Need a new organ pronto, want to dramatically slash your labor costs, crave an illicit erotic encounter? Any of these, in this the 21st century, can be yours for the right price; and as long as you’re not too squeamish about brutal exploitation of another human being.
In other words, we are talking about the trafficking of humans — not the smuggling of migrants as some use the term — but profiting from coerced and, more often than not, cruelly enslaved people.
Spoils of War and Not
This is mentioned in the last book of the Bible in connection with commerce as this age draws to a close. The body and broken spirit of someone’s cherished child would be traded like any other commodity.
Less than a half-century ago, most of us assumed that meant the persecution of the defeated by the victorious. And it does. Enslavement and involuntary penetration systematically occurred in World War II, and we are being told it’s being repeated in the current Islamic extremist conflicts. Age, is not much of a factor either. These days, young boys are given the choice to become child soldiers, and kill for their captors, or be executed.
Many people are rightly horrified and revolted at what is happening, under the guise of religion, in Africa and the Middle East. But, what about all the other incidents of humans brutalizing and selling other human beings occurring, right now, anywhere and everywhere?
In the comfort and safety of our roomy air conditioned homes and offices, we can easily conclude that world conditions are not really so bad, yet. But tell that to to the East African albino missing a limb, to the Pakistani boys misused by pornographic filmmakers in their own village; or to the parents in your town whose young children were stolen from them and never seen again.
Greed Rules
Research confirms those most in need of a helping hand are at greatest risk of becoming victims.
All forms of human trafficking are increasing, whether it’s promising a migrant a steady job, who then isn’t paid and might also be threatened, beaten, locked up, and underfed; obtaining a human body part through trickery or worse; child pornography; or forced prostitution. And it can include profiting from the enslavement, and rental or sale, of little ones as young as six or seven.
Sign of the Times
BBC, CNN, MSNBC, Deutsche Welle, Reuters, as well as other news sources, have run stories about the numerous humans held as abject slaves even in nations considered democratic and Christian.
Human trafficking demonstrates the depths of depravity to which the unrestrained human mind and heart can descend. And its pervasiveness is indicative of how badly our societies have morally declined — to as in the days of Noah before the flood.
Photo Credit: Slackles courtesy of National Museum of American History; License: CC By-NC 2.0
Read CNN’s article here
View DW’s video here
Read BBC’s article here
Read MSNBC’s article here
