Tuesday, June 29, 2010

PETITIONS: Sign Petitions Urging State & Federal Government to Pass Crucial Anti-Human Trafficking Bills

There are a number of crucial Anti-Human Trafficking bills on table for state and federal governments. You can help by signing each of the 6 petitions below to urge legislators to pass the following bills.

What if it's not my state?
Even if you don't live in the state where legislation is up for voting, you can still show your support by signing the petitions and urging legislators to pass these bills.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
IT'S FAST, EASY & WORTHWHILE!


PETITION #1

PETITION #4


PETITION #5


PETITION #6

Thank You,
AbolitionistJB

Monday, June 28, 2010

PETITION: Urge Congress to End Child Trafficking!

Yesterday I wrote about the International Justice Mission "5 Weeks for Freedom" campaign. One of the ways you can help the campaign for freedom is by signing the IJM petition to state senators regarding the Child Protection Compact Act.


2 Places to Sign the Petition
Either one will work. It's an easy way to make a big impact.
1. International Justice Mission Website
2. Change.org

You can find more information about the Child Protection Compact Act on the International Justice Mission Website. Here is a brief summary and sample copy of the letter to Senators.


For the past year and a half, the International Justice Mission has been working on gaining support for a bill called the Child Protection Compact Act (CPCA), legislation designed to increase U.S. support to eradicate child trafficking in countries that have the will to end the crime but lack resources.

The central feature of the legislation, which is to provide increased assistance for select “focus countries” to nourish functioning justice systems to protect children from trafficking, was informed by IJM’s own experience in aiding governments in combating trafficking. These focus countries, which would be determined by the State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (G/TIP), will receive support in building public justice systems that effectively investigate crimes against children and prosecute perpetrators in numbers sufficient to deter and eventually eliminate the crime. The legislation also authorizes increased assistance for care for survivors of trafficking.

On June 5, 2009, Representatives Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) introduced the CPCA in the House of Representatives; it now has over 110 co-sponsors. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) introduced a similar bill in the Senate on March 25, 2010, which now has several co-sponsors on both sides of the aisle.

You can help IJM ensure that this vital legislation is passed by contacting your senator today to urge him/her to support the CPCA.


Please support the Child Protection Compact Act (S. 3184)

Dear Senator:

I write to express support for the Child Protection Compact Act (S. 3184).

This legislation would help eradicate the exploitation of children for labor or commercial sex in developing countries by offering additional resources for law enforcement, victim relief, and deterrence through apprehension and prosecution of traffickers.


UNICEF estimates that nearly two million children worldwide are exploited each year through commercial sex trade, and millions more are at risk in dangerous industries. These crimes are not the inevitable consequence of poverty. Rather, they indicate the failure of justice systems in developing countries to take the profit out of slavery by successfully investigating, prosecuting, and convicting those who traffic in human beings.

I urge you to become a sponsor of the Child Protection Compact Act, and help build public justice systems that protect the poor and vulnerable. This important and innovative legislation has been endorsed by International Justice Mission, World Vision, Amnesty International USA, Freedom House, Not for Sale, the SOLD Project, Polaris, Equality Now and Sojourners.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Free the Captives Anti-Trafficking Conference in Dallas

You might be wondering why it's been 3 weeks since I made my last posts, but chances are more likely you didn't notice and were not wondering at all. Either way, we just moved back to the Dallas, Texas area. Things have been quite busy between packing, trying to find a new place to live, and, oh yeah, driving a moving truck 1,200 miles.

Now that things are starting settle down I am slowly hopping back in the saddle of abolitionist work. One of the first things I am doing is researching all of the local abolitionist groups in my area. I highly suggest everyone does the same in their own region.

While researching, I came across the free event shown below. So if you live in the Dallas area, register and come to the event. They have a great lineup of speakers and I would love to meet you at the event. I will be the one wearing a white AbolitionistJB polo shirt and khakis. Hope to see you there.

IRVING, TX
SATURDAY, JULY 24TH 8:30AM - 12:30PM

SPEAKERS:
Andy Hein, International Justice Mission,
"Human Trafficking around the World"

Christina MacKenzie, ALERT Ministries,
"Sex Trafficking of Domestic Minors"

Julie Waters, Esq., Free the Captives,
"God, the Church, and Human Trafficking"




Friday, June 25, 2010

International Justice Mission "5 WEEKS FOR FREEDOM"

EMAIL - 5 Weeks For Freedom

At IJM, we believe everyone deserves to live in freedom, so we've set our sights on eradicating modern-day slavery and violent oppression of the poor. But, we know this will require all of us. That's why, this summer, we're launchingStop Injustice: 5 Weeks for Freedom — IJM's biggest campaign ever. And it's our hope that after reading this e-mail, you will be inspired to join us.

5WFF - 15 People 1800 Miles 5 Weeks

5 Weeks for Freedom: Let's start a movement!

This summer, 15 ordinary people will give up 5 weeks of their lives, cycling 1800 miles of the Underground Railroad with one extraordinary goal: To bring hope to the millions of people waiting for justice.

The team will ride from June 26 to July 30, inviting people to join the fight for freedom online and at events along their route — from churches to concerts to Major League Baseball games. Their journey concludes on July 30 in Buffalo, NY, when we'll invite 1 million people to join IJM's second annual Weekend to End Slavery.

We need your help!

SPREAD THE WORD: In anticipation of June 26, we hope you will help us raise awareness by telling your friends. (Check out the cool social media tools on our campaign site.)

PLAN TO PARTICIPATE: Whether you have a few minutes or a few hours, there is a way for everyone to support 5 Weeks for Freedom.

MAKE RESCUE POSSIBLE: We've set a goal to raise $1 million - and to make this possible, we're inviting 100,000 people to TEXT to give $10 to IJM's work. Who will you invite to give?

I invite you to explore www.5WeeksforFreedom.org to learn more about these opportunities, meet the riders and much more. This summer's journey on the Underground Railroad reminds us that slavery was defeated once, simply because ordinary people did what they could to join the fight. And it inspires us to believe that, together, we can defeat it again. Will you join us?

In anticipation of great things,
Signature - Amy Lucia
Amy Lucia
IJM Vice President of Global Communications

IJM - International Justice Mission

Friday, June 4, 2010

District of Columbia Passes New Human Trafficking Bill

The District of Columbia is an interesting identity. It's not a state, has no governor, and all bills are signed in by the Mayor and then must be ratified by Congress.

Earlier this week, DC unanimously passed a new Human Trafficking bill, which is awaiting to be signed by the Mayor. This is a sorely needed bill in our Nations capital and provides stricter punishments for traffickers and those knowingly associated. It also provides help and options for the victims of trafficking. READ THE FULL BILL.

Here are some highlights of the bill.
  • Penalties for all those benefiting from human trafficking, even if they're not active participants.
  • Victims of trafficking have the private right to sue their assailants.
  • New support and advocacy for victims.

You can help by sending an email to the Mayor of DC asking him to sign the bill.

RELATED LINKS:

Monday, May 31, 2010

How Serious is Child Pornography in the United States?

Feds Bust Largest Child Porn Ring Ever

Yesterday, U.S. federal agents broke open what is being called the largest and one of the most complex international child pornography rings ever built. Over 1000 people traded over 1 million sexual images of children through a social networking website for pedophiles. It's a huge victory for the feds and the thousands of children who were being constantly exploited in those images, but it's also an indication of just how serious the problem of child pornography is.

READ FULL STORY...

STORY #2:

Pornland, Oregon: Child Prostitution in Portland
BY DAN RATHER

Child prostitution has become a national problem in this country. Yes, I know that you have trouble believing that. You don't want to believe it, so you tend not to.

"Widespread sex trafficking in children?", you may be saying to yourself. "Sure, it happens overseas in places like Thailand and Moldova, and while there may be some of it here there's not that much of it in our country."

Based on a months long investigation and some reportorial digging, I'm here to tell you that you are wrong. We all are. We're in denial.

In covering news for more than 60 years, I'd like to think that few stories shock me anymore. But this is one of them. We ran across it late last year and the more we dug, the more disturbing it became.

Eighty-year-old men paying a premium to violate teenage girls, sometimes supplied by former drug gangs now into child sex trafficking big time? You've got to be kidding. Nope. That's happening and a lot more along the same lines.

The business is booming. One of the worst areas for it runs along lines running roughly from Seattle to Portland, to San Francisco and Los Angeles, to Las Vegas. But no place in the country is immune.

READ FULL STORY & WATCH VIDEO...

Russia Cuts Human Trafficking Support Centers to Only 2 for the Whole Country!


PLEASE SIGN MY PETITION



Dear Russia, Please Don't Cut Support for Trafficking Victims

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Inspiring Abolitionist Quotes

Not all of these quotes are specifically directed towards the abolition of slavery, but they have inspired me in the abolitionist cause. If you have any other great quotes, please share them in the comments section below.

Thank You,
AbolitionistJB


United States Declaration of Independence
"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. "

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
(1929 - 1968) Doctor, Reverend, Civil Rights Leader

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

"Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed."

"He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it."

Frederick Douglas
(1818 - 1895) Former Slave, Abolitionist Leader

"They would not call it slavery, but some other name. Slavery has been fruitful in giving herself names ... and it will call itself by yet another name; and you and I and all of us had better wait and see what new form this old monster will assume, in what new skin this old snake will come forth."

"No man can put a chain about the ankle of his fellow man without at last finding the other end fastened about his own neck."

"Money is the measure of morality, and the success or failure of slavery as a money-making system, determines with many whether...it should be maintained or abolished."


Abraham Lincoln
(1809 - 1865) 16th President of the United States

"Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally."

"And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the Executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons. "

Margaret Mead
(1971 -1978) Author, Anthropologist

" Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

William Wilberforce
(1759 - 1833) British Politician, Abolitionist

“If to be feelingly alive to the sufferings of my fellow-creatures is to be a fanatic, I am one of the most incurable fanatics ever permitted to be at large.”

“So enormous, so dreadful, so irremediable did the Trade's wickedness appear that my own mind was completely made up for Abolition. Let the consequences be what they would, I from this time determined that I would never rest until I had effected its abolition.”

Booker T. Washington
(1856 - 1915) Emancipated Slave, Education Reformer

"If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else."

"I shall allow no man to belittle my soul by making me hate him."

"There are two ways of exerting one's strength: one is pushing down, the other is pulling up. "

Jimi Hendrix
(1942 - 1970) Musician, Poet

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."

Mary Angelou
(1928 - ) Poet, Author, Civil Rights Activist

"History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again."





Jonathan Blanchard
(1811 - 1892) Pastor, Educator, Abolitionist

The slave-holder's rule contradicts this fundamental truth of God's word, that "God has made of one blood all the nations of emn," and if of one blood, they are of equal blood."



Ralph Waldo Emerson
(1803 -1882) Author, Poet, Philosopher

"When a resolute young fellow steps up to the great bully, the world, and takes him boldly by the beard, he is often surprised to find it comes off in his hand, and that it was only tied on to scare away the timid adventurers."



John Wesley
(1703-1791) Pastor, Abolitionist

"Let me do all the good I can, to all the people I can, as often as I can, for I shall not pass this way again."

Scriptures
"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." - Proverbs 31:8-9

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners." -Isaiah 61:1

“[Christ] inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.” - 2 Nephi 26:33