I am a reasonable man with practical, modern, capitalistic sensibilities. I would like to propose that the state of South Carolina replace the “Confederate Battle Flag” with a more current symbol of economic profit making due to slavery – a corporate logo selected from amongst the current corporate slavers who are known for using child labor or paying “slave” wages in foreign countries.
http://www.criminaljusticedegreesguide.com/features/10-huge-u-s-brands-who-profit-from-what-americans-would-call-slave-labor.html
In this way, South Carolinians might be able to charge corporations who have admittedly run “sweat shops” or worse to hoist their logo up the flag pole beside the state capital and demonstrate that slavery, while no longer actively conducted in South Carolina, but is still a modern economic business practice and South Carolina is “open for business” since these companies currently do business in the state (and the United States) and are “good corporate citizens.”
How can you relegate the “Confederate Battle Flag” to a museum when the principles for which it stood are still in play?
WHY AM I
HERE?
I am here to ask some uncomfortable
questions – past and future. Use any search engine and look for “corporations”
and “slavery.” Here you will find lists from which you may select – including a
list of corporations who were active participants in slave trade during the
1800s. http://atlantablackstar.com/2013/08/26/17-major-companies-never-knew-benefited-slavery/
That list includes most of he major banks who have admitted and apologized for their involvement in slavery – including taking slaves for defaulted loan collateral. How many of these great corporate citizens have taken any further action to prevent funding subsequent and/or current slavery activities? How many have active board policies preventing their companies from funding slave-related activities after the 1800’s? How many currently have economic ties with major corporations known for conducting business with slavers elsewhere in the world today?
Too big to fail? Do they make profits on the backs of slaves not in the U.S.? I hope that those with explicit board policies preventing lending or money-laundering for companies which indirectly pay for such practices will contact me and place something in the comments on this blog.
How about those very large companies who have been known to engage in questionable foreign manufacturing with companies who pay slaves miniscule amounts to work in unsafe conditions? They are the ones whose logos could go up to replace the “Confederate Battle Flag”. As I say, you will find their names by searching on the internet.
WHAT DO I
WANT?
I would like us to realize that the
problem is not the flag – but historical – and apparently current the mindset -
which puts profit before people. Slavery is an economic model which devalues
human life and seeks economic profit for shareholders. Now, if you are a shareholder, a retiree with a 401(k) and you own funds (such as mutual funds) which invest in these modern slavers, YOU support modern slavery. These corporate logos fly proudly over our country.
Perhaps laws should change and corporate citizens be ostracized for the practice of slavery and wars on humanity?
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