Alex Scott's letter to the editor (Monday) about his extreme disappointment regarding Purdue joining the "communist" Worker Rights Consortium angered me. Companies running sweatshops exploit children, force overtime, offer less than a living wage and abuse employees for slowness and mistakes. Here is an organization that is just trying to end that. What's so wrong with joining an organization that is helping people less fortunate than us? These people make your clothes for less than a living wage because those who are accused of exploiting workers to maximize profits often respond by calling sweatshops an unfortunate, but necessary evil of economic growth and free markets. The sad truth is this is not necessary. These people are forced into these jobs because third world countries desperately need money and the World Bank and other foreign lenders create international trade laws and lending policies requiring developing nations to bolster their economies by creating export industries regardless of implications for social justice and environmental sustainability. I just ask one thing of Alex. Take a moment to appreciate how fortunate you are that you live in the United States, where we have labor laws, and you do not have to work in a sweatshop to just barely eat. Take on a worldview; much of the world lives in poverty, and we don't need to stop anyone from trying to end that.