America Never Shed Its Slave Mentality

America Never Shed Its Slave Mentality
America Never Shed Its Slave Mentality

There is something appealing about free labor, or $7.25 an hour minimum wage, which, if compared to other industrialized nations, ranks 17th for the United States. Even the idea of slaving convicted prisoners, while profiting from their totally free labor, which is the case in Alabama, Arkansas, and Georgia (Surprise, Surprise!), is quite appealing to southern states where slavery flourished. Today, comes the news that immigrant health care workers are also experiencing similar hardship conditions at the hands of either over zealot capitalists, or an America that never shed its slave mentality.

Whether it is capitalism, or DNA-based entitlement over other people, this young country is far from perfect when it comes to the treatment of its own people or those of other nations. If we can make a buck on the misery of others, we would not bat an eye. Exceptional, we are not when it comes to paying fair wages, or respecting the hard work of laborers.

It’s modern bondage. Pure and simple.

MODERN BONDAGE

In an NBC News article by , the reporter writes about these health care workers living and wage conditions. She described their plight this way:

In interviews, more than a dozen immigrant health care workers from across the country described being placed in jobs where there was so little staff that they weren’t able to meet patients’ basic needs and feared for their physical safety. They also described being paid less than their American counterparts despite immigration laws that require they be paid the local prevailing wage, working unpaid overtime and having been misled about benefits, such as free housing, which in one case amounted to a vacant room in the nursing home where the nurse worked. But when the workers tried to leave their jobs before the expiration of multi-year contracts, they were faced with paying tens of thousands of dollars in penalties to their employers, forced into arbitration or sued, in some cases for more than $100,000, according to a review of employment contracts, lawsuits and other documentation obtained by NBC News. As a result, the workers said they felt trapped between continuing in untenable jobs or risking financial ruin.NBC News by Shannon Pettypiece - June 4, 3023

Martina Vanderberg, President of Human Trafficking Legal Center, called it “These unconscionable contracts effectively trap these workers in debt bondage, making it impossible for them to leave their jobs. The workers are handcuffed by debt, unable to flee.”

It’s modern exploitative bondage. Pure and simple.

Exploitation of other humans has no place in our society.

LEGAL EXPLOITATION

The U.S. Government goes up in-arms if a Chinese entity abuses its workers by employing under-age workers, or paying them scant wages. We call this a human rights issue. We also object to human trafficking by Mexican cartel operatives profiting from free labor.

Yet, we ignore human trafficking when it is a legitimate U.S. business.

There is no difference between a coyote trafficking people for profits, and some Vice President of a healthcare outfit employing people as if slavery remains an option.

Both are exploitation. But, we deemed one to be legitimate just because it helps American businesses make money. Not only this is wrong, it’s the very definition of uncivilized behavior.

Nurses and health care workers come to this country to help with shortages. And how do we pay them back? By using the same slavery mindset of ancient times, which historically has ruled this country.

Exploitation of other humans has no place in our society. We are better than that.

America Never Shed Its Slave Mentality

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