What if Santa's little elves weren't really elves at all, but poor children, working in sweatshops?

Question

It is not really something people want to think about. The wealthy and often niave,and innocent kids of this world, have parents that are supporting a culture that oppresses kids in another part of the world. If I knew that my childhood was dependant on other kids misery and exploitation I wouldn't have wanted the things that I thought all other kids had.

Answer 1

I know - i think the cures are selflessness (though it is inherently hard for humans to be) and education (though budget cuts to support our various wars on "terror" aren't helping this at all). One selfless thing everyone can do is 'vote with their dollar'. This means seeking out alternatives to products you need that are manufactured in sweatshops. This is easier said than done - try finding affordable sweatshop free clothing, for example, that doesn't make you look like a hippy from the 70s or your grandma! But these places are out there - it just takes a hunt. One of these days I'll compile a list of my greatest finds. For starters, here is a neat shoe shop I found that is sweatshop free and uses recycled materials: http://mohop.com

This thought would have made a great addition to this article, "Secret Santa" from the Honolulu Weekly's column "The Political Eye": http://honoluluweekly.com/feature/2006/12/the-political-eye-secret-santa/

Here is a great site to check out. I think they used to have a database of different large corporations and what their working conditions were found to be.
http://www.fairlabor.org/index.html

Also, here is a link to a neat little site that shows how all the major corporations are connected to each other - not sure on the accuracy, but cool even just for entertainment purposes.
http://adaptedengineering.com/~sustain.uh/viewtopic.php?t=7

Answer 2

I'll answer your question with a question. What can we do to prevent child labor and sweatshops profiting from our ignorance of where our products are coming from? I want to find a way to stop this, but it seems no one truly cares about it enough to make a change. How would you feel if you were 7 years old, being forced to work for pennies a day or maybe nothing? This is outrageous to me. I guess the first thing to do would be stop buying from countries that have lots of sweatshops, or no fair trade laws. But then where will we get our products from? I personally am sickened to think that I might be wearing a t-shirt or pair of nikes that were slaved upon by children who don't even have their own pair of shoes to wear. If you really want to do something, as minor as it may be, I guess you should check out Fair Trade websites, they offer products sold at fair prices and are sweatshop free.

Answer 3

In reading this while drinking my morning coffee I almost got burnt. This is funny. Some people will go to any length to take away the joys of Christmas from young children including spreading vicious rumors which have no foundation of truth. I happen to know that yes America there is a Santa Claus. He is alive and well and he has in his employment 360 elves with pointy ears and shining black boots. I have been to the promise land and seen him. I stood in for him for many years at malls taking wish lists from good little boys and girls. So I can assure you that there is a Santa Claus. The Spirit of Christmas Lives on and will for millions of years.

Answer 4

Easier said then done. How many for us as kids understood the cost of a car, and how many hours of working it would take to buy one? I know when i was a child i thought ONE dollar was like a millon bucks. So how would a child undersand how hard working in a sweatshop was? I know i though grown up jobs looked fun...but after working for over almost 8 years, i realize the things i thought were 'fun' as a kid, aren't always.

Also, it's sad to think about kids working in sweatshops. But look at all the spoiled young adults that go to college/high school and their parents buy them brand name cars, and expesive clothing, anything they want and they don't have to have a job.

Answer 5

This is an EXCELLENT point! But, more than Santa, what if MOST of the products we buy are made this way! You should do some research into this (I would, but I'm researching child sexual slavery/human trafficking, right now...yet the 2 are connected) and post something. It'd be FAR more important than asking people what they'd do w/$1000! Props to you.

Answer 6

It sure would be a shame if Santa's little elves were really poor children

Answer 7

It could be..I always thought elves where from China..since most of the toys I received as a kid had MADE IN CHINA on them! I thought the elves were Chinese..

Answer 8

Santa contracts out all toymaking to Chinese sweat shops and child labor camps. Don't believe me? Look at everything you get this year. 98% of it will have a Made in China label somewhere on it.

Answer 9

OMG Santa is Kathie Lee Gifford?!?

Answer 10

Oh... that's a little close to the truth.

Nice call - somebody needs to point this stuff out.