Be Ready to Give Something Up
In times of oppression, some unjustly have more than others.
To right the wrongs of past oppression means that we have to give something up--we can't blindly go along thinking we can continue to reap the profits of oppression and rid our lives of that oppression too.
One example is companies or individuals that have made a lot of money off of cheap labor. Some companies may have illegally or legally hired immigrants, paid those immigrants low wages, and neglected laws and procedures that could have helped those immigrants. Some people have reaped great rewards by immigrant labor. However to remedy the issues related to the immigration crisis, those companies and individuals have to give up earning great profits on the backs of illegal immigrants--instead they have to contribute to and work for fair, humane immigration laws and policies that create humane situations for immigrants.
Another example may be people in the United States who are still profiting greatly from the free labor of slavery. Some families made lots of money during slave days because free labor and poor living conditions meant more money and power for them. That money was likely invested into land ownership and other investments that have paid off in big dividends and great wealth today. To remedy the oppression from the past, we have to look deeply at what slavery did to those families who were unable to make money or build their lives due to their inhumane living conditions. I do believe reparation is due to the descendants of slaves in the United States similar to the reparation given to Japanese families who spent time in internment camps--time that was oppressive to their lives then and that still impact their families' lives and wealth today.
Similarly many international businesses make lots of money off of the resources in poor countries all over the world. This often leads to oppression of some people and some lands. This, in part, is why we have the immigration crisis we have. All the world's working people deserve a fair wage and fair working conditions. Companies around the world have to be willing to give up on extraordinary profits in order to uplift the salaries and work conditions of the people who work for those companies.
Life will never be fair. Someone will always have something you don't have. We will never be equal, but we can work towards greater justice and fair living. The Earth belongs to all of us, and it is in the best interests of all the Earth's people to work for just rights and laws to ensure that everyone has access to a good education, optimal health care, good homes, safe communities, clean land, clean soil, clean air, and freedom to live as they choose as long as they are not hurting others. We can do better, and on our road to betterment, some of us are going to have to give something up--we may give up money by paying more taxes, we may give up our bonus so everyone in the business gets a fair wage, we may give up some perks so others can have perks--whatever it is, for everyone to get ahead, we have to sacrifice too.
To right the wrongs of past oppression means that we have to give something up--we can't blindly go along thinking we can continue to reap the profits of oppression and rid our lives of that oppression too.
One example is companies or individuals that have made a lot of money off of cheap labor. Some companies may have illegally or legally hired immigrants, paid those immigrants low wages, and neglected laws and procedures that could have helped those immigrants. Some people have reaped great rewards by immigrant labor. However to remedy the issues related to the immigration crisis, those companies and individuals have to give up earning great profits on the backs of illegal immigrants--instead they have to contribute to and work for fair, humane immigration laws and policies that create humane situations for immigrants.
Another example may be people in the United States who are still profiting greatly from the free labor of slavery. Some families made lots of money during slave days because free labor and poor living conditions meant more money and power for them. That money was likely invested into land ownership and other investments that have paid off in big dividends and great wealth today. To remedy the oppression from the past, we have to look deeply at what slavery did to those families who were unable to make money or build their lives due to their inhumane living conditions. I do believe reparation is due to the descendants of slaves in the United States similar to the reparation given to Japanese families who spent time in internment camps--time that was oppressive to their lives then and that still impact their families' lives and wealth today.
Similarly many international businesses make lots of money off of the resources in poor countries all over the world. This often leads to oppression of some people and some lands. This, in part, is why we have the immigration crisis we have. All the world's working people deserve a fair wage and fair working conditions. Companies around the world have to be willing to give up on extraordinary profits in order to uplift the salaries and work conditions of the people who work for those companies.
Life will never be fair. Someone will always have something you don't have. We will never be equal, but we can work towards greater justice and fair living. The Earth belongs to all of us, and it is in the best interests of all the Earth's people to work for just rights and laws to ensure that everyone has access to a good education, optimal health care, good homes, safe communities, clean land, clean soil, clean air, and freedom to live as they choose as long as they are not hurting others. We can do better, and on our road to betterment, some of us are going to have to give something up--we may give up money by paying more taxes, we may give up our bonus so everyone in the business gets a fair wage, we may give up some perks so others can have perks--whatever it is, for everyone to get ahead, we have to sacrifice too.
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