by Jill Zuckman
Saying "evil still exists in the world," Sen. John McCain takes on the scourge of human trafficking today at a town hall meeting in Michigan, 201 years after the abolition of the British and American slave trade.
"Inexcusably, it is a crime that, while prevalent elsewhere, exists within our own borders as well," McCain will say, according to prepared remarks. "Human trafficking - slavery, by another name - exists not just in places like Thailand, Kuwait and Venezuela. It is a serious problem here in the United States."
According to a State Department report, McCain will cite, 15,000 to 18,000 human slaves are brought into the U.S. every year. The Democratic National Committee notes that McCain opposed a $200,000 earmark to support a conference on human trafficking at the University of Hawaii in a 2001 appropriations bill and suggested it was of "questionable" value in advancing American foreign policy.
McCain will pledge to pressure governments that tolerate human slavery to crack down on them and to identify and destroy criminal networks that engage in trafficking. He is also expected to promise that as president, he will make religious freedom a matter of importance in U.S. relations with foreign countries. Finally, McCain will propose to knock down barriers between federal and state governments to ease the pursuit and prosecution of child predators.
"We must remember that our freedoms are not only defended by our diplomacy and military power but, very importantly, by the decency and respect with which we treat one another, and by our belief that as we our dignity is entitled to respect so are we obliged to respect and defend the dignity of others," McCain is expected to say.
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Comments
Thank you, McCain.
Posted by: MJ | May 7, 2008 6:59 AM
The problem is much more widespread than anybody realizes and I'm glad a presidential candidate is addressing it. Particularly immigrants from the former Soviet Union are particularly exploited in slavery schemes that end up bringing them to the United States. Google the name "Alex Mishulovich" if you don't believe me.
http://gvnet.com/humantrafficking/Russia.htm
Posted by: Jeff | May 7, 2008 8:31 AM
As is always.....McBush can pick an issue, it's just how he plans to handle it. Will he call for a summer holiday on "trafficking"?
Posted by: bill r. | May 7, 2008 8:49 AM
Bill R-
McCain's response to the human trafficking is obvious.
Bomb Bomb Bomb Iran.
It's his response to every issue.
Posted by: Michael | May 7, 2008 9:14 AM
What bold and decisive leadership!!!! It's 2008 and he has the stones to say that slavery is wrong!!! WOW
Posted by: jackson | May 7, 2008 10:42 AM
Human trafficking is disgusting! If you really want to know about it, there was a movie released in 2005 called Human Trafficking. It openened my eyes about the evil that exists in this world. Was a shocking paralyzing movie based on a true story. This movie was as shocking as American History X. Its a must see.
America needs to get discusted with the Slavery of its past also.
Posted by: Keith Lifetime Southsider | May 7, 2008 10:48 AM
What bold and decisive leadership!!!! It's 2008 and he has the stones to say that slavery is wrong!!! WOW
Posted by: jackson | May 7, 2008 10:42 AM
LOL! My thoughts exactly.
This just in: Maverick McCain strongly denounces spoiled milk, calling it yucky and possibly harmful, and urges nation to refrigerate.
Posted by: a blinkin | May 7, 2008 11:11 AM
Leave it to the classless left to make light of a problem that robs millions of people of their rights in the developing world every day. Lack of class Jackson and A Blinkin wouldn't be making light of it if they knew what the survivors of modern human trafficking have endured or the thousands of people that haven't survived it, period. 18,000 people are brought into this country as slaves every year but A Blinkin, Bill. R and Classless Jackson think it's more important to make politically-motivated attacks on McCain than to recognize the severity of the problem.
Bill, your reading comprehension is getting bad in your old age. You missed the paragraph that outlines EXACTLY what McCain would do to stop it as President, including this: "identify and destroy criminal networks that engage in trafficking."
Posted by: Jeff | May 7, 2008 11:59 AM
McCain's party has had 8 years to do something about human trafficking. They have done nothing. Just like they have done nothing to secure our borders, ports, nuclear plants, infrastructure. Just like they have not rebuilt New Orleans or the World Trade Center. Just like they have not rebuilt our budget surplus. Let's face it, Republican leadership is the epitome of no-nothing! Oh except start wars.
Posted by: Paul | May 7, 2008 12:15 PM
Leave it to the pandering right to use every issue as a reason for votes. Gas holiday....Brilliant! Next will be bad body waxing and painful hair removal. Thank god McBush isn't...what was the word you used Jeff? oh yeah..politically motivated. I am definately getting old, but I can tell you that of the top 10-20 issues in America...this doesn't top the list. But it sounds good. I just have trouble with someone willing to continue this war that takes our young men and womens lives, and think he is truly worried about this.
Posted by: bill r. | May 7, 2008 12:27 PM
Clueless Jeff,
You think that McCain stating he would "identify and destroy criminal networks that engage in trafficking" is a novel idea??? He would only be doing what every single President is required to do. Uphold and protect the Constitution of the United States of America. There's an Amendment that outlaws slavery. Any President who does not "identify and destroy criminal networks that engage in trafficking" would be guilty of deriliction of duty. How can you fall for such an empty statement from McCain?
Posted by: jackson | May 7, 2008 1:23 PM