February 23, 2007

William Wilberforce: An example we can all follow

By Congressman Joe Pitts

History shows us that every generation must confront evil and injustice.  Whether it’s the crushing hand of totalitarianism, the horror of genocide, or the murderous aims of modern-day terrorism, ours is a world stricken by injustice.

In the face of this reality, good men and women are called upon to stand up for what is right.  This week, we honor a man who did just that.

In the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries, a Member of the British Parliament named William Wilberforce confronted the defining injustice of his day: human slavery.

Wilberforce had been serving in the House of Commons five years when his friend and mentor, John Newton, awakened his conscience to the horrible evil of the British slave trade.  Newton, best known for penning the Christian hymn Amazing Grace, participated in the slave trade himself for several years before renouncing it and turning to a life of service in the Anglican Church.

Influenced by Newton, Wilberforce began introducing legislation in Parliament to end the slave trade in England.  In May 1789, Wilberforce made his first major speech on the subject in Parliament, calling for justice and confronting the moral travesty of treating human beings like property.

Wilberforce’s initial efforts were soundly defeated in Parliament.  Because the slave trade served as a crucial part of the British economy, a majority of Wilberforce’s colleagues were willing to turn a blind eye toward the moral implications involved.

Wilberforce persevered, however, reintroducing his abolitionist legislation year after year, and calling attention to the human atrocities involved in shipping African slaves thousands of miles across the ocean in horrid living conditions, only to be sold like livestock.

Despite suffering countless setbacks, Wilberforce eventually succeeded in his 20-year fight for justice.  On February 23, 1807, Parliament voted to outlaw the British slave trade, a move once thought impossible.  More than 25 years later, on his death bed, Wilberforce was informed that the House of Commons had voted to abolish slavery altogether in the British Empire. 

This week marks the 200^th anniversary of Wilberforce’s great work to confront evil in his time.  To coincide with this bicentennial celebration, a wonderful movie about his life and work, entitled Amazing Grace, has been released nationwide.

I’m hopeful that this anniversary and this movie will do more than simply educate people about the life of William Wilberforce.  Learning about this great man should also inspire us to take action.

Sadly, we, too, face great injustice in the world, and it requires a new generation of men and women to confront it. 

In India, an entire class of people numbering in the millions are considered “untouchable” by the rest of society.  Known as Dalits, these people are denied many of the basic services and legal protections available to the rest of Indian society and are forced to live a life stripped of basic human dignity.

The U.S. State Department estimates that approximately 800,000 men, women, and children are trafficked each year into the sex industry or other slave-like labor conditions.  This goes on around the world, including here in the U.S.

Across the world, refugees fleeing from unimaginable conditions are seeking a place to live, free from war and disease.  Thousands are jailed for worshipping God as they see fit.  More than a 140 years since Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, America is still working toward full racial reconciliation.  The list goes on, but clearly there is a need for people to take up these causes.

William Wilberforce is a testament to the impact one person can have in the face of overwhelming odds.  As we honor his accomplishments, may it also inspire us to follow his example and fight for justice in our own time.

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