A Political Rant
I told myself before starting this blog that I would refrain from posting political content, fearing that my politics would turn people away. Screw it.
What character flaw is it in George W. Bush that prevents him from intervening militarily to address the crisis in Darfur? It’s rare that I advocate the use of military force, but I believe the situation in Darfur warrants it. Here is a man who preaches family values and has positioned himself as a compassionate man of faith, who can’t seem to bring himself to send U.S. troops to this region to put an end to the crimes being committed against men, women, and children.
In Darfur, families are being ripped apart. The Janjaweed, militiamen backed by the Sudanese government, are destroying villages and families. These armed gunmen commit atrocities so heinous that one wonders how anyone with an ounce of a conscience or humanity could carry out such acts. Last week on Real Time with Bill Maher, Mia Farrow told the story of her encounter with a woman in a refugee camp who had her baby ripped from her arms and watched as a Janjaweed militiaman bayoneted him.
If George Bush doesn’t hear stories like this, then both he and his administration are incompetent and unfit to run this country. If he does hear these stories, then he is negligent, and anything but the compassionate, pious, family man he claims to be. It’s time to do something, Mr. President. Help make this situation right, and show us all that there is some good in you.
Maybe it’s the fact that I’ve got a baby boy on the way, but hearing of these types of atrocities — especially those against women and children — hits home much more than it did before. I’d like to see the President stop talking about values and faith, and start showing us that those things are as important to him as he claims they are.
Note: It’s beyond the scope of this post to get into the history of the conflict in Darfur. Wikipedia has a fairly in-depth account of the conflict.