I called my daughter Claire last night. |
But I don't really care that Nike is profiting nicely form their good deed, and that's not what I'm conflicted about.
I'm conflicted because Nike's products have been made in overseas factories teeming with human rights violations: sweatshop conditions, the use of child labor, paying workers less than a living wage, forcing workers to live in cramped, squalid factory housing.
This I learned from Claire, herself disciple of the 'Whatsoever you do to one of these, my little brothers and sisters" school of thought, |
On the other hand, it appears that Nike has, in recent years, been taking steps to improve conditions in its factories and making an effort to get itself off the top of the list of industrial human rights offenders. But the company seems to be always taking two steps forward and one step back and, according to organizations such as the Ethical Fashion Report that grade companies on their treatment of workers, Nike isn't doing enough to address the exploitation of the workers in its factories around the world.
And so, though I wanted to cheer Nike's support for social justice in our country through the Colin Kapernick campaign, I couldn't help feeling a weence cynical, that this campaign might be just a public relations ploy, snow covering the dunghill, so to speak.
I called Claire to find out which direction her moral compass pointed.
Turned out she wasn't conflicted in the least, her perspective reflecting her usual common-sense optimism.
"I think the Colin Kapernick Nike thing is great," she said, "and maybe this is a start for Nike to make up for past wrongs. Maybe this will be a jumping off point for Nike to improve conditions for their workers and even do other good things. Let's wait and see."
Sounds like a good way of looking at it.
So: Nike, your sins are forgiven. Maybe. So long as you go and sin no more.
https://goodonyou.eco/how-ethical-is-nike/
https://www.thecut.com/2018/09/nikes-colin-kaepernick-ad-raises-issues-of-workers-rights.html
https://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=5503956&page=1
https://baptistworldaid.org.au/resources/2018-ethical-fashion-report/
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/nike-upgraded-in-face-of-colin-kaepernick-advertising-controversy-2018-09-11
https://www.theologyofwork.org/the-high-calling/daily-reflection/blessed-are-those-who-hunger-and-thirst-justice