A letter to Edgar Maddison Welch and others newly concerned with human trafficking;
First of all, let me congratulate you on becoming aware of, and sensitized to, the horrific crime of human trafficking. This is a severe problem worldwide. Your concern is warranted. And, since it affects woman and the poor of all races and nationalities (including many immigrants) your concern shows a sensitivity to others that goes beyond the simplistic reaction to a story on social media.
Thank you for joining those of us who have followed this issue over the decades and desire to do our part in improving the lives of these exploited members of our human family. Unlike the unaware fetuses that seem to get the concern of so many, you are expressing concern for these fully conscious humans that are suffering, powerless to escape these abuses. And unlike the medical Drs that perform the medical procedures they believe are in the best interests of their patients, these crimes are the result of unbridled human greed - the worst of human traits.
Of course I do not condone Welch’s one-man over-the-top reaction to the issue. I respect your right to own a gun, but I’d like to suggest using it to feed and protect your family, and to take a more productive approach to the human trafficking problem that is far broader than any particular “ring” in any specific city or neighborhood. By joining with others, you can make a much bigger difference, with much less chance of disaster.
This letter is primarily written to those, who like Welch, were outraged by learning about this problem and is about how you can join in helping stop or reduce such abuse. First, I welcome your concern. I ask that you take the time to read this letter, look at some information and links, and then work with those of us that have abhorred this for our lifetimes. We share this abhorrence and I am determined to help you deal with this in a productive way.
Here are just a few organizations, off the top of my head, that can educate you about this problem, and who are eminently qualified to address this and other human rights abuses. Try searching ‘human trafficking’ at any of the following sites that I can vouch for:
www.amnestyusa.org (Amnesty International, founded in 1961)
The first two hits are about human trafficking in the USA.
www.hrw.org (Human Rights Watch, founded in 1978)
Has a very International perspective, however you can filter your search to the USA very easily if you prefer on focusing on this problem at home.
www.splcenter.org (Southern Poverty Law Center, founded 1971)
Mostly involved with other human rights issues in the US, they cover human trafficking as well.
As I indicated above, these are just three organizations that came to the mind of this author, a lifetime “lefty idealist". I urge you to start by searching ‘human trafficking’ and learn about it from these sources. You may not agree with all issues each of these organizations is involved with. However, once you see how they complement your concerns about human trafficking, perhaps they will have the credibility in your mind for you to look at the other issues with which they are concerned. Others can give you many other reputable sources for more information.
Of course there are many other respected organizations concerned with this grievous issue. I urge you to look at such organizations; please do consider how long they have been around.
I have to admit that my initial reaction to the news of this shooting was one of incredulity at the ignorance and/or intelligence of anyone that believed the initial misinformation about Hillary Clinton’s involvement with human trafficking. I am trying not to react to my initial reaction however, hence this letter.
While everyone is entitled to his/her opinion of Ms Clinton, there is no reasonable doubt, that crooked or not, her lifetime concern for the rights of children, girls, and women makes her potential involvement with human trafficking ludicrous, at best. However, I have tried very hard to extend an olive branch in this letter, since I share with you the grave concern for the victims of human trafficking.
The dictum “know thy enemy” is well regarded. Therefore I’d like to share a bit about Ms Clinton’s record in this regard (which is completely independent of any misjudgments with regards to email servers, possible alleged abuse with regards to Whitewater, etc etc. If you read her autobiography, or most of the biographies written about her, you will quickly learn of her leadership on such issues (just a few bullet points):
*[in 1970] she also took on cases of child abuse at Yale–New Haven Hospital and volunteered at New Haven Legal Services to provide free legal advice for the poor.
*Her first scholarly article, "Children Under the Law", was published in the Harvard Educational Review in late 1973
*worked as a research assistant on the seminal work, Beyond the Best Interests of the Child (1973).
*In 1977, she co-founded Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families.
*was appointed the first female chair of the Legal Services Corporation in 1978.
*At the 1995 UN conference on women (held in Beijing), Clinton stated in a then controversial and influential speech, that "human rights are women's rights and women's rights are human rights”
*In 1997 and 1999, she ... also tackled the problems of adoption and family safety and foster care
Finally, the charity founded by Mr and Mrs Clinton (Which is rated 4 of 4 stars by the independent www.CharityNavigator.org), www.clintonfoundation.org has 10 pages of hits for the term “human trafficking”. It is very involved with this issue Internationally.
Again, I would like to THANK all of you who are concerned with this issue now and in the past. Working together we CAN make a difference. One person (with, or without a gun) is not going to make much difference alone.
e. pluribus unum
(all references courtesy of www.wikipedia.org)