Conscious Choice Seattle:

March 2004 | Letters to the Editor

Let’s Increase Awareness of Slavery in Today’s World

I was thrilled to see the mention of child trafficking in relation to chocolate in your last issue, in the Feb. 2004 “Living Green” column from Co-Op America. Many well-informed and progressive Americans have no idea about the prevalence and severity of slavery in the world today.

If more people knew, I know they would help. We need to be focusing on basic information about slavery in the world today, as well as actions we can take to alleviate the unjust violation, exploitation and rape of over 27 million people worldwide.

Kevin Bales is the world’s leading expert on contemporary slavery. A professor of sociology at the University of Surrey, Roehampton in London, he is founder of

Free the Slaves and consultant to the U.N. on slavery and trafficking, He has published an internationally recognized, groundbreaking book, “Disposable People: New Slavery in the Global Economy,” now published in seven languages. “Disposable People” has become the catalyst for the growing U.S. movement against slavery.

Desmond Tutu calls the book “A well-researched, scholarly and deeply disturbing exposé of modern-day slavery with well-thought-out strategies for what to do to combat this scourge. None of us is allowed the luxury of imagined impotence. We can do something about it.”

—Ellie Rose, Seattle

The Answer About 68 Seconds

IN REGARDS to your question of why 68 seconds for meditation silence (“From the Editor,” Jan. 2004): The answer is not 68 but the digital read out of 1:08 or one minute 8 seconds. It’s the 1, 0, and 8 that’s important. In Tibetan numerology 108 is a most sacred number. Buddhism uses 108 sacred verses in its composition.The 12 astrological symbols times the 9 ancient planets = 108. Peace

–James Conway, Internet

Fresh News on Fair-Trade Coffee

THANK YOU for your recent article about fair trade coffee (“Fair Enough, Jan 2004). It should be required reading for everyone entering a Starbucks.

For the last two-plus years, we have been getting all of our coffee beans, mail ordered from Cafe Mam, a small independent roaster in Eugene, Ore. They roast only organic, shade-grown, fair-trade coffee beans. Not only do you feel good about the product and its positive effect on the growers, but, guess what, it’s a cheaper and fresher product than getting beans at Starbucks.

I place my order on a Monday, the beans are roasted that afternoon, and are on my doorstep Wednesday afternoon. I challenge Starbucks to match that freshness. For three pounds, I pay (including shipping) at least 10 percent less than going to my neighborhood Starbucks.

I write this to you to support your ideas, and to let you know about this alternative in the Northwest. I’m sure there are many others. Perhaps Evergreen Monthly could help identify some to the coffee-drinking public.

— Robert Ogolsky, Internet

More Conversation About Coffee

OF COURSE, fair-trade, shade grown, organic coffees are preferred, moral and necessary (“Fair Enough?,” Jan. 2004). But rather than moan about the problem and demonize Starbucks—there are plenty of other legitimate reasons to criticize Starbucks—activists should model their efforts after the dolphin-safe tuna and other successful campaigns. Just one possible strategy: target the consumers (of all coffee), which threatens to reduce revenue and then the shareholders will demand that Starbucks and others make the switch.

— Jason Aaron Osgood / Seattle WA

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