2008 Woodie Awards
Slavery still hurts many
Elizabeth Miller
Issue date: 3/23/07 Section: Editorials
The FBI estimates that human slave trafficking generates $9.5 billion annually. Slavery is an industry that will thrive as long as there is a demand for it. It's a dark life that the majority of the world isn't aware of and consequently is unable to help with. For the sake of our fellow 27 million human beings, at least we can become more aware.
I never imagined our generation would need a call for abolitionism. But here we are, in the year 2007, and outspoken abolitionists are needed more than ever. An estimated 27 million slaves exist in this world. That's 27 million men, women, children, Africans, Asians, Europeans, Americans, young, old and everything in between who are exploited for sex and labor. For most Americans, the term "slave" is a historical notion of the past. But bonded labor and sex trafficking are slavery issues of the present.
When it comes to awareness of crises of the world - the poverty, the disease, the lack of education - these problems don't exist because people don't care. At the core of each of human being there is at least a semblance of compassion, some amount of concern for the misfortunes of the world. The problem is that we simply don't know what the problems are.
Sometimes it even seems that our present society lacks the pivotal leadership that will focus the goals of our humanitarian crises. We tend to only recognize crises under those umbrella terms such as hunger, poverty and disease. What we need are more results-oriented leaders to focus and define the problems that need to be solved. We need more of the Harriet Beecher Stowes, the Bonos, the William Wilberforces. Without a focus by individuals, the world's problems will simply blur together without resolution.
The world is an inconceivably large realm of social calamity, and it's impossible to know about every injustice of the world. It's even harder to support and fight against every injustice. And honestly, when it's the week after spring break and we're dumping sand from our sandals and catching up on all the work we didn't do over break, the effort of googling "world problems" isn't exactly at the top of my list. Nevertheless, 27 million is an enormous amount to simply be unaware of. And 27 million isn't just a number, these are people. People who are locked in the bonds of modern day slavery. It's a life we can't even imagine from our lives at Miami University.
Taking a stand against modern- day slavery is just a mouse click away. To sign the petition acknowledging your support of abolitionism, go to www.theamazingchange.com. This petition will go to the U.S. House and Senate to show our government and other world leaders that Americans care. Watch the petition tally change as your support is counted, heard, and added to the cause.
I never imagined our generation would need a call for abolitionism. But here we are, in the year 2007, and outspoken abolitionists are needed more than ever. An estimated 27 million slaves exist in this world. That's 27 million men, women, children, Africans, Asians, Europeans, Americans, young, old and everything in between who are exploited for sex and labor. For most Americans, the term "slave" is a historical notion of the past. But bonded labor and sex trafficking are slavery issues of the present.
When it comes to awareness of crises of the world - the poverty, the disease, the lack of education - these problems don't exist because people don't care. At the core of each of human being there is at least a semblance of compassion, some amount of concern for the misfortunes of the world. The problem is that we simply don't know what the problems are.
Sometimes it even seems that our present society lacks the pivotal leadership that will focus the goals of our humanitarian crises. We tend to only recognize crises under those umbrella terms such as hunger, poverty and disease. What we need are more results-oriented leaders to focus and define the problems that need to be solved. We need more of the Harriet Beecher Stowes, the Bonos, the William Wilberforces. Without a focus by individuals, the world's problems will simply blur together without resolution.
The world is an inconceivably large realm of social calamity, and it's impossible to know about every injustice of the world. It's even harder to support and fight against every injustice. And honestly, when it's the week after spring break and we're dumping sand from our sandals and catching up on all the work we didn't do over break, the effort of googling "world problems" isn't exactly at the top of my list. Nevertheless, 27 million is an enormous amount to simply be unaware of. And 27 million isn't just a number, these are people. People who are locked in the bonds of modern day slavery. It's a life we can't even imagine from our lives at Miami University.
Taking a stand against modern- day slavery is just a mouse click away. To sign the petition acknowledging your support of abolitionism, go to www.theamazingchange.com. This petition will go to the U.S. House and Senate to show our government and other world leaders that Americans care. Watch the petition tally change as your support is counted, heard, and added to the cause.
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