Where the rubber meets the road
November 22, 2014 11:10 AM Subscribe
Firestone operates one of the largest rubber plants in the world in Liberia. Firestone Liberia received a lot of positive press in the past few months after "stopping Ebola in its tracks" on its plantation in the country. But 22 years ago, Firestone Liberia played a different role in shaping Liberia's trajectory.
This reminded me of a blog post by an acquaintance of mine who was in the Peace Corps in Liberia and then remained in the country afterward.
It's not about Firestone or a civil war--it's about a large mining company that makes big claims about how it's benefitting the community when the reality is much different.
I don't think that the situation on the Firestone plantation is necessarily being deliberately misrepresented, but I bet that the situation is a lot more complicated than it seems from these positive press reports. That could be my cynicism talking, but...
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 12:37 PM on November 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
It's not about Firestone or a civil war--it's about a large mining company that makes big claims about how it's benefitting the community when the reality is much different.
I don't think that the situation on the Firestone plantation is necessarily being deliberately misrepresented, but I bet that the situation is a lot more complicated than it seems from these positive press reports. That could be my cynicism talking, but...
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 12:37 PM on November 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
That could be my cynicism talking, but...
If it's corporate, they're hiding something.
posted by BlueHorse at 12:54 PM on November 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
If it's corporate, they're hiding something.
posted by BlueHorse at 12:54 PM on November 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
The frontline episode was amazing for many reasons, but most amazing to me was learning how at one point they just gave insane amounts of weapons to children and told them to do whatever they thought they needed to do. Result: Lord of the flies combined with a years long riot.
posted by jscott at 11:50 PM on November 22, 2014
posted by jscott at 11:50 PM on November 22, 2014
I bet that the situation is a lot more complicated than it seems from these positive press reports.
Most people who have ebola aren't contributing to the profits of a huge corporation. Keeping their employees from dying from ebola is about as important to them as changing flat tires on their trucks.
posted by empath at 6:30 AM on November 23, 2014
Most people who have ebola aren't contributing to the profits of a huge corporation. Keeping their employees from dying from ebola is about as important to them as changing flat tires on their trucks.
posted by empath at 6:30 AM on November 23, 2014
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posted by clavdivs at 11:45 AM on November 22, 2014