Slavery needs to end

To the editor:

There are 27 million slaves worldwide right now. Out of the 6 trillion people who currently reside on Planet Earth, that’s less than 1 percent. When people hear the percentage, it doesn’t seem like that much. It doesn’t seem like a big deal. But we are talking about 27 million human beings — living and breathing people — who do not have a choice, do not have basic human rights. Slavery is illegal in every country though it occurs almost everywhere, including the United States. Governments over the world are aware of this monstrous dilemma. They say that poverty is the real culprit. When the poverty crisis is solved, they claim slavery will demolish itself.

We cannot wait for the poverty crisis to be solved before we start counting the millions of lives that have been sacrificed in the name of slavery. There are organizations you can join to help stop this shocking abuse, like CAST (Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking) and “Free the Slaves.” Volunteering your time, donating some money, and even signing your name to an organization saying that you support what they are doing is a great way to help cease the violence. There are more slaves right now than there have ever been before in world history. By reaching out and learning more, you could be saving someone’s life.

Mandy Pershing

Willow