Child Prostitution at the Super Bowl

With the Super Bowl less than 24 hours away, some interesting articles point to sordid practices that follows the competition across the country. Apparently prostituted individuals are trafficked into Super Bowl host cities and exploited for commercial gain. As conference playoffs wind down, pimps and traffickers alike are just winding up.

A 2008 article noted traveling prostitution rings flock to the well-attended event. Typically, these "circuit girls" would probe the lusts of wealthier patrons while evading ramped up police patrols. Approaching innocently, the women proposition potential buyers.

Former circuit girl Tammie Miller says, "I would walk up to them and ask them directions or some kind of help."

More recently, two dozen volunteers headed to Miami to rescue underage girls who were trafficked into prostitution. Their efforts, representative of a national response to sex trafficking, are saving lives in a place that "is known as a destination city for human trafficking" says Kristi House director Trudy Novicki.

Human trafficking is a $32 billion a year mechanism. According to the United Nations, sex trafficking represents $5 billion of that amount. As such, it is the number 2 source of income for organized crime syndicates and is outgrowing drugs and weapons in revenue.

Last year the group was able to rescue 24 children. Let's hope this year brings even more progress.

Thesis Thing

It's ironic that my first post is related to something academic as this is supposed to be a social, political, soccer, and religious commentary. Despite my noble aim, my rant pertains to my thesis. I have forced myself to sit in front a computer day in and day out for almost as many hours as I usually sleep. While sleep is usually limited to seven hours, my trists with the mysterious Dell monitor have retained my interest for much longer as of late.

This week, I arose early and stayed up late reading, annotating and critiquing my sources. My thesis was supposed to be different, dynamic. My thesis was supposed to a groundbreaking. My thesis was not supposed to weigh on me as noticeably as the proverbial 2-ton elephant in the room. Yet, despite these detours, I remain eternally optimistic about its completion. And this defies explanation which says a lot considering my unchallenged status as a junior procrastinator. Their are many worse than I but, just the same, I beaten down the challenges of many to lay claim to this honor.

The Newsboys released a song entitled "Spirit Thing" many years ago. I never actually listened to the song but imagine the lyrics may mirror my odd relationship with the composition that is my opus. For over a year, I have read and read and theorized about sex trafficking. Only now, I retain a disinterested attitude towards my thesis which is meant to educate people while fulfilling its primary academic purpose: allowing me to graduate.

I'm just tired of reading and writing without doing! The more I read is the more I realize that I have nearly become an expert about this topic. That is not said with any hint of pride (okay, maybe a little) but it's true. At any rate, thank goodness, I have a blog to voice these mercurial emotions without coming across as a mad man. That's all for now...

Cheers, until our next tryst,

M