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July 2010 End of Round 1 Message – California Against Slavery Blog
Home AnnouncementsJuly 2010 End of Round 1 Message

July 2010 End of Round 1 Message

The message below was sent to our volunteers in July 2010  at the end of our first attempt to qualify the initiative for the 2010 ballot. Watch the video here.

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Many of you know that Cambodia is one of the most notorious countries for sex trafficking. But do you know that there are more children sold for sex in our country than in Cambodia?  We should be appalledthat we have not lived up to our own standard of protecting the innocence of our children.  And California’s state laws are woefully inadequate to deter this horrible crime.

RESULTS FROM ROUND 1

This February, California Against Slavery started collecting signatures for a ballot initiative.  We saw an urgent need to undo the injustice of our current law.  So we set an audacious goal of qualifying it for the November 2010 election.  Hundreds of you stepped up and took the challenge.  We did not reach our goal this time around.  On July 1st, the initiative along with the more than 20,000 signatures collected expired.

WHY WE NEED THE INITIATIVE ON THE BALLOT

Our determination is more powerful than the combined evil of human trafficking.  When we give up, evil wins. Human trafficking is still the fastest growing criminal industry worldwide and here in the Golden State.  We need bold action to stop it.  The CAS initiative on the ballot will be the turning point.  It will:

  • Enact laws with teeth to deter traffickers with stiffer penalties and protect victims.
  • Bring active awareness.  Having it on the California ballot says to over 17 million voters, “Human trafficking is happening here, now you naeed to make a decision to stop it.”
  • Set human trafficking as a priority in Sacramento. Once lawmakers know that voters care and want action, they will rally around it.
  • Raise the bar on human trafficking laws. Other states look to California before they enact new laws. We can set a high standard for the rest of the country.

In May 2010, a child sex trafficking bill was defeated on concerns that it could cost more than $250,000 in a four year period. [AT1] Assembly Bill 2319, would have removed the need to show force in child sex trafficking cases. The message from lawmakers is this: Protecting the innocence of minors from pimps is not a priority and not worth the small additional costs.  There is a desperate need for citizens like us to get involved.

WHAT NEXT?  PREPARING FOR SUCCESS IN ROUND 2

We must do what it takes and as long as it takes to get this initiative on the ballot. To guarantee our success in the next signature campaign, we must:

1.       Build a strong local CAS infrastructure.  We need strong local chapters with committed leaders and members.  We will take the time to build about 16 local chapters of CAS across the state.

2.       Raise $1 million. We need professionals to help.  California only allows 5 months to get all the signatures.  Volunteers can only do this on the weekends, and there are limited numbers of weekends in five months.  We need to supplement our volunteer effort with professional signature gatherers who are out there on a daily basis.  And we will need at least 2-4 full time staff during the circulation to manage the campaign.

These two things are essential for success.  We cannot do this without you.  Please go to CaliforniaAgainstSlavery.org and click “sign up for our mailing list.”  In the coming weeks, we will be sending out more information about Round 2.

THE NEED TO FUNDRAISE

Considering the impact of stronger laws, the number of people this initiative will touch and the road it will pave for the future, $1 million is cheap.  Once the CAS initiative is on the ballot, the awareness that would be generated would be priceless.  Imagine 17 million California voters joining us on Election Day to make a decision on human trafficking.

CONCLUSION

Thank you for your work during Round 1.  Though we did not meet our goal, your hard work and commitment in the last five months have yielded other fruits.  We have:

–          Shined the media spotlight on California’s human trafficking epidemic.

–          Empowered volunteers to use the ballot initiative as a platform to generate awareness of human trafficking in churches, community organizations, and on the streets.

–          Built a foundation of volunteers to ensure success in the next round

Changing the law has widespread and lasting impact.  We need as many people as possible to join us.  We need people who value our liberty, recognize the value of human dignity, and who are moved by injustice.  We need you!

Please make a commitment to be part of CAS.  Please go to CaliforniaAgainstSlavery.org and click “sign up for our mailing list.”  We will be sending out more information about Round 2.  Please be patient because we want to do this right.

In the meantime, tell your friends about CAS and think about how you can help fundraise the $1 million.


[AT1]http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_2301-2350/ab_2319_cfa_20100504_160232_asm_comm.html

 

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