United Against Genocide

The three recent presidential candidates came together to make a statement regarding the on-going genocide in Darfur, Sudan. They all made the point that I would like to make regarding peace efforts in Darfur.
After the consequences of the US entering Iraq began to surface, a negative sentiment toward foreign intervention began to form among the American people. The idea that we need to “mind our own business and stay out of it” has become very popular. The problem with adopting this attitude is that there are situations, which surpass national security or economic interest. Genocide is a problem that does not require any other reason for intervention other than the fact that it is genocide. There does not need to be a threat on our personal security for this conflict to be relevant. It is simply human responsibility. I do not call for action in Darfur as an American; I call for action against genocide as a human being.
After US intelligence so badly erred in Vietnam, American citizens were skeptical. Due to such skepticism, all warnings of genocide in Cambodia were ignored until it was too late (A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide, Samantha Power). I fear that the same thing will happen today. Is everyone so jaded by the war in Iraq that Darfur will be ignored? There is no excuse for genocide, and I appreciate the potential leaders of our country for reminding us of that; however, we cannot wait for the next president to be in office to take action in Darfur. Our senators and president must act now by putting pressure on the Sudanese government before any more lives are lost.

Change is Coming

Barack Obama is the first black man to secure a presidential nomination for a major party. After 43 previous United States elections, I think it is about time. I wouldn’t have voted for Hillary just because she is a woman, and I won’t vote for Obama simply because he is from a minority, but I think that this Democratic race has been a significant symbol of the change this country needs. I’m not talking about pulling the troops out of Iraq or reforming health care. The change I’m referring to is what activists have been trying to accomplish since the Civil Rights Movement. It brought tears to my eyes when I read the news that the “melting pot” of this nation would finally be represented. It has been 146 years since the Emancipation Proclamation and eighty-eight years since the women’s suffrage movement in the United States, and minorities and women are finally being represented on a national level. It has been long enough. Neither Obama or Clinton may be the best candidate, but both have made a way for the future of America and the world. I heard a woman say the other day that as long as there are women in burkas there is a need for a female president for world leaders to recognize and respect. Obama made a comment in a recent campaign speech that what Hilary Clinton has done will change the futures for our daughters. Many [ignorant and sheltered] people don’t think racism and sexism are relevant problems in our country anymore. The fact that the majority of our leaders are white males is a clear indication that they are. By November we might still have a white male president, but I think Obama’s campaign has already accomplished what it set out to do: Change.

Rockin the Suburbs