A Call To Arms

Each generation, by their conduct and example, must establish and prove the maxim: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness". Throughout the world the battle still rages between those who choose the cause of freedom and those who choose the cause of greed and the cruel suffering of their fellow human beings. This generation, like others before, must answer the call to arms, to fight for the freedom of their fellow man and eradicate human trafficking from the earth.

In order to be victorious in the fight against human trafficking it is necessary to take instruction, to be armed with the truth, an understanding of the many facets of human trafficking and compassion for others. Men and women of goodwill must resolve to exert themselves with persistence and energy to end the practice of human trafficking.

Many argue that the fight against human trafficking differs from the fight waged against slavery in the 18th and 19th centuries and that the chains of slavery which now bind countless men, women and children are lighter and easier to bear than those of the past. Factional interests stress that human trafficking is less than slavery, that it is a natural outgrowth of poverty, or merely a form of illegal migration or a minor labor law violation. These are false and dangerous beliefs. Human trafficking is defined and caused by the same things that have defined and caused slavery through the ages: Exploitation and greed. It is important to stress this point to ensure that those who take up this fight remain focused on the true nature of human trafficking and do not dissipate their effort and energy on issues that are not the cause of this inhumane practice.

When putting forth his arguments in favor of the adoption of the American Constitution, Alexander Hamilton wrote in The Federalist No. 1 that "the consciousness of good intentions disdains ambiguity". This adage is equally true of the fight against human trafficking as it is of the fight against tyranny. Therefore, it is imperative to state often and without equivocation that human trafficking is slavery.

The cause of freedom is just and it is worthy. It requires courage and faith of its champions. Its champions must not succumb to factional interests that seek to distract and divert. It is the duty of us all to stand up for those who are enslaved, to bring about an event that is necessary to the happiness and progress of all mankind: the end of human trafficking.