Ace (Happy) Ventures has a problem. The dock workers won't unload his shipment of Flogian dashboard trinkets. Why? Well it all began when it was discovered that...
slavery has returned to the country of Flog. Ambassador Mealy objects to this characterization. He has assured us that most residents of his tiny nation are free to move about the country at will. They are even free to leave, and it is certainly not Flog's fault if its neighboring countries have immigration laws that permit entrance only if it can be proved no financial need exists.
General Lasche, tapping his baton agrees. "Our economy is your basic bootstrap system. We supply the boots…and the straps. We have a military establishment here and we provide the necessary uniforms, meals, and housing. Of course our workforce need not partake of these amenities…but if they do, we expect productive work from them…and we get it."
It has been pointed out that as there is no other source of employment, and since the cost of these "amenities" amount to more than the workers "earn", the result for the unfortunate laborers is lifelong bondage.
"No", he corrects, "only so long as they remain productive".
Meanwhile, Happy, that intrepid salesman who landed the deal on Flogian dashboard trinkets, is going ballistic on Pier 27 in San Francisco.
"What the hell is this!?" he shouts, "I thought this was the land of opportunity! The holy land of free enterprise! What's the deal here?!
He is overheard by a bunch of picketers, one of whom, a certain H. Junior Bridges , informs him that his cargo won't be unloaded because they are a product of slave labor.
Now the question is:
If slavery is illegal in the U.S., do/should Americans have the right to buy/sell the products of slave labor?
