By Keith Alan Gawronski
Arizona Daily Wildcat
December 1, 1997

Campus leadership should oppose Nike

Editor:

In response to Gabe Smith's letter, "Stop whining about Nike, McDonald's" I would like to quote Wei Jingsheng, Chinese dissident, imprisoned since 1979 for his beliefs about human rights and democracy: "Those who already enjoy democracy, liberty, and human rights in particular, should not allow their own personal happiness to numb them, into forgetting the many others who are still struggling against tyranny, slavery, and poverty."

Yes, Mr. Smith, we live in a global economy and Nike commands business all over the world. Does this mean that human rights and justice only applies to Nike employees in the United States? We live in a global economy, a global society, and we should have a global stand on human rights. Maybe you don't care if a 15 year old girl in Indonesian sweatshop is only paid 13 cents an hour to make your 100 dollar basketball shoes, but I wonder how you would feel if she lived in Iowa.

The U of A Student Government should do as Duke University and other student governments have done, and pass resolutions to keep all items manufactured in sweatshops off our campus.

Keith Alan Gawronski
Classics junior