Anti-Trafficking, Tassa Tags, and Black Friday

There are lots of reasons why not to shop on Black Friday. The whole hype about this day has gotten so out of perspective. The only reason that Massachusetts stores aren't opening before midnight on Thanksgiving is that it's against Massachusetts laws. Now they are talking about all the security measures that will be needed so that people are not injured or even killed by one another.
Check out this article in today's Boston Globe:
Keeping shoppers in line on Black Friday
Is this about Christmas gift-giving? Is it about approaching the Christmas Season...or even Advent?

There are lots of Fair Trade shopping sites. Here's just one that came up in a quick google search:
Greater Good Network

There are lots of ways you can still shop on Black Friday, not put your life in danger of injury, and actually not contribute to the consumer hype. You can even fight Human Trafficking as you "shop."

order Tassa Tags at http://www.tassatag.org/

One way is to purchase Tassa Tags for your friends and family. Samples of these tags are at the top of this post. They are luggage tags.  The tags are for Travlers against Sex Slavery and Trafficking. The person who sells them has become affiliated with ECPAT . I wrote a lot about ECPAT back in July when the Sisters of St. Joseph U.S. Federation worked with the Millennium Hotel to address hotel trafficking.

Earlier this week, Massachusetts Lawmakers finally approved human trafficking bill. This is a big step in the right direction. Although about the passage of the bill was eclipsed by the casino bill, our Justice & Peace Director pointed out to me that casinos are a place where human trafficking happens.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/11/15/mass_lawmakers_weigh_final_human_trafficking_bill/?fb_ref=art&fb_source=profile_oneline

Massachusetts is one of three -- yes three -- states without anti-human trafficking laws. That fact alone is astounding!