Life, Dignity, and the Tragedy in Bangladesh

Kathleen and I are away from Winnipeg for a little stretch of time.  I like that phrase "stretch of time". Out here next to a lake, where time seems more elastic, there's time to read and reflect, along with walking, canoeing, and eating (of course).  I brought the August 2013 Sojourners magazine along, which on first skimming, appears to have quite a few excellent articles.

The first article that caught my attention is the one entitled "Life, Dignity, and the Tragedy in Bangladesh", and picks up on some of the other posts here in the Just Living Blog.  It is written by Mary Priniski, who is a member of the Dominican Sisters of Adrian and serves on the executive committee of Catholic Scholars for Worker Justice.  She has been involved with worker rights issues for more than 30 years.  I'll post some excerpts here, but encourage you to read this brief column in its entirety, including detailed statements of the seven social principles, by clicking here.  (The image is taken from the online version of this article.)

THE APRIL 24 collapse of a garment factory near Dhaka, Bangladesh, killed more than 1,125 people. That tragedy followed a fire that killed 112 last November at a factory making goods for companies including Walmart. According to the International Labor Rights Forum, at least 1,800 garment workers in Bangladesh have died in fires or other factory disasters since 2005. The collapse near Dhaka is the largest disaster in that time and the one that has gotten global attention.

Image: Chinese garment factory, Luisa Fernanda Gonzalez / Shutterstock.com

 
As a Dominican Catholic sister and member of Catholic Scholars for Worker Justice, I approach reflection on such a disaster from the foundation of Catholic social teaching. Each of the social principles relates to the situation in Bangladesh and challenges us to reflect on our own regard for those who provide our clothing.

• Life and dignity of the human person
• Call to family, community, and participation
• Rights and responsibilities
• Option for the poor and vulnerable
• The dignity of work and the rights of workers
• Care of God's creation
• Solidarity 

The social teaching of our churches challenges us to conversion to a way of life where consumerism is not our ruling value. The disaster in Bangladesh is just one indication that we are a long way from a society in which we value both individual flourishing and the common good.

 - Submitted by Gareth