Abolition

" The difference between a welfare state and a totalitarian state is a matter of time"

Ayn Rand

While reading a movie review of "Amazing Grace" in The Week magazine I also read their related story regarding the history of slavery beyond the United Kingdom. To put an evil institution like legalized slavery into perspective we need to be aware of the time line related to the abolition of slavery:

1807 - the slave trade was abolished in the United Kingdom

1833 - slavery (not slave trading) was abolished in the British colonies but replaced with Indian "indentured labor" (just another form of slavery if you ask me)

1848 - France abolished slavery

1865 - the USA abolished slavery

1886 - Cuba (a Spanish colony at the time) abolished slavery

1888 - Brazil abolished slavery

1962 - Saudi Arabia abolished slavery

So it has only been 45 years since Saudi Arabia abolished slavery -- the parallels to the the Old South in the USA are interesting. Like the Old South Saudi Arabia is a "one crop economy" - oil instead of tobacco which is not a sustainable model.

For all my readers who feel the USA is a "slave" to countries like Saudi Arabia due to our oil consumption levels I say -- USE MORE OIL -- because the faster we use it up the faster alternative energy sources will be developed.

Todd

Inalienable Rights

Since "social studies" not "history" is taught in most public schools in the USA most students never learn that in Thomas Jefferson's first draft of the Declaration of Independence the original phrase he wrote regarding our inalienable rights was -- "life, liberty, and property." As the story goes Benjamin Franklin counseled Jefferson to change it to what we know today as - -"life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" -- clearly understandable since Mr. Franklin thoroughly enjoyed daily life.

So let's focus on the word that was replaced -- PROPERTY -- which today can be real like land or intangible like a computer software program but in my opinion the ultimate property right if your personal freedom and the avoidance of slavery. As I have stated here before the USA's Founding Fathers made VERY few mistakes as they crafted our Constitution but one major mistake they made was to allow slavery to continue to exist in the USA once it was free of the British Empire.

I was reminded of this historic debate over slavery recently after reading Nicolas Kristof's syndicated New York Times column, "'Human trafficking' is a euphemism; the real issue is slavery." Kristof's column focused on an organization known as Apne Aap which was founded by a former Indian (from India not a "Native American") journalist named Ruchira Gupta. Apne Aap (www.apneaap.org) is focused on liberating women/young girls who have been forced into prostitution in Indian brothels.

Personally I am glad the world has activists like Mr. Gupta since evil like sexual slavery MUST be eliminated in our lifetimes. Granted I have NO love for the United Nations but perhaps they could serve ONE purpose in the world -- working to guarantee that our most valuable property (our personal freedom) is protected from slavery. The U.N. should start such a campaign by expelling any member-states who allow sexual slavery to exist within their boundaries. This would help make this violation of human rights more transparent and would assist law enforcement agencies focus their efforts to stop human trafficking.

No doubt I offer an over simplistic solution but at least I am adding to this global debate with the hope readers will add to the momentum.

Live free or die,

Todd