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Commemorating International Human Rights Day

Dec 10, 2014 | Blog

Today we commemorate International Human Rights Day. It’s a day to be thankful for our God-given rights but also to remember that there are millions of people around the world who are denied their most basic human rights every day. This includes Saeed Abedini, an Iranian-American pastor who has been imprisoned in Iran since September 2012 for being a Christian. Unfortunately the story of Pastor Abedini is an all too common occurrence around the world where governments frequently harass and unjustly imprison foreign nationals as well as their own citizens for their religious beliefs. 

One of the most egregious violations of human rights occurring across the globe and even in my home state of Florida is human trafficking. Just this past week, 61 people were charged with human trafficking in a sting operation in Polk County. I applaud the work of law enforcement that caught these perpetrators of modern day slavery and pray for the victims of this horrendous crime.  We, however, must remain vigilant and continue to work to combat this terrible crime which plagues our society.

Today we honor Saeed Abedini, and all other prisoners of consciences who are struggling to exercise their human rights, as well as the millions of people who are trapped in modern day slavery.