Modern Slavery In America:
Do we accord Respect to the Wealthy too Soon?

In America and in other parts of the world, there are those who enslave other human beings primarily for money and prostitution. A number of Russians, recently freed from the yoke of a totalitarian government, are into this underworld capitalism with a vengeance. They are enslaving young Russian girls, kidnapping others, and selling them into white slavery here in America and throughout Europe--America and Europe are the primary countries that buy slaves. But they are not alone. The Benin government has confirmed that the much-ballyhooed ship, the Etireno, which received worldwide notoriety was, indeed, carrying children into slavery--approximately 43 children were bound for a destination of slavery.

Of this modern slave-trade, 80% of the slaves are females and 20% are young boys. They come primarily from Mexico, Thailand, and other parts of Asia.

Like the slave trade of Africans of old, there are constant reports of dead or near dead slaves, primarily Chinese and Russian women, who are being smuggled to America for money and for prostitution networks. In fact, the largest problem of white slavery smuggling in America is Asians smuggling Asians to America specifically for prostitution and low wage or no-wage jobs.

But this White slave trade, as it is called, is not confined to smuggling immigrants. In Atlanta, GA., police have gotten word of child prostitution that has been going on right under their noses. The number is so large, the Cox News Service reports, that police are organizing a special unit to deal with it. Young girls are turning up missing, as pimps snare them into becoming prostitutes; some are being outright kidnapped and taken to other cities, such as Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, etc., for prostitution. 

In San Francisco, the City's police have arrested children as young as 11 years old from off the streets as child prostitutes; they have been drugged, seduced, kidnapped, and forced on the streets of San Francisco to make money selling their bodies. Slave traders have little or no regard for the lives being ruined and the dreams that are killed. Their only concern is their personal wealth at any cost to others.

In this country, there is such a desire to prosper that there are, for many, no ethical limitations set on how wealth is acquired. Consequently, for too many, there are no boundaries that will not be breached to satisfy their  desires. But, as a nation, we are too quick to accept the wealthy at face-value. Instead, we need to slow that quick acceptance and ask a few significant questions about their wealth, as Rev. Sullivan did to corporations investing in South Africa. We need to ask the wealthy how they acquired their wealth, how long did it take to garner it, and what are they doing with it? 

Innocent people are too often being harmed by the wealthy and those not wealthy in their drive for wealth. Should we accept those who have wealth when it is at the expense of others? Anyone can be wealthy, if that person is willing to do anything to get it. 

The little children with bright eyes on the Etireno, conveying them to hopelessness, could not imagine their destination; they were just cattle, herded by ruthless men for money. And these men with their wealth would lay back and feast off the money they would have gotten, spending it fancifully, having the respect of all. And no one would ask about the source of their wealth. 

Is success really success if it is achieved unethically and at the extreme expense of others? Surely, Americans are too intelligent and moral to not ask the significant questions of those who have wealth. Before we adorn them with lavish praise and acceptance, as we so quickly do, we must learn to ask those significant questions. And when they have successfully answered those questions, then we can determine whether they deserve our respect. []

Simond Griote

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