Making a list, checking it twice, Nicholas is coming to town
I’m grateful to Mr. Kristof for his column, and I think it provides a powerful reminder of what good journalism can accomplish. But in some ways, I think it’s also low-hanging fruit. Strong moral outrage against child exploitation, with a compelling human interest hook, packaged in an article that critiques a conveniently Canadian company? That seems like the kind of article that any journalist worth his or her salt should be able to write and any paper worthy of its readership should publish. I’d like to think Mr. Kristof is just warming up, getting ready to write hard-hitting pieces that hold American companies to account too, using his considerable platform to write what will likely cause a great deal more discomfort for the establishment here in the States.
I propose that Mr. Kristof begin with Apple, and by extension Nike, Coca-Cola, H&M, and all the other companies that are currently in DC lobbying against a bill that would ban imports manufactured by Chinese slave labor. The bill in question, H.R.6210 — Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, passed the House with overwhelming numbers (406-3), and if it passes the Senate, it can be signed into law.