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“As unimaginable as it seems, slavery and bondage still persist in the early 21st century. Millions of people around the world still suffer in silence in slave-like situations of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation from which they cannot free themselves. Trafficking in persons is one of the greatest human rights challenges of our time.”
[U.S. State Department Trafficking in Persons Report, June 2003]
One of our Lit. Circle novels Copper Sun deals with slavery. We often consider this a topic for history books--something in the past. Or we think that it happens in other countries--not in the United States.
Below our two sites I encourage you to check out--to read.
http://www.gvnet.com/humantrafficking/00-HumanTrafficking.htm
and . . . http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/law/jan-june01/slavery_3-8.html
Be sure to watch the streaming video about thousands forced into slavery in U.S.
[U.S. State Department Trafficking in Persons Report, June 2003]
One of our Lit. Circle novels Copper Sun deals with slavery. We often consider this a topic for history books--something in the past. Or we think that it happens in other countries--not in the United States.
Below our two sites I encourage you to check out--to read.
http://www.gvnet.com/humantrafficking/00-HumanTrafficking.htm
and . . . http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/law/jan-june01/slavery_3-8.html
Be sure to watch the streaming video about thousands forced into slavery in U.S.
Here are the guiding questions for commenting: 1) First, what shocked and appalled you? 2) Why do you think this is still happening today? What is it about humans that makes one person mistreat another?
26 comments:
The things that shocked me the most were the facts that slavery/forced labor is still happening in the US, along with the sheer amount of people that are trafficked yearly. 800,000 to 900,000 people yearly is a crazy big amount of people. That is more than 16 of Saint Peters' population.
I think slavery and human trafficking are still happening today because they will always occur. I don't think people will ever totally stop being greedy or self-righteous, and so until we all do, I think this will always be an issue.
I can't believe Supawan Veerapol only got an eight year prison sentance. Either she had an amazing lawyer, or the court just didn't really care about what happened to three illegal immigrants.
Slavery was even in Star Wars, so if "super intelligent alien races and jedi" are doing it, I don't think the human race will suddenly just stop enslaving each other.
Slavery should be abolished. Actually according to the 13th amendment, slavery was supposed to end in 1865 in the U.S. However, it seems that is not the case. Constantly when I watch the news I hear of reports of slavery. For instance, Oprah has reported children who have been sold into slavery for money. Money. It seems that is all any country ever comes down to. Because people believe more money leads to more power. Just like Sam said about us being greedy and self-righteous. People want slaves because it’s free labor. So why would they want to pay someone to do their extra work if they can get it for free? Plus it's not like the government is going to knock on their door immediately and demand they be sent to jail if they do in fact have slaves. If that was the case then the 800-900 thousand would be decreased by a large amount.
I think in order for slavery to be completely ended stricter laws need to be enforced. We aren't living in the 1800s anymore. We are in present day and everyone has equal rights in the United States. Even though this is not the case in other countries, we should spread our ideas to try and cut back on slavery. And just like Sam said "until we all do, this will always be an issue."
What shocked me is the fact that these 800,00 to 900,000 are here are slaves, it's something I knew was still happening in Russia & Eastern Europe but didn't think the problem was this extreme.
I think it's still happening because of pure greed. The 'pimps' get paid roughly $7,666 per month and don't have to really do much work at all to make so much money.
In the articles, what shocked me most about this issue was how many people were trafficked into the United States each year and also, how it is still a big issue today.
Human trafficking/Slavery is still happening today because people are greedy and want to better themselves in society. And, what is a better way to make it all possible? Money. And how do you get that money? By having free labor, of course. Most of our society revolves around money. Since the prices for different merchandise go up and keep rising. Society will want to make more money.
Immigrants come over today to make money for their family and to improve their life. But for some, they are not lucky enough and get pulled into the world of human trafficking/slavery. In 1999, only about 500,000 immigrants were trafficked over to the US. The number increased to about
800,000 to 900,000 men and women trafficked over to America now. Look at that difference of about 300 to 400 thousand.
Also, in this situation people who are trafficking immigrants see the chance they have to make money. And the immigrants don’t know what else they can do. They are coming from a different country and don’t know about anything when they come to the US and then get sucked into working as a slave.
The same idea that I see over and over in these previous comments is that it is all for money and there is a slim to none chance that this will end. I agree with these concepts, ugly as they are. Slavery has been in existence for thousands of years and will most likely continue for thousands more. Whether it is underground, as stated in the article, or in the open air, like in the early 1800s. What I'm wondering is what we can do to find more of these slaves and try to free them in greater numbers. This may look futile, but it is helping and is moving towards the future.
The best word I can come up with for how "human traffiking and modern-day slavery" makes me feel is pathetic.
I feel like in the U.S., you're taught that this is the best country there is, period. Nothing horrible happens here, like it does in OTHER countries. Yet, here I am reading of modern cases of slavery in the U.S. Brittany pointed out that slavery was abolished when the 13th amendment was put into action. That was in 1865. Is that really how far we've come? What has slowed our progress so much? I agree with Nancy (money) and Sam (greed and self-righteousness).
In the midst of all of the slavery, the one that makes me itch the most is sexual slavery. In this field, mostly women are affected (some men are, but I'm going to focus on the women). I think that in today's world women in general have this mindset that men overpower them. True, in many areas of our world males are dominant. But come on, in the U.S., we're all equal...or are we? I think women are treated as inferiors and therefore over powered when it comes to problems such as this. However, I also think that females are brought up in a society that tells them it's only right for them to belittle themselves before men, and soon they believe it. Whether they're conscious of it or not, I think almost all females do to an extent.
So, basically, until HUMANS learn to humble themselves before each other out of kindness rather than fear and they also learn to be strong individuals, slavery will still persist everyday in our world. But we have to keep in mind that we are all HUMAN (no more, no less) and we all belong to this world.
Women being sold to work in the United States is really disturbing to hear. As B.Brown said the 13th Amendment abolishes slavery, so who is failing to enforce the law. Nobody should be treated like this. Instead of paying for a war nobody wants to support anymore, we should be putting our TAX PAYERS DOLLARS to something that would stop this in the U.S.
B.Brown said that "according to the 13th amendment, slavery was supposed to end in 1865 in the U.S. However, it seems that is not the case.". I have to disagree because slavery did end. The 13th amendment at that time related to people(mainly whites) having people(mainly blacks) as slaves. It didn't really relate to humans bringing other humans into other countries illegally for specific reasons. Human Trafficking wasn't a big problem then as it is now because people didn't see it as "human trafficking" and because it was so common then. Everybody did it, it was out in the open and it wasn't illegal.
To me there seems to be nothing that anyone can do about human trafficking and modern day slavery one because: it's like the wind, you know it's there but you can't see it. Bob is not just going to go out and tell bill "hey guess what?! i bought a girl from thailand to "work" for me!" That's just not going to happen; secondly because it's just going to keep happening.It's been happening for as long as people can remember. What makes them think they can just stop it. I'm not saying that i agree with human trafficking and modern day slavery and i'm not saying that people should give up on it. I'm simply stating what's reality.
I wasn't so shocked at how human tracking still exists. i know that slavery was abolished in the 1800's but, people don't just change their ways becuase of a law. That is shown pretty much daily. After all the banning of alcohol didn't work why banning slavery. I know that Slavery and alcohol use are to very different extremes, but still laws cannot stop people from doing what they want.
I think it is still going on today because its gone on forever, and people almost think of it as a tradition. LIke a little kid wanting to grow up to be his dad, and it just so happens his dad has slaves.
The main reason i think we mistreat each other, is like Ashley H and Nancy says, most of the immagrants are just trying to provide for thier families,a nd they just get caught up in human trafficking, and don't know any better. Also i think ultimatley the people who enslave them just get a sense of power from having control over a human's life. It makes them feel like they have a purpose, and even if they can't control thier own life then they can at least control someone else's.
I completly agree with Brittany Slavery should be abolished, but how exactly should we go about doing that because obviously it didn't the whole job done last time.
I totally agree with Mary. It's all about a feeling of superiority and power. Someone has to be on the lower end of the bargain and it is these unsuspecting slaves. After thinking about it for a while, and reading the rest of these comments, it does make me sick to think that this still happens. Will it be stopped in 10 years? 100?
I have heard of some slavery in the world but I didn't know that 800,000 to 900,000 people were involved. I agree with B. Brown that money is the main reason for slavery. I think that it is incredible that people may know others that are slaves but not know it. Like the little boy who's family was told that he was going to a beter place for school, but was really made into a slave. I think that the government should do more to stop slavery. Make more laws or more securtiy in places.
First of all it shocked me that Human Trafficing is still occuring in the world today and more than that is SO many people are involved. What was most suprising was that out of the people who are being sold some of them are coming her to the U.S. How can we sit back and let this happen when we abolished slavery? I agree with Mary completly. How can do we fix this when we didn't get it right the first time? I think that this issue will be an ongoing problem that will continue to worsen.
I think that the reason Human Trafficing is occurring has to do with the fact that to these people don't find it wrong. To them it is their culture, their traditions and that may never change unless someone points out that these are innocent lives they are affecting. Something needs to be done! Something needs to change!
As sad as it seems, I also agree with Sam. Unfortunately, slavery isn't something you can just get rid of or abolish. There will always be a few lost-minded people out there who don't care what is right. Even if the U.S. makes even more strict laws on slavery, it will still occur. It's almost as if these heartless people need to experience slavery themselves to find a sense in guiltiness.
I was really surprised to find out that trafficking/slavery is happening in the United States. The numbers are incredibly discusting; 800,000 to 900,000! I was even more shocked when Sam said that these numbers are more than 16% of the St. Peter's population!
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Brittany is 100% right when she talks about the 13th amendment. Slavery is supposed to be over. People are supposed to be nice.
But they are not because life is all about the money. When are people going to get over themselves and realize that's not what truly matters.
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I don't think slavery will ever be COMPLEATLY gone but there are ways to drastically bring down the current numbers. We need stricter laws for sure.
In a way I dont think Slavory will ever really go away. As much as i want it to, in our world and even our country their is always going to be slavory. Even with the 13th amendment, people are going to have slaves if they want them! thats the problem with our socitey we cant see that we are all equal no matter what. Even if one person is rich and the other is poor; we are all still equal.
Like Sam, I too believe there will never be an end to slavery. People will always get away with it because the government can't catch everyone. If they could our country would be perfect. As we know, perfection is impossible, and as long as people can get away with it, they will continue to do it. Not everyone has good moral values. And what b.brown said is very true. Everything comes down to money. Money is needed to survive in this world. It is power and the more you have the better off you are. People who are traffickers get paid good money, otherwise they wouldn't do it. They use that money to get things they want, as, there would be no other reason to have it. Money and corruption run the slavery, no doubt.
It upsets me that many of you seem to believe that there will NEVER be an end to slavery. I'm almost positive that slavery and human trafficking will not be wiped out in my lifetime, but I hope that it will in the lives of those to follow me.
I think that this is one of the main reasons that we have problems like this in our world. People take one serious look at it and blow it off because it's too big of a job. Yes, it is a big job. But someone has to do it. Brian said that not everyone has good morals and values and so that's why there will be no end to this issue. What kind of morals do you have if you are willing to watch this happen before you and do nothing about it simply because you are not the one committing the crime?
If your sister went on a trip to another country or maybe married someone and went to visit their spouse's homeland and was sucked into slavery, would you still do nothing about it? Would you still expect the U.S. to do nothing? After all, it's just one person. But that one person is YOUR sister. I hope this would change your answer. But we should treat EVERYONE as our sisters and brothers. Even if someone else is treating them poorly.
First off i am totally appalled that the UN is still letting this happen! Second i completely agree with Darius. Thirdly i think this is still happening today because people can get away with it. Finally i think that it is in human nature to mistreat others (ex. war). As what Sam said this will always be an issue.
SLAVERY IS WRONG! No human being should be mistreated or thought inferior to someone else. I am shocked that this is still happening in the U.S. Didn't we learn our lesson after the first time? Human trafficking is still going on today because people are to lazy to do work themselves and would rather sacrifice someone's freedom for their well being. America is the land of the FREE. Let's keep it that way.
The thing that really stood out to me was how many people are still being sused as slaves today. 800,000- 900,000 humans today are being used as slaves. I like how Nancy put it. Our society is based on social standereds....revolving back tomoney. Everyone needs to have this or wants the newest toy. They all cost money. And now adays, many people will do anything for more money. And it is so easy to pay under the set amount to people who really and truley do NEED money.
Any human will do anything for money. The way we live, not very many of us would jump off a bridge for money, but there are people who would for their family. Why do we ahve such a difference in our social classes? Why do different people get paid less just because? we're all humans. If two people do the same amount of the same job, isn't it fair they get the same amount of money?
It upsets me to know that slavery has been going on for so long, and no one has completely demolished it. I do believe one day it will slow down, but truley...it hasn't. you cannot just "kind of" get rid of somthing. It is a fact. Either a counrty has slaves or it doesnt. And to me, slavery doesn't sound very good while talking about your counrty. I think slavery will be an issue until someone decides it is not too big oof a task and actually focuses on it and tries to put it to rest.
First, what appalled me most was that the UN, a system designed to take care of things like this, are doing absolutley nothing. Second, I think it's not being stopped because people don't want to believe this still happens, that people could be forced into such awful positions. Thirdly, I have no clue why we do such evil things to other people. Maybe it's insecurities in ourself, but that seems more likely to suit bullies in a playground rather than human trafficing. Maybe it's a hunger for power, the more people you hurt and put down, the better it makes you feel, also a stupid reason. Maybe they were mistreated as children, well that sounds more like psychologist babble. Quite frankly, there is no reason, no excuse, no way to justify why someone would do this.
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