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View Full Version : Which is 'involuntary servitude', or most closely related to it



SwordoftheVistula
07-27-2009, 08:49 AM
This here is the law:

Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the [country], or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Section 2. [the legislature] shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.


Situation #1.

Jack the Plumber of Boise, Idaho, owns his own business, and refuses service calls from African-American clients. Jack also refuses to permit African-Americans to enter into his apartment, and denies permission for his 13 year old daughter to go on dates with African-American classmates.



Situation #2.

Josh the Plumber of Boise, Idaho, gets divorced after he catches his wife in an interracial/bestiality gangbang, and is hit with hefty 'alimony' and 'child support' payment obligations. Josh sees the greater part of his paycheck garnished to pay these debts. Josh considers filing for bankruptcy, but learns that he may not discharge these debts in a bankruptcy proceeding. Josh decides to hell with the capitalist system, he will quit his job, take a vow of poverty, and join a monastery. A local judge notes that a Dow Chemical Plant only 130 miles away is hiring night shift for the princely sum of $6/hour, 40 hours a week plus another 20-50 hours per week mandatory overtime (overtime at $9/hr under federal overtime statute). Josh says "no, I am done with it, I will remain in my monastery and my vow of poverty." The judge says "the hell you will" and orders Josh to take the job at the Dow Chemical Plant or be put in jail indefinitely.

Psychonaut
07-27-2009, 05:43 PM
The choice is obvious. Is there a story behind this poll? ;)

Ĉmeric
07-27-2009, 06:05 PM
This here is the law:

Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the [country], or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Section 2. [the legislature] shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
So what is the legal justification for conscription, aka the draft? Is it not involuntary servitude? Now we (in the US) do not currently have the draft but all young men between the ages of 18-26 are required to register with selective service. As are some medical personal.

What about serfdom? Isn't that a form of involuntary servitude. In the Middle Ages, serfs owed their lord part of their labor. Today US citizens owe their government a portion of their income. No matter where in the world they may be domicile. If that isn't serfdom I don't know what is.






Situation #2.

Josh the Plumber of Boise, Idaho, gets divorced after he catches his wife in an interracial/bestiality gangbang, and is hit with hefty 'alimony' and 'child support' payment obligations. Josh sees the greater part of his paycheck garnished to pay these debts. Josh considers filing for bankruptcy, but learns that he may not discharge these debts in a bankruptcy proceeding. Josh decides to hell with the capitalist system, he will quit his job, take a vow of poverty, and join a monastery. A local judge notes that a Dow Chemical Plant only 130 miles away is hiring night shift for the princely sum of $6/hour, 40 hours a week plus another 20-50 hours per week mandatory overtime (overtime at $9/hr under federal overtime statute). Josh says "no, I am done with it, I will remain in my monastery and my vow of poverty." The judge says "the hell you will" and orders Josh to take the job at the Dow Chemical Plant or be put in jail indefinitely.

The federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 per hour. Some states have higher minimum wages, some less. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S.A._minimum_wages)



If the job is not subject to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Labor_Standards_Act), then state, city, or other local laws may determine the minimum wage. A common exemption to the federal minimum wage is a company having revenue of less than $500,000/year while not engaging in any interstate commerce.

SwordoftheVistula
07-30-2009, 04:41 PM
The choice is obvious. Is there a story behind this poll? ;)

Yep. The US government and court system says the opposite of the 'obvious' choice.