During a press conference held earlier today, Donald Trump made the claim that thanks to the Internet “there’s more yuman[sic] trafficking, and slavery, than at any time in the history of this world.” Of course, Trump provided no citation for this remarkable claim, because citations are for losers. Nevertheless, I was curious as to the truth of this claim.
A cursory internet search revealed many articles that put forward this claim, the earliest, being from an Alternet post in 2009. Indeed, this claim was repeated as gospel by several outlets across the ideological spectrum, including The Atlantic, World News Daily, and various newspapers. When authors of these articles deigned to provide a source for this claim, they usually pointed to various think-tank reports, including an Obama-era report by the Department of State, all of which place the total number of those enslaved around the world from 20 to 40 million.
When one considers that on the eve of the American Civil War, there were almost 4 million slaves, this number may seem shocking. Well, it may seem that way if you are a drooling microcephalic. People who possess an intelligence quotient of 80 or higher (Stanford-Binet or WAIS, take your pick) are cognizant of another absolutely shocking fact: there are more people alive now than at any time in the history of this world!
If, for the sake of argument, we take the highest estimate for the current number of slaves in the world, it represents a mere 0.5263% of a total global population of 7.6 billion individuals. Are Trump et al. truly claiming that in the past the total number of slaves had never represented more than half a percent of the world’s population? In 1860, slaves represented 12.57% of the total population of the United States alone!
Comparing total number of slaves across time periods without accounting for the increase in total world population is a statistical trick even worse than the “1 in 5 women are raped at university” claim. Whereas the latter myth relies on cooking the books with both an extremely expansive and idiosyncratic definition of sexual assault that utterly destroys its construct validity and a piss-poor sample size that provides nowhere near the statistical power needed for the inferences made by the report, the former merely pins its hopes on the fact that you are innumerate.
Now, all of this may just be merely risible fodder for the world-famous Glibertarians.com sneer take if it weren’t for the fact that these factoids are used as rhetorical lubricant for advancing public policy. The 2012 Department of State report used this claim to advocate for less restrictive requirements for victims of human trafficking seeking asylum, the 2016 WND op-ed uses the same claim to advocate for immigration restrictions from countries that follow sharia law, and today, Trump squarely placed blame on the Internet for this supposedly unprecedented number of slaves around the world.
It is this mythology that is used as a screen for the power-grabs the Federal government has made through the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA) and Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA), which Trump signed into law on April 11th. FOSTA-SESTA remarkably passed the House of Representatives with a 388-25 margin, and the Senate 97-2, with only Ron Wyden and Rand Paul voting against. Truly, it seems the naked ambition to control one’s fellow man is the only thing that enjoys broad bipartisan support these days. Well, that and the erroneous belief that there is more human trafficking and slavery than any other time in world history.
Comments
87 responses to “Lies, Damned Lies, Statistics, and Yuman Trafficking”
WTF? HM puts up a post and I didn’t need eye bleach.
Problem solved.
So, someone fancies himself Shrek. The eye and mind bleaching becomes necessary when that is turned into a sexual fetish.
Why yes, I am aware that that was a gauntlet thrown at HM’s feet. And as it happens, I’m going to vacate this thread upon clicking that button below.
You think that smile is a wholesome smile, juris?
Why do you think we don’t see his lower torso?
La la la. I can’t hear you.
$5 says that’s not a dude. I double dog dare you.
Where to find big condoms in Thailand
I have been using the biggest ones they sell at 711(blue box with the tornado on it) but that aint working. They fit too tight and i had one break this morning.
Is there any places that sell extra large ones ? Not sure if there is any black members on this forum but i would appreciate their input.
The answer is no.
DIY condom fits any dick! Saran wrap wound in a spiral manner and then sealed at the base with duct tape! Guaranteed* to work no matter what!
*does not protect against STDs or pregnancy, be sure you use copious amounts of lube**
**regular lube won’t cut it, we’re talking 5w40 or beef tallow at least
+1 Ragnar!
Hmm…
On one hand, intellectually I understood that there must be such a thing as Rose Tico cosplayer.
On the other, to see one with my own eyes….
HM is the methodology used by the think tanks of any use or is it snake oil?
To be honest, I didn’t look at them very closely as I was just interested in the actual number they reported. So, at this moment, your guess is as good as mine concerning the validity of the claimed numbers.
+1, Trump verbal diarrhea ejaculation as low hanging fruit
Bi-partisan means really bad for people who like freedom.
Considering that the U.S. government steals about 50% of the fruits of my labor, myself and about another 100 million Americans are roughly half enslaved. If the USG wanted to do something about slavery, they could first look to their own house.
But ROADZ!
“It is this mythology that is used as a screen for the power-grabs the Federal government has made through the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA) and Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA), which Trump signed into law on April 11th”
Isn’t most of what government based on made up bullshit?
Opoid Epedimic!
Terrorists!
Poor people dying in the street!
refer madness!
Mexicans stealing jobs!
Drunk drivers!
SOME THING HAS TO BE DONE ABOUT THESE THREATS TO SOCIETY!
GUNZ!
DRUGZ!
HOORZ!
Limit crimes to actual NAP violations; y’know, rape, murder, robbery, arson, that kind of stuff, and you’d probably have 1/10 the prison population we do now. Or less.
Obviously HM hates women and children. Obviously.
But, I like women-children.
Why don’t We click? , This is why…..
/Party on Wayne!
That’s my name, don’t wear it out!
Odd how we know each others real names, or not, we are a tight knit group
Bob
Hey, you didn’t respond in kind with another worn out, sloppy 1990s catch phrase. Are you or are you not 2 Legit 2 Quit?
WREE,WREE, WRREE!
/Jelly donut
Party on Wayne!
So you’re snorting blow off of Wayne’s ass?
I just turned on my Evelyn Wood Skills, so I could speed read the Wall of text, and i noticed You Don’t like Trump, Just Say’n
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmDDOFXSgAs
Hawt! Francisco Tárrega – Capricho árabe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_goHl-GuNk
Damn Good!, Adelita
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nz7k0DWSGL0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J02lp13k_k
It was fun with my YT guitar music,Yarg, Multiple Sound cards!
Little Wing, SRV Style,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An4uDegHB8s
Even furries aren’t safe!
https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/8xk8m4/furry-dating-site-pounced-is-down-fosta-sesta
Sunday’s Slave https://youtu.be/-9sB1y–Uno
Yours is cooler, but maybe this?
Or is it better for an HM bondage-related article?
Ted will be upset, you forgot the apostrophe
Or I’m drunk again………..
I have to, Riviera Paradise….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8wtZeVAa9I
We are thinking about going out to do some Acoustic open mic stuff, here’s what we have that’s convenient,
Dead Flowers
That’s Right (original)
Closing Time
Smoke 2 Joints, reeeaal slow
Life by the Drop
Feet of a Giant (original)
I like like it, Simple and quick,
If you’re going to do sublime, I would go with wrong way.
That is the Toyes, not Sublime, and We are Doing a real chill Reggae version, when we Finish, You will know
Who is we? And where is where? I might bring a guitar myself.
I have in my repertoire pretty much every Clash song. Most Buzzcocks songs. Most Descendents songs. Alot of Husker Du. Any Ramones song. The first 3 Teenage Fanclub albums. Any popular punk song from 1976 forward.
Any popular punk song from 1976 forward.
Gotta go back a little farther.
Respectfully.
Tundra! a Glib Band! how cool is that
Pretty cool! I’ll look forward to seeing you guys and telling people I was there at the beginning!
You liked them before they went mainstream. Go ahead and twirl that hipster mustache.
Great song. Filthy bunch of commie degenerates. Great band. From Michigan, but still rocked it hard. Also from Michigan: The Meatmen
https://youtu.be/Q9fPe0OalyI
We need to hook up then, We play a wide range of tunes, are you up? Give me a call. for real
Nein oh Nein Three V For Uno Nein UNo TREE, seriously,
B
Skype, the band.
Eric, I ain’t a slouch, I bring the Rock,and a Lead Singer as well ,let’s play….
I’m not sleeping!!!! Beethoven,something about the Mood I dunno…..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Tr0otuiQuU
or the MOON
If you have a Half an Hour, this is nice,
Mischa Maisky plays Bach Cello Suite No.1 in G
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGQLXRTl3Z0
Also, ‘human trafficking’ is a new term as far as I know, make up a new crime and of course there are more people doing it than before it was crime. Also also, nobody clicks on HM posts expecting to think. To use the overwrought term of the last few years, epic troll.
I think you have the MOJO, would you forward E gould my Email addy?
We Wanna Jam!
My email is my handle @ gmail. Email me broseph.
It is done, you are in LBC yes?
Yep.
Here’s a bit of what we can do,a little tiny bit,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFZjmDnGT1c
If you gots a twatter PM him @egould310
I’m not an admin. I’m just a drunk that makes cartoons and funny pictures. These are not the droids you are looking for.
In the vein of Yusef;s post, more classical: Drew Henderson does Paganini..
Shit. wrong post.
Oh well, at least the guitarist is cute. Damned fucking booze, I blame you!
Here we go.Caprice #6.
And some OMWC bait. (I swear I’m not FBI 😉 )
Jesus, the Youtube videos are impressive, 9 year old Chinese girl running through metal solos like nothing. Love to hear her play “Rock Bottom”, “Doctor, Doctor”, or some other Schencker solo – I don’t doubt she could do it, I’d just like to hear it. Because I’d just like to hear it. Because metal.
Back in the day thinking the bassist from School of Rock could grow up to be cute was creepy, now it’s ok I guess.
Wow, that’s sad. UFO was so much better.
I have no idea what one has to do with the other. I don’t know anything about music on technical stuff. I’m a lyricist, I don’t know music.
Sorry, CPRM. Jack Black has nothing on real musicians was my point.
And no, they don’t have anything to do with each other; sorry for implying that.
But, STEVE SMITH!
Well, you’re always going to win that…
also, is there an admin online that can get rid of the sidebar? Such unprofessional things from our new religion aren’t a good sign.
You know who else was called “goose” and came upon an untimely death?
(I was hoping this convo was brought up again so I could make this comment)
Also, my next article is going to be how TopGun is an allegory of the Protestant Reformation.
Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act
Such a missed opportunity. Stop Internet Enabled Sex Traffickers Act.
Get those whores back on the street and under the heavy hand of pimp act of 2018.
Not as good of an acronym, but way more accurate.
The thing I’m loving about making the hat and hair videos is taking out of context audio and making a story around it. But that’s also the most frustrating thing. In ep 3 I wanted Trump to say people die when hits the button; but my lord every audio clip I found the man used every euphemism for ‘die’ but never the actual word.
SHHHHH! RULE Number1!!!
Don’t ever tell people how you make Magic, Bad Form Sir!
I’m not telling people, I’m telling glibs.
Music time?
https://youtu.be/yF1sMRtTHYs
I love the reverb. Feels like a high school recital. Matsuda Seiko is even hotter today, imo. Total MILF.
Certain Glibs may perform this, Soon,
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=smoke+2+joints
Multi Glibs FTW!
Patrick Stuart went on the dole after graduating, thought his life was over. Capitalism is evil.
jack Whatever Color,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7aOWIFgIZQ
That cow at the beginning just made me think of this.
Won’t have time for morning links, but in case someone else is bored and around…
Still steaming over the whole Alfie Evans thing… in the whole debate about it, so few people questioned whether the doctors were actually correct in their (lack of) a diagnosis. We had a natalist inspect my wife because ultrasounds showed our little guy was going to be a lightweight 5 lbs, he was born a week later at 8 lbs, all the while the DRs insisted something was wrong, despite it being clear by touching my wife’s abdomen that the baby was significantly bigger than they said.
Point being, doctors are not infallible, their recommendations should never be used to deprive someone of life, if it goes against their rights. UK delenda est.