Mrs. Laster Visits Washington D.C.
Commercial Sex is Barbaric and must be stopped or we will have no better chance at a future than our country did at the time of Lincoln had he failed.
Editor’s Note:
A few years ago Dottie visited Washington, D.C. to speak with a variety of government officials. Below you will find her diary entry for that trip. Dottie is amazing as we all know, but not just for her persistence to end human trafficking but also her ability to cut through the ignorance and rampant stupidity that hinders her and others efforts.
Lv,
Larry
We started the day with a human trafficking panel and a lobbyist. He explained how to get lawmakers to notice bills that you would like to see passed. He stated that you ask them to co- sponsor or support the bill and then you follow up with them to remind them how important the bill is and that you support their efforts to pass the bill. He spoke of teamwork and coalitions that help law makers know it is a law that will help many not just a few.
So we broke up into 10 groups from 10 states and went to our lawmakers. Of course, I was on Team Texas! We spoke to staffers in Senators Cruz and Cornyn's office and then went to Representative Brady's office. We had 3 new human trafficking bills that we were asking them to support. I was sure we would not need to follow up as these are such important laws. (She says with a Crocodile Dundee like naive voice). However, I will listen to the lobbyist and follow his directions, until they are passed.
We were with several international interns and they asked, can anyone come here and speak to law makers? We explained yes, this is our government, and we have access here in Washington and in our home states. They had not seen that in their home countries. I was so proud to witness them understanding our country and how it works.When I get home I will post the bills and the phone numbers for you to call, maybe you can help make the lawmakers understand that you want them to pass these laws?
One of the staffers mentioned how busy the lawmaker was, and I said, "I am busy too!" (get it?!). I explained that the reason I am here is because I stopped helping people who need me to come tell them how important these bills are, so do not think that being busy is an excuse. (actually I helped a family who needed me here in DC during lunch) However, wrong choice of words, to the wrong woman staffer!!!
After we were finished with all this lawmaker stuff, my brother Chris, who is a pilot, flew in to take me to dinner. We had such a good time. He has been to DC many times and I had the best tour guide ever!
We went to the Capitol building, the White House, the Washington Monument, and the Vietnam Memorial. While walking we saw this squirrel who I will call Rocky. He was eating something red and we thought it might not be safe for him. My brother tried to take it, but Rocky was not sharing. Then, Rocky climbed up on the fence in front of us and posed for photos. It turned out that he was eating a red candy. We got really close and took his picture. He seemed to be posing willingly while eating. Then when the candy was gone, he threatened Chris. He was about to go Christmas Vacation movie squirrel on him. I think I heard Rocky scream no candy, no photo!!! Pay up!!!
We surrendered to Rocky's demands and left him alone. I think we narrowly escaped a @#$ whoopin' from him!
Then we went to my favorite place of the evening the Lincoln Memorial. It was dark and my aging eyes could not read the inscription on the wall. Chris read the entire speech from Lincoln's second inauguration aloud to me. It was a moment that I will hold dear forever. My brother reading the speech about ending slavery and the cost of slavery to the country on the eve of my speech about ending slavery is something that moved me to my soul. It inspired me to keep up the good fight, to not slow down but to increase momentum. Our future ( our children) is/are at peril. A nation that allows the selling of people, the barbaric acts of commercial sex, forced labor, cannot sustain itself. Everyday, I see children and fear for their potential.
We walked out of the Lincoln Memorial and stood where MLK said he had a dream, we saw where Forest Gump ran to Jenny, and we happened upon a child's choir singing America the Beautiful. Their sweet innocent voices filling the evening air. We stopped and listened to them as they sang with their hands over their hearts, and all I could think of is the pain in the faces of parents that I have met, who love their kids, as these kids in front of me were loved. The parents whose kids have been forever scarred by trafficking, those who are still missing and I thought how can we let these children live in a world where this exists?!
Tomorrow I will speak at the Rayburn House Office building. I speak so loud that all will hear me, I will not be able to be ignored or dismissed! We must say no more, not now, not in the future!!!
Commercial Sex is Barbaric and must be stopped or we will have no better chance at a future than our country did at the time of Lincoln had he failed. Slavery and freedom are not compatible in a civil society.