Did you know that Truthout is a nonprofit and independently funded by readers like you? If you value what we do, please support our work with a donation.
The Syrian government is responsible for the first mass killing. Wal-Mart, which (according to the New York Times) knew about the dangerous conditions in the Bangladesh factories that make its clothes, and did nothing, is responsible for the second mass killing. Wal-Mart actually blocked efforts to upgrade factory conditions in Bangladesh.
Why all the outrage about the first murders but not the second?
Why is the U.S. government ready to go to war against Syria but not even punish or pressure Wal-Mart?
Are some innocent victims’ lives worth more than others?
Why is Assad more of a criminal than Mike Duke, Wal-Mart CEO?
Is it worse when a government kills its own people than when a global corporation looks the other way when workers toil in deadly dangerous conditions?
The Bangladesh workers complained about the building’s dangers and were told that if they didn’t come to work, they’d lose their jobs. Instead they lost their lives. And Wal-Mart still won’t sign an agreement with other big retailers to improve factory conditions!
The deaths of the Bangladesh workers were not the result of an act of God or nature. They were not the result of Wal-Mart’s reluctant compliance with Bangladesh’s weak workplace safety laws. They were the result of Wal-Mart’s willful indifference to basic, decent standards of workplace safety. Just like Assad, Wal-Mart — that is, the company’s CEO and top executives, who put profits over human life — has blood on its hands.
25 Years of Truthout: An important fundraising appeal
This September, Truthout is celebrating 25 years of publication. For over two decades, we have been a trusted source for fiercely independent journalism thanks to readers like you.
As we look to the next 25 years, we have launched a special fundraising campaign. Looking to a sustainable future for our publication, we have a fundraising goal of $100,000 in the next 9 days.
We are asking for your support at this juncture because we face greater threats than ever before in our organizational history. Trump and his MAGA allies are determined to control the information ecosystem, and movement-based organizations are subject to dangerous censorship and scrutiny.
If you can support Truthout with a one-time or monthly donation, you will make a significant impact on our work and our legacy. Anything you can do makes a difference!