The Streets: We stood on the street corners for those that are forced to work the corners, dark alleys, and backrooms. We spoke out for those confined to cages and locked rooms, many of which have been there since younger than 10 years old, and some of which STILL are younger than 10 years old. We were a face for those forced to be soldiers, and for those forced to work fields, brick factories, or even to service, what usually amounts to, man after man after man sexually. We didn’t free any of them directly, but we were trying to enlist “civilians” in the battle.
“Men, women, and, worst of all, children are literally forced into labor and sex slavery, and you can help just by knowing what to look out for,” was more or less our refrain of the weekend.
“I’m good.”
“I’m Okay.”
“No thanks.”
Those words served as the all-too-frequent echo we’d hear back, as if we were offering information on some new cell service plan.
Photo Courtesy: http://atldailyphoto.blogspot.com/2009/07/downtown-at-night.html
I certainly know that the people in town those nights are not ALL Americans (or for that matter people), but I fear that the sample of different races and socio-economic statuses from all over the country, including Georgia, New York, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, and Kansas among others is all-too-telling of where we stand as a people.
We have the misconception that the major atrocities in life are entirely the fault of greatly evil men and women, but, as it has been said, all that it takes for evil to prosper is the inaction of “good” men and women.
The fact is, a great deal of us are selfish people, concerned with what’s in our little bubble, and not much beyond it. This couldn’t have been more clearly echoed than in this interaction with a man walking by after he’d turned down my request to take some information on how he could help fight modern day slavery, in which I’d stated that it happens to children as well.
Me: (In a non-demonstrative tone) “This could happen to anybody sir. If it was your daughter or something you’d certainly want others to help.”
Guy: “I’ve got two boys. I’m good.”
Those words echo deeply within me and put an awful taste in my mouth about humanity. How heartless can someone be? What kind of “men” would these boys grow to be with such faulty, self-centered leadership in their lives? And what of their children? I had to fight the urge to lash into this man with a tirade that would make a drill instructor think I’d gone overboard with my litany of “colorful words.” Rather I took the “high ground” and settled for a “nice” passive-aggressive comment, which I heard un-lovingly come from my mouth all-too-much on this weekend.
But the truth is, are his words, as horrible as they are, any more detrimental than simple inaction? They are certainly no less helpful.
Then there’s the woman and her husband, who when I asked, “Do you really not care about these people who are slaves?” turned. She looked me dead in the eye and said, “No.”
Before you jump to conclusions about these people, you wouldn’t be able to pick them out in a line up if you tried. You might think respectable middleclass white-folks would care, being shocked and outrage at atrocities happening in their back yard. Nope.
You might think that African-Americans, only a few generations removed from slavery themselves, would almost all certainly have a soft spot for something so closely tied to their ancestry. Nope!
You might think young people were more progressive in wanting to “fight injustice.” Nope!
You might think older people with children and grandchildren would be more moved driven by understanding of the love of a parent. Nope!
Unfortunately, the only thing most of them shared other than being American basketball fans was that they, in large part, simply did not care about the plight of others.
Some were belligerent.
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” or “Nice sign douchebag,” in response to my sign that simply said “Slavery Is Not Dead”
Others were more concerned with developing a “witty” comment, which I can only imagine made them feel creative in some way. However, let me assure you… not a single one had an ounce of anything near what you could accurately call “clever.”
Then there were the responses that were so ignorant that they can incite laughter for a moment until you realize the depravity of heart that it represents.
One man sporting a Wichita State shirt walked by my “Slavery Is Not Dead” sign and said something that amounted to, “They can get jobs. That’s what they can do.”
Really?!!! “They can get jobs?” That’s the contribution? Well, no one ever thought of that! Praise God! Those lazy, lazy slaves! Problem solved… Get to work bums! Let’s move on!
A middle aged man sporting some Syracuse gear, saw my sign provided some good insight, “Yes it(slavery) is (dead). Read a book!”
What? You mean I’ve been living a in a lie? It’s not real? I’m going to go pick up some R.L. Stein and put this matter to bed!
The best way to categorize what the reactions of most said about their hearts those nights is, “It’s not my problem. So I don’t care.” And I fear this to be all-too-often the refrain of what our actions, or more commonly inactions, cry out. We must analyze ourselves to find where we share this trait in our lives and prayerfully eradicate it back to the Hell from which it came. Too many of us live on the fence on this issue. Thinking it’s a problem while sitting on the fence is not acceptable. There is no ROOM for a fence here.
There were some people who were grateful for what we did, and they certainly served as a glimmer of hope in a mass of people who just coldly went about their business. Some of the most open people were taxi drivers, miles ahead of business men, college students, and men with their families. Let that roost in your brain they next time you think about the creepy taxi driver stereotype.
I’m thankful for all of these people who cared and I hope their light is not quenched in the mass of people who would have certainly been more up in arms if I’d made a statement on either side of the debate about gun control or homosexual marriage, than the bondage and rape of countless boys and girls (not to mention the adults).
[TAKE ANOTHER BREAK AND THEN WHEN YOUR ATTENTION SPAN FEELS HEALTHY CHECK OUT PART 3: "THE TAKEAWAY" ]
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