Chris Jepson: Slavery exists in America today

“You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know.” ― William Wilberforce

Sen. Howard Baker posed a great question during the 1973 Watergate hearings by asking, “What did the president know and when did he know it?" The query is applicable to how we live our lives today. It’s one thing to be ignorant because you know nothing, it’s quite another to know yet do nothing.

I’ve taught history over the years and am always intrigued with the subject of American slavery. Prior to the Civil War, proponents of slavery would justify it by citing the many historical examples of slavery through the ages. We’ve documented records of slavery as far back as the Hammurabi Code (1750 B.C.). The Bible rather—ho-hum—matter-of-factly details specifics of the practice even down to instructing (in Genesis17: 12) that, “He that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised.”

An early critic of slavery includes the stoic philosopher Epictetus who argued for humane treatment of slaves as well as suggesting there was an actual negative impact on Roman society. It wasn’t until the mid 18th century, however, when a small but vocal movement started in England publicly declaring their opposition to slavery, that it was morally wrong to enslave others.

In America during this period you had a split within the Baptist Church over slavery and, as a result, you saw the organization of the pro-slavery Southern Baptist Church. My point here, to use Howard Baker’s question is, “When did you know the institution of slavery was immoral?” It is one thing to argue (live) ignorantly because you have not been exposed to opposing ideas yet quite another to continue doing so when you have. No one in 1815 America could claim they had no idea that slavery was being challenged as immoral. As British abolitionist William Wilberforce observed, “You can never say again that you did not know.”

A sorrowful fact of our times is that there are more slaves today worldwide than there were in 1860 America. You might quite legitimately ask, “How can this be? How in the 21st century, can slavery be practiced let alone be a growing concern?” The March 14, 2015 edition of The Economist reported that, “The International Labour Organisation, an arm of the UN, puts the global total at around 21 million, with 5 million in the sex trade.”

Andrew Cockburn of the National Geographic Magazine writes, “There are more slaves today than were seized from Africa in four centuries of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The modern commerce in humans rivals illegal drug trafficking in its global reach—and in the destruction of lives.”

So that you may see (and bear witness to) the depth and breadth of the misery of modern slavery, I greatly encourage your attendance at a Thursday, May 7, 7 to 8:30 p.m. community forum on “The Human Trafficking Crisis.” It is presented by the American Association of University Women and will feature Emily Pasnak-Lapchick, UNICEF program officer. It will be held at the Winter Park University Club (841 N. Park Ave.). Tickets are $5.

I close with the poignant and so timely words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “These are the woes of slaves; They glare from the abyss; They cry, from unknown graves, ‘We are the Witnesses!’”

So, too are we. Now what? Please attend May 7.