Why Is The U.S. Desperate To OK Slavery In Malaysia?

[VMI77]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/2 ... 44978.html

OK, HuffPo, but hey, I don't go there normally, the link was off a conservative site talking about the Confederate flag.

On Friday night, in an impressive display of dysfunction, the U.S. Senate approved a controversial trade bill with a provision that the White House, Senate leadership and the author of the language himself wanted taken out.

The provision, which bars countries that engage in slavery from being part of major trade deals with the U.S., was written by Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.). At the insistence of the White House, Menendez agreed to modify his language to say that as long as a country is taking "concrete" steps toward reducing human trafficking and forced labor, it can be part of a trade deal. Under the original language, the country that would be excluded from the pending Trans-Pacific Partnership pact is Malaysia.

So, the Dems, Obama's Republican enablers, and Obama are OK with actual slavery, they just don't like what they consider to be symbols of slavery that hasn't existed for 150 years.

[Middle Age Russ]

Principles of convenience are not principles. Government without principles is what the Founder's sought to avoid creating -- tyranny. It took us a while, but here we are, nonetheless...

[misterlarry]

It's a setup so we can pay reparations to Malaysia at a later date.

[WildBill]

The Malaysian government does not support or condone slavery.

Certain people and/or companies will lure foreigners to come to their country to get jobs and then take advantage of them.

IMO, not much difference that illegal immigrants coming to the US to find work.

[VMI77]

The Malaysian government does not support or condone slavery.

Certain people and/or companies will lure foreigners to come to their country to get jobs and then take advantage of them.

IMO, not much difference that illegal immigrants coming to the US to find work.

I guess that depends on what you mean by support or condone. What I read sounds like unofficial or tacit support. Up to a point it sounds like what you say about luring illegal immigrants is true, but at what point does knowing and doing nothing become condoning?

http://www.theguardian.com/global-devel ... ons-report

While Malaysia has increased its preventative efforts against trafficking via public service announcements, there were fewer identifications of trafficking victims, fewer prosecutions and fewer convictions this year than in 2012, the report stated, with poor victim treatment posing a "significant impediment" to successful prosecutions. Authorities not only failed to investigate cases brought to them by NGOs, they also failed to recognise victims or indications of trafficking, and instead treated cases as immigration violations. Some immigration officials were also accused of being involved in the smuggling of trafficking victims, yet the government did not investigate any such potential individuals or cases.

In some respects it does sound similar to how our own government turns a blind eye on illegal immigration to benefit corporate interests. It's pretty clear the US government condones illegal immigration, supports it in fact, in spite of any public claims to the contrary.

[WildBill]

The Malaysian government does not support or condone slavery.

Certain people and/or companies will lure foreigners to come to their country to get jobs and then take advantage of them.

IMO, not much difference that illegal immigrants coming to the US to find work.

I guess that depends on what you mean by support or condone. What I read sounds like unofficial or tacit support. Up to a point it sounds like what you say about luring illegal immigrants is true, but at what point does knowing and doing nothing become condoning?

http://www.theguardian.com/global-devel ... ons-report

While Malaysia has increased its preventative efforts against trafficking via public service announcements, there were fewer identifications of trafficking victims, fewer prosecutions and fewer convictions this year than in 2012, the report stated, with poor victim treatment posing a "significant impediment" to successful prosecutions. Authorities not only failed to investigate cases brought to them by NGOs, they also failed to recognise victims or indications of trafficking, and instead treated cases as immigration violations. Some immigration officials were also accused of being involved in the smuggling of trafficking victims, yet the government did not investigate any such potential individuals or cases.

In some respects it does sound similar to how our own government turns a blind eye on illegal immigration to benefit corporate interests. It's pretty clear the US government condones illegal immigration, supports it in fact, in spite of any public claims to the contrary.

In my view, it depends more on how you define slavery. I don't believe that "trafficking" is the same thing as slavery.

In Malaysia [and probably most other Asian countries] there is so such thing as workers comp, disability insurance or OSHA.

Workers are brought to Malaysia from other countries for construction and other potentially hazardous jobs.

If they get injured or killed they are simply replaced by another worker.

They have no recourse to sue or collect benefits.

They are just replaced by a new worker.

[VMI77]

The Malaysian government does not support or condone slavery.

Certain people and/or companies will lure foreigners to come to their country to get jobs and then take advantage of them.

IMO, not much difference that illegal immigrants coming to the US to find work.

I guess that depends on what you mean by support or condone. What I read sounds like unofficial or tacit support. Up to a point it sounds like what you say about luring illegal immigrants is true, but at what point does knowing and doing nothing become condoning?

http://www.theguardian.com/global-devel ... ons-report

While Malaysia has increased its preventative efforts against trafficking via public service announcements, there were fewer identifications of trafficking victims, fewer prosecutions and fewer convictions this year than in 2012, the report stated, with poor victim treatment posing a "significant impediment" to successful prosecutions. Authorities not only failed to investigate cases brought to them by NGOs, they also failed to recognise victims or indications of trafficking, and instead treated cases as immigration violations. Some immigration officials were also accused of being involved in the smuggling of trafficking victims, yet the government did not investigate any such potential individuals or cases.

In some respects it does sound similar to how our own government turns a blind eye on illegal immigration to benefit corporate interests. It's pretty clear the US government condones illegal immigration, supports it in fact, in spite of any public claims to the contrary.

In my view, it depends more on how you define slavery. I don't believe that "trafficking" is the same thing as slavery.

In Malaysia [and probably most other Asian countries] there is so such thing as workers comp, disability insurance or OSHA.

Workers are brought to Malaysia from other countries for construction and other potentially hazardous jobs.

If they get injured or killed they are simply replaced by another worker.

They have no recourse to sue or collect benefits.

They are just replaced by a new worker.

[VMI77]

The Malaysian government does not support or condone slavery.

Certain people and/or companies will lure foreigners to come to their country to get jobs and then take advantage of them.

IMO, not much difference that illegal immigrants coming to the US to find work.

I guess that depends on what you mean by support or condone. What I read sounds like unofficial or tacit support. Up to a point it sounds like what you say about luring illegal immigrants is true, but at what point does knowing and doing nothing become condoning?

http://www.theguardian.com/global-devel ... ons-report

While Malaysia has increased its preventative efforts against trafficking via public service announcements, there were fewer identifications of trafficking victims, fewer prosecutions and fewer convictions this year than in 2012, the report stated, with poor victim treatment posing a "significant impediment" to successful prosecutions. Authorities not only failed to investigate cases brought to them by NGOs, they also failed to recognise victims or indications of trafficking, and instead treated cases as immigration violations. Some immigration officials were also accused of being involved in the smuggling of trafficking victims, yet the government did not investigate any such potential individuals or cases.

In some respects it does sound similar to how our own government turns a blind eye on illegal immigration to benefit corporate interests. It's pretty clear the US government condones illegal immigration, supports it in fact, in spite of any public claims to the contrary.

In my view, it depends more on how you define slavery. I don't believe that "trafficking" is the same thing as slavery.

In Malaysia [and probably most other Asian countries] there is so such thing as workers comp, disability insurance or OSHA.

Workers are brought to Malaysia from other countries for construction and other potentially hazardous jobs.

If they get injured or killed they are simply replaced by another worker.

They have no recourse to sue or collect benefits.

They are just replaced by a new worker.

The article alludes to that, but also says this:

But once in Malaysia they fall prey to forced labour at the hands of their employers, recruitment companies or organised crime syndicates, who refuse payment, withhold their documents or force them into indentured servitude.

To me, involuntarily labor for the benefit of another person is a form of slavery. Taxing my labor and giving the proceeds to another person is a form of slavery, and was unconstitutional for nearly half of our history. And ironically, actual bondage slavery was legal during most of this time. However, slavery carries certain images and perceptions of laboring under harsh conditions and is fraught with emotional baggage so perhaps involuntary servitude is a better term. Certainly our ruling class is in the process of making debt slaves out of our children and grandchildren....though this is on a different scale and lacks the kind of immediate human impact of labor under the conditions described in Malaysia.

[WildBill]

To me, involuntarily labor for the benefit of another person is a form of slavery. Taxing my labor and giving the proceeds to another person is a form of slavery, and was unconstitutional for nearly half of our history. And ironically, actual bondage slavery was legal during most of this time. However, slavery carries certain images and perceptions of laboring under harsh conditions and is fraught with emotional baggage so perhaps involuntary servitude is a better term. Certainly our ruling class is in the process of making debt slaves out of our children and grandchildren....though this is on a different scale and lacks the kind of immediate human impact of labor under the conditions described in Malaysia.

I am getting off the subject a little bit, but I worked in Malaysia quite often.

I found that there is a lot of distrust and dishonesty in their business dealings with foreigners. I am sure this is also the case among of their citizens.

I used to stay at the same resort hotel for most of my visits.

One night I went to eat dinner by myself at a restaurant in the hotel. The hostess asked me for my passport. I showed it to her and she wanted to keep it. I told her she could look at it but I would not give it to her. I told her I had stayed at the hotel many times and no one ever wanted my passport. She said that it was policy, so I got up and walked out of the restaurant. She came running after me and asked why I was leaving. I told her that I was not going to give her my passport. She apologized and said that was the hotel policy but asked me to come back. I told her I would come back but would not give her my passport. She told me she talked to her manager and it was okay.

One morning when I was checking out of the same hotel, I gave my credit card to the lady in the lobby to pay my bill. She took my credit card and took a long time to process it. While I was standing there I noticed that she made a phone call and was stalling. About 10 minutes later she got a call and then she proceeded to check me out. I realized that they had sent a person to my room to count the pillows, sheets, towels and the drinks in the mini-bar. This has never happened to me in any other country.
I have many other stories to illustrate my experiences, but I hope you get my point.

[ShootDontTalk]

In my view, it depends more on how you define slavery. I don't believe that "trafficking" is the same thing as slavery.

I don't think there is much ambiguity in the definition.

"Human trafficking is a modern-day form of slavery involving the illegal trade of people for exploitation or commercial gain."
Department of Homeland Security

[VMI77]

To me, involuntarily labor for the benefit of another person is a form of slavery. Taxing my labor and giving the proceeds to another person is a form of slavery, and was unconstitutional for nearly half of our history. And ironically, actual bondage slavery was legal during most of this time. However, slavery carries certain images and perceptions of laboring under harsh conditions and is fraught with emotional baggage so perhaps involuntary servitude is a better term. Certainly our ruling class is in the process of making debt slaves out of our children and grandchildren....though this is on a different scale and lacks the kind of immediate human impact of labor under the conditions described in Malaysia.

I am getting off the subject a little bit, but I worked in Malaysia quite often.

I found that there is a lot of distrust and dishonesty in their business dealings with foreigners. I am sure this is also the case among of their citizens.

I used to stay at the same resort hotel for most of my visits.

One night I went to eat dinner by myself at a restaurant in the hotel. The hostess asked me for my passport. I showed it to her and she wanted to keep it. I told her she could look at it but I would not give it to her. I told her I had stayed at the hotel many times and no one ever wanted my passport. She said that it was policy, so I got up and walked out of the restaurant. She came running after me and asked why I was leaving. I told her that I was not going to give her my passport. She apologized and said that was the hotel policy but asked me to come back. I told her I would come back but would not give her my passport. She told me she talked to her manager and it was okay.

One morning when I was checking out of the same hotel, I gave my credit card to the lady in the lobby to pay my bill. She took my credit card and took a long time to process it. While I was standing there I noticed that she made a phone call and was stalling. About 10 minutes later she got a call and then she proceeded to check me out. I realized that they had sent a person to my room to count the pillows, sheets, towels and the drinks in the mini-bar. This has never happened to me in any other country.
I have many other stories to illustrate my experiences, but I hope you get my point.

Any view of a country gained from our horrible media is going to be an inaccurate caricature. I've never been to Asia but my son has spent a couple years living in China and his perceptions of the country are vastly different than what one would glean from the MSM. The countries I have been to are rarely accurately portrayed. You're fortunate to have had such experiences.

[WildBill]

Any view of a country gained from our horrible media is going to be an inaccurate caricature. I've never been to Asia but my son has spent a couple years living in China and his perceptions of the country are vastly different than what one would glean from the MSM. The countries I have been to are rarely accurately portrayed. You're fortunate to have had such experiences.

The media in Malaysia is very anti-United States.

Every time I would listen to the news on the radio or read a newspaper there was some editorial that didn't like something the US was doing.

That said, I never had a problem with any of the locals.

In fact, most of them were very curious about living in the US.

I could tell by some of the questions they asked me that they didn't believe all of the anti-American propaganda in their media.