Fair Trade File

Doesn't concern me?
If I live in the developed world it very much concerns me.....from the tea and coffee I drink to the clothes I wear to the shops where I buy things to the companies I have shares in, to the terrorism that fills our daily news.....in fact, my concern or lack thereof will change/continue a situation that is as evil as slavery

For over 1,500 years  most people, including Christians, were unable or unwilling to do anything about slavery.  About 200 years ago some people, mainly Protestant Christians, started speaking up against slavery. And slavery was eventually abolished

For hundreds of years most people, including Christians, were unable or unwilling to do anything about un-fair trade. In recent decades some people, mainly Christians, have been speaking up against un-fair trade.  Please God un-fair trade will eventually be abolished

Why didn't more people, especially Christians, particularly Catholics, act earlier to abolish slavery?
Most appropriate answer is a red face, despite scholars efforts to deflect the blame.
Why don't more people, especially Christians, particularly Catholics, do more to abolish un-fair trade?
How many dioceses/parishes have/support an Oxfam Fair Trade shop?
How many ordinary people are even aware of the un-fair trade situation?
Un-fairness in trade is one of the main reasons for resentment/anger against the developed world, one of the main breeding grounds for international terrorism.
A practical  way for ordinary people to fight terrorism is to abolish one of its main causes: un-fair trade

A Hope: someone (the churches/relgions?) organize a world conference on fair trade, to be held in a poor country.
Not a W.T.O. conference whose agenda and decisions are controlled/gagged by the wealthy nations, but a genuinely free conference which would allow real sharing

Date: 8/12/2004 04:22:02 +0100
From: Oxfam Trade Campaign <oxfam@oxfam.org>
To: john@china8.org
Subject: Thank you for emailing George Bush All headers Your email has been sent to George Bush. Thank you for your support. We will keep you up to date on any news as it occurs.

If you want to do more, please email the message below to friends,
family and colleagues.

Oxfam Make Trade Fair Campaign

--- COPY, PASTE, ADAPT & SEND THIS E-MAIL TO OTHERS ---

Email George Bush

More than 10 million West Africans farmers and their families will benefit hugely from a WTO ruling this week that US cotton dumping is illegal and must be stopped. A key player in the case told us that the actions of the Make Trade Fair campaign, its supporters and allies made a big contribution to achieving this result. Your campaigning does make a difference!

This is a major victory in the fight to make trade fair and we could start to see a domino effect of unfair trade rules falling away.

But all is not won. There are elements in the US and EU who will fight back to defend the multi-million dollar interests of big business in continuing this dumping. Please e-mail President Bush and ask him to implement the legally binding ruling, which will help West African farmers and their families work their way out of poverty.

Email George Bush

Date: 8/12/2004 04:20:06 +0100
From: Oxfam Trade Campaign <info@maketradefair.com>
To: john@china8.org
Subject: Help spread the word All headers Thanks! You've just joined 5448341 other people from countries making a noise about Oxfam's global campaign to make trade fair. Do you want to have an even bigger impact? How much of the cost of your favourite instant coffee gets back to the person who grew it? The answer - shockingly little. Many coffee farmers now earn less for their crop than it cost them to grow. Without urgent action, 25 million growers face ruin, unable to put food on the table, send their children to school, or buy basic medicines. As part of our call to Make Trade Fair, Oxfam is urging coffee companies to pay farmers a decent price. We need your help now. Your support is vital if we want to show the big coffee companies that we're serious. Act now and learn more at: http://maketradefair.com/go/coffee/?s=609456

Two easy things you can do to help more are: 1. email the message below to 15 friends, family and colleagues 2. email and stir up the coffee giants at http://maketradefair.com/go/actnow/?s!
=609456 Take Action. Spread The Word. Make Trade Fair. Oxfam Trade Campaign PS - thanks for checking the box to receive updates about the campaign. We appreciate you trust in us and if you ever change your mind and wish to be removed from our mailings there will always be a remove option at the bottom. ------ COPY, PASTE, ADAPT & SEND THIS EMAIL TO OTHERS ------ Oxfam's getting as many people as possible to sign a petition - the big noise - to stop people getting ripped off in poor countries due to unfair trade rules. Bono and Kofi Annan are already supporters, along with thousands of other people world-wide. They still need your support and that of your friends, family and colleagues your to send a strong message to our leaders that unfair trade is inexcusable. http://www.maketradefair.com/go/join/?s=609456 -------------------- END COPY & PASTE -------------------- If you wish to know more about Oxfam's privacy policy, please visit http://www.maketradefair.com/pri!
vacy Oxfam works with others to find lasting solutions to poverty and suffering. You can find out more about Oxfam at: http://www.oxfam.org