Comments on: Genocide Olympics

Genocide Olympics

homunculus — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 17:30:29 -0800

The Genocide Olympics. The human rights group Dream for Darfur is trying to use the Olympics to pressure China to change its policies on Sudan and the genocide in Darfur.

Here's Mia Farrow's original editorial.

By: homunculus

homunculus — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 18:02:44 -0800

Bugmenot.

By: francesca too

francesca too — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 18:21:20 -0800

"Citius, Altius, Fortius?" More like "Moribundus" if you are from Darfur. I'm not watching anymore.

By: pyramid termite

pyramid termite — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 21:09:23 -0800

(from another thread) I feel I should mention that while this thread about a concert has 100+ comments, there's a thread trying to draw attention to what's happening in Darfur that has 2. the brutal truth is that no one's going to do anything about darfur - it's not really in our national interest, our troops are committed elsewhere, we've pretty much pissed away our moral standing and the chinese are going to interpret any attempts to disengage them from sudan as a ruse to grab oil resources for the west, a belief that they are not necessarily wrong about it's not a nice thought or a moral one, but it happens to be true

By: mazola

mazola — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 22:11:52 -0800

You're harshin' my shot put.

By: subaruwrx

subaruwrx — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 23:07:43 -0800

Where do we begin? I volunteer with a "Darfur coalition" and its hard. Most people dont know about whats happening in Darfur and when they find out they are shocked... Then they grab their latte and go back to their lives. With everything thats going on all over the world, its hard to draw people's attention to one more thing bad. Especially in America, people have short attention spans and Britney and Paris seem to be occupying that span most recently...

By: unreason

unreason — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 04:09:09 -0800

I think one sticking point with Darfur is that there's very little that can actually be done to stop the genocide. The ruling government refuses to stop. Protesters in western countries don't effect or impress them. Sanctions are unworkable; the Chinese, among others, won't support them. The UN peacekeepers can't do anything without a mandate from the Sudanese, which they won't get. Even if the US wanted to invade, and even assuming that invasion wouldn't just make things horribly worse (which it undoubtedly would), it hasn't got the available man-power at the moment. So, let's say we make everyone aware of what's going on in Durfur. What can we really do to stop the genocide?

By: asok

asok — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 06:30:09 -0800

Boycott the murderous Sudanese regime! What's that? They have oil! I mean support the Sudanese regime in making the right descisions through constructive economic engagement. Or let them do whatever they want. Genocide is just a frame of mind.

By: homunculus

homunculus — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 09:26:03 -0800

Activists ready to protest Olympic torch: Demonstrators against China's human rights record to converge on S.F.

By: [expletive deleted]

[expletive deleted] — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 10:13:47 -0800

I'm sorry, as tragic as it is, we shouldn't be leaning on the Chinese about Darfur when there is a conflict that would be easier for the West to stop that is killing at least as many civillians, and has left more displaced: Iraq.

By: Monday

Monday — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:39:55 -0800

"When [most people] find out they are shocked... Then they grab their latte and go back to their lives." -subaruwrx What can they do? I remember during the Gulf War a commentator questioning George Bush playing a round of golf. I passed this argument on to my mother, who turned it around on me and asked what I was doing about the war. I was in middle school; what could I do about the war? So what can I do about Darfur? Seriously.

By: francesca too

francesca too — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:18:13 -0800

What can I do about Darfur? Seriously. Sending money to a relief organization helps. Money always helps, money for food, health care, clothing, education. Making someone life a little better is better than doing nothing at all.

By: homunculus

homunculus — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:19:23 -0800

A Massive Oasis Could Ease Suffering in Darfur

By: homunculus

homunculus — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:04:20 -0800

In San Francisco: Torch route published; Supes critical of China