[Jewelry making - Article 01165] - Re: [Orchid] Suggestions for Lapidary Journal

[richard hart]

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>     Richard, child labor plays a significant role in the world
>     gemstone market. It is a factor which those possessing a
>     conscience should consider when purchasing gemstones. 

    Lee,

    I believe this subject is much more complicated than just trying to
    be conscious of who you buy stones from. 

    The scale and magnitude of child labor in all industries around the
    world are not solved by a pollyana solution that if you ask someone
    who cut the stones you are doing something for change. The fact is,
    unless you are getting the stones directly from the cutter, you
    probably have no chance at the truth. 

    Trying to do the best we can to be part of the solution is great. I
    know that there is a limit to what my actions can accomplish. I may
    have great intentions, but I have little control. I do believe we
    have to try to change the way things are, but sometimes we make
    things worse. I know I have the luxury of believing I have a better
    moral value only because of where I was lucky to be born. 

    Part of my post is that our culture consumes mass quantities of
    goods, not just gemstones, produced by child labor. If there was any
    awareness of those who consume , millions, rather that several
    thousand, those who produce, there might be a chance for change. 

    There are cultures where children work from dawn to dusk to help
    sustain the family. That is the way it has been, that is way it is,
    and that is the way it will be for a long time. The people of those
    cultures may desire education so that their children do not suffer
    the fate they have. And it my take generations for the realization of
    that. 

    In the U.S. we are fortunate to have the value system we do, for now
    If all cultures had equality of living, our quality of life would be
    lowered considerably. Only so much to go around, and we white people
    do not play fair. American Indians? 

    Slavery here was not so long ago. Racism and bigotry are not gone. 

    And please remember, we just invaded another country. Buying
    gemstones might not be contributing to the death of children, but a
    war does. 

    American politics is thought to be corrupt, but the best system
    there is If we are part of a corrupt system, can we be so moral to
    look at another culture and judge their value. Why is what they do to
    their children not their problem? 

    The world can change rapidly, and our children and grandchildren are
    not guaranteed the standard of living we have enjoyed. If the
    economy shifts, possibly due to our nation built on debt as it is,
    they may have to drop out of school to support the family, not
    slavery, but not what they have been raised to expect. 

    Sixty-four years ago, Hilter reputedly slaughtered 6 million, people
    knew, did nothing. So child slavery compared to what?  Death squads
    that kill street children. Infanticide in China? 

    Perhaps child slavery is a better fate than what these children
    would have suffered in the past. 

    So perhaps we should make a prioritized list that we all agree
    on....so we can be conscious.... 

Serenity prayer anyone...?
Richard   Hart 

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