers in my area, there was not one, not a one. Not for chocolate and fabrics,

I am wondering, how small businesses [put out thanks to CPSIA] can work in alliance with the Fair Trade Coops, doing exchange, international,

especially among women. So I will be doing some study on this, with the economy as it is, this will not be an easy task,

no jobs, no money, no means to purchase Fair Trade Goods. This is one if not the most important aspect of this stupid law,

in that, it Will have devastating effects on those Fair Trade-Women Coops businesses. They are barely making it as it is in many of these countries, it takes a lot of coop-group effort, competition with mass production is fierce, mass production that Does not only rely on slavery, low status/abuse of women, they actually prefer these conditions. Easier to exploit...

excerpt:
Behind Chocolate’s Bars

March 10, 2008 by globalgirlnetwork

By Idelette McVicker


chocolate.jpgNearly 200 years ago, about 300,000 people in Great Britain refused to eat sugar in protest against the use of slave labour in the production of sugar. Their combined protest had a powerful effect: retailers quickly sourced alternative suppliers and declared their sugar to be slave free. Read the Rest Here:
http://globalgirlnetwork.com/2008/03/10/behind-chocolate%E2%80%99s-bars/

also, I wanted to add this as well:

Universal Rights of Women

http://muslimsagainstsharia.blogspot.com/2009/03/universal-doctrine-of-womens-rights.html

more on this later