Who knows about Darfur?

This is just a test.. kinda. For the American ATSers, well all are welcome to post but I think the problem is happening in the US.

The user biggie smalls brought something interesting up in another thread and I decided to see if we can get a separate conversation about this topic going.

I had no idea about Darfur until i heard it from a friend. I never heard one mention of it in the media. The news is pretty much always on in my house and i never heard one mention of it. Everyday I ride to work with a guy who listens to a lot of talk radio. Again, I haven't heard one word about this on the radio. Does the average American citizen have any idea what's going on over seas? I really don't think they do. I think 8/10 Americans probably don't even know what Darfur is. The sad thing is it's not really their fault..,

Anyways, who knows about Darfur and how did you hear about it?

I've heard of it and know very small details, and I've heard it from the news when they compare paris hilton to darfur and etc. Like why do we care about paris when things are happening in darfur, thats the only place I've heard it from, and thats how I know about darfur.

I've read all about Darfur, but that's only because I don't rely on television or the radio for the news. The internet allows me to read newspapers from around the world, so I make sure to set aside a few hours on daily basis to catch up on what we're not being told.

God forbid I miss out on The Hilton Crisis of 07 .

I've known about it for months, maybe a year. Friends would talk about it, I'd read news. I don't remember.

Darfur

Search is our friend.

Please be specific in your question.

Regards,
Lex

Yea lex, you missed the point.

I said i know about it, and what's going on over there.

What i'm saying is i heard it from a friend instead of from the mainstream media where i probably should have heard it from.

i'm not asking about darfur or any of its details

i only asked 2 questions in this thread and i think they were pretty specific

thanks

Hardly listen to the radio but sometimes I hear it on the news or commercials. But thats it.

Yeah. Except our news doesn't even play it anymore. They are probably on a gag order from Mr. Bush.

BBC news plays it, check www.bbc.co.uk and search for Darfur. Granted, its not a front page item like it should be, but its better than nothing.

What about Zimbabwe, Mozambique also? Rwanda was only 10 years ago and some of those African countries have had genocide for over a hundred years. The killings just don't get reported and the world moves on.

What's sad about it is the apathy. No one really cares. I try to tell some of my friends...A few are really motivated to research it and see what is going on. A few others say "whatever" and turn FOX news back on to have a daily dose of propaganda.

I think a part of it is that it is Africans. If it was Europeans or Americans, we'd care a lot more (not saying that I don't care, but its true that we live in a racist blonde-haired, blue eyed Western world). People see someone different than themselves and immediately have the thought "why should I care?"

Why should you care? Its your brothers and sisters who are being murdered by their own people. If Americans started killing Americans on a large scale (ah, drug war, immigration police, you name it it happens here too) and the news reported it, the story would be different.

I get pretty depressed when I read about it, but reality isn't always pretty. We need to do something about these poor souls.

France's President is in talks with some African nations, but decided it wasn't important to invite the parties responsible for the genocide. I find it appaling. One step forward, three steps backward. They are trying to have other African nationals come in and take over Darfur/Sudan. Great idea guys, create more homelessness and tribal warfare.

I love the West . When we try to help out we don't even ask questions about how others want to be treated. We just assume we know what's best for the world.

I'm sick and tired of being "TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE!"

We need to give up our role of officer and let the rest of the world run their own lives.

I just hope we can help the Sudanese settle this dispute before any more die...

(I hope I made sense).

I've known for a couple of years...

In terms of why it's not in the MSM, I think it involves a confluence of issues...

It's easy to blame it on the victims being the wrong color, but the real issue concerns Chinese involvement in the matter.

Look into that... I think you'll be surprised.

Originally posted by loam
I've known for a couple of years...

In terms of why it's not in the MSM, I think it involves a confluence of issues...

It's easy to blame it on the victims being the wrong color, but the real issue concerns Chinese involvement in the matter.

Look into that... I think you'll be surprised.

I agree. Its not just the color issue. Russia and China are investing billions into the area.

Weapons manufacturers are also making a buttload of cash from the conflict.

(I don't know why I got a thumbs down, but ok).



[edit on 28-6-2007 by biggie smalls]

biggie your post made sense

i think loam was saying we would be disappointed in the information we would find

Originally posted by biggie smalls
(I don't know why I got a thumbs down, but ok).

I'm sorry for the confusion. I did not intend that to mean anything about your post.

The Phantom has it right. I was referring to China's involvement.

I'm sorry if you thought that was aimed at you.

Regarding your first post biggie small, well said.

Another huge problem with this (one that P's me off) is the UN's "involvement". It is the UN's policy to stop a genocide when it is happening, and because of Darfur, they are attempting the change the definition of 'genocide' to spare themselves the caring. In the mean time, they say they are "helping" by sending food to the government down there, which happens the be the ones committing the genocide, coincidently by starving their people. They are having a pop. issue a bit as well because if a woman goes outside, chances are she'll be raped, leading to unwanted pregnancies. The entire thing is extremely infuriating.

The ongoing problems in Darfur were first brought to my attention a couple of years ago in school, there were a number of people that fled Sudan who were doing a circuit of the universities and high schools in Florida talking to students and raising awareness of the ongoing crisis. There is a save Darfur group at the last uni I attended, also.

I think it was Geraldo Rivera, not sure, but somebody on FoxNews did a special report on Darfur last year (may have been longer ago than that.) I've also seen presentations on it on the National Geographic Channel (I think that's the one, I know the National Geographic magazine has covered it numerous times - I'm one of those folks that saves every issue.)

I think folks interested in current events certainly know about the basics of it. I'm shocked to read that it "began" around 2003, I thought it'd been going on for much longer, unfortunately in that part of the world there is always something terrible happening it would seem, hard to keep it all straight.

Phantom,
I'm not sure what you are seeking .
You want massacre's that have happened in Africa ?

Look Here.

As far as what Europeans or later Americans did ? Well,
the Euro's learned early on, that African people used a slave
trade.

Trade in slaves, like most of the world, has carried on for thousands of years in Africa

From Here

Now, if you are saying that what is going on is different, I beg to differ.

It's the same as it's always been.

Who can stop it ?

Not outsiders. It has to come from within.

Hope that helps,
Lex