Mr. SmartyPants (post: 1454983) wrote:But this is not about people getting jobs. This is about people being violently enslaved against their will to work for no pay. This is about thousands upon thousands of women getting raped as a method of subjugation. This is about children being forced into guerrilla para-military groups that repeat the cycle of violence and rape to others.
Furen wrote:Wait, so women are being raped for our Nintendo 3DS?
goldenspines wrote:Its only stealing if you don't get caught.
Furen (post: 1454981) wrote:This is where I want to say case and point, if you answer yes to the question "Have you ever been told that it's not a good place to be/eat?"
I'm not being ignorant on the subject, I'm not going to go buy everything that comes out from only the non responsive companies, but I'm not just going to boycott Nintendo (or who ever) if they didn't respond either, sure, I would try to get them to agree, but I'm not going to off a company for things that may harm their business. (and yes, adding campaigns for companies are very expensive, so I see why they may not be vocal.)
To get this across, I dislike this as much as many of you, but I am also looking at the other points, like it creates jobs, may be bad conditions, but they agree, even if they don't like it.
Furen wrote:Wait, so women are being raped for our Nintendo 3DS?
Furen (post: 1454989) wrote:Wait, so women are being raped for our Nintendo 3DS?
Conflict minerals refer to minerals mined in conditions of armed conflict and human rights abuses, notably in the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, by the Congolese National Army and various armed rebel groups, including the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda. The profits from the sale of these minerals finance continued fighting in the Second Congo War, and control of lucrative mines becomes a focus of the fighting as well. The most commonly mined minerals are cassiterite, wolframite, coltan, and gold, which are extracted from the Eastern Congo, and passed through a variety of intermediaries before being purchased by multinational electronics companies. These minerals are essential in the manufacture of a variety of devices, like mobile phones, laptops, and MP3 players.
Mines in eastern Congo are often located far from populated areas in remote, insecure and inaccessible regions. A recent study by IPIS indicates that armed groups are present at more than 50% of mining sites. At many sites, armed groups illegally tax, extort, and coerce civilians to work. Miners, including children, work up to 48-hour shifts amidst mudslides and tunnel collapses that kill many. The groups are often affiliated with rebel groups, or with the Congolese National Army, but both use rape and violence to control the local population.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) issued its proposed, far-reaching draft regulations to implement the conflict mineral provisions of the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank Act”). The proposed regulations would require U.S. and foreign companies to report and make public the use of so-called “conflict minerals” from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (“DRC”) or adjoining countries in their products. However, the definition of which companies may have to report seems to exceed the intent of the actual statute. Comments on this proposal are due by January 31, 2011.
Peanut (post: 1454992) wrote:Hmmm, looking at this there is one question that's going through my mind and that's how long has this been going on? What I've been reading seems to suggest 12 years which would mean that this dates back to when individuals around my age were in Middle School. So as I consider this I have to ask myself and all of you if you would be willing to sell every electronic item you've bought from the companies that have been taking advantage of this situation and then donate the money to a charity or organization that is working against this. There are a couple of reasons why I'm bringing this up:
1) Talking about things is nice but action is better. This would be one way to actively and symbolically fight this problem.
2) While we cannot be held morally accountable for purchasing these items when we had no knowledge of what was going on, now that we know and are calling for action it seems to me that we should do something to pay for our ignorance in the past. So selling those nice Nintendo Wii's, Nintendo DS, Laptops, etc and then giving that money to help fight against this would be a great way to at least attempt to "atone" for our ignorance. Besides, material goods are just temporary and the real treasures are stored up in heaven so what's stopping us all?
So, whose with me?
Mr. SmartyPants (post: 1454998) wrote:Interesting, but the problem is that you're still supporting a product by letting it exist. Following your logic, it would be better to destroy them. Or sell them to someone that's willing to destroy them? Haha.
Mr. SmartyPants wrote:There's also the issue that we already own these products. But we can be consciously aware of future purchases.
goldenspines wrote:Its only stealing if you don't get caught.
ShiroiHikari (post: 1454999) wrote:Why don't we just all go live in grass huts and do nothing but pray all day every day.
Peanut (post: 1454992) wrote:Hmmm, looking at this there is one question that's going through my mind and that's how long has this been going on? What I've been reading seems to suggest 12 years which would mean that this dates back to when individuals around my age were in Middle School. So as I consider this I have to ask myself and all of you if you would be willing to sell every electronic item you've bought from the companies that have been taking advantage of this situation and then donate the money to a charity or organization that is working against this. There are a couple of reasons why I'm bringing this up:
1) Talking about things is nice but action is better. This would be one way to actively and symbolically fight this problem.
2) While we cannot be held morally accountable for purchasing these items when we had no knowledge of what was going on, now that we know and are calling for action it seems to me that we should do something to pay for our ignorance in the past. So selling those nice Nintendo Wii's, Nintendo DS, Laptops, etc and then giving that money to help fight against this would be a great way to at least attempt to "atone" for our ignorance. Besides, material goods are just temporary and the real treasures are stored up in heaven so what's stopping us all?
So, whose with me?
Nate wrote:Only if the women also wear grass skirts.
TopazRaven (post: 1455010) wrote:I do have to say I find this whole subject very distressing and upsetting and I don't know where I stand on the conflict itself. I realize I'm a very selfish, terrible, horrible person because I really don't want to sell these things. Probably everything I own has the potential to have hurt someone in their making as I don't know where they came from.
Mr. SmartyPants (post: 1454998) wrote:Then we might as well stop donating to charity and work at soup kitchens! We might as well stop aiding in disaster relief! God will heal the Haitians in their recent disaster! We don't need to do anything about it, then? We should instead pray... other people to take action to help others? Instead of praying for other people to work towards good, why don't WE that person? If we can do even something, then we should, because we are to embody love
Justice too long delayed is justice denied.
Jesus NEVER, EVER, EVER preached "Prayer without action", as you are proposing. He actively loved humanity and you should too.
I never realized that spreading awareness about the DEATH and RAPE of other individuals at the expense of our buying habits was "too political" for CAA. I'm sorry if I think awareness on this issue is more important than your version of the rules here.
TopazRaven wrote:I realize I'm a very selfish, terrible, horrible person because I really don't want to sell these things.
goldenspines (post: 1454997) wrote:Honestly, I think it's rather confusing trying to figure out what to buy or what not to buy or not buying anything at all. God didn't call us to "fix" the world]
I extremely beg to differ. The sermon on the mount is rather clear of our responsibility as a lover of all people. Not what I'm saying. The Bible says so.It's quite true that there is sin in the world. And no matter what actions of buying or not buying we take, sin will sprout up again and again. So, instead of not buying this or that, pray for these people in Africa; the oppressed and the oppressors. Love them all and ask God to save them. Go to the source of the issue; the sinner's heart. And only God can reach that; therefore praying is the better option, I think.
Then we might as well stop donating to charity and work at soup kitchens! We might as well stop aiding in disaster relief! God will heal the Haitians in their recent disaster! We don't need to do anything about it, then? We should instead pray... other people to take action to help others? Instead of praying for other people to work towards good, why don't WE that person? If we can do even something, then we should, because we are to embody love.
I'm gonna quote Dr. King from his Letter from a Birmingham jail and I absolutely dare everyone to read the excerpt:Martin Luther King Jr. wrote:We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor]Was not Jesus an extremist for love: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Was not Amos an extremist for justice: "Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever flowing stream." Was not Paul an extremist for the Christian gospel: "I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." Was not Martin Luther an extremist: "Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise, so help me God." And John Bunyan: "I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make a butchery of my conscience." And Abraham Lincoln: "This nation cannot survive half slave and half free." And Thomas Jefferson: "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal . . ." So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice?[/i] In that dramatic scene on Calvary's hill three men were crucified. We must never forget that all three were crucified for the same crime--the crime of extremism. Two were extremists for immorality, and thus fell below their environment. The other, Jesus Christ, was an extremist for love, truth and goodness, and thereby rose above his environment. Perhaps the South, the nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists.
Justice too long delayed is justice denied.
Jesus NEVER, EVER, EVER preached "Prayer without action", as you are proposing. He actively loved humanity and you should too.Also, this topic borders on a political issue, and the discussion of which is not allowed on CAA at present.
goldenspines (post: 1455013) wrote:Yes, it is clear you read my post wrong. I see no need for personal attacks by accusing me that I don't love.
My comment concerning the thread being political was concerning the discussion, not the OP.
TopazRaven (post: 1455010) wrote:I do have to say I find this whole subject very distressing and upsetting and I don't know where I stand on the conflict itself. I realize I'm a very selfish, terrible, horrible person because I really don't want to sell these things. Probably everything I own has the potential to have hurt someone in their making as I don't know where they came from.
Nate (post: 1455023) wrote:Wait how did Mary respond to Ryan's post before he posted it...?
MasterDias (post: 1455024) wrote:Also, it still hasn't actually been established that Nintendo is complicit in Congo atrocities...
Nate (post: 1455023) wrote:Wait how did Mary respond to Ryan's post before he posted it...?
MasterDias (post: 1455024) wrote:I want to stress calm here and hope that cool heads prevail. Suddenly deciding to sell all of your game systems within only a few hours is a knee-jerk, emotional reaction. At the very least, please spend plenty of time considering it carefully.
Also, it still hasn't actually been established that Nintendo is complicit in Congo atrocities...
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