138: Slavery Discussed by Radio World Tunes in Immokalee
Slavery discussed by radio world tunes in Immokalee
By Janine Zeitlin
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it February 11, 2009“Welcome to Immokalee and Southwest Florida,” announced the voice familiar to public radio listeners today.
Ros Atkins, host of BBC’s “World Have Your Say,” began the first of its four local broadcasts tackling the topic of slavery.
The show that reaches about 170 million listeners each week is broadcasting in partnership with WGCU-FM.More than 50 community members, students and those waged in the local fight against human trafficking joined Atkins in the broadcast from headquarters of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, a group that fights for fair wages and against slavery.
After an introduction of the migrant town in Collier County, the show began with the story of Martin Perez, a coalition member who told of being guarded in a trailer where he lived with more 20 people.
“Thank God I was able to escape,” said Perez, 35, a worker in an involuntary servitude case that ended in the prosecution of an Immokalee farm labor boss in the late 90’s.
Atkins later read from a listener who wrote that he “had absolutely no sympathy for these people.”
Another listener, Tracy, wrote on the show’s blog: “They are victims of their own illegal behavior. They would not be in a position to be abused if they hadn’t put themselves there.”
Those engaged in the local discussion tried to bring the focus back to the issue of slavery in the context of human rights and away from the polarizing topic of immigration.
“It doesn’t matter if I have papers or not. I’m a human being,” Perez said.
Chief Assistant U.S. attorney Doug Molloy reinforced his words.
“The one thing I would say to people who have concerns about whether they are legal or illegal is cut it out,” he said.
At the end of the hourlong show, like the topic of immigration, nothing had been settled between the participants and the listners. Still, the world had heard from Immokalee. Perez had accomplished what he sought by sharing.
“I wanted the world to listen to my voice.”
By Janine Zeitlin
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it February 11, 2009“Welcome to Immokalee and Southwest Florida,” announced the voice familiar to public radio listeners today.
Ros Atkins, host of BBC’s “World Have Your Say,” began the first of its four local broadcasts tackling the topic of slavery.
The show that reaches about 170 million listeners each week is broadcasting in partnership with WGCU-FM.More than 50 community members, students and those waged in the local fight against human trafficking joined Atkins in the broadcast from headquarters of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, a group that fights for fair wages and against slavery.
After an introduction of the migrant town in Collier County, the show began with the story of Martin Perez, a coalition member who told of being guarded in a trailer where he lived with more 20 people.
“Thank God I was able to escape,” said Perez, 35, a worker in an involuntary servitude case that ended in the prosecution of an Immokalee farm labor boss in the late 90’s.
Atkins later read from a listener who wrote that he “had absolutely no sympathy for these people.”
Another listener, Tracy, wrote on the show’s blog: “They are victims of their own illegal behavior. They would not be in a position to be abused if they hadn’t put themselves there.”
Those engaged in the local discussion tried to bring the focus back to the issue of slavery in the context of human rights and away from the polarizing topic of immigration.
“It doesn’t matter if I have papers or not. I’m a human being,” Perez said.
Chief Assistant U.S. attorney Doug Molloy reinforced his words.
“The one thing I would say to people who have concerns about whether they are legal or illegal is cut it out,” he said.
At the end of the hourlong show, like the topic of immigration, nothing had been settled between the participants and the listners. Still, the world had heard from Immokalee. Perez had accomplished what he sought by sharing.
“I wanted the world to listen to my voice.”
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