Slavery—in the US?

One of the most jarring statistics I have ever heard is that approximately 27 million humans live in slavery today--more than at any other point in history. More than at the time of William Wilberforce. More than in the years preceding the Civil War. More than ever. That slavery takes many forms from labor slavery to sex trade slavery.

We tend to think of this slavery existing in Asia or Africa. But attorney Larry Glasner reminded us last week that slavery takes place in the United States as well. Glasner is a partner in the California firm of Rehwald Glasner & Chaleff. He also serves on the Board of the Los Angeles-based Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking. Glasner spoke to my International Human Rights class and to a student luncheon sponsored by PILAR, the Public Interest Law Advocates at Regent.

Glasner estimated that 10,000 individuals live in slavery-like conditions in the greater Los Angeles area and that 14,000 to 17,000 people are trafficked in the United States each year. He shared stories of litigating civil cases against individuals who subject others to forced labor.

Glasner’s was a sobering tale that examples of gross injustice still exist in 21st century America. But it was also a great encouragement to us to continue our efforts in building a Center for Global Justice and Human Rights at Regent Law School.

We are working, praying, and raising funds now. A team of students is working diligently to put an infrastructure in place so that we are ready to go when the funds come in. Four students will serve as international interns—in funded positions—this summer. By God’s grace, the generation of men and women coming to our law school now will serve on the front lines of the army that sets 27 million people free.

Read the Virginian-Pilot's coverage of the silent demonstration used to bring awareness to human trafficking here.

Happy Birthday Dr. Robertson!

This week the university celebrates the 80th birthday of founder and chancellor, Dr. Pat Robertson. We have enjoyed a number of celebration events, including a hilarious game of “This is Your Life.”

One of the things for which I am most thankful is that I have had the privilege of serving under Dr. Robertson’s leadership at Regent University. Two aspects of his leadership have really stood out to me over the years:

1. Vision.
   
   
   Goethe famously urged: “Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men.” Dr. Robertson most certainly agrees. I don’t think he has ever had a small dream! He dreams great dreams—and then powerfully communicates those dreams to others who come alongside and help make them a reality.
   
   
   By the grace of God, through different ministries Dr. Robertson has founded, hundreds of millions have heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. Hundreds of millions have been fed, enjoyed fresh well water, or received needed medical treatment. And from nothing, this university has been raised up to truly engage the world with Christian thought and action.
   
   
2. Commitment to Excellence.
   
   Dr. Robertson doesn’t settle for mediocrity. I knew it the first time I walked on this campus with its beautiful Georgian-style buildings, each outfitted with the most advanced technology and carefully planned spaces. I have no doubt that some of the successes of our championship moot court, trial, and negotiation teams are due to being able to train in three beautiful moot courtrooms and four negotiation suites.
   
   The demand for excellence goes well beyond the facilities, though. Dr. Robertson has championed our rigorous--but highly successful--legal writing program. He pushed for increased admission standards and millions of dollars in scholarship money that have transformed the law school. When faced with a choice of growing quantity or quality, Dr. Robertson chooses quality without fail. Our students have reaped the benefits.

Happy Birthday—and thank you—Dr. Robertson!

Back from Spring Break

Today is the first day back from Spring break for our students. As always, it is good to have them back in the building. This place is a little too quiet without them. But I think it was important for all of us to have a week to step back and breathe a little.

I had lunch with some 1L students today and have chatted in the hall with a number of others. The general theme has been: “It was a great break, though I didn’t get as much done as I had hoped!” I am not surprised. And I am glad. This time of year, a week of rest is probably more important for most than another week of high productivity. From now to the end of April, students and faculty alike are on a sprint to the finish.

The students’ report mirrors mine. Though I only took one day off, I enjoyed the more relaxed pace around the office. And the time off allowed me to catch up on some bigger projects—grading exams; planning for an ABA site visit to our Strasbourg, France summer program; and laying some groundwork for a Center for Global Justice. I didn’t get everything done I had hoped, but I accomplished a lot, and I came back today refreshed. It was a good week.

P.S. to my student readers: For anyone worried about my reference to exam grading, the Human Rights, Civil Liberties, and National Security papers were quite good. The exam results were gratifying—and another component of a successful spring break!