"I'd rather not know."

"You may choose to look the other way, but you can never again say you did not know."

"I'd rather not know."

Those two statements were spoken more than 200 years apart. The first was spoken in 1789 by William Wilberforce, who singlehandedly took on the slave trade of the British empire--and helped to end it in spite of all odds.

The second statement was spoken by someone I talked with recently.

I told her why I launched the Born2Fly Project to help stop child trafficking. I told her some of the stories of children who are forced into modern-day slavery (aka child trafficking). Her response was, "I'd rather not know."

Our goal with B2F is to help children and parents all over the world become aware of the dangers of child trafficking--but it's also to help you and me become aware. Sorry, but I don't want us to ever be able to say, "I did not know."

In the 5 years since I've been working on the B2F Project--which is now being tested in the Dominican Republic--I've met children and young teenage girls who've been bought and sold like farm animals. Their faces are fresh in my mind. Should I tell them, "I'd rather not know your story"? 

I don't think so.

I'm a reporter, and my job--my mission--is to report what I hear and see. And if you read this blog, you'll hear and see, too. The stories aren't pretty, but I suspect you don't want to live in ignorance.

Meanwhile, if you'd like to learn more about child trafficking and how to stop it, watch this 3-minute video, "Get Angry. Please."

Thanks for not looking the other way.

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[Coach Sneakers]

You may believe these four proverbs:
A man is only as good as what he loves.
A little credulity helps one on through life very smoothly.
A man is called selfish ,not pursuing his own good ,but neglecting his neighbour's.
A beautiful form is better than a beautiful face; a beautiful behavior than a beautiful form.