Kudos to Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., for drawing attention to humanitarian disasters in Africa. Brownback returned last week from a trip to Congo, Rwanda and Kenya. He reported that more than 1,000 people a day in eastern Congo are dying from preventable causes, and he called for better coordination of foreign aid programs. Brownback has also led efforts to help end the genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan. Without such high profile advocates, it is easy for Africa’s problems to fall off our national radar screen.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
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17 Comments
Too bad that the only time the USA cares is when we have something to gain by intervening. Even if at some point our government attempts to stop the genocide, the damage will already be done. It will be too little, too late.Makes me wonder, if this crisis was happening in Europe instead of Africa, would our approach be different?
You need to ask?
Hey. can somebody tell traitor Brownback American kids need an education and we need to put America first. Charity begins at home! Lets send Brownback packing to Africa!
Uncle Sam
Nice, people, nice. The guy does something right and gets blasted by people with unknown agendas that exist in their own little minds.
Yep, you people sure are the ones I want casting votes. Brownback may not be the one to entertain your brand of racism, but at least he’s doing something to try and stop the genocide. Something you all could care less about.
There’s a whole world out there, not just your little space occupied by your little minds thinking your little thoughts.
Some of us can accept that fact, some of us just bitch and moan.
Yes, JM you are right that this is a worthy cause and he should be recognized for keeping it alive!!!
Now if we can just get beyond posturing, photo-ops and interviews.
Money spent on political pork should be going to help these people.
And what you may see as endless bitching, others see as bringing the truth out into open discussion.In this case the truth is that the world is standing by while genocide takes place.
Tracy,The bitching I was refering to was the previous bloggers who saw fit to hammer Brownback even though he was doing the right thing. They were in no way opening up any discussion concerning genocide in Africa.
If they had, there would be room for intelligent discourse, as it is, there was nothing but bitching. That in and of itself opens nothing.
Bringing truth to an open discussion is something that one should strive for, but what they said in this blogs is totally counterproductive and completely useless. It brings nada.
Tracy,Let me ask a few pointed questions:1.Where is Jesse Jackson on this atrocity? Why haven’t we heard from this bastion of civil rights? Last time I checked, he was wanting congress to investigate the Terrel Owens suspension. Right, good place to start, bro.2.Where are the Liberal Democrats on this same atrocity? Why isn’t Chappaquiddick Ted ranting and raving about the Sudan nightmare? Where is Bill Clinton, the first “Black” President on the same subject?3.Why aren’t the democrats of both the house and senate up in arms over sanctions to the Sudanese government?This is an atrocity that should have the civilized world on its feet, and screaming for intervention. It ain’t happening. Why?
Re read my post JM, I don’t think I’m callous or apathetic when it comes to the crisis in Sudan. Don’t lump me in with your rant against those who don’t see things the way you do.I agree, why are so few politicians speaking out against the genocide? The media barely pays it any attention, either. Must not be as important to them as the lastest on Nick and Jessica.
Damoon,My first impression when I read your post was that it was a typical blog giving no credit where credit is due. Just another reason to slam.
My opinion has changed some after reading it a second time, but there is still that cynicism that adds nothing to the blog, something I’m guilty of myself at times:-)
But I don’t rant against those who don’t think as I do, I rant against people who offer nothing but negativity. And there are more than one of those who blog here.
I’ve certainly tried, and I give Brownback credit for at least doing SOMETHING. Unfortunately, the African continent hasn’t been of importance to this country since, well, the slave trade (well, except for South Africa–gotta have those diamonds!). And I suspect bad memories of the Somalia debacle (rightfully) enter into it (though bad memories of Rwanda should also inform our decisions).
And it isn’t just genocide and starvation. Malaria produces millions of preventable deaths every year, and no one cares. AIDS runs rampant, and no one cares. Whether it’s arm-slicing rebels in Sierra Leone, election-stealing Mugabe in Zimbabwe, or US-supported despots in Algeria and Nigeria, nobody cares. Or even knows about it, what with our standard McNews.
I also think it’s because it’s too much to take in. Time is limited. We all have our pet issues (usually Nick, Jessica and Michael Jackson!), and the rest is off-radar. And I’ve been as guilty of this as anyone else (well, maybe not those who give a shit about Nick and Jessica! :-).
SEND BROWNBACK TO AFRICA. We have genocide in ALL of our American inner cities. Why isn’t Brownback stoping the gang violence in America? We need to support education in America – or there will not be America as we know it today. Who will help Brownback take American tax money to help the rest of the world when we are broke and have no tax money! I remember Somalia when our American soliders on a humanitarian mission had their dead bodies dragged in the streets. Wake up Brownback you were NOT elected in Africa!
Rage,Damoon? Hmmm…
You’re correct about Malaria being preventable; let them use DDT and much of the malaria problem would disappear. But we can’t do that, why bugs are way more important than people, aren’t they? Just ask a green peacer.
Genetically engineered corn was offered to the starving people of Africa, and turned down by a despot who would rather see his people die than fed. All because some morons with an agenda told him it was bad. No real proof, mind you, just unscientific claims.
Aids can be prevented and there are serious inroads being made in that area, but not enough to stop this plague. It will take the will of more of the worlds people to get it done.
There are many who do care about what happens in Africa, you’re just not getting that side of it. Look at the missions, the charities, the humanitarians that are doing everything they can, then take a good look at the politicians in this country. Which would you put your money on (That’s on, not with).
Africa is the home to all of us. Every man, woman and child alive on this planet is a descendant of an African tribe. DNA has proven that. Bet that ticks off all of the rascists, doesn’t it? That a white race is descended from a black race?
These people in Africa suffering through this nightmare are us. Thay ARE our brothers and sisters. Of that, there is no doubt. People like Dubya, who also masks as Ian, penis, and a dozen other ridiculous nom de plumes are morons in the true sense. They have no sense of self, their true past, nor their worthless future. They’re the real sycophants of society.
The suffering Africans deserve a hell of a lot more than they (the sycophants) do.
Brownbacks doing something about it. What are you doing?
Right now all I’m doing is bitching about it.Nothing will get better until the media decides to give the crisis more attention and more pressure is put on the world’s governments to intervene in some way. I suspect the apathy in this country toward Sudan is largely due to our own mess in Iraq and the other problems in the Middle East. We can only spread ourselves so thin. It’s tragic that so many lives have been lost and the starvation, disease, and death is bound to continue due to the lack of caring by the rest of the world. God bless those who are over there trying to make a difference.Good post, JM.
Thanks, Damoon. I agree: all we can do is bitch to our leaders to do something. Brownback is at least doing that . . . can’t stand the guy, but he got this one right.
The sad fact is most Politicians on the left and right don’t care about africa and its problems. If Mr Browmback really wants to get something done he should meet with Bono who knows more about africa issues than almost anyone.