Call + Response

I went and saw a very interesting "rockumentary" tonight at the Living Room Theaters here in Portland. It is called Call + Response and it is all about slavery and human trafficking happening in the world today. In a similar fashion to the documentary Invisible Children, this film highlighted the horrors occurring around the world, and more shockingly in our own cities, with slavery and sex trafficking. It is the kind of thing that first shocks you, and then outrages you. The fact that children, as young as 3, are being sold to brothels. Not to mention that everyday products like coffee, chocolate, cell phones (the mineral required to make a cell phone function is often mined by slaves) and cotton -- are often produced at the expense of using slaves somewhere.

I recommend you see this film if you have the opportunity. You can access the Call + Response website here for schedules of when and where it is being shown. As far as I can tell it isn't everywhere, but at the very least you can check out the website to learn more. Also, take a minute to pray for the thousands of people enslaved throughout the world. From Eastern Europe, to Amsterdam, to Cambodia, to Portland.... please say a prayer, or multiple prayers, for these people.

I am challenged to rethink the action I take in my life. I must do what I can to decrease the demand for goods ultimately produced out of slavery. My roommate and I had a discussion about how you do that, and I'm certain it's not easy because no one advertises that a 6 year old child made your shirt. However I agree with what was said in the film that we have an obligation to take action, that the abolitionist movement is not history, rather it must continue today.

According to the CIA, more than 17,500 people are being trafficked into the U.S. every year.

Over 1/3 of all prostitutes in South and East Asia are children.

Wow.

I could go on and on and on about it, and be forewarned I might in a later post, but I wanted to lastly mention why this film is called a "rockumentary" . The producer (I believe he produced it) is a musician who met some girls when he was touring in Eastern Europe. After talking with them, he came to find out that they were about to be sold into slavery, they had been told they were going to get to travel the world. He decided he had an obligation to do something and because he's a musician he decided to use that as his avenue. He filmed numerous bands and artists singing about slavery, interviewed political figures, journalists, professors and international justice experts and most significantly freed slaves. He put it together to make an excellent "rockumentary".