Another Disturbing Number

In my last blog entry I remarked on the number of babies aborted in the United States versus the number of troops killed so far in the Iraqi War. But there is another number, and it is almost even on par with the horror of the number of babies killed each year in the United States. It is the number of people smuggled into the United States to serve in this country as slaves.

Yes ... you heard me right ... as slaves. It is estimated by our government that between 18,000 and 20,000 men, women, and children are brought across U.S. borders every year to serve in slavery of one kind or another. Many of them, especially the women and children, end up serving as sex slaves. It is reported to be a business that tops a billion dollars a year.

We aren't talking about some uncivilized third world nation, or some despotic regime, we are talking about right here in the good ole U. S. of A. It gives a whole new meaning to "Bring me your tired, your weary, your huddled masses yearning to be free..." Freedom? For you and me but not for the nearly 20,000 slaves who are in bondage within the borders of our own nation! And think dear friend, that is 20,000 a year! This year! Last year, the year before and the year before that!

Other than abortion, I can think of few things that creates such a moral revulsion in me than the idea that people are being kept as slaves in the country I love and served. It is horrific that 20,000 people a year are smuggled into the U.S. to be slaves. But one would be one too many. Even one ought to create the same outrage in us.

We Christians have been the voice of the unborn, speaking for them, trying to bring as end to the onslaught of abortion. We need to find our voices to speak for those who have no will of their own but live to serve the wills of other people. It is not only our duty as Christians, it is our duty as human beings.