Okay I need about thirty guys with big guns and bikes...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/mexicocrimeprostitutionchild, I want you to read it and then get very angry. Now I have written dozens of articles in the past about children and young adults being forced into prostitution here in the US. Over the years a lot has been done to halt this horrendous practice. (Not nearly enough, but at least folks are trying.) We actually have some very powerful laws on the books now to help with this tragedy. Now I read this article and I understand that we still have a lot to do.

Now I hear a lot of you saying, "That's not our country. We shouldn't get involved because it is none of our business. Don't we have enough troubles at home with a recession and three foreign wars going on?" The only one of those questions that I deem worthy of a friendly response is the last one. Yes, we do have serious problems going on here at home. Yes we are committed (Apt word that) to three wars that are draining our resources and getting our people killed. I will respond to that part later. Let's handle the first ones first.

"Its not our country." Yep, okay you got me on that one. Mexico and the rest of Central America is not our country. We are global neighbors and somewhat allies with most of the parts of CA, but it isn't part of the US. "We shouldn't get involved because it is none of our business." Reminds me of that wonderful scene from A Christmas Carol where Scrooge compliments Marley for being good at business and Marley moans, "Mankind was my business!" It shouldn't matter where it happens or who it happens to when children are horribly abused. Mexico or Mars, it should always be our business.

People might point out that we have no right forcing our ideas onto other people, other cultures. The problem with that line of thought is this. We aren't talking about a difference in politics or even philosophy. What is happening to these children is wrong, even illegal there. If it weren't wrong by their standards you wouldn't get such amazing quotes as ""Yes, there's people trafficking but not in an alarming manner," Mendez admitted in his office in the border town of Tapachula.
"There is a lot of prostitution, particularly of minors."

A lot of people will tell you that "Wrong is just wrong" for pretty much every single moral, political and even religious argument in the world. I don't necessarily agree with that idea. I believe that many of the ideas/concepts/beliefs that each group considers to be set in stone or absolute are purely cultural and situational. (Hmm, maybe grounds for another blog one day) However, if we are to survive as a race, our first priority must be the protection of our children. What is happening in CA and other parts of the world is wrong and its time someone did something about it.

Unlike a lot of naysayers, I look at the human race and I see so much potential. We have the capacity to grow beyond ourselves and walk amongst the stars (Figuratively and literally) if only we try hard enough. But if we are going to be worthy of this, we have to stand up for ourselves and our fellows. To paraphrase a great TV show's main tag line, "Save the children, Save the world." Any volunteers?