By Delinda Lombardo on
When most people think of Super Bowl Sunday, it’s all about the game. But this year, the dark-side of the big day has rightfully garnered media attention as celebrities, police and a some NFLer’s are stepping up to raise awareness about the human trafficking of American children.
Yes, American children.
“People are thinking of the Packers and the Steelers and the game on the field, having a good time and Super Bowl commercials. Most don’t think about a 12-year-old being forced to dance naked,” Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott told ABC News.
Dallas Cowboy, Jay Ratliff, is one player that’s not buying it.
“It has recently come to my attention that American children are being bought and sold for pleasure and profit and I’m mad. Real men don’t buy children,” says Ratliff in a public service announcement produced by the non-profit group, Traffick911, “It is heartbreaking. There are kids living in dog cages and a lot of them are never found again. They have a very short life span.” The group, Traffick911, is rolling out the celebrity-studded campaign, “I’m Not Buying It”, just in time for the Super Bowl, when sex trafficking is expected to peak.
In addition to Ratliff, Retired New England Patriot Devin Wyman, and Kevin Thornton (Color Me Bad), have also filmed PSA’s.
Traffick911 founder, Deena Graves says that while local law enforcement has joined in the anti-trafficking effort, she would like to see the Super Bowl Host Committee use it’s powerful platform to do more to raise awareness.
And although the NFL will NOT air any of Traffick911 PSA’s during the big game, Graves has received more than 50,000 signatures via a petition on her website, asking organizers to hand out flyers to tourists and to air the Ratliff plea during the big game
“We want them to endorse this campaign and say that North Texas has a zero tolerance for the buying and selling of children.”
For more information and how you can help, please visit Traffick911.com or join their Facebook group.
Copyright © 2011 Look to the Stars
