darfur

[nothing4buddha]

any reason why we're not hearing about the genocide in darfur in the media right now in america?

[kahljorn]

A more important apple cider shortage. What are the holidays without apple cider? Think of the way it brings the family together. We can't make it past new years without apple cider. What will we do, damnit George W. Bush!

[Abcdxxxx]

You should have asked that question a month ago, when there really wasn't too much going on aside from a neverending war, and a bunch of blond women getting kidnapped. Now the media is swamped with...well....swamps. Nobody cares about Darfur. If it's a REAL cause, nobody wants to have anything to do with it.

[sspadowsky]

Hey, keep it down. I'm trying to watch Rockstar INXS.

[nothing4buddha]

:( well i care, even if there is no oil over there

[GAsux]

I hate J.D.

[KevinTheOmnivore]

It's not that people don't care, Americans have given a decent and consistent amount of money (seen the green armstrong-like bracelets?) to the cause, and pretty much every politician from the White House down has denounced the situation. There's legislation in Congress to "push" for this and "insist" on that, so I guess my question to you would be what exactly do YOU want to see done??

Do you want to invade Darfur and "liberate"? Yeah, try sellin' that on the American people right now....

[GAsux]

Yeah remember how noble and supportive the American public was of Somalia after a few Rangers were killed? Suddenly helping struggling Africans didn't make much sense any more.

[kellychaos]

What's a darfur?

[ItalianStereotype]

Yeah remember how noble and supportive the American public was of Somalia after a few Rangers were killed? Suddenly helping struggling Africans didn't make much sense any more.

most of the reactions that I can recall were along the lines of "squash the fuckers like roaches"

fuck Clinton.

[nothing4buddha]

I would like to see more coverage on it, rather than the bullshit they continue to feed us like brittany spears son's name/ flight 292 or w/e. big fucking deal. Also, I'm sick of these N.O. sob stories all over NPR. More media coverage on it could mean more American donations towards it, which I'm sure could help.

[ItalianStereotype]

it's a little more complex than that

[nothing4buddha]

please, enlighten

[ItalianStereotype]

more media coverage won't simply galvanize the American public and cause them all to leap up as one and spring into action. most people don't even know where Darfur is, much less what's going on there.

the answer isn't a military one either, we've already got two wars on our plate and are looking at at least three other potential conflicts, not to mention that civil wars aren't really our style.

the international community has turned a blind eye to the situation as well. the UN isn't willing to take any definitive action, especially since France has such strong economic ties in the region.

so really, what would the news do?

[Ant10708]

Drumming what do you know about the situation? You research the situation while you bitch about the lack of media coverage on it? Sudan DOES have oil you fucking retard. Any reason while a conflict going on even longer in Congo doesn't have much media attention? Who fucking knows. The media could totally exploit the situation in Congo for ratings. I mean its actually pretty interesting all the crazy shit going on over there. I'm sure with some added music and special effects the American public would really get into it. Would you be happy then or do you only care about Darfur because you heard someone mention it? If you care so much then activately do something yourself instead of whining about the media not covering it. You obviously have access to the internet so do some research to see how you could 'make a difference'. Have fun. Last time I checked darfur isn't the only area in Sudan having trouble so why you only concerned with media coverage on darfur?

[kellychaos]

Yeah remember how noble and supportive the American public was of Somalia after a few Rangers were killed? Suddenly helping struggling Africans didn't make much sense any more.

most of the reactions that I can recall were along the lines of "squash the fuckers like roaches"

fuck Clinton.

At least he was pro-active rather than reactionary.

[Abcdxxxx]

Darn, Ant beat me to it. Sudan has oil.

I would like to see it a top 5 topic at least, and it's really not.

What can be done? Kev, you love to argue on the side of the ineffective. The police are powerless, the Government is powerless, the UN is powerless.... everyone is powerless. I don't know what can be done, but I know something *should* be done. I know the US shouldn't be sending aid money to assist in the mayham of the Congo. We send our money to a lot of crazy people in a lot of crazy places, but the situation in the Sudan is probably the least grey of them all.

[KevinTheOmnivore]

And you love to play Monday morning quarterback. The UN is a powerless body, built to be a powerless body, with too many contentious and selfish actors involved to unilaterally "fix" Darfur. If you know something should be done, what then? Military? "Don't support bad regimes." Yeah, that's a novel idea.

"I don't know what can be done, but I know something *should* be done."

Super. We should run this by the State Department!

My point was that this issue isn't being ignored by people in power. The media wants to sell papers, and people suffering in Africa has so been done before. We can scream, and urge, and threaten, and insist all we want, but unless your talking about stepping in and policing the place, I'd like to see some better suggestions....."effective" ones.

[Ant10708]

It's a good thing that G8 concert thing raised awareness about all the debt Africa has.

[Abcdxxxx]

Okay one minute you're saying I'm playing monday morning quarterback, and the next you're mocking me for not having a 10 point plan to present to the State Dept.

It's called having an opinion. Being aware. That's not being a "monday morning quarterback" ... but way to grab on to the latest flavor of the month phrase. It's straight from I-mockery to a guest spot on Hardball with that creative lingo. Don't be so afraid to have an opinion. You're on a message board, not running for office, or interviewing for some diplomacy internship. Has living in DC really got you that wipped?

Whatever we're doing in Darfur is not enough. H'bout that? Do you agree or do you disagree, Senator?

[KevinTheOmnivore]

"Monday morning quarterback" is the latest flavor of the month? Did you miss the 90's, or just forget they happened?

So would it be trendy for me to call you a prick? I need to be careful about this stuff, I have a DC image to uphold.

I'm of the opinion that good things are good, and bad things are bad. Genocide is bad. People feeling pain and being upset is bad. Is that effective, as opposed to my "ineffective" methods?

I'm of the opinion that griping about how things are done, and then offering no alternatives, isn't an opinion at all. That's called whining. That's what you do.

I guess I'm asking what more you would like to see. I don't know what we can do, so I apologize, but I've seemingly failed the message board. :(

[Abcdxxxx]

So you're whining back at me in response to my own whining...not to mention you just admitted you're losing touch with humanity.

Jiffy! I give you two years before your pictures all over Wonkette for blowing a Congressman and writing a tell all about it. Can't wait.

[KevinTheOmnivore]

That's honestly far more interesting than my life is right now, so that's okay by me.

Or wait, that's definitely okay by me! :opinion