Where is the outrage
The issue of missing children and human trafficking has recently become the forefront of many conversations. It goes without saying that the welfare of our children is of the utmost concern to our community. But it is important to be honest and informed about what is truly happening on our island. Do we have human trafficking occurring? Yes. Are children being snatched off the street utilizing various “covert techniques”? No. Studies have shown that most children who are trafficked come from homes where violence is occurring. Of the children who were trafficked, 57% were sexually abused, and almost 50% were physically abused. Eighty-five percent of girls trafficked were a victim of incest. Homelessness greatly increases the chance a child is going to be trafficked. Forty-percent of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ, many of whom were thrown out of their home simply because of who they are.
Traffickers exploit the vulnerable. They exploit children who are running from abusive homes. Should you be outraged by human trafficking of children? Yes absolutely. Should you be outraged by children who are getting abused in their home? Yes, absolutely. Then where is that outrage? I see many jumping on the bandwagon of trafficking and creating hysteria about children being snatched or people being targeted that simply isn’t happening here. I ask again, where is the outrage for the children who are being abused in our community? This abuse isn’t happening from some ominous stranger hiding in a dark alley, it’s happening in our homes.
Why is it OK to jump on a politicized “bandwagon” when we think abuse is happening from a stranger, yet when we know abuse is occurring in the home we are silent? Be clear, when we remain silent, when we aren’t outraged about child abuse, we become complicit in that abuse.
Deborah Chai
Honokaa
Solve the dump and run
An original rhyme by Tom Forgatsch:
JUNKER SCAM
Local way to give your car away,
and make it pay.
Pick up the phone can call HPD,
“someone stole my car from me”.
Describe the car so we can make a report.
It’s a __________model and _______color,
I don’t know anything other.
All the info is in the glove compartment,
I have no other information in my apartment.
Three days later the car is found,
with the parts spread across town.
AV vehicles are fare game to part out same.
Good money for free picking,
tires and rims are the first to go.
Resale free used tires makes a lot of dough.
Owner can’t afford the tow,
let the county pay for the pull.
Scrap metal is not worth the work,
let the county do the jerk.
We see a car off the road,
we keep score before its towed.
They strip the wheels,
and open all the seals.
A school automotive shop could use a nonprofit chop,
kids learn and school makes out.
A faster AV turn over could be the kids situation,
and new job description.
All in all people win,
except the insurance company pays for the VIN.
To solve this dump and run,
charge the car’s owner for the fun.
Tom Forgatsch
Honokaa
Letters policy
Letters to the editor should be 300 words or less and will be edited for style and grammar. Longer viewpoint guest columns may not exceed 800 words. Submit online at www.westhawaiitoday.com/?p=118321 OR via email to letters@westhawaiitoday.com.
