Human Trafficking: Reflections On The Super Bowl
As I’m sure many of you know, this past Sunday the Super Bowl was played. Honestly, I’ve never been much of a sports fan; I watch it when it’s on, but honestly, I get rather lost in the rules, players names/teams, but especially the injuries that often seem to take place on a frequent basis as a result of normal game play. I’ve always struggled with seeing others getting hurt, and undoubtedly my own story has a bit to do with that (but I won’t go into that now). I do love hearing the national anthem sung, though, and this year Gladys Knight brought the house down with her beautiful voice.
Modern Day Opressors
Having grown up in America, I always took pride in knowing that I lived in “the land of the free, and the home of the brave”. I learned in school how our forefathers came here and formed this new nation where they could be free from the crown, oppression and cruelty; then through our country’s wars in these past centuries, thousands have died fighting to maintain it. This is a beautiful thing, but not all who live here also enjoy the benefits of freedom. Instead, tens of thousands cower in fear of their oppressors (those who deal in human trafficking). This sacred union that God created to bond two people in marriage has been desecrated to the point of torment.
Living In Fear
Most of us went to bed last night in a warm bed, and slept with the privilege of safety, whereas countless others lose sleep for fear of what the next day will bring… if they’ll have enough food, or will even be granted eating privileges, if they’ll be hurt again, if they’ll recover enough to be deemed as valuable again. For some even being allowed to go outside and see the sky is not a right but a privilege to be earned. One of the trending things these days is going to sleep hearing a selection of music, but do you realize that many will cry themselves to sleep? Some will be punished even for this.
Will You Stand By And Watch, Or Will You Help?
So how is it that a nation founded with the freedoms and rights that we enjoy is also a haven to thousands of human traffickers? And why is it that these atrocities can even be allowed on this soil? What have we come to, as a nation, when people still sleep in chains, and are ranked based upon how pleasing they are to those who keep them in chains and purchase them like cattle at an auction? This world is aching and these people are crying out, but does it matter to you? Many have been beaten, broken down, battered and brainwashed into thinking that this is all they’re worth, and they have no true value apart from this sick trade. Now I ask you: are they right to think this? Their voices have been taken away, and we need to stand in the gap to speak up for them. Will you lend your voice to ours as we are striving to rescue them?
-Katie Brahm