September 20, 2010

American Samoa Is Now On My Help Radar

American Samoa is US territory (think like Puerto Rico, but less independent).  The population is about the size of Washington, DC.  And they have a larger than average percentage of people in the NFL and in US military service.  Basically, good people.  They live under the poverty line and in 2007 laws were passed giving the islands minimum wage.  It's would grow slowly every year until it reached the same as here on the mainland.  The main provider of the economy of American Samoa is tuna, everyone there worked for one of the 2-3 tuna companies.  Well Chicken of Sea packed up ship and moved from there because they didn't want to pay minimum wages and moved closer to home, Georgia.  So StarKist is the only company left to employ the citizens there and have started laying off people.  I am no longer buying Chicken of Sea tuna, I'm going strictly StarKist tuna. I believe in minimum wage and fair employment so I will support them being able to employ them even at additional cost. Especially if it mean helping out poor people by providing them with the same equal benefits that I enjoy and not necessary hand outs.  Basically I rather give a dollar to the homeless guy that washes my windows or pumps my gas than the guy the just sits there with a cup.  One is trying to normal.  Hopefully, StarKist doesn't pack up and leave the islands jobless.

*Sidebar* it's still FUCK WALMART!  My beef with them ain't no where near over!

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