Slavery in the 21st Century
Slavery has been around as long as there have been wars. Men would take prisoners as spoils of war and when help was hard-to-find these prisoners were used as slave labor. Slavery in the United States began when pirates began selling their captives to the people in the states who needed laborers. After the Pirates began to die out the English took up the slave trade. The English would load up their ships with cargo from England and sail to west Africa. There they would trade their cargo for the prisoners that the tribes have captured. Then they would take the prisoners and strap them into the hold of their ships and sail for the new land, selling prisoners there. It was a rough trip for the prisoners many died during the voyage. The captains just considered it part of the cost of doing business.
One of the best-known ship captains of the time was John Newton. Newton spent most of his life sea. One night there was a bad storm and Newton thought he was going to lose everything. He prayed to God that night and God save him and Newton became a Christian. After that he started treating slaves better. When Newton got older he gave up his sailing and retired in England. He started preaching and started writing hymns. His most famous hymn is “Amazing Grace”.
Once the industrial age started in the United States there was not so much need for slavery, so the North started giving up their slaves. The South still had huge plantations and needed the slaves to get their crops in. Slavery in the United States finally ended after the Civil War with the emancipation proclamation, which was ratified on January 1, 1863. Most of the slaves, when they were freed, left the plantations and tried to make a life of their own. Because most had no education, they had a terrible time trying to survive. Many died of starvation, and from the elements. The United States tried to help but with around 4 million slaves now free it was a massive undertaking. It wasn't until the 1960s that the black people finally started becoming equal to the whites.
Now in the 21st century there is a new kind of slavery. Young boys and girls, mostly girls who find it difficult to live at home, decide it would be better to live on the streets. They soon find out the streets are very rough. Some of the kids band together and find an empty building to live in. Because of their age they can't get work so the only way they can get money is to sell themselves. Then they start taking drugs to forget and pretty soon there hooked. Then they need more money for their habits so they go into pornography.
There are other kids who are found by pimps at bus stations and train stations. The pimps make friends with the kids, offer to buy them a meal, and offer them a clean place to sleep. Then they start buying the kids clothes. When the pimps get the trust of the kids, they talk the kids into going to bed with them. Then they start bringing friends over and make the kids go to bed with them. Before long they are put out in the street and told they have to make so much money or get beaten. The kids stay because they are afraid and because they have nowhere else to go. Sometimes they are sold to other pimps. Sometimes they are forced into pornography. When they get too old there thrown out in the street like trash. Other kids are kidnapped and forced into pornography and prostitution. Some of the girls are sold to sheiks who love white girls and want them in their harems.
In most of the major cities there are places that would take these kids in and help them. Some are run by the state and some are run by Christian organizations. Some of these lost kids find their way to the shelter and they get help. Because of the nature of drugs, and their feeling of worthlessness, some have to get clean many times before they can truly kick a habit. Also if the kids don't learn a trade they go right back into their lives of drugs and prostitution.
The Christian organizations also provide a God they can hang onto, that loves them and will help them through anything, and that, in my opinion, can make the difference.
The saddest part about this whole thing is the innocent babies that these young girls are having because of unprotected sex. A lot of these mothers are still teenagers and can't take care of themselves let alone a little baby so the baby suffers and quite often they baby dies because of neglect. Many of these babies are
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