‘normalcy’ of slavery

There is a societal issue my wife and I have been learning more about over the past couple years. This past week I had the opportunity to learn more about that issue and start some training towards the abolition of slavery. You might think I’m a couple hundred years behind on the times but in reality slavery is unfortunately, alive and well.

Modern day slavery is a global issue. It’s happening in America just as it is happening in India, Phillippines and Cambodia. Since I live in America this is where I want to focus this post. I’ve seen and heard some things that are mocking the plight of slaves around the world.

One such thing is found on a web site called The Onion which bills itself as America’s finest news source, tongue in cheek of course which only makes their indiscretion worse. The Onion has a T-shirt that states: My Friend Went to Thailand and All I Got Was This Lousy Prostitute. Complete disregard for the human condition and profitting from it. Most of us would read it and chuckle a little but the reality is there are millions of prostitutes around the world suffering abuse (both sexual, physical and emotional) and The Onion decides to pile on.

The other situation is from the TV show Glee. Last night I watched the second episode online and was shocked when the main character and his wife were looking at a new house and the real estate agent states matter of factly “This banner was made by Equadorian children.” The fact that this is spun as comedy is saddening to say the least. There are literally millions of children used as slave labor in brick kilns, cocoa bean and coffee plantations as well as labor for solid materials used here in the United States for our comfort.

Why share this information? Because there are more than 27 million slaves in the world today. Human beings held against their will in every country in the world (by the way the United States is the 3rd most targeted destination for traffickers and approx 15,000 humans are trafficked into the U.S. every year). The purpose ranges from labor to organs to sex. Trafficking is not a respecter of persons. Men, Women and children are abused daily in ALL of these categories.

Now you know. What will you do? Sons and daughters; husbands and wives; fathers and mothers disappear from the landscape every day. I understand you might be shocked and paralyzed. A feeling of hopelessness and ‘what can I do?’ I understand that. It has taken me two years of praying and asking God what I can do. Can I ask you to do one thing for me. Not really for me, but for the 27 million human beings held in slavery. I want you to contact The Onion and make sure they know your feelings on their poorly played attempt at humor and profitting from the misfortune of others. Here is a link to their contact page. (it will open in a new window) They have offices all over the United States. Contact all of them. Also, contact Fox and let them know their writers are out of line.

These are just small steps you can take. In the United States a war was fought to abolish slavery in this country. It only caused human traffickers to go ‘underground’ with their operations.

I don’t want my daughters or your children growing up in a country where the mockery of other humans is used for profit. I want to see an end to slavery around the world. I want to see governments get serious about shutting down the sex tourism cities, the pornography industry, child labor and any other form of slavery. That’s what I want. I’m willing to work to see that happens.

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