Thread: Should the US trade with countries despite human rights violations?

Originally Posted by Harrycombs

Should the US trade with countries despite human rights violations?

I am doing a civics project, and I need to poll 20 adults on what they think about this topic.

Please post your age and occupation (its part of the project).

Also, post any links to support your side of the argument.

Thanks ahead of time.

Practicality wise, we have to.
Humanitarian wise, we should not. That is how I feel.

When we don't, we get blamed for all of the poverty and starvation that happens in the country, as if we are the world's daddy.

I don't think that we should. I don't want to wear shoes made by kids chained to machines in factories or political prisoner slave camp labor just to save a few dollars. If we buy it, we are contributing to the misery. The market and the profits are what drive the industries.

Originally Posted by Moonbeam

I don't think that we should. I don't want to wear shoes made by kids chained to machines in factories or political prisoner slave camp labor just to save a few dollars. If we buy it, we are contributing to the misery. The market and the profits are what drive the industries.

That's a good point. I agree.

Originally Posted by Howie

Practicality wise, we have to.
Humanitarian wise, we should not. That is how I feel.

Originally Posted by Universal Mind

When we don't, we get blamed for all of the poverty and starvation that happens in the country, as if we are the world's daddy.

Are you guys serious???

Originally Posted by kichu

Are you guys serious???

Yes. Have you not heard people bitch about U.S. led trade sanctions against Iraq (and other countries)? They blame our sanctions for the starvation holocaust Hussein perpetrated on the people. They talk as though we owe it to every country to trade with them because they just can't survive without us. If we stopped trading with China today and their economy suffered as a result, I can assure you that we would be badmouthed on a severe level for "starving" the Chinese.

Bin Laden listed the sanctions on Iraq as one of his reasons for the 9/11 attacks. He basically said we murdered 1.5 million Iraqis with the trade sanctions.

im not legally an adult. Im a few months away from voting age in my country...but I believe no developed country should trade with human rights abusing countries.

If everyone takes this stance, there will be no option for such abusing countries. Fix or lose trade.

and to me...this has got nothing to do with international image, or what the other countries think about you on a global stage. If this is used it should be for the one reason: give fundamental human rights to humans!

edit: actually...after re-reading everyones posts. I believe everything but critical food items should be restricted in this way (to avoid "starving" the population)

I say no. Like the above poster said, it would force them to change if every country did so. I also agree with moonbeam. I don't want to wear shoes or clothing made by some slave kids...I probably do by coincidence

Originally Posted by Universal Mind

Yes. Have you not heard people bitch about U.S. led trade sanctions against Iraq (and other countries)? They blame our sanctions for the starvation holocaust Hussein perpetrated on the people.

Yes, I don't understand it. I don't see how it's our fault. I'd just as soon never trade with another oil-producing country again. If we develop alternative energy, are we responsible then for "starving" them when we quit buying oil? Are we required to continue to consume huge amounts too, just to keep them rich with our oil purchases? If they spread it around a little better amongst the people, instead of keeping 0.1% of the population rich beyond imagination and the rest in poverty, they might be able to develop a few other industries and a more normal economy, which would be less vulnerable to being "starved" by us. It is totally the ineffective leadership which is starving their people, not us.

Originally Posted by Universal Mind

Bin Laden listed the sanctions on Iraq as one of his reasons for the 9/11 attacks. He basically said we murdered 1.5 million Iraqis with the trade sanctions.

What a hypocrite (in addition to his other faults.) So we are supposd to support them with our decadent consuming life-style? And how much of his millions was he giving to starving Iraqis? Oh, I guess he has better things to spend his money on; destroying us, I forgot. Something very strange about his reasoning.

I agree that it is hard to do, Grasshoppa. Shit, even Hershey bars are made from chocolate produced by child slave farm labor; kids who have never even tasted chocolate. (For some reason, that part always makes it extra sad for me.) You just have to be willing to buy less, or spend like twice as much on everything you buy.

It sounds so easy. It looks so good on paper.

Let's ALL do it then.
Let us all get a worldly lesson in economics.

I'm in. That's a test of all tests if you ask me.

I know it's not easy; but some things are worth a little bit of hardship. I don't accept that it can't be done.

I think gas ought to cost about $12 per gallon, and people should have to pay for all it really costs to get it here. That's probably not even enough. Then people might start paying a little bit of attention to what's going on. As it is, all $3 per gallon does is cause people to complain, not actually change anything.

And we surely could all pay the price for fair trade chocolate, which is easy to find, and make Hershey and Mars buy fair trade or go out of business.

Guy and girls, could you please state your age and occupation so I can use it in my project?

Thanks for your opinions, but I need that info for class, or I can't use it.

35
pimp
(but you can just say "business owner")

Originally Posted by Harrycombs

Guy and girls, could you please state your age and occupation so I can use it in my project?

Thanks for your opinions, but I need that info for class, or I can't use it.

We're just going to make stuff up, so you might as well do it for us.

The only way to stop the injustice is to put a trade embargo on all nations without living wage laws. The changes would occur overnight.

Originally Posted by Universal Mind

35
pimp
(but you can just say "business owner")

twice