Black Friday: A Paradigm Shift

Those of you who know me well (or even only slightly well) are probably aware of my knack for finding good deals. I regularly find items at 75-90% off their retail price and get pretty excited about them. I've often said that the red clearance stickers at Target were designed for people like me. I'm drawn like moth to a flame to a sale - especially when I have a coupon in my purse to go along with the sale. And Black Friday is hailed as one of the most exciting days of the year. I plan for it. I am one of the crazies who begins shopping on Thursday well before midnight and stays out until lunch Friday. And I love every minute of it. And never have I given any thought to the people who make my bargains possible. Until now. And my heart is heavy.

After going through both 7 and the 7 Bible study by Jen Hatmaker and gaining exposure to the world of fair trade and ethical working practices (through Noonday Collection and various other companies and organizations), I have begun to wonder what my bargain shopping has really cost. Maybe not anything - to me. But what about the single mom working in an unsafe factory? What about the children who make the children's clothes I have purchased? What do my good deals cost them? And, really, how much do my choices even matter in the grand scheme of things?

We hear a lot these days about modern day slavery. It's easy to put it out of our minds, though. No one wants to think about that. But it's out there. And it's here. We can't hide from it, but we can fight it. 

First, let's talk about women. While I have never been one to jump on the uber feminist bandwagon, I am very aware that women are oppressed in many cultures. In places all over the world (including our own country), women are forced into hard labor with pitiful pay and working conditions. They don't make enough to care for their children and are forced to make decisions no woman should have to make. I believe all women - and men - should have the opportunity to have a dignified job and fair wages. But when I buy a shirt or pair of jeans from a company that abuses the people making their goods, I am - at the very least - saying I don't care enough about the welfare of others to pay attention to the supply chain. The more we wealthy folk - yes, wealthy (if you make 35k/year, you are in the top 1% of the world's population) - purchase from these companies, the more they are comfortable with the way of doing things. It's time to rock the boat, people. 

Second, let's talk about children - child labor, orphans, etc. 1) I am not ok with children making my clothes. I am not ok with children making my child's clothes. 2) Poverty is one of the major contributors to the global orphan crisis. When laborers don't earn enough to feed their children and care for their basic needs, they grow desperate. The result? Children in orphanages who have living parents. To *loosely* quote Jen Hatmaker (one of my favorite people, as anyone who has read this blog before has probably figured out), "It is not ok for me to have your child just because you can't feed him." And again, the more we keep silent on these issues, in the name of a good deal, the more we fight against children and families around the world. 

What can we do? Can I really make a difference? Or should I be sad for a bit and then continue on, life as usual, because it's a hopeless cause? Well, friends, our dollars speak. Loudly. Maybe not so much individually. But when a bunch of us begin to speak with our dollars, corporations will listen. We can determine to - as much as possible - purchase fair trade products from companies who are transparent - with their supply chains, worker rights, policies, etc. 

I hesitate to name names and call out companies on here, because that's not really what I'm wanting to do. I'd rather you do your own research and see it for yourself. Don't just take my word for it. I will tell you, though, some of them will surprise you. We're not just talking discount stores. We're talking expensive brands at upper end department stores. There are some great apps out there that help consumers make ethical choices. Free2Work and Call & Response are two that I have begun to use. Also, www.sweatfree.org and www.laborrights.org are websites that are helpful as we decide where to send our dollars. 

Micah 6:8 says "What does The Lord require of you, but to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." I want to act justly - not only with to my neighbors here, but the men and women and children all over the world. Even if my voice is alone and comparatively quiet, I want it to be merciful and just. I want to walk in humility; we live in a strange world and we navigate some difficult waters. I want to raise my voice, not in judgment of myself and other consumers, but in defense of real people who are hurting because of our collective choices. 

So Black Friday 2013 - will I be out in the midst of the other crazies? Probably. But let me tell you - my planning this year will include much more than who opens when and where to find the best deals. As I flip through ads and make my lists, I'll be vetting companies and carefully deciding where to spend my money. Will I miss out on some "good deals"? More than likely. But I'm tired of other people paying a high cost for my spending habits. My heart is changing and my eyes are opening. While it's not a pretty picture, I can't just turn away from it. I've seen it. And I can will make a difference. 

 

Isaiah 58:6-10

"Is this not the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter - when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and He will say: Here am I.
If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday."
 
Stay tuned. Another blog highlighting companies who have ethical practices and fight for the dignity and rights of laborers will be coming in a couple of days!