I started this petition/boycott even though I really need to update my iPod touch as soon as the next one comes out--that's how important I think the situation is.<p>The way I see it, workers will continue to work under worse and worse conditions until people say "Stop--there's no justification for doing that, not even for profit!" If not now, will we still be buying products when a worker dies for every 10 units (of whatever) made? Every 5?<p>I remember a short story by the great Cordwainer Smith (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordwainer_Smith" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordwainer_Smith</a>) about galactic diplomats being outraged by the torture of innocent beings on some planet. These beings were tortured because their sweat (under torture) produced the most potent aphrodesiac in the galaxy. The story ends with the two diplomats drinking this liqueur, saying something like "Yes, this is an outrage, but what are you going to do? This stuff is magnificent!"<p>Please consider signing this pledge. You may say that it's futile in the face of the total number of iPhones sold in 2011 (something like 73 million), but however many signatures <i>this</i> petition gets, the next one will get more, and someday the lost sales will convince Apple (or whatever company is being targeted) that it <i>must</i> change its business practices in order to make more money. It may take five or ten years for this to happen, but there's already a movement talking in this direction.<p>Please visit the petition (<a href="http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-apple-you-wont-contribute-to-increased-human-suffering" rel="nofollow">http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-apple-you-wont-contribu...</a>) and click the tab labeled "About this Petition" for more details.<p>Thank you for your consideration.<p>Gregg Williams
petition organizer
former senior editor at BYTE magazine, 1979-1988
Apple Direct/Apple Directions editor at Apple Computer, 1988-1998