Thanks to Sister Joann Marie for sending this our way:
The United Nations established the International Day for Abolition of Slavery in 1949. This day, observed on December 2 each year, was established as a means of commemorating efforts to abolish all forms of slavery throughout the world. We know that there are millions of people living in a state of servitude in all corners of the world today - most of whom are women and children.
The Frederick Douglass Family Foundation (FDFF) is pooling efforts among those who work against slavery today. Click here to sign up to receive e-mail updates about the work of FDFF toward observing December 2 this year.
The myriad forms of modern day slavery are so prevalent yet we often remain unaware of them. The obvious ones are hard to ignore, but the subtle ones are easy to not see. More and more of our everyday economy is dependent on exploited labor. It is a really scary phenomenon. I've often heard the expression that someone works for "slave wages," but I am growing more and more concerned about the vast number of people right here in the U.S. who are working -- right in front of our eyes -- under "slave conditions." It's such a moral challenge, yet there is not a single prong solution because these people have families whom they are trying to support and they will work hard, long, and under difficult circumstances to do so. I'd really like to see a forum started (or expanded) in which there can be discussion about the best ways to respond to this reality without harming the workers (meaning without them losing their jobs or them being further exploited).
ReplyDeleteI am not sure where or when that could take place, but I am guessing that it is a conversation in which many would be interested in participating.