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NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel journeyed to Mali where primitive gold pits, known as artisanal gold mines, are using child labor and a dangerous process involving mercury to find the precious metal that may end up in jewelry worn by Americans and people throughout the world.
The skyrocketing price of gold has led many people to sell and buy it, but some of those mining for the gold ore are taking great risk for just a few dollars. The children who help out at the mines are paid in bags of dirt.
Two days before NBC News arrived at the mine, a young man suffocated deep underground, according to the traditional leader of the mines. A miner who accompanied Engel on a dangerous trek 120 feet underground told him, "I don't care if I die or not, all I care about now is finding gold."
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Maybe we can pay our national debt in bags of dirt?
We have plenty of dirt bags in DC.
I wish I could vote your comment up twice.
American dirtbags aren't just in DC.
dirt bags are the one who got us into this mess
also the dirt bags that are keeping us in this dirt bag made mess.
Good old fashioned Gold Fever. Human nature has not changed.....
When life hands you dirt...make the U.S. government!
Oh No! Please, anything but the STINKIN U.S. GOVT!!! This world would now (notice, I said NOW, not earlier, when we were a good and fair nation) be MUCH better off WITHOUT The U.S. Govt. in place, or better yet, a great revolution to overturn these stinkin "dirt bags", and I will call "crooks" because they are. If we would follow the constitution to the very letter, this would have never gotten this far. People, we have to stand up for ourselves against this garbage these crooks are shoving into our future, and present, because any future under this regime is completely nonexistant! The only one who will survive will be the ultra DIRTY RICH POLITICIAN! They have already taken our money and put itin their own swiss bank accts. Be very sure, they are prepared for the inevitable, are we?
Heh - and pray tell, just when was it that the US was a good and fair nation? Was it when we were supporting the dictators in South America, or perhaps when we were pretty much giving the US to the rail barons and allowing them to work their people to death, or perhaps when we were giving the shaft to the native Americans because they were inconveniently in the way of our expansion?
You looking at things through rose-colored glasses: the US government has pretty much always been bought and paid for by the highest bidder. It's the nature of politics, unfortunately: power corrupts... The thing I will say about our govt. is that it's probably one of the best around, even now. You don't like someone, you get a chance to vote them out, and replace them with someone you hope is better. Not too many countries allow that.
Bags of dirt? Oh no, we don't need any elaboration on this. It really isn't interesting at all as to what exactly being paid in dirt entails. Come on MSNBC! More details!
The hope is that they will be able to find some gold in the dirt they are given. Very remote chance. I cannot fathom children being used this way.
The higher the population density, the lower the value of human life.
Chinese proverb? or policy?
how hard is this to figure out? they get paid in bags of dirt (hello...ORE) from the mine that they then can pan out and get to keep any flakes, or better still nuggets, that they find.
Ya, right, I'm sure they are striking it rich with the amount of flakes they find in that bag of dirt their generous mine foremen allow them to keep after a 20 hour work day.
OH NO! Now Newt will want to pay our poor children with dirt for their labor in sweatshops and school restrooms.
Hell yes. If we can get these kids to work for free. I'll have more money to spend on myself... Great Idea Newt.
No that's asking too much of Newt who believes the education children receive when cleaning a toilet is more then enough compensation..
It sure beats their lazy fat asses sitting on the couch googling nothing. We seem to be slipping into a second a and third generation of weaklings. These kids are glad for the work even though dangerous and paid very little if at all. They have hope.
Our kids hope for a supersized happy meal. So what if a politician gets one thing right one time. Our kids and especially city kids are pretty sad compared too.. well anything.
It sounds as if everyone os poisoned with hate and can not take any truth to heart.
And what do you think you're doing on your own lazy but? You actually want to go back to the days of child labor?
And then down at the bottom you make some comment about hate and taking truth to heart?
What rock did you slither out from under?
our wonderful way of life created this mess, with clearing woods and parks for housing! now kids get to play in the streets and hope no sells them! we are the monsters of our children and let them do whatever so we can work everyday! this not life-just living with a predictable future!
No Ron, that will be Obama but first he will take it from rich people.
Heaven forbid they should have to pay as much as poor people.
hey Sam...I'm a poor person, living on less than 700/mnth from the gov. for medical reasons. I was honorably discharged for a pre-existing condition the gov didn't find before and claim they didnt aggravate after nearly 3 years of standing a post and busting my hump so a commie like you can still say the stupidest things like any useful idiot does. I can't find a job because of a bad re-up code. Re-education by a "progressive college" damn sure doesn't appeal to me. I pay NO taxes. Tell me again how its fair they pay more? My mother an father had 3 homes, built by his own hands, he's a self-employed carpenter and used the wood recovered from other buildings that were being demolished. His Income is well below the poverty level but pays taxes like he was a millionaire even in this housing market. how is it fair he's paying more than his share? Ya...IM so poor that i have a computer to use to enlighten you that the Poor Dont Pay Taxes At All and too many gyp the system to get a refund (care to hear how to abuse the child tax credit?)
Ah, the power of greed exceeds even one's will to live, just like certain highly addictive illicit drugs.
Haha "greed" is hardly the word to describe someone who eats maybe 1 under-nourished meal a day - I would do anything, including risking my life in a gold mine if it was the only way I could provide for my family..Greed is what you call someone being paid in bags of dirt??
Those words were spoken by someone who WORKED IN THE MINE, not one of the fat lazy criminals who are making a fortune through their dangerous labor.
The person making that statement is just barely making enough to survive, that is NOT greed talking, that's DESPERATION
Well, he can go down there & get some gold for me!
What's worse is without this - these kids don't have a job, and they starve. and they know it - so they would rather have the job then us go in there and take it away (thus 'helping' them).. Awful..
Maybe when Richard gets back from Mali he can come here to Colorado, as we have lots of old gold mines here to explore to see if there is any gold left in them, maybe see if we can create some jobs here for kids after Newt wins in 2012!!!
Actually, exploring old gold mines, whether in Colorado, Mali, or wherever is very dangerous, but, if you find a big gold nugget.....!!!
Last week it was Central American divers risking their lives to harvest lobsters that "may" end up on our dinner plates and this week it's Malian gold miners risking their lives for gold that "may" end up in our jewelery. What will it be next week? What third world country citizens are risking their lives to provide things that "may" end up in the USA next? What is driving MSNBC to write these stories? Is it Christmas spirit? No. Is it someone on a morality kick at MSNBC? You EVIL EVIL Americans!
Maybe they should just spend their time reporting on Newt Gingrich? or the White House Christmas tree? Or the Kardashians..?
Fishing for lobster and deep water fish is a craft nobody is forced to do it. The pay is good and these guys are real experts. Some do diving just for the sport.
Msnbc wants us to see how blessed we are this season. Go out eat Lobster and buy your girl some gold and feel good about yourself cause little Johnny almost died getting this for fat America. I am sick of this crap. Theses kids are making a living and they do not care who buys the lobster or gold.
It is the same with a poacher in Africa he kills for the ivory but does not care where it goes he is just trying to make an exceptional living in a very hard time....Kinda like Bankers and Politicians.
Good post sir. I am sure it will turn into a political ping pong match before it is over!
well said! NSNBC will do anything to promote the downfall of america and support the Obama agenda of socalism and a one world government!!
This is the wonderful way of Capitalism, the part Americans aren't to keen to brag about - for us to enjoy things the way we do other countries must suffer. It's a zero-sum game, it's always been - I mean how could we Americans ever survive without our gold jewelry, our diamonds, our oil..It's good to be American and bad to be from somewhere in roughly 80% of the world. It's a sad world we live in.
Not to sound cold but We're not asking them to go get gold. They could remain in the state they were in before gold mining came to them. And how do you know how much, if any, winds up in American jewelry? Other countries, including America, mine gold. I'll give you diamonds are limited but America could get much more oil if some of the regulations were removed, not all but some, otherwise we will look to other places for the oil.
And since we're on the subject how much gold do you have either on or with you. That includes cell phones and other electronics, jewelry and fillings. Oil is also used in more than just cars, once again, cell phones and most plastics. Not to say you're on a high horse but just informing you.
Well, I know a little bit about western consumerism in regards to third world countries and in modern day colonialism because my major (Anthropology) deals heavily with such things. The American market and U.K. are the two biggest consumers in regards to third world countries - quite simply they sell us gold because they have no other way of feeding themselves. I didn't say I was above consumerism, I straight up admit "it's good to be an American" - but that doesn't change that I feel sad about how the world works.
(personally I don't wear any gold jewelry) - As I said it's a zero-sum game, these people are dirt, dirty poor (obviously poor enough to take bags of dirt as payment for risking their lives) - we fuel the market by purchasing anything we can cheaply from these countries..
It is obviously a horrible way to make a living. I would certainly not choose it for myself or my children. But I am curious as to what these people would be doing if they were not mining for gold. If there were not a market for gold what occupations would they have? Would their lives be worse or better? I really don't know and I don't think anyone who is posting does either.
Seems people in other countrys are more willing to work to live than some people in this country that have figured out how to scam the system and have done it their whole lives, I'm not talking about those who are out of work and are trying to find a job, or those who are truely disabled and cannot work.
By scammers, you mean the bankers and brokers, right? Or CEO's? Really, where else can someone reduce their job profile and make $100m?
People gaining the system are the exceptions to the rule. The problem with righties is that they point and scream at the overall few scammers and then want to make one and all suffer for it for the enrichment of the very wealthy.
Anyone that votes for a Republican/Tea-bag that isn't making over a million dollars EVERY year is voting to cut their own throats... simple as that.
EXACTLY!!!!!!! Well said sir!
No we vote for freedom.
60% of Americans "Game the system".
Hey Frankwye/Tea-bag:
Just because you hear it on Faux News doesn't make it correct. If you didn't get that figure off of one of your fidiots, please enlighten us where you got it. Of course you won't/can't.
KEEP watching Faux News though. I about guarantee one of those stooges will be on there saying, "You know I heard that 60% of the American people are "gaming the system", because they read your stupidity.
Just like when Faux had the breaking news that went on for days that Obama was using "over half of the Navy ships and costing America 6 Billion in expenses" on his trip to China, etc a while back. Then it came out later that it was just something one of the fidiots read on a blog in India from a guy that wouldn't know his @ss from a hole in the ground... much like Faux News and the fidiots that watch it's fiction.
You vote for freedom huh? Freedom to be as full of cr@p as you wanna be I guess. Throw us some more of those wonderfully made up figures. They are definitely you and your ilks kind of "news".
your a real DORK. I'm cutting my own throat? YOUR cutting my throat. Why don't you admit your too ignorant to be speaking about anything. Your socialist educators must be giggling in pride about their prize useful idiot. I live on the dime of uncle sam. I pay no taxes. I am the poor. But seems to me that I have enough to own a computer. Paid for by SAVING and Sacrificing. $700/mnth is what I live on. What about you you fat lipped whiner? Can't you make ends meet on what you recieve being a knucklehead? Were you so miseducated you couldn't figure out if you spend more than you make you'll go broke? Is that why your whining... got more bills than you can pay for? Is that why you want everything to be given to you? You want to live large while making others pay for it like every other crybaby I've ran across boy. Quit your whining...you shame yourself and your family.
For the record, Mali has a very low population density
It is not just the United States that is fueling this demand for gold, this is a global event. It seems anywhere in the world you have a demand for something there is the likelyhood that someone is a developing country is putting themselves and their families at risk to provide it. We need as Americans to set the example for the rest of the world by stepping up and boycotting any product where enforced child labor is the rule and not the exception. That includes any American based company that knowingly uses child labor in a developing country to defer the cost of paying American workers.
Well said, sir.
Regarding banning the purchase or gold idea. What a goof ball left wing idea with the poorest of thinking behind it. Did you stay out to long at the occupy rally and get hypothermia because you are showing signs of cerebral hypoxia. There are risks with producing anything in any economy. How about we take one of the most dangerous occupations in this country--farming--and lets just stop. It will keep our farmers safe. The rest of the world will starve and eventually so will our farmers. Get over this "you know best for the world" stuff. How do you think those "miners" would respond to your suggestion 2 days after their families ran out of food? Hmmmm, not so simple to make rules for the world now is it!
Retired SFC
Did I miss something in the article about child labor? Where is there anything said about child labor? This are grown men working for their families. They found a need and are filling it. If your philosophy was followed, nothing would ever get made/built/discovered as it would be too risky. Do you want the US to set an example for the world by boycotting any product(s) that maybe too risky for someone to provide? How would you like that done? Who would be the police on that situation? Do you think because something is outlawed - like conflict diamonds for example - that the problem goes away?
Why cut off your nose to spite your face? I can understand not buying gold that is produced by child labor but to not buy ANY gold that is not produced that way seems silly. By the way, is the child better off mining or not mining. Sometimes the alternative is worse. You can sit back all high and mighty but an economy needs to go through many steps in order to attain the freedoms that we now expect.
how about providing another form of income to the people so they can have a choice of where to earn a almost non existant living. also, dont for get to train them so they arent putting their lives in danger to earn a living. fact is. they dont have a choice of where to work.
Does Richard Engel have a death wish? He scares me...if he's not in the midst of some Middle Eastern fray, he is in a precarious mine.
If it wasn't for public heroes such as Mr. Engel, the world would not know anything the "governments that be" did not want us to know. Saying he's "crazy", or has a "death wish" is like saying that about a fireman, policeman, or soldier. Many folks put their lives on the line for the betterment of society as a whole.
Richard Engel is one of those amazing and heroic people.
One of the first "Rules" that used to be taught in "Journalism Schools" was: "NEVER BECOME PART OF THE STORY". As we can clearly see, MSNBC gave up that "rule" years ago for its "journalists ??" Another was: "Report only the Facts of the story, leave your biases, views, opinions, beliefs, agendas, conclusions, etc. for the Editorial Page where they belong. Again. we see the Liberal, left-wing "Main-stream" media like MSNBC, CNN, ABC, etc. abandoned that rule years ago also.
TB are Ts, your joking about Engel's motives, RIGHT?? "Betterment of society"?? The only reason Engel does what he does it to get his face on the air and the money he gets paid. He doesn't give a rat's a$$ about "society". To compare him to REAL heros like firemen, policemen, and members of our armed forces is a slap in the face to those brave idividuals and every "veteran" of those organizations that ever served. You moniker says all one needs to know about you, your politics, etc. and what your really think about the men and women in those professions. Go back to your OWS, drugged-out, ex-hippy friends and beat your drum.
Oh, so you know him personally and you know his motivations? Please tell us more about him from your personal actual observations....
Sure he has an adrenaline addiction obviously, but who knows what a person't motives are? Some are driven to help and some to fame, and if helping gets your family food and you a place to live why not? Of course only if you do it ethically...
If he was really trying to help...why didn't he tell the miners what their labor was REALLY worth? Why didn't he bust the Buyers for gypping the miners? Why doesn't he suggest Ventilation Shafts to those poor uneducated miners? Why didn't he ask their Government to send an Engineering Major to show them how to properly shore up the mine? Why didn't he ask the miners what would happen to them AND their family if they started selling the product of their labors to the highest bidder? Why didn't he research into why no Proper mining company has come into the area with better ways and higher wages? Oh Yeah...that Media Monkey doesn't have a CLUE as to what those families would do for an income.
It's not the demand for gold forcing them to mine...it's the Only Dependable Income source for scores and more of miles around. Obviously, without an Irrigation system they cannot farm for food or raise livestock. It's their only resource! Obviously any hand crafted items could be taken to another town to sell...but those towns already have the products being made by those locals, so whats the point?
Really...how is boycotting their ONLY source of income going to help Any of the families there?
Their Goverment needs to allow a proper mining company to come in and bring them the wages to elevate themselves to the point that their children need not labor beside them...but to go to school to learn new ways to make the land prosper!
The local taxes from that endeavor can buy the Irrigation system to make the land flourish, better education, better health care, homes and a higher standard of living.
HEY!!! Maybe Newt can take his proposal one step further! Newt wants us to fire all the "Union" janitors at our schools throughout the country and replace them with children who have poor parents. HEY! We can pay them with bags of dirt too!
Isn't our country just getting better and better???
Having students clean their own school sounds like something they'd do in primitive, uncivilized countries-- like japan. Or disreputable colleges-- like military academies.
I don't have a problem with kids cleaning their own classes before the day is over...nothing wrong with older kids sweeping up and putting things away. Now as far as mopping and cleaning common areas? I don't want my kids handling the chemicals they use and walking on wet slippery floors...so have them clean up the basics, but not be the whole janitor is my view, and they already do that in many classrooms.
It would be really great to teach kids to have a work ethic before they get into the job market, where I worked the new hires were getting paid 15.00 an hour to play games and talk on their cell phones, when they were suppose to be working pulling wrench's ect..
If you asked them to put the cell phones away they would say you were harassing them or discriminating against them and threaten to file a grievance. This is pure B.S., but that is what is happening to many employeers, that is why some prefer to hire workers in their 50's rather than younger employees who have a very poor work ethic.
With politicians like Newt Gingrich who needs an enema?
You do
There must be an easier way then going down n possible not coming back, plus they can't breath..I would think now that there is an entry get everyone out of ground n dynamite bring it to the cervice , then they can do the pickings aftr everything gets settled..
WTF did you just say?
After viewing this...Richard Engel strikes me as a sensationalist wimp...
Spoken like a true "bag".
spoken like a true douchebak, libtard dumbocrat
Plenty of dirt bags in the board room!
But they have a good benefits package and a sign on bonus right?
Isn't this what Newt has in mind for the children of the poor? Looks like the Malians thought of it first. Just think how much character they must be building.
Hey great, here at least is a country where industry is not hobbled by excessive government regulation! What a paradise! Can we get their ministers to come over and give us advice...or how about them sending us cadres of young idealists to show us all how to free our economy from red tape and the evil EPA and OSHA type agencies that stifle employment, like a Peace Corps in reverse...
Mali is another libertarian paradise where all those who go Galt can go when they deny us their brilliance.
At least Newt has the right idea as opposed to Obama. If we were making slogan for the two they would be:
Newt
Teach a kid to work and he will have the skills to work for life.
Obama
Give a kid a handout and he will vote Democrat for life.
Spoken like a true "bag". Maybe you can start getting paid with a couple bags of dirt. Race to the bottom,,, that's the mantra of the "tea-bags" and and Pubes.
@Tea Earl Grey. Nailed it on the head. So true it hurts people to even admit it.
Race to the bottom from us TEABAGS? Sounds like the Liberal Mantra to me. Income and outcome equality are a guaranteed race to the bottom (which is something you missed when you skipped out of math called the least common denominator) especially when you take the stand that the pie is as big as it can get (Greenies) so everyone has to make due with the same share with no regard to their contribution (Communism).
Teabags are Traitors from what he is saying is either trying frantically to protect his government handout from the evil Teabags or just really wishes he could figure out a way to bring his income up to two bags of dirt a day without actually having do any of the work involved. That could ruin his X-Box thumbs :(
Tea Earl Grey, nailed in the head. There, fixed.
Gray Tea Bag:
Race to the bottom? You're d@mned right. We are financially in the same place we were in the 1920's regarding the gap between the wealthy barons and the workers of this country. In the 1920's there was practically no middle class. Unionization was the biggest component that created the middle class. Because of Unions, others workers were also elevated. Now the corporations have unlimited spending power and are doing everything they can to destroy the only real barrier to squeezing everything they can into their own pockets, with little to no benefit to the country as a whole. The corporations are making a larger percentage of profits in history, while at the same time paying less in taxes than they have in 60 years. And the only thing the tards on the right can say is that they need to pay even less because they are the "job creators", (in other countries where slave wages are legal), while at the same time taking food out of the mouths of the working poor. So yea. Race to the Bottom is quite accurate.
Capitalism is great, but not at the expense of your fellow citizens and your country. Capitalism has no patriotism in it's definition. Pure Capitalism will destroy this country for it's only care is for the quarterly profit margin. Period.
you're on your period it sounds like you douchebag femocrat traitor. Obummer is whats wrong with this country and it won't be fixed till he is handed his walking papers in '12. stupid dumocraps...
I grant you that greed exists. It is a part of human nature that is as natural as breathing. I also grant you that there are greedy people, greedy corporations, greedy congressmen, greedy college students you name it if it is human in nature there is some greed there somewhere. What I don't grant you is that the only solution to greed it to punish success. What message are you sending people when you say that working hard, taking risks and being successful makes you an evil, greedy SOB and we are going to punish you severely. What level of success is ok to you? What level of success makes you an evil capitalist money grabber? At what income level have you decided that a person has become a traitor? (Your argument not mine)
So Now you have taxed the rich out of existance. The money has gone to the government and been sqandered - What else did you think they would do with it? Now you have no rich people with no businesses or jobs to fill and nobody willing to attempt to become rich by taking the risk of starting any new business since they know that once they reach that ceiling of success you will take it away. So now who is going to employ the people? Where is the money going to come from for the people to survive? The government? Where does their money originate? Oh that's right it comes from the taxes paid by the people who earn the money who are now poor like the rest of us. Since nobody else has a job now either what is the government going to tax to raise the money? You being you would miss the point and say but the government can hire us. What part of bankrupt don't you understand? So what is left? Turning over to the government all economic power so they can mis-manage it and or become the new rich and wealthy class and show their compassion to you by giving your paltry share? At least you didn't have to earn it that will be those who are dumb enough to work when you get the same amount of everything without lifting a finger. I would love to see your face when those working wake up and realize you are not.
You are using logic and that never works with libs. All they understand is "give me MORE, you need less"
Best chance of getting rid of some of the dirt bag politicians and bring government under control is to vote for Ron Paul. Unfortunately, the liberal media is giving him no attention whatsoever. See his website to learn more.
Right GENIUS, vote for Ron Paul who's vision of utopia is a world where everything is owned by a few mega rich and the rest of us are just drones woking in a machine.
Ron Pauls utopia can be seen in a nightmarish film called "Metropolis"
He was such an Ayn Rand devotee that he named his baboonish son after her. Ayn Rand was completely out of her mind. She was in love with a serial killer. Look it up if you can figure out how.
owencoffin, you truly are not anything near a GENIUS. Rand is Short for Randal! His naming had nothing whatsoever to do with Ayn Rand - Look it up yourself! You're just another liberal who thinks everything should be handed to them.
This guy could balance the budget in enhance our freedom!
Some things will never change. Gold is greed. and Greed is good it drives the wheel. All we gotta do is spin with it. You know these people are truly poor unlike the spoiled whiners we have in the US.