Thoughts on the 50th Anniversary of the "I Have a Dream" Speech by Martin Luther King

I woke up to the news playing excerpts from the speech by Martin Luther King and throughout the day I reflected on his words in the perspective of our work on human trafficking. He wrote about prostitution and forced labor many years before we ever passed laws using the term human trafficking, as he described slavery and servitude when speaking of the people who would now be identified as human trafficking victims 50 years later.

I always say a good leader is one who you know what he or she would do even if they are not there to ask. In this case I think if Rev. King would have been allowed to live he would be one of “us”- a human trafficking advocate.

He would not wait for nor ask for permission or a title. He would speak loudly and boldly about the condition of human slavery and urge others to not blindly accept such cruelty and torture.

I thought about things I knew inherently that were wrong in the late 60’s and early 70’s when we were  focused on the discussion of human and civil rights. There were so many assignations, riots, and distress- very scary for an elementary aged child.

In 2007 as I started my work with human trafficking, I was so fortunate to meet the daughter of Medgar Evers. I knew of his murder even as a child and of course again as I studied Sociology in college. I was so honored when his daughter asked to meet me, not long after I met the direct descendant of Frederick Douglass, another hero of mine from history. His descendant is working to educate school children about historical slavery and modern slavery, an inoculation for children who could be future targets for the exploitation and servitude that many of our children are falling prey too.

I think of Harriet Tubman who once commented upon being praised at the number of slaves she saved in the Underground Railroad. She stated she could have saved more if they had only known they were slaves. I so often think that in my work today.

When I hear the words of Martin Luther King today –“ To make real the promises of democracy…” I think of the fact that we have not made real the promises of justice for the victims of human trafficking especially when "johns" are rarely arrested but prostituted victims are.

We need the Fierce Urgency of NOW to stop the sale of children and victims for commercial sex.

When the mayor of Houston fails to make a zero tolarance policy to arrest commercial sex buyers of children we are failing our children.
When pimps are released because they are considered "non violent" criminals, we have failed all those that they beat, raped, tortured, and created an ongoing climate of fear, and to exploit their victim's hopes, fears, and dreams for their own greed and profit.

We cannot be satisfied with the results after 13 years of human trafficking laws when there are just over 100 convictions federally for human trafficking, and the limit of 5,000 T-visas a year is not even half way met.

We cannot be satisfied when former pro athletes admit to purchasing sex with a minor and receive a plea bargain for a misdemeanor.

We cannot be satisfied when a 13 year old is prosecuted all the way to the Texas Supreme court for prostitution while the 32 year old man with her is never investigated.

We cannot be satisfied when 11 souls were murdered and dismembered on Long Island and the people who forced them into and benefited from their exploitation are not punished for their role in these deaths.

We cannot be satisfied when web sites like Backpage have advertisements of murdered victims still active long after her murder.

We cannot be satisfied when the 4 year old daughter of the murdered victims grows up in world that did not protect her mother or commend her for the hero that her mother was – she was forced to prostitute because she was protecting her young child.

We cannot be satisfied when tens of thousands of victims of trafficking enter the US everyday yet only dozens are rescued and served daily.

We cannot be satisfied when land owners benefit from prostitution and are not punished.
We cannot be satisfied when our youth are being targeted on High school and college campuses by sex traffickers.

We cannot be satisfied when the demand for commercial sex is such that a recent research project failed to find 100 men who did not buy commercial sex.

We cannot be satisfied when loving spouses and girlfriends are unknowingly exposed to life ending sexually transmitted diseases due to their partners secret lives.

We cannot be satisfied when children are born due to trafficking and rape, and we as a community are exiling them within society.

I have a dream and hope that one day this nation will rise up and say we cannot and will not allow anyone to be sold for 15 minutes, an hour, or a lifetime. That all men and women are created equal and that we will provide equal justice and protection under the law.

I hope that the people who benefit from commercial sexual exploitation and exploited labor will no longer be allowed to excel in our society, that justice and shame will be the cost that any exploiter must pay for their crimes.

If you are lost in your freedom for a direction or understanding please learn from a victim of trafficking. 

The victims will show you how precious the gift is that Frederick Doulgass, Medgar Evers, Harriett Tubman and Martin Luther King, and those working with them, have given to us. It is a beautiful gift that comes with a responsibility to protect those who do not yet have the benefit of equality, justice and freedom. 

Do not ask what will happen to you if you stop to help a victim of trafficking but what will happen to them if you do not help them?

Please help the victims be free at last,free at last, my God Almighty, Free at last!!!