Hallelujah! To Amy,Charlie,Morgan and Rev.Billy for a great show,this a.m. on the VITAL topic of human exploitation,by greedy retailers.
'What would Jesus buy'? is a good title!
As a good man with the sassy spirit(similar to Rev.Billy)I believe if Jesus was the brave dissenter and moral/ethical activist who stormed into the temple and denounced the merchants for abusing a holy place and day("Holy day"="holiday")to make fiscal profit,instead of commiting to spiritual giving and contemplation,THEN,I would imgine that Jesus would be one of the first people to say,'Hey,DON'T buy those crosses made in sweatshops,because they are exploiting people,abusing their human rights,feeding them stale crumbs,while the retailers take the really good 'bread'.
And the AUDACITY of the Singer Co.?('Stinger' Co.) for making it look at if those crucifixes were MADE IN ITALY(as if endorsed by The Vatican LOL!)when they were actually made in slave-camp/sweat shops in CHINA! DISGRACEFUL!
I believe Jesus wouldn't even have given THOSE CROSSES AWAY FREE!He would have been so disgusted,because he was a honourable man who believed in human-rights,and justice.And besides,he didn't believe in icons!
LOL! Jesus might have joined Rev.Billy,on the march(maybe even driven the bus!) to the 'great temple' of The Mall of America and(in my humble opinion),shouted,
'Thou shall not sell thy moral principles for cheap goods made with the sweat of your abused brothers and sisters'! And to the manufacturers and retailers:
'Thou shalt NOT profit from extortionate 'mark-ups' at the expense of human suffering'!
And then they BOTH would have been arrested,AGAIN,and informed of their "rights"(yeh right!)
But,don't worry Rev.Billy,Morgan and Charlie Kernaghan, I for one,(and many of my friends)"stopped shopping" at Wal-Mart,'Char'-bucks,K-Mart,McDonald's et al, YEARS AGO,on principle, and STILL keep the 'faith'!
If you don't put the worker before the product,the product ain't worth a dime!
Even Santa would be LOST without his loyal 'elves'!
Thanks 'Democracy Now'!

Coffee and Democracy Now!
My friends and I were meeting to have coffee and catch D/N,with Amy talking to Charlie Kernaghan about the terrible exploitation of workers in China and elsewhere in the world(incuding the USA).We were so horrified at the information Charlie gave about the hidden factories throughout China(and India),the excruciating hours worked,treatment and abuse of workers who struggle to turn out dolls,clothes and toys for our children AT A TWO HUNDRED PERCENT PROFIT TO companies such as Mattel,Walmart,Speedo,Toys R US etc.We were all disgusted!
So,eight parents,drinking coffee decided that we were going to boycott such products.We are also going to boycott the viewing of anything to do with the Olympic Games to be held in China shortly.No money will be spent on any 'suspect' items this Christmas,s 'Santas' bag will be much lighter,I guess!
We are all going to write to our Senators/Congress etc and expain tha we have two things that they want:
Our votes,
Our money!
And until Congress disassociate themselves from human rights abusers(including Barbie,Thomas the Tank engine et al),THEY WILL GET NEITHER!
I would rather my money go to adopt(symbolically)a tiger,through a charity for my child,to re-emphasize the need to protect endangered species,than it go to a Chinese business-person who would spend their 'blood'profits EATING TIGER PENIS as a delicacy, paid for by the sweat and abuse of their employees!
Congress must decide that ethics,morals,the health of our children are some of the pillars of our Nations future,NOT A CONTINUING slave-trade contract with China(or any other human-rights abuser).
Sorry Santa,but morality comes before fantasy toys!
Congress need to meet with Charlie Kernaghan AGAIN, and listen hard to what he says.Because my conscience(and the other parents)will not allow my vote OR money to support any PERSON OR COMPANY OR POLITICAL PARTY who holds a two hundred per cent mark-up higher than HUMAN RIGHTS!

Thankyou Amy Goodman,for bringing s real-life news,from across the world.
It's not always pleasant to hear,but at least it's real.
I was heart-broken to see your interview with the Congolese activist Christine,who has been struggling,against great odds,to inform the world about the rape,mutilation and total abuse of women and children in the Congo, primarly by the Hutu people, who wreaked havoc in Rwanda.
I don't know much about President Kapila and his 'first lady',but I DO KNOW,that until they both stop this terrible abuse of THEIR Nations women and children,they have not proved a right to their status in office,it's salary,OR IT'S RESPECT!
Certainly Kapila's wife DOES NOT deserve the honour of title "FIRST LADY", if she continues to allow 10-18 MONTH OLD FEMALE CHILDREN TO BE SAVAGELY RAPED and mutilated,never mind the atrocities that occur to teenage and adult females.
Christine was right,IT IS A FEMICIDE! And Kapila and his spouse need to honour their people by saving and protecting the Congolese women and children and punishing HARD the savages who perpetrate these crimes.
I felt so helpless,whilst watching the interview and hearing what was happening to these people,and Christine kept the details very 'polite'for our tender,sheltered,American ears! There are obviously far worse details that she chose to spare the viewer.Except that THOSE ARE THE REAL THINGS that we SHOULD KNOW ABOUT! I don't know what kind of creatures do such atrocious things to babies,children,elderly etc,but they are not on any food-chain species list that I can recall.I think even God would be hard pushed to find them a descriptive category.
It it the duty of the Congolese Government,at least,to protect their citizens and bring to justice these abhorrent human rights abusers.
The very least I can do from my safe,secure,'don't know how lucky we are home',is to donate to the organization attempting to house and safe-guard these women and children.But the ideal would be,that the WHOLE REASON for these refuges is dealt and resolved, and women and children are given a safe and happy life.That is their right,NOT A LUXURY!
President and Mrs Kapila,as mentors and leaders,I think you have a big,BUT PRIORITY task,to honour your people and the children of your Nations future.If you ignore their plight and abuse,you are no better than those who initiate the abuse!
Mrs.Kapila,if you wish to continue to be known a "First Lady of the Congo",show them,and us,that you are WORTHY of it.DO RIGHT BY YOUR WOMEN AND CHILDREN.Because,without women,you simply DO NOT HAVE A FUTURE!
EARN YOUR TITLE! PLEASE!