The New York Times investigation of child labor in the United States by Hannah Dreier is an epic piece of journalism that represents the very finest traditions of a free press in a free society.
I grew up on a farm and worked from the time I was 6, but I was working for my family. Why would anyone be surprised at the child labor situation? Children are a vulnerable group for the morbidly wealthy robber barons to exploit. In America, we tolerate mass murder of children for the benefit of gun manufacturers and politicians. We have people going bankrupt over medical debt. Or wages so low people can't buy food and medicine at the same time, although they are employed at the "Magic Kingdom" wishing people a "magical" day. This is the plutocracy we live in.
It is the question of our time now, is it not? How do we make it better? Who has been given this confluence of problems that just piled up? We can not undo the past, but we must move forward. It is democracies that will tackle the problems caused by those who have failed us, especially in our democracies. The protection of children should be at the forefront. And women. A society that fails its women is doomed to fail. The Warning commentators are abundantly women.
We need men fighting for our rights. We need men with reason fighting against the violence of the unreasonable. And the violence that is laid bare starts always with those still seen as "vulnerable." Women are not, but girls and boys are.
The more I read about him, the more I know how important he was during his presidency because he cemented, as he did upon you, another form of governance that gave him the possibility to fight for the rights of his fellow men as citizens also of the world. We need such vision desperately, the kind that works even against all odds. I long to see obstinacy for the good and I value it immensely on a personal level.
Iowa Rs are currently working to weaken the state's child labor laws. Kids need to be in school, rested, fed, and ready to learn. Oh, wait, Iowa Rs are working to destroy public education, also.
What happens to these children once they are no longer allowed to work? They have been sent to a foreign country ALONE, because their parents/caregivers thought that taking the risk of migrating illegally to America & working the jobs they work to make money is a better alternative to living in their own countries. Outrage at these companies without meaningful help for these kids trying to survive in a foreign country on their own is performative at best. They will turn to crime, unless given better, safer options to work OR supported in other ways until they reach adulthood & can make their own decisions. Children should never work jobs that are deemed unsafe by the Labor Dept, but they should be able to have safe alternatives or somewhere to turn to for help.
Agree. Many of us read this from a privileged perspective. But realistically how will these children survive? The money is good through their eyes. Someone who speaks their on language has set them up with the work and is most likely an immigrant too. The problem runs deep and is systemic. I remember 15-16 yr olds skipping 1st and 2nd periods of class or showing up and falling asleep because they closed at work the night before. And they were white US citizens. Some worked to help the family. Others worked to make their car payment. Very few were top students. Exploitation of child labor is bigger than we realize.
As someone raised on a dairy farm in Wisconsin, let me just say - Yes, this situation is appalling and should be addressed. But, don't forget about those "Except on farms" children too. Just because it is their parents forcing them to work long hours, with dangerous machinery and in dangerous conditions doesn't make it "character building." Children either have the right to safety and protection or they do not.
I grew up in a dairy farm in South Dakota. As a child, I never felt exploited, I think probably because I didn’t know enough to even feel that way. That and my parents were working right beside me. And the kids on the farms around us were all working too. But looking back on it now, I think, wow! I can’t believe we weren’t killed. But in fact we were just lucky. My brother’s best friend was killed at 16 suffocated in a huge pile of corn in a grain elevator. The father of another family near by was killed when a tractor rolled over on him. And the grandfather of yet another family near by ran over and killed his young grandson who was helping him in the field. Between, mean cows, and dangerous farm equipment, I had so many close calls myself, it would take too long to list them. Yeah, that, “except farm children” clause really needs to be addressed for not only immigrant children but all children in the U.S. including farm children.
My childhood was littered with the same stories - leg torn off from a silo unloader, toddler killed by a chopper - the number of close calls just for my family is off the charts. Not to mention the injuries that are not treated or reported which I can’t even begin to count. It’s just not recognized by the rest of the country that children are the main source of labor on these farms, or they don’t care because free labor is free labor and keeps costs down. 🤷♀️
Yes. It’s a much more complex situation than folks realize. It’s a “funny” family story that I “grew up on a tractor”. Of course there was no child care, and I’m not aware of all the details, but my father was taking care of me and he also needed to do farm work, so he actually welded a metal box on the tractor and he strapped me in it to contain me while he drove the tractor working the fields! It makes me laugh even typing it today. I loved my father. He was my hero. But, really? Really? While of course, it seems and actually was dangerous, he really didn’t have any other options. And actually he did better than most. He recognized the danger and tried to mitigate it by creating the box and strapping me in.
This thread must be read by all here. Not to reprimand the past, but to move forward. All of you are especially generous in sharing such personal stories with the emotional truths.
Slavery never really stopped did it? I am shocked, Steve. How low can you go? Apparently this country is working to see where that bottom is. My Congressman is one of those MAGA types who’s Communications Director is Tucker Carlson’s son, so not much help there, but I will contact him and my two Senators.
These MAGA Republicans are returning so many to a past we must never return to. We must fight these forces that are, like "animatic" proposals, under our scrutiny as failed and extremely dangerous for our living present and for the manner we must visualize our future. We must follow in the footsteps of the trifectas. I believe that a democracy is enriched by diverse views, but not MAGA extremism which is destructive. Right now it is only the Democratic Party that has a clear vision.
My mother came here as a legal immigrant with a bunch of children including myself. She was thrown into factory work and we went and helped her after school. I had no idea it was supposed to be illegal. But I do know that it is counterproductive and dangerous. What saved me was the federal program outside of regular schools that taught English and vocational skill training. It helped me to go out into the American society and started supporting myself by working in an office and going to school at night. It worked at the time because I was allowed a stipend while in the training school.
Today's conversation is so important. It is what lies behind the facade of everyday life for those who are disinterested and assume all is under wraps "because we are a democracy." How far from the truth!
Who among this collection of subscribers is in a position to do anything about the content Steve brings forward here on The Warning? Does the White House, the President, his staff receive this information? Are there other well connected people here among us who have the juice to get these important essays into the hands of the powerful who are on the side of Democracy in or out of government? Or is Steve just preaching to the choir?
As thought provoking, moving, educational and often exposing The Warning is, who is seeing this content framed in Steve’s candid no bullshit communicative way who is in a position to make a real impact? I for one would like to know..
If The Warning is not reaching those who can make a real difference what is the point? I send The Warning to everyone I can think of..friends, family, my elected officials.. and I post it on social media..
I find it hard to accept that it finding its way into the ballot box to change a mind is the best one can hope for..The Warning should be a regular occurring OpEd in News outlets across the country, people in D.C. shaping policy and the lives of you and me need to see it..
I agree that Steve should have a wider audience, the type of audience that can be shaken to act and deliberate and organize and free themselves from the choke hold that continues to delay and delay advancing democracy, while for all to see and hear the anti-America factions continue to harm the nation. The executive must act with force, by restoring the power of the agencies that are vested the task of oversight. If the EPA has failed during the Biden Administration, it is incumbent upon it to overhaul it and make it work, because Trump did diminish its oversight power favoring special interests but is not president anymore. No, special interests are the ones who exploit Americans in all ways possible, from health consequences in East Palestine (do you know the correct pronunciation of this community, given that J.D. Vance instructed yesterday how to pronounce it or is it the manner I pronounce it, as the land Palestine} to today's most urgent one like no other, that demands action from specific agencies as so well spoken by Steve in the video today. I will listen to it again and so should everyone horrified by what is going on with children in America.
The first image that came to mind was the 19thC photo of the 7 year old girl tending a Midlands UK spinning Jenny. Then we face Fruit of the Loom in the 21st C. Not all that different from 200 years ago.
Stockholders now is your chance to make your voice heard: what are your child labor practices. We are in he midst of financial audit season, this should be discussed in the Management Letters included with every SEC filing. Boycott yes, but demand accountability from the Board of Directors.
Agree DOL and WH need to address.
Thanks Steve and NYT shining the light in this dark corner
Liz, thanks for reminding shareholders of their power -- with proxies, direct contact, or at annual meetings. Your advice is excellent. I would add a suggestion that they not sell their shares until they've exercised their shareholders' rights with very loud voices. One other thought. When a publicly held company doesn't respond, I have often written directly to the CEO who inevitably has a platoon of his/her direct reports and it's never failed that they have gotten back to me.
We do not need new child labor laws. However, we do need to enforce the laws already on the books. Our labor laws are some of the toughest in the world but when they are abused by greedy industrialists the consequences are felt mostly by the minority population. We have plenty of laws but without real enforcement there will always be abuses. I have heard the adage to follow the money whenever there is corruption. This is how you go after those who wish to abuse our laws. We have stiff penalties already on the books for those who abuse child labor laws. However, they are rarely enforced until there is a tragedy and then it's too late.
I am a supporter of labor unions. They do more to protect workers rights than all the government's efforts. Joe Biden has the right idea in supporting unions and creating a stronger working population through union jobs. When you have more companies that are unionized the standard of working conditions goes up. The answer is to give more voice to the workers and let them police the abusers and bring them to the attention of the government. This is how you bring attention to the companies who abuse our labor laws for greed.
It's no accident that the big corporations who donate huge piles of money to Republican candidates are trying to weaken or eliminate unions. Republicans would love to eliminate public sector unions as well, even though most government jobs already pay less than their private sector equivalents. (Yes, we have good benefits, but believe me, we earn them.)
Joe Biden is the most pro-union President we've had in decades. Good on him for that.
I agree I was in the Teamsters until I got hurt and returned to school and got my degree in Medical Technology. I believe unions only raise working conditions and pay. They are usually the only thing that stands between being abused and getting ahead in a workforce.
Thanks for your message about enforcement and the power of labor unions. Your points including salient details are excellent and informative, even to lifelong liberals like yours truly.
Iowa is looking to legalize this with a bill that would allow children to work in dangerous industries and of course prohibit them from suing if they are injured. Here in PA, a bipartisan bill was introduced to lower the driving age to 15 without new restrictions--to match that of surrounding states Oh, MD, WV--to enable them to “drive to their jobs.” This is insanity.
Is there a list of companies that are involved? If so, can you publish it? Can the Times print a list for everyone to see? Can that list be aired (like election ads) on every major station - with the government funding the air time? Until those companies are held accountable (ie: their bottom line) probably nothing will happen.
I think it was around 25 years ago that our oldest weekly newspaper The Nation (founded by abolitionists in 1865) ran a major article about immigrant child labor being exploited by the biggest firms processing chicken, egg, and meat products (Tyson, Cargill, et al.). (This is yet another of the umpteen reasons to go plant-based, since those food-producing jobs are in most cases not nearly as dangerous as the horrifying jobs in the animal-products industry.)
The Nation's undercover story reported how nefarious agents of these big corporations would deceptively troll for desperate immigrants and truck them into the USA, confining them in grossly overcrowded dorms (that's why so many died during the COVID pandemic), and subjecting them to workplace horrors of high-stress and dangerous tasks, and obscenely long hours in the slaughterhouses, meat-packing plants and egg "factories."
Because they had no proper ID, these hapless, helpless migrants could not go to law enforcement agencies for protection or to any other agencies for relief.
So this NY Times report is no surprise to me or other readers of the progressive independent press and media, who have reported on this terrible story for a long time and been pleading for union-building efforts, enforcement of child labor laws, etc.
But blithely ignorant consumers and corrupt "bought and paid for" politicians (Republicans and corporatist Democrats) refuse to go after the big corporations that produce this toxic food, so nightmarish for the animals and for the children and older migrant laborers who are so viciously exploited by Tyson, Cargill, et al.
This should be a huge, unified, bipartisan issue but I fear the right will somehow justify child labor violations and the exploitation of children to support their argument, of “nobody wants to work”! Deflect and distract, and get nothing accomplished once again. Remind me again, who’s all about saving the children?
Human rights. To what avail does this mean when seeking human rights abroad when at home stories such as the one you bring to our attention perpetuate? Child labor in the United States is not new. But it should be our daily news. Child labor and regulations are a farce when children without parents are lured to work in extreme conditions such as are for those who work in pig farms, animal farms, construction, factories and the handling of machinery. Where is OSHA? It is such exploitation that children run away from. That parents or adults push them away from to embark such perilous voyages. Who lose their adult carers along the way. Phrases such as "parental consent" circulate in the regulatory manuals which, as stories such as the one above clearly exposes, just escape the regulatory power. It means that all has no meaning when there is no oversight and when accountability just escapes the American Congress when it is beholden to the interests of the few and the corporations that reach the basest of all levels in workers' protections. Children should not be doing any work so perilous and barely undertaken by adults. It is brutal. Stories of child exploitation, statistics of children dying doing what they should never have been doing, have been in the news for a long time.
I agree that this should be addressed aggressively by the press and there should be no wiggling away from facing such an urgent call to action from the White House. Human rights begin at home. And, by the way, the expectation that it is always citizens who must embark in projects to bring justice in the agencies with all the capabilities and regulations in hand is mind-boggling. The Warning is a must read and should be read by the Press Secretary of the White House.
Steve called the NYT's report on grotesque child labor practices among "the very finest traditions of a free press in a free society." Prescient? It's 2:06 p.m. CST and this story just arrived: "The Biden administration on Monday announced a wide crackdown on the labor exploitation of migrant children around the United States, including more aggressive investigations of companies benefiting from their work." Hooray! There's hope for these kiddos!
I grew up on a farm and worked from the time I was 6, but I was working for my family. Why would anyone be surprised at the child labor situation? Children are a vulnerable group for the morbidly wealthy robber barons to exploit. In America, we tolerate mass murder of children for the benefit of gun manufacturers and politicians. We have people going bankrupt over medical debt. Or wages so low people can't buy food and medicine at the same time, although they are employed at the "Magic Kingdom" wishing people a "magical" day. This is the plutocracy we live in.
It is the question of our time now, is it not? How do we make it better? Who has been given this confluence of problems that just piled up? We can not undo the past, but we must move forward. It is democracies that will tackle the problems caused by those who have failed us, especially in our democracies. The protection of children should be at the forefront. And women. A society that fails its women is doomed to fail. The Warning commentators are abundantly women.
I could not agree more..It sickens my stomach..
We need men fighting for our rights. We need men with reason fighting against the violence of the unreasonable. And the violence that is laid bare starts always with those still seen as "vulnerable." Women are not, but girls and boys are.
The more I read about him, the more I know how important he was during his presidency because he cemented, as he did upon you, another form of governance that gave him the possibility to fight for the rights of his fellow men as citizens also of the world. We need such vision desperately, the kind that works even against all odds. I long to see obstinacy for the good and I value it immensely on a personal level.
Iowa Rs are currently working to weaken the state's child labor laws. Kids need to be in school, rested, fed, and ready to learn. Oh, wait, Iowa Rs are working to destroy public education, also.
I also heard that the law may have a provision that the companies won't be liable in the case of severe injury or death. WTF?
What happens to these children once they are no longer allowed to work? They have been sent to a foreign country ALONE, because their parents/caregivers thought that taking the risk of migrating illegally to America & working the jobs they work to make money is a better alternative to living in their own countries. Outrage at these companies without meaningful help for these kids trying to survive in a foreign country on their own is performative at best. They will turn to crime, unless given better, safer options to work OR supported in other ways until they reach adulthood & can make their own decisions. Children should never work jobs that are deemed unsafe by the Labor Dept, but they should be able to have safe alternatives or somewhere to turn to for help.
Agree. Many of us read this from a privileged perspective. But realistically how will these children survive? The money is good through their eyes. Someone who speaks their on language has set them up with the work and is most likely an immigrant too. The problem runs deep and is systemic. I remember 15-16 yr olds skipping 1st and 2nd periods of class or showing up and falling asleep because they closed at work the night before. And they were white US citizens. Some worked to help the family. Others worked to make their car payment. Very few were top students. Exploitation of child labor is bigger than we realize.
As someone raised on a dairy farm in Wisconsin, let me just say - Yes, this situation is appalling and should be addressed. But, don't forget about those "Except on farms" children too. Just because it is their parents forcing them to work long hours, with dangerous machinery and in dangerous conditions doesn't make it "character building." Children either have the right to safety and protection or they do not.
I grew up in a dairy farm in South Dakota. As a child, I never felt exploited, I think probably because I didn’t know enough to even feel that way. That and my parents were working right beside me. And the kids on the farms around us were all working too. But looking back on it now, I think, wow! I can’t believe we weren’t killed. But in fact we were just lucky. My brother’s best friend was killed at 16 suffocated in a huge pile of corn in a grain elevator. The father of another family near by was killed when a tractor rolled over on him. And the grandfather of yet another family near by ran over and killed his young grandson who was helping him in the field. Between, mean cows, and dangerous farm equipment, I had so many close calls myself, it would take too long to list them. Yeah, that, “except farm children” clause really needs to be addressed for not only immigrant children but all children in the U.S. including farm children.
My childhood was littered with the same stories - leg torn off from a silo unloader, toddler killed by a chopper - the number of close calls just for my family is off the charts. Not to mention the injuries that are not treated or reported which I can’t even begin to count. It’s just not recognized by the rest of the country that children are the main source of labor on these farms, or they don’t care because free labor is free labor and keeps costs down. 🤷♀️
Yes. It’s a much more complex situation than folks realize. It’s a “funny” family story that I “grew up on a tractor”. Of course there was no child care, and I’m not aware of all the details, but my father was taking care of me and he also needed to do farm work, so he actually welded a metal box on the tractor and he strapped me in it to contain me while he drove the tractor working the fields! It makes me laugh even typing it today. I loved my father. He was my hero. But, really? Really? While of course, it seems and actually was dangerous, he really didn’t have any other options. And actually he did better than most. He recognized the danger and tried to mitigate it by creating the box and strapping me in.
This thread must be read by all here. Not to reprimand the past, but to move forward. All of you are especially generous in sharing such personal stories with the emotional truths.
Slavery never really stopped did it? I am shocked, Steve. How low can you go? Apparently this country is working to see where that bottom is. My Congressman is one of those MAGA types who’s Communications Director is Tucker Carlson’s son, so not much help there, but I will contact him and my two Senators.
These MAGA Republicans are returning so many to a past we must never return to. We must fight these forces that are, like "animatic" proposals, under our scrutiny as failed and extremely dangerous for our living present and for the manner we must visualize our future. We must follow in the footsteps of the trifectas. I believe that a democracy is enriched by diverse views, but not MAGA extremism which is destructive. Right now it is only the Democratic Party that has a clear vision.
My mother came here as a legal immigrant with a bunch of children including myself. She was thrown into factory work and we went and helped her after school. I had no idea it was supposed to be illegal. But I do know that it is counterproductive and dangerous. What saved me was the federal program outside of regular schools that taught English and vocational skill training. It helped me to go out into the American society and started supporting myself by working in an office and going to school at night. It worked at the time because I was allowed a stipend while in the training school.
Today's conversation is so important. It is what lies behind the facade of everyday life for those who are disinterested and assume all is under wraps "because we are a democracy." How far from the truth!
Who among this collection of subscribers is in a position to do anything about the content Steve brings forward here on The Warning? Does the White House, the President, his staff receive this information? Are there other well connected people here among us who have the juice to get these important essays into the hands of the powerful who are on the side of Democracy in or out of government? Or is Steve just preaching to the choir?
As thought provoking, moving, educational and often exposing The Warning is, who is seeing this content framed in Steve’s candid no bullshit communicative way who is in a position to make a real impact? I for one would like to know..
If The Warning is not reaching those who can make a real difference what is the point? I send The Warning to everyone I can think of..friends, family, my elected officials.. and I post it on social media..
I find it hard to accept that it finding its way into the ballot box to change a mind is the best one can hope for..The Warning should be a regular occurring OpEd in News outlets across the country, people in D.C. shaping policy and the lives of you and me need to see it..
I agree that Steve should have a wider audience, the type of audience that can be shaken to act and deliberate and organize and free themselves from the choke hold that continues to delay and delay advancing democracy, while for all to see and hear the anti-America factions continue to harm the nation. The executive must act with force, by restoring the power of the agencies that are vested the task of oversight. If the EPA has failed during the Biden Administration, it is incumbent upon it to overhaul it and make it work, because Trump did diminish its oversight power favoring special interests but is not president anymore. No, special interests are the ones who exploit Americans in all ways possible, from health consequences in East Palestine (do you know the correct pronunciation of this community, given that J.D. Vance instructed yesterday how to pronounce it or is it the manner I pronounce it, as the land Palestine} to today's most urgent one like no other, that demands action from specific agencies as so well spoken by Steve in the video today. I will listen to it again and so should everyone horrified by what is going on with children in America.
The first image that came to mind was the 19thC photo of the 7 year old girl tending a Midlands UK spinning Jenny. Then we face Fruit of the Loom in the 21st C. Not all that different from 200 years ago.
Stockholders now is your chance to make your voice heard: what are your child labor practices. We are in he midst of financial audit season, this should be discussed in the Management Letters included with every SEC filing. Boycott yes, but demand accountability from the Board of Directors.
Agree DOL and WH need to address.
Thanks Steve and NYT shining the light in this dark corner
Liz, thanks for reminding shareholders of their power -- with proxies, direct contact, or at annual meetings. Your advice is excellent. I would add a suggestion that they not sell their shares until they've exercised their shareholders' rights with very loud voices. One other thought. When a publicly held company doesn't respond, I have often written directly to the CEO who inevitably has a platoon of his/her direct reports and it's never failed that they have gotten back to me.
We do not need new child labor laws. However, we do need to enforce the laws already on the books. Our labor laws are some of the toughest in the world but when they are abused by greedy industrialists the consequences are felt mostly by the minority population. We have plenty of laws but without real enforcement there will always be abuses. I have heard the adage to follow the money whenever there is corruption. This is how you go after those who wish to abuse our laws. We have stiff penalties already on the books for those who abuse child labor laws. However, they are rarely enforced until there is a tragedy and then it's too late.
I am a supporter of labor unions. They do more to protect workers rights than all the government's efforts. Joe Biden has the right idea in supporting unions and creating a stronger working population through union jobs. When you have more companies that are unionized the standard of working conditions goes up. The answer is to give more voice to the workers and let them police the abusers and bring them to the attention of the government. This is how you bring attention to the companies who abuse our labor laws for greed.
Yes for unions!
It's no accident that the big corporations who donate huge piles of money to Republican candidates are trying to weaken or eliminate unions. Republicans would love to eliminate public sector unions as well, even though most government jobs already pay less than their private sector equivalents. (Yes, we have good benefits, but believe me, we earn them.)
Joe Biden is the most pro-union President we've had in decades. Good on him for that.
I agree I was in the Teamsters until I got hurt and returned to school and got my degree in Medical Technology. I believe unions only raise working conditions and pay. They are usually the only thing that stands between being abused and getting ahead in a workforce.
Right on, Patrick!
Thanks for your message about enforcement and the power of labor unions. Your points including salient details are excellent and informative, even to lifelong liberals like yours truly.
Iowa is looking to legalize this with a bill that would allow children to work in dangerous industries and of course prohibit them from suing if they are injured. Here in PA, a bipartisan bill was introduced to lower the driving age to 15 without new restrictions--to match that of surrounding states Oh, MD, WV--to enable them to “drive to their jobs.” This is insanity.
Is there a list of companies that are involved? If so, can you publish it? Can the Times print a list for everyone to see? Can that list be aired (like election ads) on every major station - with the government funding the air time? Until those companies are held accountable (ie: their bottom line) probably nothing will happen.
A list of companies would be gracefully received
I think it was around 25 years ago that our oldest weekly newspaper The Nation (founded by abolitionists in 1865) ran a major article about immigrant child labor being exploited by the biggest firms processing chicken, egg, and meat products (Tyson, Cargill, et al.). (This is yet another of the umpteen reasons to go plant-based, since those food-producing jobs are in most cases not nearly as dangerous as the horrifying jobs in the animal-products industry.)
The Nation's undercover story reported how nefarious agents of these big corporations would deceptively troll for desperate immigrants and truck them into the USA, confining them in grossly overcrowded dorms (that's why so many died during the COVID pandemic), and subjecting them to workplace horrors of high-stress and dangerous tasks, and obscenely long hours in the slaughterhouses, meat-packing plants and egg "factories."
Because they had no proper ID, these hapless, helpless migrants could not go to law enforcement agencies for protection or to any other agencies for relief.
So this NY Times report is no surprise to me or other readers of the progressive independent press and media, who have reported on this terrible story for a long time and been pleading for union-building efforts, enforcement of child labor laws, etc.
But blithely ignorant consumers and corrupt "bought and paid for" politicians (Republicans and corporatist Democrats) refuse to go after the big corporations that produce this toxic food, so nightmarish for the animals and for the children and older migrant laborers who are so viciously exploited by Tyson, Cargill, et al.
Children and the obscenities they endure are the focus here but I appreciate your bringing up the abuse and slaughter of animals.
This should be a huge, unified, bipartisan issue but I fear the right will somehow justify child labor violations and the exploitation of children to support their argument, of “nobody wants to work”! Deflect and distract, and get nothing accomplished once again. Remind me again, who’s all about saving the children?
Human rights. To what avail does this mean when seeking human rights abroad when at home stories such as the one you bring to our attention perpetuate? Child labor in the United States is not new. But it should be our daily news. Child labor and regulations are a farce when children without parents are lured to work in extreme conditions such as are for those who work in pig farms, animal farms, construction, factories and the handling of machinery. Where is OSHA? It is such exploitation that children run away from. That parents or adults push them away from to embark such perilous voyages. Who lose their adult carers along the way. Phrases such as "parental consent" circulate in the regulatory manuals which, as stories such as the one above clearly exposes, just escape the regulatory power. It means that all has no meaning when there is no oversight and when accountability just escapes the American Congress when it is beholden to the interests of the few and the corporations that reach the basest of all levels in workers' protections. Children should not be doing any work so perilous and barely undertaken by adults. It is brutal. Stories of child exploitation, statistics of children dying doing what they should never have been doing, have been in the news for a long time.
I agree that this should be addressed aggressively by the press and there should be no wiggling away from facing such an urgent call to action from the White House. Human rights begin at home. And, by the way, the expectation that it is always citizens who must embark in projects to bring justice in the agencies with all the capabilities and regulations in hand is mind-boggling. The Warning is a must read and should be read by the Press Secretary of the White House.
Another example how greed will destroy. Of course it must be stopped.
"The love of money is the root of all evils." (1Timothy 6:10)
Steve called the NYT's report on grotesque child labor practices among "the very finest traditions of a free press in a free society." Prescient? It's 2:06 p.m. CST and this story just arrived: "The Biden administration on Monday announced a wide crackdown on the labor exploitation of migrant children around the United States, including more aggressive investigations of companies benefiting from their work." Hooray! There's hope for these kiddos!
I had no idea this was happening in America. I'm appalled!
I just emailed the President, my Senators and House Representative regarding this issue.