If you are the kind of person that will just sit by and watch something terrible happen right in front of you and not stop it, you are just as bad as the person committing the act. So yes you being part of the problem when you just sit back and let terrible things happen in front of you. Some people could make the argument that if you not the one doing the act than you have nothing to be ashamed of and you are doing nothing wrong by not taking immediate action. But I feel that just letting it happen could be, at times even worse that doing the terrible thing.
Throughout Sold Lakshmi meets many terrible people that will do terrible things for money. First she met her “auntie” and she believes that she is good and will help her with her ne job as a maid but it turns out she is just selling her off. And then she meets her “uncle/husband” and he is nice at time but them just sells her for ten thousand rupees. And worst of all Mumtaz, who is just sitting and watching all these awful things happen because she knows she will profit from it. So all of these people are part of this huge sex trafficking problem. All the people that know about the “Happiness House” and don’t do anything about it I feel that they are just as bad at times. Especially the policemen that are supposed to be protecting these girls, but instead he just turns the other way for a little extra cash in his pocket. So when you’re the type of person that just turns the other way and lets this stuff happen you are most definitely being part of the problem. “ If Mumtaz brings one of her important friends… He will pay nothing.” (142) It people like this that are supposed to be doing something about these things and just don’t because they get it for free, that really are the problem.
I really liked your example of how someone doing a terrible act could be better then the person who sits back and lets it all happen. You may disagree, but even Ama in a way was part of the problem. She knew that Lakshmi would be sent away to prostitution, but did nothing to stop it.
ReplyDelete"You will make us proud," Ama says, as the first member of our family to leave the mountain. And perhaps at festival time nest year, your mistress will let you come back to visit. Then you can tell us all about the world beyond this one" (51). I agree about how it's people like this that are supposed to be doing something about it and they don't.