Realizing the Dream: Will Obama End Slavery?

A lot of comparisons are being drawn between Barack Obama and Martin Luther King Jr., namely that Obama is the "dream realized", fulfilling the hope Dr. King had for equality of opportunity for African Americans in America.  But what isn't being discussed as much is the root of the legacy of racial inequality, slavery, and how Obama can end the part of that legacy which still plagues us, human trafficking.  Some people see Barack Obama's election as the ultimate triumph over historical slavery; could it be the ultimate triumph over modern slavery as well?

Too often, the modern abolitionist community fails to recognize that ours is not the first abolitionist movement in America.  You'll see some abolitionists from the past featured every Monday here on this blog, but for the most part, we consider historical and modern slavery to be two very different phenomenon.  But are they?

Barack Obama's election is certainly a victory for overcoming the racism which fuels and is fueled by slavery.  But modern slavery is still fueled by racism, even though people of many races are both traffickers and trafficking victims.  It is the "otherness" we assign to people not of our race which allows us to ignore their suffering, which allows traffickers to enslave.

Obama's election was also an economic victory.  He is a man who came from modest means, who was not born into a political or economic dynasty.  He is an example of the American possibility of thriving despite the economic disadvantages many African-Americans, both immigrants and slave descendants, have faced.   Modern-day slaves too face economic disadvantages which lure them in to trafficking situations and keep them there.

If the Obama Administration were the ones to nail the final nail in the coffin of slavery, it would be another beautiful symbol of the dream realized.  Some people will argue that Obama is just one man, and 27 million slaves trapped in a multi-billion dollar industry is too big for one man.  I would argue that the quasi-magical quality of Obama is that his ability to mobilize and focus people is so strong and unique, it makes him more than just one man.  If Obama leads America to end slavery in his administration, he will be millions of men and women.  And with millions of people working for freedom around the world, well, that's a dream I think we can all realize.

Image by Ben Heine, available on his website here.