If we did that, we'd have to stop doing business with ourselves.
Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, EXCEPT AS PUNISHMENT FOR CRIME whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
The actual text of 13A makes involuntary servitude and or slavery a specific statutory exemption to the abolition of slavery. How can one read it, then say it's "not the same thing"?
I wasn't aware that the merits and table stakes of this particular discussion was whether or not other countries permitted slavery, when several grandparent comments ago, it was established that the criticism was levied against the United States-in a discussion about actions taken by two corporations that exist in the United States?
Is the whataboutism regarding other countries and their statutory frameworks on slavery really relevant here?
>Is the whataboutism regarding other countries and their statutory frameworks on slavery really relevant here?
Yes, because the comment was directed specifically at the US with a sorry attempt at comparing it with fascist countries like China. allowing If we're going that route then there is nowhere slavery doesn't exist and the entire argument about avoiding slave countries is moot.
To answer your first question... absolutely NO, "slavery" of imprisoned people is not the same and I think you know that, otherwise you would not care if the 13th amendment existed at all. You're presenting a disingenuous argument with a semantic word game. Any sane person knows imprisonment "slavery" and slavery blacks endured isn't the same.
In contrast, many, if not all, European countries disallow forced work for prisoners. They may still offer jobs to prisoners, but the prisoners are not compelled to take them, do not suffer punishment if they don't.
It was with a balled up fist, covered up in a velvet glove that I described the phenomenon as "forgotten"
because you're completely correct with this, IMO. It absolutely does get flatly ignored for convenient (but nonetheless ethically atrocious) politicization of criminality.
I think you know that though.