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Obama's Slavery Czar
Axel Schmidt / AFP / Getty Images
Ambassador-at-Large Luis CdeBaca, a Women in the World summit speaker, fights human slavery for a living. He talked to The Daily Beast's Lynn Sherr about the explosion in human trafficking and the shocking black market of coerced work.
His title is a jawbreaker: director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. But Ambassador-at-Large Luis CdeBaca's target is, simply, slavery. “We tend to say, slavery: bad; 1865: taken care of,” he tells me, wiping his hands dismissively as if washing away the scourge. Wrong. “Whenever you have vulnerable people and greed, you have a recipe for slavery.”
CdeBaca was appointed by President Obama, and is the fourth person to hold this job since the position was created by Bill Clinton in 2000. Under Obama, human-rights activists hope efforts to curb trafficking will accelerate.
The United Nations estimates that 12.3 million individuals exist in forced labor worldwide. The State Department says as many as 800,000 victims are trafficked across international borders each year, a number that’s grown with the recession. Break down the statistics and you find a 5 year old sold into prostitution in Nicaragua; kids who should be in primary school instead of baking bricks in Pakistan or mining gold in Africa; Burmese dissidents kidnapped and smuggled away to work on fishing vessels. In fact, human trafficking is the third-largest black market in the world, right behind drugs and weapons. And it’s not just out there. As many as 17,500 enslaved people are brought into the United States each year, and about 70 percent of them are women trafficked into forced sex work.
“Most human traffickers deal in hope. They pervert it, but what they’re selling is not misery. What they’re selling is a better life.”
Slavery right here? “Not just in this country, but within five miles of where we are sitting,” emphasizes the ambassador. We are sitting in CdeBaca’s unassuming office on G Street in Washington, D.C., far from the center of diplomatic power in Foggy Bottom. “State Department East,” CdeBaca jokes, rationalizing that while he’d like to be nearer his boss, Hillary Clinton, he actually prefers being just a block from her boss, President Obama. Both of them, he says, totally get it.
Ambassador CdeBaca, a New Mexican whose family settled in the New World nearly five centuries ago, traces his own abolitionist roots to one pioneering ancestor (“Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, the least successful of all the conquistadors”) who was himself enslaved by Native Americans before rising to become colonial governor of Buenos Aires. There he tried to stop colonialists from kidnapping Indian women to use as concubines and men as farmhands, an enlightened notion that got him sent back to Spain in chains, according to CdeBaca. When CdeBaca told that story to Secretary Clinton, “she promised me that no matter how this works out, there’s not going to be any chains at the end of it!”
It probably wouldn't stop him. He got his start seeing “what’s really affecting my community. Whether it was farm workers, or women in brothels, the percentages continue to be overwhelmingly Latino. Sixty-plus per cent of the [trafficking] victims in the U.S. are Hispanic.” It was, he tells me, his calling—“you know, Cesar Chavez and Bobby Kennedy,” pointing to a poster on his wall of the two civil-rights leaders. “Everything that makes a young, wanting-to-be-cool Hispanic lawyer want to go work on civil rights.”
CdeBaca made his mark as a highly decorated prosecutor in the Clinton Justice Department, investigating and prosecuting a slew of slavery cases. He plays up his current job’s bipartisan credentials. “I think in many ways we are building upon the good platform that the Bush administration left us,” he says. But he also points out that on his watch, the Department of Labor will be “a more fulsome partner. I don’t think we can say that trafficking wasn’t a priority for DoL; I think it is more that DoL wasn’t highest on the list for the Bush White House. And now we say they have to be at the table.”
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whipmawhopma
Slavers whenever and wherever found should be put to death.
amapola101
Slavers,predators of children,who attack and kidnapp,children, and also we must prosecute in all parts of the world the retired elderly or young who travel, to cuba,costarica,china, shanghai,& many poverty countries,men from all parts of the world and other places for young prostitutes, children boys and girls.They should be brought out into the public what they do. And the internet abuse of children,trafficking and This is the First czar, that I agree with. This is not a man sitting in congress of either party arguing and wasting time&money.
Baddchild
Must be tough to fight with 0bama's buddies at Acorn doing so much to promote underage sex trafficing....
bobj72
"madd child"; does not a "Mongrel Zealot" have nothing better to do? Exactly what is it about Our President that "boils the SLOP in your veins???"
jbo206
really? this is all you got out of this article? you must sleep alone.
Baddchild
sorry you guys don't have a problem with an organization like Acorn that gets millions from the democratic party and the US taxpayer that has no problem with promoting the trafficing of underage girls from South America for prostitution. Maybe CdeBaca should look into the 20k doucument dump the SD acorn office just had before they were served by the California AG's office last week and see why they have no problem with this.
BOKOBOT
A wonderful piece. CdeBaca is the kind of person who seldom gets headlines but who actually help make the world a more humane place. The diplomatic and special corps are almost entirely ignored by the two-braincelled TV media. Very very good story. Thank you, DB.
hockeydog
BOKOBOT, I am with you, good person well deserving of headlines.
As a preface to a blog-string that follows: Nietzsche was highly regarded by a guy named Hitler, and he had colonels in his army of superiors.
aackc1
At first, with the title, I thought this was a spoof on average Americans having to pick up the taxpayer bill for bailouts and health insurance reform.
Colonel-Burton
I am very Nietzschean in my personal morality. The notion of everyone being equal to everyone else, that the strong must aid the weak, that the strong should be ashamed because they are so is understandable, but not something I support.
Those who are strong (and I do not necessarily mean physically) should dominate those who are weak. It is entirely natural. It is un-natural, a perversion, to obligate the superior to aid the inferior.
Do not mistake me, I am not a slaver, nor do I own a slave or anything like that. I simply do not conform to other's notions of morality, to what Nietzsche termed "Slave Morality". I am a Greek Orthodox Christian, but I regard Nietzsche's ideas as being very accurate, on an intellectual level.
(I am farily certain that there are those who, demanding tolerance of the weak, will not, in turn, tolerate my own position, which I maintain is equally valid to any other).
jbo206
Thanks douchebag for giving us your philosphy. But telling people who actually have a heart that 5 year olds or women sold into prostitution should be dominated by anyone strong enough to do so is a recipe to get flamed. I can only surmise that you are hoping to rile people into responding and hope I am the only one to do so. I felt icky reading your post & plan to skip anything else you ever write. You are vile.
ImNoPUNK
Hey jbo206...
Some times the best exchange of thought can be found in a debate most dare not partake of. Where would Oscar Wilde be now had he not been an extraordinary provocateur in his day. With that as an opener, and given your propensity to blow a gasket, I remain cautiously optimistic and none the less willing to challenge your "interpretation" of the Colonel's thread.
I too found Col-Burton's words disagreeable and though his comments are annoyingly insensitive and poorly delivered, I did not read them the same way as you.. . In his opinion, he did state that's all it was, he doesn't offer any thing that suggests the promotion of servitude or slavery, indentured, forced or otherwise. I believe the focus of his thread was targeted on the subliminal. I base my perspective on 2 of the things he stressed. First in the way he steers the reader away from assuming physical strength is involved...and secondly, he states his Greek Orthodox heritage. If that is his brand of Christianity, it would be spiritually impossible for him to promote or condone any kind of real human slavery.
Simply put, the dude is merely professing to his belief in survival of the fittest... and as long as he is cock of the rock you need to go work your own problems out cause he ain't about to foot your bill .
Hey, you know what they say about opinions............ and if you disagree with mine, I'll listen to opposing ideas provided they're civilly proffered .
jbo206
@ IMP,
I read your post and then re-read the Colonel's. My opinion still hold's. Here is why.
1. All his words (& not just the two items you take out of context) - His words "those who are strong should dominate those who are weak" and "it is un-natural to obligate the superior to aid the inferior". The article in question list's out the "inferior or weak" as mostly women and children. It also shows that when given hope, and help they become role models of industry and strength.
2. You believe that the Colonel is anti-slavery. He merely states that he does not own slaves and is not a slaver himself. After stating his orthodox heritage he states that he regards "Nietzsche's ideas as being very accurate, on an intellectual level" (I will refer you back to the ideas he chose to stress from bullet 1).
3. He states that his position is equally valid to others, then does nothing to back it up. We need to accept and validate his world view? because he is Christian? because he is Nietzschean? (what is it with pseudo intellectuals affinity for equal but apposing viewpoints? It is laziness to assume that every topic has to have two valid, apposing viewpoints)
Finally, I am all for provocateurs (which is why I am choosing to respond to you :) yet still satisfied that I have a "propensity for blowing a gasket" when idiots proclaim that it is the natural order of things for slavery to exist in the USA (I too think he is a provocateur...but not one with the lofty aims you interpreted).
ImNoPUNK
Hey jbo206...back at you...
I'm most appreciative of your response, and wish more folks on TDB would engage in the like. Since you opted to compartmentalize your rebuttal in to bullet points, I'll do the same by responding to each of yours with one of my own.
1) I didn't take out of context what was said, as a matter of fact I believe I've interpreted the Colonel's words literally. I too am a Greek Orthodox parishioner so I know it's spiritually impossible for a true believer in my brand of faith to promote or condone "real" slavery.... not to mention the Greek's history over the last 2000 years is riddled with servitude and degradation at the hand of an invader. I also want to point out if a person is following the Greek Orthodox version of Christianity it usually means that person is Greek. With that revelation exposed, it's not hard to understand how our Greek Colonel is infected with some kind of superiority complex. Trust me on this one, walk a day amongst my landsmen and you'll see what I mean.(laugh now, cause I'm making a joke here ,,,, come on laugh at my humor)
2) Yes, I most certainly do believe the Colonel is "not" a slaver..."nor" do I believe he promotes slavery. I do, however, think he is interpreting Nietzsche in the most literal and fundamental of terms. I base this on the way the Colonel stresses his regard for the Nietzsche philosophy on an intellectual plain. Nietzsche believes those who truly see themself as inferior, do purposely enter in to a lifestyle that will reinforce the lowly opinion they have of themself... and in time they find it impossible to break away from .... In other words, and I know it sounds weird, they have grown comfortable in their own misery. We see it every day in our society.... How some individuals select a spouse,,,,,then soon after are victims suffering at the hand of spousal abuse, yet remain unwilling to break free from his/her abuser.
3) I think this is where I believe your contempt for the dude forced you to hit a brick wall before you could see what either the Colonel or myself are saying( believe me I am not at all attempting to liken my ideals to those of the Colonel). Remember for the record I did say how poorly I thought the Colonel made his case, but you've not expressed your position well either. You accuse him of not backing up what he says with anything substantive, but my friend, you too are not offering a strong factual case by merely stating your adversarial position. How can you be taken seriously if you continue to offer nothing substantive to support the accusations you make.If you want to launch a successful blow you need to quit referring back to Lynn Sherr's words. We've all read what she had to say,,,, so come up with some thing of your own.
Finally: Black-and-white photos of slums are starkly juxtaposed with color images. Though on the surface the color be the most factual, which of the 2 is less relevant in it's essence. I think both warrant investigation.
You proclaim it's laziness to assume every topic can have 2 valid viewpoints placed or dealt with close together for contrasting effect. I again disagree with you and suggest not willing to acknowledge the possibility is just plain old stubbornness.
Colonel-Burton
ImNoPUNK
I am gratefull for your efforts to clarify my point. I admit it was poorly worded. However, in the spirit of clarification, I must admit that I am not Greek. I converted to Greek Orthodoxy for numerous reasons that do not merit inclusion in this discussion.
Marzipanmouse
A truly strong man who is also wise and knows that he cannot always rely on his strength knows that aiding others in their time of weakness is a good way to obtain allies for when his own strength fails him.
Colonel-Burton
I hardly intended for my post to creat such a fuss. Looking back, I could have worded my reply in a more modest fashion, but it would not change the message, simply the way it was presented.
I simply wish to clarify that my point was I can and do accept the idea that the strong can and should (meaning ought and implying a moral obligation to do so) enfore their own will on the weak. HOWEVER! I do not accept the philosophy on a spiritual level, nor do I endorse its practice in any real form. I maintain it is natural, but I also concede we live in a world where nature has been surpressed by society. I think that is wrong.
Also, in response to jbo206's measured comments: ]
1. Please watch your language. There is never, I mean never, an excuse for rudeness.
2. Please do not presume to know my motivations. I certainly do not maintian my position to please others, nor do I do so to displease others.
3. I disagree that my position on conventional morality disqualifies me from offering reasonable posts on other issues, but you are entirely welcome to not read what I write.
winterparkmom
DB, I usually like your headlines, but this one is now over the top. It feeds into the faux watchers paranoia about "THE CZARS". Please stop using that kind of language for excellent articles like this one.
socialworklady
Interns write the
Headlines at
The Beast
finderj
Col. Burton:
Well, everyone is entitled to his beliefs.
By the way, how's your personal life?
Colonel-Burton
My personal life is just that, personal. I do not generally share information about my personal (read private) life with strangers on the internet. Actually, that is a lie, I never share information about my personal life with strangers on the internet.
diamondgrl
I didn't read the article but I assume that this is a piece about the person Obama put in charge of enslaving America!!!!!
chefbob50
Dgirl, I've read alot of your threads and come to a conclusion either you're the most irreverent comedian out there or you are a inhuman wing-nut who quite frankly needs to spend a weekend in a Mexican brothel getting the shit kicked out of you for not being sexy enough I hope it's the former not the latter but I fear you're from the planet insanity.
TaterSalad
Just in: The United States Constitution has been located in a dumpster behind the White House.
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=UZkvkLmkYVg
winterparkmom
Thrown there by the right wing looney tunes elected officials in washington. You people love to talk about the constitution and probably can't come up with one actual line in it. The only thing you folks know is that it has ammendments.
This comment has been removed by The Daily Beast's editors.
winterparkmom
Dude, tell us how you really feel.
DakLak
Resorting to course language only demonstrates to others your lack of communication skills and the weakness of your argument.
Papapooch
Stop it, all of you. Those of us who have been involved with fighting commercial sexual exploitation know that "prostitution" IS trafficking (the result of "force, fraud or coercion") nearly 80% of the time. Now imagine for a minute that one of these young women is your daughter, mother or sister and try to tap or grow your soul. If you want to learn more and DO SOMETHING about it, then please nav over to www.stoponlineexploitation.org.
Veronicaxy
I met a woman who said she was enslaved by a man who befriended her after she ran away from home. He said he'd he would help her get into acting. Instead she was coerced into prostitution and abused by him in multiple ways for years.
When the cops broke into his house it was for the drugs. They left her in the house, not even questioning the closet he had rigged for her living quarters, did they think it was a sex game?
The reality if we're going to deal with slavery, we do need to start at home, in our own neighborhoods.
painter
Dear opinion mongers, where are the foaming at the mouth professional African American false reverends who jump on faked racial insults towards black people but not real slavery of brown or yellow or red or white people for that matter? No money in it or is it that the truth is much to difficult to deal with? Problem is the perpetrators are seen as Victims of a larger conspiracy which owes a debt on the past so no present condition may be addressed until compensation is adjudicated.What a crock of bulldung. We all are headed for Slavery to huge government control and outrageous PC mandates that will neuter men and women with fear .
Ariesnewfiegirl
WOW. How ignorant I am. What an impact this reading had on my overall views of the world. I am in need of great research. What can one poor citizen do to get involved in the world issues? What an inspiration that there are people out there with power that use it to educate and empower our suffering world. I learnt today power is choice and not many good choices are being made within the power. Greed is like frost on a window. They cannot see past it. God bless all%u2665
larry278
This blog about Ms (Senora) Cabaza de la Vacca gives me a reason to be thankful on Thanksgiving day. Thank you, Ms Sherr.
Thank you.
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