Slavery uncovered in Georgia

[Engadine Mcdonalds 1997]

As others have expressed here, I'm not surprised in the least that it's happening in the USA, and even less surprised that it's from a "former" slave state

[-Astoria-]

I'd rather visit Georgia Sakartvelo, rather than Georgia State.

Tblisi is real Georgia; Atlanta is fake Georgia.

Prove me wrong.

[Dowaesk]

I'd rather visit Georgia Sakartvelo, rather than Georgia State.

Tblisi is real Georgia; Atlanta is fake Georgia.

Prove me wrong.

Its confusing because they both still have the same last name. Georgia and Georgia.

[Ethel mermania]

Ah the US Government! I love my country so much! (This is sarcasm, if you can't tell)

How is this the governments fault? The feds didn't confiscate the passports. These fellows are being prosecuted for their crimes.

[-Astoria-]

Tblisi is real Georgia; Atlanta is fake Georgia.

Prove me wrong.

Its confusing because they both still have the same last name. Georgia and Georgia.

You'd've thought the state'd change its name after the Revolution:

[...] named after King George II of Great Britain

[Nudacos]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10280015/Modern-day-slavery-ring-trapped-hundreds-migrant-workers-south-Georgia.html

In the US, some employers/corporations have recently been caught abusing temporary guest workers within the H-2A Visa program. Americans can't be found to do the work or don't want to- so people from Mexico or central America are relied upon for agriculture more often than not. Some are rumored to have been forced to dig for onions with their bare hands under threat of gun violence and confined to work camps with electric fences. With more limited access to food and potable water. Earning just 20 cents for each bucket harvested. 2 people died on the job during the 3 years this was investigated.

Many victims in question were charged unlawful fees for transportation, food, and housing. On top of not getting paid what they were promised, it'd appear they were billed for the privilege of staying. Beyond agriculture, they were used for lawn care, construction, and repair tasks. The employers confiscated their passports/documentation as leverage to deter them from wanting to escape. Around $200 million was made from this slavery operation.

Thoughts on these developments? Was it predictable or even inevitable that some corporation or other individuals would be there willing to exploit desperate people to entrap them even further into bad circumstances? Is there a problem with the H-2A framework itself, such that it needs to be abolished/changed for something better?

Under the current status quo, people participating in the H-2A program have to remain employed by the employer that sponsored them to keep legal status with regards to their immigration. A major flaw is that H-2A employees can't just quit or leave for another employer if they'll get deported. So employers that sponsor migrant workers appear to have more free reign to do whatever they want or will with them.

So in the land of the free people are enslaved by corporations? The vision of America's founding fathers still stands today, americans must be proud that they have not forgotten the old ways!
*plays national anthem*

[Saiwania]

Ah the US Government! I love my country so much! (This is sarcasm, if you can't tell)

The US federal or state governments only use slavery as punishment for incarcerated individuals. Prison inmates can be asked or coerced to work for free but its usually voluntary on their end, in that the alternative is that they'll sit in their cell doing nothing. Chain gangs or forced labor was more common in previous decades or in the past. But perhaps isn't gone completely as of now.

In this case, it is unscrupulous private sector employers or major businesses screwing over temporary guest workers which were imported from overseas with false promises that they'd come out ahead with the work they'll be doing.

[-Astoria-]

Ah the US Government! I love my country so much! (This is sarcasm, if you can't tell)

The US federal or state governments only use slavery as punishment for incarcerated individuals. Prison inmates can be asked for work for free but its usually voluntary on their end, in that the alternative is that they'll sit in the cell doing nothing. In this case, it is unscrupulous private sector employers or major businesses screwing over temporary guest workers which were imported from overseas with false promises that they'd come out ahead.

Thank you, 13th Amendment!

[Kerwa]

Ah the US Government! I love my country so much! (This is sarcasm, if you can't tell)

How is this the governments fault? The feds didn't confiscate the passports. These fellows are being prosecuted for their crimes.

It’s arguably being willfully blind when it comes to enforcement of immigration law.

[Ethel mermania]

How is this the governments fault? The feds didn't confiscate the passports. These fellows are being prosecuted for their crimes.

It’s arguably being willfully blind when it comes to enforcement of immigration law.

How so? These folks had legal visa's. When the government found out, they arrested folks and brought criminal charges.


These people are victims of a crime, not a policy

[Ifreann]

Seems to me the only sensible course of action is to guarantee citizenship or permanent residence, in addition to monetary compensation, to all immigrant victims of illegal employment practices. If the victims know they can go to the authorities without any risk of deportation, then these modern slavers will be more easily found out.

[Latvijas Otra Republika]

I hope you have always opposed slavery.

Yes, including the enslavement of pregnant women to broodmare status.

Lol
Post this in an abortion thread or something, unrelated.

[The Alma Mater]

Glad that you've discovered bodily autonomy. Now, perhaps you might want to rethink some public policy views of yours.

I hope you have always opposed slavery.

Fun fact: many people say they do, but very few make any effort to avoid buying products made by slaves.

[Torrocca]

Slavery literally never died in the United States, it just took on new forms and names following the Civil War, so this isn't a bit surprising.

[Ethel mermania]

Seems to me the only sensible course of action is to guarantee citizenship or permanent residence, in addition to monetary compensation, to all immigrant victims of illegal employment practices. If the victims know they can go to the authorities without any risk of deportation, then these modern slavers will be more easily found out.

In this case they could have they were here legally.

And yes they should sue the crap out of the slavers after the criminal cases are done.

[Latvijas Otra Republika]

Slavery literally never died in the United States, it just took on new forms and names following the Civil War, so this isn't a bit surprising.

Modern slavery and human trafficking is everywhere, even within the EU, so this isn't a special American thing.

[Yaak]

Dems are having a gold rush, and the US government is doing absolutely nothing.

[The Alma Mater]

Slavery literally never died in the United States, it just took on new forms and names following the Civil War, so this isn't a bit surprising.

Also, most of it was outsourced. Because as long as it not happens in your own country it is perfectly fine.

[Magyar Soviet State]

Slavery literally never died in the United States, it just took on new forms and names following the Civil War, so this isn't a bit surprising.

Yeah, it's called marriage, and the new slaves are called husbands.

Half-kidding there. No, it's really called the proletariat. You know, what Marx wrote about, in contrast to the bourgeoisie.

[Mackiland]

I'd rather visit Georgia Sakartvelo, rather than Georgia State.

I wouldn't even compare them! Sakartvelo is objectively the best! (not because I am from there)

[Mackiland]

I'd rather visit Georgia Sakartvelo, rather than Georgia State.

Tblisi is real Georgia; Atlanta is fake Georgia.

Prove me wrong.

I wonder why it didn't say "the username is already taken" when the state was registering.

[-Astoria-]

Tblisi is real Georgia; Atlanta is fake Georgia.

Prove me wrong.

I wonder why it didn't say "the username is already taken" when the state was registering.

They didn't have no international standards systems back in those days, y'know.

[Deblar]

Well time to wake up Sherman again!

Away down South in the land of traitors,
Rattlesnakes and alligators,
Right away! Come away! Right away! Right away, come away!
Where cotton's king and men are chattles,
Union boys will win the battles, right away!
Come away! Right away! Right away, come away!

We'll all go down to Dixie, away! Away!
Each Dixie boy must understand that he must mind his Uncle Sam
Away! Away! We'll all go down to Dixie!
Away! Away! We'll all go down to Dixie!

[Herador]

Well time to wake up Sherman again!

Away down South in the land of traitors,
Rattlesnakes and alligators,
Right away! Come away! Right away! Right away, come away!
Where cotton's king and men are chattles,
Union boys will win the battles, right away!
Come away! Right away! Right away, come away!

We'll all go down to Dixie, away! Away!
Each Dixie boy must understand that he must mind his Uncle Sam
Away! Away! We'll all go down to Dixie!
Away! Away! We'll all go down to Dixie!

General Sherman do it again

[Dakini]

Yes, including the enslavement of pregnant women to broodmare status.

I'm Pro-Life. This isn't the thread for that argument. We can move to the abortion thread or talk over telegrams but don't use someone else's thread on a separate topic to take cheap rhetorical shots at me.

You mean you're anti-choice and pro-forcing women to act as incubators against their will?