Sunday, September 15, 2013

Koto

The other day my fiancee and I learned that a particular restaurant that we like, Koto, has suspect business policies regarding its hibachi chefs.  There are a number of lessons from our new knowledge.

1)  The more we talk about human trafficking with our friends and family, the more we can share knowledge and suspicions of businesses that may be in violation of simple good manners towards our fellow men and women.  In this case, my fiancee had been talking about my new book with a co-worker.  By talking to the co-worker my fiancee learned that she is somewhat involved in local human trafficking organizations who have red-flagged Koto as a possible violator. 

2)  We need to be ready to change our lives and habits at a moment's notice if we hope to put an end to slavery.  My fiancee and I love going to Koto, especially since we live right across the road.  Now, though, we can't in good conscience do so.  Of course, my fiancee's co-worker said that Koto is a possible violator, and it's perhaps not a great thing to remove our business from Koto based on suspicions, but then why not?  There are many other restaurants to go to if we must eat out.  A lot of restaurants are possible violators, and we just have to keep an eye out.

3)  Indeed, we need to keep an eye out.  My fiancee and I had remarked, the last time that we were at Koto, that the hibachi chefs were susceptible to mistreatment.  They come over here to the States hoping to make a good living for themselves, in a state--Vermont--that is notoriously good for foreigners to move to.  New American residents who don't speak much English must rely on the reputation of a state like Vermont or the reputation of the American dream.  If all that they have heard and believed turns out to be false, then they won't know until they've already been sucked into slavery.  We talked about this... and yet didn't decide to do or research anything.  We should have. 

We all should learn how to be more proactive rather than simply think and wonder and talk.  Although, as I said in lesson number one, talking can go a long way.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Read the Book

The blog has become a book.  Maybe now I can focus more on writing the blog again.  Check it out!

Amazon