I did see this web site highlighted a couple of days ago and think it could be helpful when trying to vote to get gross injustices addressed by our lawmakers.  Issues such as Shotts and Gannon are promoting investigating and arming ourselves with as we go to vote in November.

http://www.intelligentvote.com/

I saw the 60 Minutes piece you mention when it aired last Sunday, and it left me much as it has you. First, sad and outraged, and second, wondering what direction to take.

Darfur and these issues of genocide are the biggest crises so far of the new millenium. Far more so than the so-called War on Terror. I find it hard to believe that we were so quick with military action and with US dollars in Iraq with full knowledge of what is happening in Darfur and with Colin Powell and George W. Bush defining the situation as genocide, using that very word in front of the assembled United Nations. Why have we done so little in Darfur, and so much in Iraq? I feel I am left with no other response to that question other than that the US ultimately focuses where its “interests” apparently are–oil in Iraq is a quantifiable resource that the US wants; Sudan offers us very little by comparison, and nothing in such known, quantifiable terms.

Lest anyone think I am merely being partisan, Bill Clinton acknowledges–as does Kofi Annan, for that matter–that the genocide in Rwanda was his biggest failure. And it was and is, and history will show that to be a far more deplorable stain on his presidency than anything involving Monica Lewinsky. The major difference is that Clinton has acknowledged this failure. Bush seems to give Darfur some word of mouth, but very little action or aid. I don’t think the argument that we are in Iraq to depose Hussein and the Baathists and root out terrorists holds water anymore while everyone sees what’s going on in Darfur, and we have done so little by comparison. If our intentions were so altruistic for Iraq, then why wouldn’t they be for Darfur? The discrepancy shows the undeniable hypocrisy of our “interests.”

As for what to do–that is a good question. First, vote on November 7th for candidates that care about Darfur and make aid there a priority. And I don’t think that candidates that are in the “stay the course” mentality about Iraq make aid to Darfur a priority. So the first thing to do is exercise your vote on the 7th. Second, I think calling your congresspeople and writing and emailing are all important–just to be counted, and to feel a sense of outlet. You won’t be the only one calling or writing or emailing, and sometimes the sheer numbers of people is what can get congress’s attention. Ned mentions some good NGOs that are providing direct aid and help, or lobbying for Darfur to receive more of our attention. I think those are all good things. I’ve given to DATA in the past, but I think they’re primarily good at getting attention for these issue rather than applying such direct aid, in the way that Ned is talking about.

We’re all implicated in this, so some response–however small–feels important.

–Shotts