Still planning to buy that imported seafood? Why you might want to think again

I just read the article below completely and I'm furious. Although I'd read a good portion via my phone last night, the popups were driving me crazy and I didn't finish it. And when I shared it on my Facebook page, all that happened was a couple of polite likes and that was it. So I just re-posted it with the comments below, because I think it's important and that it matters. Do you?

"It's funny, I can post a graphic of some words inside a Christmas tree and people will share it like crazy....but I post THIS and often no one even acknowledges it. I guess American Dragon - Michael McKeldon Woody (the page which shared the article, that you can find on Facebook here) is used to finding that out but damn is it frustrating for me to see. I'm willing to bet that right now across the country, seafood selections (frozen, etc) in many of the major chain stores are somewhat depleted with the holidays coming. So clearly the public IS buying it...does that mean you support this slave labor?

Don't get me wrong, I'm no better than you. I LOVE shrimp and sometimes I want to be selfish and just have what I want. But...the local seafood available in our area isn't cheap, and thus it's become a couple of times a year extravagance only...because I will not willingly support foods produced in this manner. And if you think about it, tossing back that crap you picked up at walmart wouldn't kill you either. Maybe when you do splurge it will be a local seafood market that's family owned and operated....and yep, perhaps you won't get to buy it as often. But you just might be keeping the local business IN business."

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/8f64fb25931242a985bc30e3f5a9a0b2/ap-global-supermarkets-selling-shrimp-peeled-slaves

Googling brought up more articles, all from within the last 3 days. Hmm. Perhaps this story actually hit a nerve?

http://www.ibtimes.com/shrimp-slaves-boycott-thailand-slave-labor-controversy-sparks-call-ban-seafood-2228049
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-35106683

Care to learn more? Here are some links to Maryland Seafood (since that's near me).
http://seafood.maryland.gov/
https://www.facebook.com/MarylandSeafood

American Dragon - Michael McKeldon Woody
http://www.americandragon.us/
https://www.facebook.com/AmericanDragon.US/

Think Before You Walk Into Another Big Box Retailer this Holiday Season

Small businesses are the heart and soul of our towns, neighborhoods and cities. They are more than "just" a building, or a shop, they are someone's life who loves where they live. Most owners don't do it for the money - they do it because they ARE the community and part of the community is in them. Don't wait - invest in your independents now.

Choosing a Locally-owned Business "Why I'm Standing in a Tribles Appliance Parts Store"

I'm standing at the counter of a the local appliance parts/repair piece/fix it place. I'd ordered the part a few days ago and just picked it up, which for us IS well out of our comfort zone but some reckless voice inside our collective heads apparently spoke and we listened. Following a sort of breakdown in communication with an appliance repair guy, and knowing this shop was here, we have courageously (or was it drunkenly), opted to try and replace part of the dryer on our own. 

Small Business Casualties: Is One-Stop Shopping Killing Us?

I first wrote a rough draft of this back in 2009 as I began to observe the attraction of the big box stores for consumers. Worried that the independents may be fading in popularity by seeing a shift towards the “get it all under one roof” mentality, it appeared there were changes ahead for our small businesses.