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TechnoratiThe slave trade strikes at the core of human dignity—it encourages those involved to view people as mere property to be bought and sold. This practice degrades human dignity and fosters the view that slaves are property whose lives are worth only as much as their practical value to their owners. The Apostle Paul condemned slave traders, listing them among perjurers, murderers, perverts, and those who kill their parents. (1 Tim. 1:9-10 NIV)
Those who trade men and women like animals devalue their human nature. Inequality of human worth is at the heart of slavery—a trader who buys or sells other people views them as mere tools for labor, monetary gain, or sexual perversions. The American Founders proclaimed the equality of all human beings, and their declaration has been realized increasingly throughout the history of the United States. This realization can be expanded if people wake up to the reality of today's underground slave trade.
The fact that 800,000 people are trafficked in the US annually is a sad testament to the justice system in a nation which has supposedly banned slavery and affirmed the equality of all human beings. The slave traders themselves ought to be the targets of severe punishment—not, as is all too common, the slaves themselves. The mockery, punishment, and neglect of sexual slaves (among others) adds to the injustices of slavery. Men, women, and children are unlikely to flee their captors if they have nowhere to go. Herein lies a great opportunity for churches, charities, and individuals to minister to the poor and needy. Christians ought to extend lifelines to those who are enslaved, providing food, clothing, and shelter to those in need. Through such aid, these oppressed individuals can take the first steps to becoming free, independent, and self-sufficient members of society.
In the Emancipation Proclamation, Abraham Lincoln called for the elimination of slavery on the basis of human justice. He declared that granting the slaves freedom was "sincerely believed to be an act of justice," and he invoked "the considerate judgment of mankind and the gracious favor of Almighty God." Those who seek a just society must call for the end of the underground slave trade and insist on vigorous prosecution of those who trade humans like cattle. They must also extend works of mercy to the individuals who suffer from this pernicious practice.
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Ken Connor is Chairman of the Center for a Just Society in Washington, DC and a nationally recognized trial lawyer who represented Governor Jeb Bush in the Terri Schiavo case. Connor was formally President of the Family Research Council, Chairman of the Board of CareNet, and Vice Chairman of Americans United for Life. For more articles and resources from Mr. Connor and the Center for a Just Society, go to www.ajustsociety.org. Your feedback is welcome; please email info@ajustsociety.org.
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