Taken and Trade(d)

Just because you choose not to see
does not mean it's not there.
Just because you cover your ears or
look the other way, does not alter reality one bit.

And reality is this:
Slavery is worse (and more widespread) today than it ever was before in history... even during the peak of African slave trading a few hundred years ago.
And it has nothing to do with race.

Women, teenagers, children, even young boys -- of every race, color, and nationality -- are being forced into the sex trade industry every day.
But most of us choose to look the other way.

Worldwide estimates for human trafficking are near the 4,000,000 person mark.
Four MILLION people who are being abducted, or traded for drugs or money, and who are now trapped in a living nightmare from which they cannot escape.
4 Million.
If we're not seeing it, it's because we're not looking.

We don't want to know.
It's not convenient for us to know.
We'd rather sit in our safe, middle class, comfort zones and stress about things like gas prices and whether or not we can afford a trip to Disney World. We follow celebrity stories on E or online, hungry for the drama therein; meanwhile, real drama is going on right in our own town, perhaps even right down the street.

To refuse to see or know that human trafficking is taking place makes us, on some level, complicit in the crime itself. I'm not saying that you have to become the next James Bond or join the CIA, but there are things we can ALL do to help bring justice and freedom to these victims of slavery. There are organizations like CYRUS, INT'L and A21 which you can join & support and through which you can educate yourself.

I challenge you to open your eyes and see what is going on right in front of you.
Rent these 2 movies: TAKEN (staring Liam Neeson) and TRADE (starring Kevin Klein).
Take a stand.
Raise awareness.
There's a new abolition movement and it's going to take every ounce of humanity for it to succeed.
Watch these movies & talk about them with your family and your friends.

I dare you.


*Please note: the two films mentioned above are very disturbing and (especially Trade) are very graphic. Even so, they are important films and need to be seen. Do not watch them with children present.

Carole has written an amazing post about this topic over at her blog: Check it out

Boo! Hiss!

There's something wrong with this picture...

Warner Bros.' new horror movie Orphan proclaims that:
"It must be hard to love an adopted child as much as your own."

I beg your pardon?

Let me get this straight: in this age of over-zealous, political correctness, it's not ok to bash any group of people EXCEPT... oh, let's say, a child who has lost both parents?
In a time when orphanages are overrun and the foster care system busting at the seams, Hollywood thinks it's perfectly acceptable to paint orphans as little sociopaths waiting to destroy your family.
Nice.
Oh, it's a horror film all right.
I'm horrified that this movie even made it into production.

Hey, while we're at it, why don't we go ahead and make fun of the children starving in Ethiopia, too? I mean, there's gotta be some good fodder there, right?
Really, what makes them -- what made ANYONE who approved this movie, at any level -- think this was acceptable?
And why would we, who know and love many former orphans, support such rubbish at the expense of children?
I have several friends (like Carole)who have adopted and whom I admire greatly for doing so. Their adoption experiences have been nothing short of amazing. This film is an insult to them and everything they hold dear.

Yeah, yeah... I know... this isn't the first movie to take a swipe at orphans or to make light of psychopathy in children.

It's just "make believe;" what's the big deal?

The big deal is this:
Unless you are willing to step up and actually DO something productive to help the people you mean to exploit, then you really should keep your labels to yourself. We don't really need another horror flick, but millions of children really do need a home.

The ONLY thing this movie will accomplish is to hurt the adoption and foster care programs.
Those prospective parents who have lingering doubts about adoption will leave this film convinced that adopting is not for them.
Meanwhile, as the movie's execs sit around counting their millions, 145 million children will go to bed tonight without a real home and without a family.
145 MILLION!

I've got news for Hollywood; that's NOT entertainment.

If you feel the same, then I urge you to please visit:

ORPHANS DESERVE BETTER

Happy SWEET 16 Nadia!! <3 <3 <3

I can't believe I have a 16-year old~! How did that happen??

It seems like yesterday that THIS PICTURE was taken:

Happy Birthday to my intelligent, beautiful, sweet 16 year old -- Nadia!

I Love You!

If You Are Like Me...

Then you like to have a little extra spending money.

Or, you do things to help make ends meet from time to time...
Like sell on eBay. Or Etsy.

Maybe you sell your children's outgrown clothing through a consignment shop.
Or perhaps you make homemade items for children (baby blankets, bibs, toys, dresses...) and sell them online or locally.

If you are like me, you absolutely MUST read THIS.

The implications of CPSIA are enormous and far-reaching:

Whether you run a small, mom & pop retail store, a consignment shop, a children's toy shop or bookstore, or even if you just make cute, homemade items (like baby blankets, or dolls, or pacifiers!) to sell or give away, this affects you.

You can no longer make & sell or distribute ANY items for children (even items made before this legislation takes affect) without first testing EACH and EVERY batch for lead and phthalates!
If you own a bookstore or toy store, each and every batch of each item must be tested.

"According to the actual scope and wording of this bill (H.R.4040), as of Feb. 10, 2009, all products made and/or marketed to children under the age of 12 will have to comply with mandatory lead and phthalates testing for each component of each product they sell or face felony charges and hefty fines."

Look, I am wanting tougher laws and safety standards
to protect our children, too.
But let's face it, it's not the "mom & pop" stores
that are poisoning our children!
And it's not the corner children's bookshop or
that granny knitting blankets, either.
It's IMPORTED, CHEAP, Poorly-made goods from countries like
CHINA
that are causing the alarm and this subsequent (and extreme!) backlash.

Maybe you think I am just being a "Chicken Little," but if we do not stand up and fight this -- make our voices heard -- we stand to lose a lot. Many small businesses will disappear from the American landscape. What happened to freedom and independence??

Our country is already in an economic crisis and they want to further LIMIT the average American's ability to make money and pay bills? Does that make any sense to you?

Our landfills are already overflowing and have become a serious problem, and they want to DUMP all this perfectly good clothing and books and toys into the ground to rot? What a waste.

If even charitable organizations are held liable for the items they GIVE AWAY, will charity as we know it, cease to exist???

What will happen to stores like Salvation Army and Goodwill and America's Thrift -- where MOST of the clothing of lower income family children is purchased?

These are important questions & if you are like me, you want answers NOW.

Go HERE to read more.
And HERE.

What Kind of World Do You Want?

You need to watch this video. Make sure your speakers are ON.

http://www.whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com/videos/view/id/408214