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The Leonard Lopate Show

Modern-Day Slavery

There are more slaves in the world today than at any other time in history. E. Benjamin Skinner, author of A Crime So Monstrous: Face-to-Face with Modern-Day Slavery, tells us who and where these slaves are, and whether anything can be done to end slavery worldwide once and for all.


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[1]
Posted by: Katie
March 28, 2008 - 12:16PM
merrick, ny

our own presidental candiate Hillary Clinton contributes to slavery overseas. She invests in the bio fuel company Brenco (Brazil Renewable Energy Co.), a biofuel company and last month, agents of the Brazilian Labor Ministry’s slave-labor investigations unit raided facilities run by Brenco where 1,500 workers, most of them cane cutters, were kept in what the ministry described as “degrading” conditions akin to slavery."Workers at five separate locations inspected by the ministry “complained they were suffering from hunger and cold, and all of the locations were overcrowded and with terrible sanitary conditions. They were apparently held against their will in the abysmal housing provided them, not allowed to leave after their workday was through" Worldwide slavery will not be resolved if even the people we wre to look up to can not abide by basic moral standards

[2]
Posted by: Paulo
March 28, 2008 - 12:30PM
Paterson, New Jersey

I am actually from Brazil, and my family were sugar cane growers. The common practice at the time was to force the workers into debt. There would be a general store on the plantation where goods could be purchased, but they were overpriced and often workers had to buy it on "credit". That credit would continue to mount and be virtually unpayable.

My grandfather moved away from this treatment of the workers, and indeed, annually, most planters would throw out all the workers when they weren't needed anymore. The men would go off and try to find temporary work elsewhere and then come back when it was time to start the growing process again. My grandfather allowed the women and children to stay on the farm while the men found jobs elsewhere. So that when the Communists started killing plantation owners by convincing their workers to rise up, my grandfather's workers refused to do so. They knew he went out of his way to help them, and ultimately he went out of business because of that generosity.

[3]
Posted by: Melissa
March 28, 2008 - 12:41PM
Brooklyn

Thank you. I have no words. Just thank you. This was an interview that we needed to hear. Now there are actions to take. We are not so far removed from the issue of slavery that we can sit back and do nothing.

[4]
Posted by: Ginger Corbett
March 28, 2008 - 12:57PM
forest hills, ny

Very moving interview. We need to hear more of this and how politicians in capitalists countries are intrisically involved in the perpetuation of slavery.

I thank you. I thank your guest for sharing his experience with us. I am definetely reading his book. Would love to hear more of his work and his new book.

I was so touched by his story. Thanks.

[5]
Posted by: Pam
March 28, 2008 - 01:04PM
Wstr.

In this Passover season, when the many religions of more than half of the world's peoples observe holy days, I hope that this interview will spur into action one and all to the benefit of Free The Slaves, https://www.freetheslaves.net/NETCOMMUNITY/SSLPage.aspx?pid=184&srcid=183 . It's the least that one should do.

[6]
Posted by: Kiki
March 28, 2008 - 01:08PM
NJ

Your guests words brought me to tears.

[7]
Posted by: Edith Goldstein
March 28, 2008 - 01:25PM
90 Gold St. Apt.16K New York, NY 10038

I 89 years old and by now have built up a resistance in self-defence to "Good Causes" because my income is limited. However, the interview this morning with the author of "A Crime So Monstous", moved me so much I am ready to do what I can. Edith Goldstein

[8]
Posted by: chestinee
March 28, 2008 - 02:41PM
Midtown

Katie, do you think Hillary was aware of this when she invested? Do you know if she has divested?

[9]
Posted by: jennifer
March 29, 2008 - 01:11PM
inwood, nyc

having lived in haiti for a year when i was 9 years old, i feel a pang of guilt when i think of the girls who were "loaned out for domestic services." it is a very common practice which the family close to my family also practiced. the girl (my age) did not attend school, was worked to the bone and was subject to taunts and beatings. i remember my mother being horrified by all this and especially so when she heard a derogatory nickname for this girl escape my lips. she very much wanted me to befriend the girl but i wasn't interested in the slightest as it was not socially expedient. i think of myself as an upright, moral citizen, but this is a reminder of how societal norms can cloud our judgement.

[10]
Posted by: Lori
March 30, 2008 - 01:17PM
New York City

I'm sorry I missed this peice on wnyc. Are most of the slaves women/girls?

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