Mon Dec 24, 2012, 01:13 PM

Chinese forced labor camp worker puts haunting note pleading for help into box of Kmart decorations

This amazing story was on the front page of the Oregonian newspaper this morning. It gives me the chills thinking about this desperate person basically working as a slave taking the risk to ask for help from the person who happens to wind up with that particular box of Halloween decorations in the United States ...

http://www.oregonlive.com/happy-valley/index.ssf/2012/12/halloween_decorations_carry_ha.html

The letter came in a box of Halloween decorations purchased at Kmart, but for a year Julie Keith never knew. It gathered dust in her storage, a haunting plea for help hidden among artificial skeletons, tombstones and spider webs.

Keith, a 42-year-old vehicle donation manager at a southeast Portland Goodwill, at one point considered donating the unopened $29.99 Kmart graveyard kit. It was one of those accumulated items you never need and easily forget. But on a Sunday afternoon in October, Keith pulled the orange and black box from storage. She intended to decorate her home in Damascus for her daughter's fifth birthday, just days before Halloween.

She ripped open the box and threw aside the cellophane.

That's when Keith found it. Scribbled onto paper and folded into eighths, the letter was tucked between two Styrofoam headstones.

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54 replies	Author	Time	Post
Chinese forced labor camp worker puts haunting note pleading for help into box of Kmart decorations (Original post)	Arugula Latte	Dec 2012	OP
oh my...	limpyhobbler	Dec 2012	#1
Yes, that is a big concern.	Arugula Latte	Dec 2012	#2
I'd file this one under 'possibly true'	RZM	Dec 2012	#3
A lot of English for a labor camp worker	NewJeffCT	Dec 2012	#4
Not only a lot of English, but, for the most part,	Arkansas Granny	Dec 2012	#6
Could have asked someone to write it for the person	adieu	Dec 2012	#7
It is not unlike a communist government to jail intellectuals. Quite common really.	humblebum	Dec 2012	#54
According to the article, the letter is being taken seriously	arikara	Dec 2012	#8
In China, a "a labor camp worker" can be a doctor, a scientist, or even a language professor	Shampoobra	Dec 2012	#10
The note mentioned "Falun Gong"	derby378	Dec 2012	#11
Wow. That is a wonderfully ignorant view.	slampoet	Dec 2012	#15
And I live in China. And you have no idea what you're talking about	Nanjing to Seoul	Dec 2012	#19
umm, geez	NewJeffCT	Dec 2012	#31
Lots of Chinese students study in the US. Some may not fit in too well when they go back to China.	JDPriestly	Dec 2012	#16
Hate to break it to ya, but	DonCoquixote	Dec 2012	#17
Again. . .no! I teach A level, AS level, IGSCE and taught AP here before	Nanjing to Seoul	Dec 2012	#20
You've been in China 6 years and you still have that view?	tarheelsunc	Dec 2012	#22
Live here, meet factory workers here. . .then you will understand my apprehension to believe	Nanjing to Seoul	Dec 2012	#25
How dense are you? read the article - it's a forced labor camp, not some foxconish factory	Democracyinkind	Dec 2012	#26
We do the same thing. Chain Gangs, military sentences at hard labor.	Nanjing to Seoul	Dec 2012	#27
here is why I disagree with you here	DonCoquixote	Dec 2012	#30
China=USA? You're fucking delusional, buddy.	Democracyinkind	Dec 2012	#37
I share your apprehension, but...	Marengo	Dec 2012	#47
Not true	obamanut2012	Dec 2012	#44
Chinese and English are vastly different languages	Quantess	Dec 2012	#49
many educated people work in hell in china. I wouldn't discount this on language.	roguevalley	Dec 2012	#28
Ding ding	malaise	Dec 2012	#32
Who do you think the labor camp workers are? Illiterates? Or political prisoners?	KittyWampus	Dec 2012	#35
No kidding.	laundry_queen	Dec 2012	#39
I wonder if this is a Bain company. K&R	Fire Walk With Me	Dec 2012	#5
kr	HiPointDem	Dec 2012	#9
message in a bottle...	ReRe	Dec 2012	#12
Oh my....	riverbendviewgal	Dec 2012	#13
On the other hand	agent46	Dec 2012	#14
That looks like the standard style of paper found here in any Chinese stationery store	Nanjing to Seoul	Dec 2012	#18
it's a forced labor camp not a factory.	KittyWampus	Dec 2012	#36
you're the third person to point out the difference to him...	Democracyinkind	Dec 2012	#38
Falungong refererence, I'm not into the philosophy. I detest all	saidsimplesimon	Dec 2012	#21
It just might be 'the way" to egalite, fraternite, and liberte, however.	WinkyDink	Dec 2012	#48
k&r	Liberal_in_LA	Dec 2012	#23
While I don't doubt horrible conditions exist in China	Beams1969	Dec 2012	#24
I grew up on "China Hill" in Oakland	XemaSab	Dec 2012	#33
Agreed	obamanut2012	Dec 2012	#45
what the Letter says happens is True, whether or not it was really written by a worker	JI7	Dec 2012	#29
One thing is for sure. It won't be changing anytime soon.	raouldukelives	Dec 2012	#34
If true, and I believe it,	DiverDave	Dec 2012	#40
So many in this thread have completely missed the point.	Le Taz Hot	Dec 2012	#41
Thank you for saying that.	truebluegreen	Dec 2012	#42
We already know that	obamanut2012	Dec 2012	#46
Hoax	obamanut2012	Dec 2012	#43
same thing happed to some chinese people I knew years ago, remember Formosa?	Sunlei	Dec 2012	#50
How many of US call centers are using prison labor here...	WCGreen	Dec 2012	#53
Sticking a note in a box	sulphurdunn	Dec 2012	#51
Well, this shouldn't be too hard to look into, don't the costly trade agreements have	grahamhgreen	Dec 2012	#52

Response to Arugula Latte (Original post)

Mon Dec 24, 2012, 01:24 PM

limpyhobbler (6,632 posts)

1. oh my...

I wonder will the note-writer be in a lot of trouble.

Chinese forced labor camp worker puts haunting note pleading for help into box of Kmart decorations

1. oh my...

2. Yes, that is a big concern.

3. I'd file this one under 'possibly true'

4. A lot of English for a labor camp worker

6. Not only a lot of English, but, for the most part,

7. Could have asked someone to write it for the person

54. It is not unlike a communist government to jail intellectuals. Quite common really.

8. According to the article, the letter is being taken seriously

10. In China, a "a labor camp worker" can be a doctor, a scientist, or even a language professor

11. The note mentioned "Falun Gong"

15. Wow. That is a wonderfully ignorant view.

19. And I live in China. And you have no idea what you're talking about

31. umm, geez

16. Lots of Chinese students study in the US. Some may not fit in too well when they go back to China.

17. Hate to break it to ya, but

20. Again. . .no! I teach A level, AS level, IGSCE and taught AP here before

22. You've been in China 6 years and you still have that view?

25. Live here, meet factory workers here. . .then you will understand my apprehension to believe

26. How dense are you? read the article - it's a forced labor camp, not some foxconish factory

27. We do the same thing. Chain Gangs, military sentences at hard labor.

30. here is why I disagree with you here

37. China=USA? You're fucking delusional, buddy.

47. I share your apprehension, but...

44. Not true

49. Chinese and English are vastly different languages

28. many educated people work in hell in china. I wouldn't discount this on language.

32. Ding ding

35. Who do you think the labor camp workers are? Illiterates? Or political prisoners?

39. No kidding.

5. I wonder if this is a Bain company. K&R

9. kr

12. message in a bottle...

13. Oh my....

14. On the other hand

18. That looks like the standard style of paper found here in any Chinese stationery store

36. it's a forced labor camp not a factory.

38. you're the third person to point out the difference to him...

21. Falungong refererence, I'm not into the philosophy. I detest all

48. It just might be 'the way" to egalite, fraternite, and liberte, however.

23. k&r

24. While I don't doubt horrible conditions exist in China

33. I grew up on "China Hill" in Oakland

45. Agreed

29. what the Letter says happens is True, whether or not it was really written by a worker

34. One thing is for sure. It won't be changing anytime soon.

40. If true, and I believe it,

41. So many in this thread have completely missed the point.

42. Thank you for saying that.

46. We already know that

43. Hoax

50. same thing happed to some chinese people I knew years ago, remember Formosa?

53. How many of US call centers are using prison labor here...

51. Sticking a note in a box

52. Well, this shouldn't be too hard to look into, don't the costly trade agreements have