Slavery in America
MachiavelliWe fought a bloody civil war so that this crap can happen here again?
The trafficking of children for domestic labor in the U.S. is an extension of an illegal but common practice in Africa. Families in remote villages send their daughters to work in cities for extra money and the opportunity to escape a dead-end life. Some girls work for free on the understanding that they will at least be better fed in the home of their employer.
The custom has led to the spread of trafficking, as well-to-do Africans accustomed to employing children immigrate to the U.S. Around one-third of the estimated 10,000 forced laborers in the United States are servants trapped behind the curtains of suburban homes, according to a study by the National Human Rights Center at the University of California at Berkeley and Free the Slaves, a nonprofit group. No one can say how many are children, especially since their work can so easily be masked as chores.
Once behind the walls of gated communities like this one, these children never go to school. Unbeknownst to their neighbors, they live as modern-day slaves, just like Shyima, whose story is pieced together through court records, police transcripts and interviews.
I think its past time to stop apologizing for the sin of slavery in our country's past and try to do something about the slavery that's happening right now.
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Reader Comments (19)
"I think its past time to stop apologizing for the sin of slavery in our country's past and try to do something about the slavery that's happening right now."
But that would make SENSE mach. Can't be havin that now, can we?
Outrageous. One more example of "cultural" behavior that should never be allowed to root itself here.
Question for the Libs: Is it ethocentric of me to judge another culture inferior due to their modern-day practice of slavery?
This should be stopped immediately, but - how do we find these slaves? We can't just go door-to-door searching the homes of folks who happen to be African...
Anyone discovered practicing this should be arrested and, if appropriate, deported after serving their time.
Mach, if it's ethnocentric to judge a corrupt and morally bankrupt culture to be inferior, then perhaps ethnocentricity should be applauded.
"how do we find these slaves? We can't just go door-to-door searching the homes of folks who happen to be African..."
Yes, it would be horribly unfair to only search the homes of those whose cultural background includes the practice of slavery.
According to the open-minded agenda of multiculturalism, shouldn't we be embracing this stuff?
Why can't we do both? The fact is that our founding fathers kicked the slavery can down the road for future generations to deal with. Slavery was an ugly part of our past that should never be forgotten. Our past moral failings make us more aware and more obligated to help victims of slavery - especially one's that live right here in our own country.
That being said, I think Wes is right. And I'd like to know exactly what are you proposing Machiavelli. Some sort of racial/cultural profiling to make sure all first generation African immigrants aren't keeping slaves? Sheesh. Is profiling always the answer with you people?
Geez Egg, who should we be profiling for slavery? The Jews?
It's the Norwegian Lutherans we need to watch out for. Shifty bunch. No telling what they're hiding in those lutefisk barrels.
A more comprehensive immigration program might address some of this, but slavery is a practice that has persisted for thousands of years. Until societies that support the practice are compelled to do otherwise, very little will change.
Hey EGGHEAD, forgive us PLEASE, we didn't mean to do it. Here take my blood, PLEASE. How many ways have we said FORGIVE US to blacks over the years. SHOUT if from the rooftop 1 miiiilion fucking times and it want be enough. EVER. Not even REPARATIONS to every black man, woman, child and Black Ant would get it done, as long as there are IDIOTS in the world who PROFIT from this fucking STRAWMAN - because it's way past time to GIVE IT UP ALREADY!!!!!
Obama as President ain't EVEN going to get it done. The white man is BAD and black MEN are oppressed victims. Why don't you understand this simple fact. Ask JESSE he'll splain it to ya. Sheeeeeeyet
Why can't we do both? Give me a fucking BREAK! IDiOTS!
So which is the greater moral outrage? Slavery or racial profiling?
Slavery is only important when we're gnashing teeth over America's past shame. For today, we're only concerned about the heinous crime of profiling.
And I'll refer you to the Thirteenth Amendment. Have a nice day.
We can honor the 13th without trampling the 4th.
How does law enforcement discover other crimes committed behind closed doors? Child abuse? Rape? Murder?
I'll also point out that the Fourth Amendment only prohibits the government from conducting "unreasonable" searches and seizures without a warrant.
And it is entirely reasonable to zero in on those most likely to be engaged in this heinous practice. Call it profiling, or call it common sense, but wasting time pretending to look for slaves among those Norwegian Lutherans is just idiotic.