A Blight On The Nation Slavery In Today's America Summary
In the article “A Blight on the Nation: Slavery in Today's America” by Ron Soodalter, the contents outline that the common concept of slavery not existing is, in fact, fictitious. Soodalter highlights, that to most Americans’ common knowledge, that centuries ago the South had slaves, and the North fought a war for the liberation of all slaves. At the end of the Civil War, Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation freed all the slaves in the South, and then later the 13th amendment fully abolished slavery and enforced servitude throughout the United States. However, as we kept our blind eyes turned, slavery has been allowed to blossom out of control, regardless of its illegality around the world. Soodalter states, “With an estimated 27 million people
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in bondage worldwide, it is the second or third most lucrative criminal enterprise of our time, after drugs, and maybe guns. More than twice as many people are in bondage in the world today as were taken in chains during the entire 350 years of the African Slave Trade.” This statement by Soodalter demonstrates that slavery is more extensive than the widely publicized drug and gun trades.
Many of us will contribute this steep number of those in bondage due in part to third world countries, emerging nations, and refugees. Yet, slavery exists in the more established countries such as France, Spain, Greece, China, and Italy. Among that lengthy list of countries lies the United States, and yet most of us are clueless to its existence. Soodalter presents that fact that slavery has existed since the discovery of the “New World” by Christopher Columbus, and has continued beyond the Civil War into the Civil Rights Era and right into the present day. With the global population increasing every year and the collapse of national borders around the world, people in desperation to survive have become obvious targets for human traffickers. In their search for sanctuary, United States has become a prime destination. “According to a U.S. State Department study, some 14,500 to 17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked into the United States from at least 35 countries and enslaved each
year. Some victims are smuggled into the United States across the Mexican and Canadian borders; others arrive at our major airports daily, carrying either real or forged papers.” This statement by Soodalter shows the full force of slavery in the United States and how effortless it is for people to be enslaved in our own country. All of these enslaved people could be working as farm hands, factory laborers, restaurant workers, or construction workers. Nonetheless, the number of human trafficking and slavery cases solved in the U.S. staggers at only less than 1%, and of those that are convicted for human trafficking receive an average sentence of 9 years. This meager percentage and year for those prosecuted shows the lack of enforcement of our own government on slavery (Soodalter, 2010).
After reading this article, I am extremely ashamed of my own country and our stance on slavery as a society. We pride ourselves as a country that puts the freedom of our own people as a high priority. Yet, our own government barely even bats an eyelid over the current state of slavery in our country. It feels as though the line “with liberty and justice for all” has lost some of its significance as our government continues to idly watch as all of this is happening. The fact that every year 14,500 to 17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked into the United States is astonishing. This number does not even include Americans that have been enslaved per year, and yet that number is still nine to eleven times more than the whole population of Wardsville. The concepts that slavery and human trafficking still exists is revolting. After years of physical battles and legislative battles, our country’s stance on slavery is no better off than it was in the 1800s. Yet, as the days flow from one to the other the total number of those illegally enslaved increases within the shadow of our own government's ignorance, and our notion of freedom gradually erodes.
in bondage worldwide, it is the second or third most lucrative criminal enterprise of our time, after drugs, and maybe guns. More than twice as many people are in bondage in the world today as were taken in chains during the entire 350 years of the African Slave Trade.” This statement by Soodalter demonstrates that slavery is more extensive than the widely publicized drug and gun trades.
Many of us will contribute this steep number of those in bondage due in part to third world countries, emerging nations, and refugees. Yet, slavery exists in the more established countries such as France, Spain, Greece, China, and Italy. Among that lengthy list of countries lies the United States, and yet most of us are clueless to its existence. Soodalter presents that fact that slavery has existed since the discovery of the “New World” by Christopher Columbus, and has continued beyond the Civil War into the Civil Rights Era and right into the present day. With the global population increasing every year and the collapse of national borders around the world, people in desperation to survive have become obvious targets for human traffickers. In their search for sanctuary, United States has become a prime destination. “According to a U.S. State Department study, some 14,500 to 17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked into the United States from at least 35 countries and enslaved each
year. Some victims are smuggled into the United States across the Mexican and Canadian borders; others arrive at our major airports daily, carrying either real or forged papers.” This statement by Soodalter shows the full force of slavery in the United States and how effortless it is for people to be enslaved in our own country. All of these enslaved people could be working as farm hands, factory laborers, restaurant workers, or construction workers. Nonetheless, the number of human trafficking and slavery cases solved in the U.S. staggers at only less than 1%, and of those that are convicted for human trafficking receive an average sentence of 9 years. This meager percentage and year for those prosecuted shows the lack of enforcement of our own government on slavery (Soodalter, 2010).
After reading this article, I am extremely ashamed of my own country and our stance on slavery as a society. We pride ourselves as a country that puts the freedom of our own people as a high priority. Yet, our own government barely even bats an eyelid over the current state of slavery in our country. It feels as though the line “with liberty and justice for all” has lost some of its significance as our government continues to idly watch as all of this is happening. The fact that every year 14,500 to 17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked into the United States is astonishing. This number does not even include Americans that have been enslaved per year, and yet that number is still nine to eleven times more than the whole population of Wardsville. The concepts that slavery and human trafficking still exists is revolting. After years of physical battles and legislative battles, our country’s stance on slavery is no better off than it was in the 1800s. Yet, as the days flow from one to the other the total number of those illegally enslaved increases within the shadow of our own government's ignorance, and our notion of freedom gradually erodes.