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Turning the Clock Back
Author: BobR    Date: 2018-07-19 12:00:00

Sorry for the abbreviated blog today, but we have a flight to catch this morning...

With all the hoopla over tRump's treason trip, other news stories are getting overlooked. After all the outcry about how refugee children and families were being treated at the border, a judge is stopping deportations - for now. It's good news, nonetheless. Our Immigration Control seems to be doing it's best to kick out anyone they can, including Viet Nam War refugees.

Where does this end? What happens to those who do get deported? What happens to those who try to escape poverty and violence, and end up stranded at the border, broke, with nowhere to go?

Africa has a similar problem, with refugees from the continent (which is much larger than North and South America) converging on the Mediterranean coast of Libya, with hopes of making it to Europe. The pipeline to Italy has been extremely tightened, leaving refugees stranded. In a relatively lawless area, they are being sold into slavery:
"Eight hundred," says the auctioneer. "900 ... 1,000 ... 1,100 ..." Sold. For 1,200 Libyan dinars -- the equivalent of $800.

Not a used car, a piece of land, or an item of furniture. Not "merchandise" at all, but two human beings.

[...]

He has been offered up for sale as one of a group of "big strong boys for farm work," according to the auctioneer, who remains off camera. Only his hand -- resting proprietorially on the man's shoulder -- is visible in the brief clip.

[...]

"Does anybody need a digger? This is a digger, a big strong man, he'll dig," the salesman, dressed in camouflage gear, says. "What am I bid, what am I bid?"

Buyers raise their hands as the price rises, "500, 550, 600, 650 ..." Within minutes it is all over and the men, utterly resigned to their fate, are being handed over to their new "masters."

After the auction, we met two of the men who had been sold. They were so traumatized by what they'd been through that they could not speak, and so scared that they were suspicious of everyone they met.

There are a lot more details at the link. I urge you to read it.

In a world where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, one has to wonder where this all ends? Will we become serfs? Is the clock moving backwards?
 
 

7 comments (Latest Comment: 07/19/2018 18:44:27 by Scoopster)
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Comment by wickedpam on 07/19/2018 13:18:23
Morning


And the world just keeps getting more special.

Comment by Scoopster on 07/19/2018 13:23:41
Mornin' all..

This ridiculous thing about turning over American diplomatic figures to Russia for any reason is making a LOT of people speak up. It's bad enough that this gang of fascists has literally gutted the State Department, leaving some countries without an ambassador or even diplomatic staff (including intelligence personnel).

And we know why this is happening. The Magnitsky Act caused the seizure of BILLIONS of dollars in foreign assets that belong to Russian oligarchs, including Putin himself, as well as economic sanctions against the country & businesses owned by those oligarchs. This is ALL about the money. I'm 100% certain that Putin offered a cut if he hands over Bill Browder and if he gets the law repealed or struck down.

So that begs the question.. where does Kavanaugh (and Gorsuch) stand in regards to the Magnitsky Act? I'm digging into that right now.

Comment by Will in Chicago on 07/19/2018 15:03:26
Good morning, bloggers!!!

I hope that you are doing well, considering the circumstances of our country. I fear that we will reach a critical point soon. Either we will restore our democracy or we will begin to see more steps towards an authoritarian regime.



Comment by Scoopster on 07/19/2018 15:43:11
nvm that was a different topic.

Comment by livingonli on 07/19/2018 18:11:58
It sure does feel like we are moving backwards between the GOP, the far right, and its supporters they want to move back to an age that never existed except for the plutocrats.

Comment by livingonli on 07/19/2018 18:12:51
It sure gets quiet when Mommy and Daddy go away.

Comment by Scoopster on 07/19/2018 18:44:27