Modern slavery

If you don't already know, there are an estimated 27 million slaves in the world today. This does not refer to low wage workers or people in sweatshops. This refers to people who are physically possessed by others. This is also a conservative estimate. It is probably closer to 50 million. While most of the slaves in the world today are debt bonded laborers in the Indian sub-Continent, there are an unknown, but definitely large number of sex slaves and domestic slaves in the western world. Don't think the US gets of free either. 10s of thousands of slaves come across both the southern and northern border, as well as through airport customs and major ports every year. An estimated one forth of all of them come through San Diego alone. Other major ports of entry are New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and all along the Texas/Mexico border. Suffice it to say, this is a big issue.

Naturally it is illegal everywhere. The wording of the law from place to place differs. Having a concrete definition across the board would help. So would having good law enforcement, as in it doesn't actually benefit from it, as is the case in many places, including the US.

The real issue that has to be dealt with however, goes directly to the root of the problem. This is the actual motivation to sell someone into slavery in the first place. After all, the vast majority of the slaves in the world were sold, or soled themselves to pay off debts. A lot of times it is families selling a child in order to eat. When it comes rite down to it, it tends, as it has throughout history to be a solution to immediate economic need. Thus finding another way or eliminating the need all together is the ultimate answer we must focus on in conjunction with the mid-level goals of better enforcement and direct intervention.

What needs to happen is for the core of injustice that continues to deny people food, even though the world over produces by 10% to the eliminated. What needs to happen is a serious effort to make things we take for granted, like clean water, medical care and even affordable transportation available to those who have no such access. We already all know this. We already all want to change the world. We also already know it is a lot easier said than done. The cynical tendencies this has nurtured in so many has closed off the imaginations that may actually devise solutions to such problems. If we think in terms of the problems of the world being too big for me, so I will accept selfishness and ignore them, then we deny any possibility of being able to contribute, if only a small amount to developing the needed solutions. We will never know if we could have invented the cheep water purification system that will eliminate all water born illness in the world. We will never know if we could have been the tipping point in the campaign to pass needed laws to support harsher punishment of companies that employ forced labor in their supply chains. We will never know if we could develop a drug that is tasteless, colorless, and completely harmless that perfectly mimics the effects of heroin and crack-cocaine and is dirt cheap, thus eliminating the drug trade and all the issues of oppression relating to it over night. We will never know if we really can't solve the worlds problems if we keep assuming we can't. By assuming we can't, we sell our self into a mental slavery, which will support and encourage the physical slavery. If, however, we accept responsibility for being at least a little able to do at least something, we emancipate our minds and create a environment in which full physical emancipation becomes possible.

Therefore, step out and take charge. Make useful that which is useless. Embrace freedom and advance it in every aspect of your life. What else is there to do? Work, get rich and live a safe and thus boring life? Maybe for some, but not for me and I think not for you either if you are still with me. So keep going with me and let us be the change we want to see in this world. Let the light shine. Trust me, the darkness will not overcome it.