RESCUE DARFUR FAST: WHY? WHAT? HOW?

A discussion with Rosemary about the Rescue Darfur Fast-Till-Genocide-Stops week three.

R 1. What are we hoping to accomplish and how?

The end of genocide. Safe environment for Darfur. Lavish support for the Darfurians returning to their homes, land and lives.

How? The only way, the only way, social change has ever occurred - by mobilizing we-the-people to give a clear mandate to our elected officials.

"Never think that a small group of committed people cannot change the world. It is the only thing that ever has," Margaret Mead

How? By putting our bodies where our mouths are. Actions speak louder than words. We are doing our part to pay the price, pay the ransom of Darfur. We are sharing in the Darfurians
suffering; we are sharing in solidarity what it must be like not to have food, clean water, freedom from extermination, and all of those things we take for granted.

R. 2. Do we want more peacekeepers who do nothing but watch as the Darfurians are raped, tortured, enslaved, and murdered horrendously? How are we going to stop this tyrant?

How stop the genocide? Just as we have been saying:
1. Targeted economic sanctions on Darfur;
2. Political pressure on Sudan's supporters (China, India, Russia);
3. Renegotiation between Khartoum and Darfur. The May 5, 2006 agreement was not a solution.
4. Chapter 7 (armed and dangerous) Peace Keepers.

No one with any credibility has a different plan, or suggests that this will not work.

R. 3. What specifically do we want Washington to do? I know what I would like to do. I would like to send in the Calvary!

All credible analysists agree that ferocious arm twisting is fully capable of stopping Bashir. He is a bully and can be bullied. He has been in the past.

The Calvary is essential for several reasons, and YES this is a crucial part:
1. Bashir cannot be trusted.
2. Bashir is not capable of disarming the Janjaweed by himself
3. Having the Calvalry at the ready is part of the arm twisting.

R. 4. You do know where they got that name from, don't you? :)

It is Cavelry, no? :-)
(No. It is where Jesus gave up His earthly life for all sinners. At Calvary).

R. 5. I understand we want to be antiviolent, but that does not especially mean peace. Just seeking some answers...

If my finger was cancerous I would not hate my finger; but I would ask the Dr. that violence be visited on it - cut it off, please! Gandhi would have done the same.

Jesus loved all people. Jesus was antiviolent - antidestruction. Jesus flipped the tables in the temple to Save his brothers. That was a constructive, antiviolent use of force.

Antiviolence has to do with the heart ultimately, not this or that form of action. "Do unto others ALL that you would have them do unto you." If I turn mad and begin brutalizing innocents, shoot me! Please. Don't hate me, but shoot me.

Agape, jay