On Sunday, a group of people held a march against human trafficking through a farmer’s market in Los Angeles. Some of the vendors were not appreciative of the move and reacted with vitriol. Some accused the protestors of being fascists and told them to stop shooting children, apparently a reference to Second Amendment debates. The Post Millennial had Andy Go’s tweet about the incident:
At an anti-child sex abuse protest in Hollywood, Los Angeles on Sunday, a leftist woman became irate and attacked videographer @fromkalen. She bizarrely accuses the protesters of “shooting” kids. pic.twitter.com/d7dtbmZbKU
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) February 6, 2023
The march was organized by a man named Mark Perez. Kalen D’Almeida, who is a reporter for Frontlines, told the Millennial, “Raising awareness about child sex abuse and trafficking should not be a partisan issue. I think it’s a noble cause that every American should be able to rally for and fight to protect children. Anyone who takes issue with this rally and it’s (sic) cause is an enemy of God, the US and most importantly, every child in this country.”
Related: Biden’s FCC Pick Is Part of Group Opposed to Anti-Human Trafficking Laws
True, but one wonders what the motivation of the marchers was here. Many anti-trafficking demonstrations have been accused by the media of being linked to QANon. A September 2020 Vox article accused groups of using #SaveTheChildren to co-opt the issue of human trafficking as cover for spreading right-wing, pro-Trump ideology. Author Anna North wrote:
The QAnon movement — a growing network of conspiracy theories involving a supposed war between President Trump and a shadowy cabal of powerful liberals sometimes known as the “deep state” — got its start on message boards in 2017. It then gained followers on mainstream social networks like Facebook, and eventually garnered the support of far-right congressional candidates, and even Trump himself. And in the past year, the network has amplified and promoted the seemingly innocuous #SaveTheChildren to gain greater reach, and spread fear and suspicion around Democrats as well as support for Trump, as the election approaches.
The Huffington Post ran a story in August of 2020 about a similar demonstration in Los Angeles. It also accused the participants of using the issue of human trafficking as a Trojan Horse for conspiracy theories. I remember listening to a podcast in which a left-wing journalist attacked Tim Ballard and Operation Underground Railroad, primarily based on Ballard’s ties to Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes and Glenn Beck, and his support of Donald Trump. The journalist went so far as to say that children or even adults being abducted or lured into trafficking was not as big a problem as people think and that the real issue is abuse at the hands of family members.
I don’t know enough about Ballard and his operation to comment on them. But as to the issue of sexual abuse at the hands of a family member versus trafficking by someone outside the family? Well, both are serious problems. A staggering number of kids are abused by family members and friends, but that does not negate the crime of trafficking both outside and inside the United States:
To turn that issue into a vehicle to vent your spleen about Donald Trump is arrogant and thoughtless. But at the same time, scroll back up and watch that exchange at the farmer’s market in California. The man with the megaphone was clearly agitating the person behind the table. Does it make for an interesting video? Yes, it certainly does. Does it help the cause of human trafficking? Not really. He got a rise out of her and that resulted in a dramatic tweet. But that’s about it. But it is also worth noting that we have yet to see who was on the flight manifests for Epstein’s jet trips.
I’ve met people who have devoted their lives to ending the scourge of human trafficking. It is not a political fight for them. It is heartbreaking and back-breaking work. It can take months if not longer to rescue someone from traffickers, and even then, the efforts are not always successful. The victories are exhilarating and the losses are devastating. Tears of joy can be outnumbered by tears of sorrow at times. These people and those they help do not need protests. It should go without saying that human trafficking is wrong. Raising awareness is always a good thing, but that should include telling people how to recognize the signs of trafficking and who to call if they suspect a problem. It does not include yelling at a leftist through a bullhorn, as satisfying as one may find that to be.
But these organizations do need support. It takes money to locate victims and work with authorities at home and abroad to bring the perpetrators to justice, and to help these women and children put their lives back together.
The cause of human trafficking should be approached with compassion, sobriety, and with the attitude of humble servanthood. D’Almeida is correct. It should not be a partisan issue. But it should also not be a stunt. For the Left, or even the Right.
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