China is punishing Muslims for fasting. So US Muslims are fasting from China.

[guillaumeb]

From the article:

This Ramadan, human rights groups and Muslim organizations are urging U.S. Muslims to boycott products made in China, where authorities have for years cracked down on Muslims fasting.
“People say, ‘Oh, I can’t boycott China, everything is made in China,’” said Hena Zuberi, director of outreach for the nonprofit Justice for All, who helped found the Fast From China campaign this month. “Well, we have the spiritual wherewithal to refrain from eating and drinking during the day in Ramadan. This is a time to control your nafs (self).”
Launched April 19 by the Sound Vision Foundation’s Save Uighur project, the Fast From China initiative aims to get Muslims to rethink their everyday purchasing decisions and replace items bearing a “Made in China” label with products made in other countries.

To read more:

https://religionnews.com/2019/05/02/china-is-punishing-muslims-for-fasting-so-us-muslims-are-fasting-from-china/

If there is enough public pressure on US businesses, perhaps US and world consumers can influence the Chinese Government to cease their persecution of theists.

[at140]

1. 80% of stuff sold in Walmart is made in China

And Walmart is the world's biggest retailer. Don't think many will pay more for stuff made outside of China. I don't give the China boycott by Muslims much chance to succeed.

[guillaumeb]

2. Many said the boycott of South Africa would also fail.

They were incorrect.

[at140]

3. China economy is a giant compared to S.A.

South Africa with its small economy is inherently more likely to feel boycotts.
China economy is actually greater than USA if one counts purchasing power.

Based on the size of China economy, I predict Walmart will not close shop due to
any boycott and China will continue to dominate world trade.

[guillaumeb]

6. Understood.

[Act_of_Reparation]

12. Yes, I remember the heady days when virtually every consumer product was made in South Africa...

Maybe spend a few extra seconds thinking about what you're going to say before you say it.

[MineralMan]

14. But diamonds...diamonds...

[MineralMan]

4. How about you joining them

in their boycott? How about enlisting those you know?

There aren't really enough Muslims in the US to make a noticeable difference in sales.

You seem concerned, so why not start a boycott to help them?

[guillaumeb]

5. An excellent suggestion.

This movement is aimed at Muslims in every country.

[MineralMan]

8. There are a couple of dozen mosques in the Chicago area.

You might visit them and ask what they're doing about the Chinese situation.

[guillaumeb]

15. I work with people from 2 of the ones in my area. eom

[Bretton Garcia]

7. China's mad at religion because Christians made it buy opium

British Christians were making lots of money selling opium to the Chinese. Who became heavily addicted. When Chinese leaders objected, the British went to war with them, and killed them. In the two Opium Wars, 1839-1860.

It is estimated that before that, China had the largest economy in the world. When it was over, that economy had been reduced by half.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_Wars

[Voltaire2]

9. I don't think opium was the determining

factor in China’s decline from the 1700’s up to the revolutionary era of the 20th century. The opium war was a symptom of how far and how fast the decline had happened.

[MineralMan]

10. That's true, of course, but China's attitude toward

the European West was skewed, in part, due to attempts to colonialize that ancient culture. Attempts were made throughout East Asia to turn nations into part of Europe's supply chain as vassal nations. All of them failed, pretty much, because of the age and longevity of those cultures.

The difficulties of transportation were probably the primary reason the empirical goals of the West did not succeed. That and a long-established system of government, language difficulties, and other factors.

But, the Europeans gave it a try, for sure. However, even the Christian missionaries couldn't accomplish much in the face of large populations and an established cultural base.

[guillaumeb]

27. An attempt to "explain" the oppression?

Or simply whataboutism?

[still_one]

28. The British were doing it in general to offset the demand they had for Chinese products, so they

effectively acted as drug pushers to offset that trade deficit, and there were two wars because of that, and your assessment is absolutely correct, and China was not the only country the colonial powers were involved with.

There was a reason China tried to isolate themselves from the west

[trotsky]

11. What can we do to get China to cease their persecution of atheists, too?

Or do you only care about theists, gil?

[Act_of_Reparation]

13. I think we already know the answer to that question.

There are 13 countries were being an atheist is a crime punishable by death. I'm sure his calls to boycott them are pending, once we have addressed the far more serious issue of indirect forcefeeding.

[trotsky]

16. What can we do to get China to cease their persecution of atheists, too?

Do you have any suggestions?

[MineralMan]

17. Join them in persecution of athiests, of course.

For some, atheists are fair game for whatever persecution that can be conceived. Only persecution of particular religions is to be abhorred.

[trotsky]

18. Well, when someone's stated goal is to provide a "counterpoint" for bad news concerning the RCC,

it's a little inconvenient for their crusade to have to acknowledge the Chinese government persecutes people regardless of their religious beliefs (or lack thereof).

[MineralMan]

19. But what's a little "inconvenience" when you have an agenda to follow?

One can simply ignore such inconveniences, it seems, and carry on with the plan.

[Major Nikon]

20. Boston atheists were once mean to a Trump supporter

Which proves an international religious child rape conspiracy on a biblical scale (literal or metaphorical?) is consistent human behavior.

[Pendrench]

21. Hi trotsky - thank you for posting this question!

I'm not sure how effective it might be, but here are some steps that I will take:

1. Contact the Chinese Embassy in Washington

2. Contact U.S. Ambassador to China (Terry Branstad)

3. I will also see what the Chinese student organizations here on campus might suggest.

If you have additional suggestions, I would be most grateful.

Wishing you well and peace!

Tim

[Lordquinton]

22. I was wondering this

the posts about China, while highlighting a serious issue, seem to also be disrespecting the issue because they are being used as a prop instead of a serious discussion.

[trotsky]

23. "Used as a prop" - that's exactly what it is.

There are Catholics on DU. The only thing that will change the corrupt culture of that church is people leaving. Reading articles about their continuing atrocious behavior might just get more Catholics to leave.

Post about China all you want on DU, the Chinese government doesn't care.

"Counterpoint" my ass.

[guillaumeb]

24. At least you admit that this issue is serious.

And the intent is to highlight how intolerance is a basic human behavior.

Do you wish to discuss that fact, or do you prefer to avoid it?

[Lordquinton]

25. China, while it doesn't follow Western abrahamic religion

Has its own spiritualistic culture, why are you constantly boiling it down to atheism? Why haven't you posted about the atheists in Myanmar ethnicly cleansing Muslims?

[guillaumeb]

26. The point is made whith China.

And made again.

Oppression is a negative human behavior.

And I explicitly condemn the atheists who lead the Chinese Government.

But one poster here attempts to explain away the oppression committed by the Chinese Government by blaming the victims.

[Lordquinton]

29. So you're following a very literalist interpretation of Atheism

If they don't follow the Christian (or Abrahamic) god, they are an atheist. But you focus on China, why not the atheists in Myanmar ethnically cleansing Muslims? You dodged my question about that, so how about it?

[trotsky]

31. "I explicitly condemn the atheists who lead the Chinese Government."

How do you know they're all atheists?

You don't.

That's a bigoted thing to say, g. Apologize, please.

[trotsky]

30. Literally no one has denied the issue is serious, g. Why do you persist with straw men?

Stop it.