Maybe the situation in Sudan is finally going to become a real issue that gets attention:
Representative Charles Rangel (Democrat of New York) was arrested July 13 as he blocked the entrance to the Sudanese Embassy to protest the Khartoum government’s support for militia groups that have killed between 15,000 and 30,000 people in Sudan’s Darfur region while making a mockery of international efforts to stop what the lawmaker termed “genocide.”
Standing with crossed arms in front of the embassy’s door on Washington’s Massachusetts Avenue at high noon, Rangel and a band of about 50 protesters sang the defiant civil rights anthem “We Shall Overcome,” evoking similar protests against racism in America during the 1960s and against apartheid in South Africa in the 1980s.
The UN refuses to use the “G” word, but Rangel sure isn’t:
According to the influential lawmaker: “The situation in Sudan has clearly reached the level of a genocide. U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Andrew Natsios has declared that at least 300,000 people will be dead by year’s end in the best-case scenario, and over a million will perish if things continue on their present course. We must take immediate actions to condemn the government of Sudan for their complicity and save the lives of these innocent people.”
Rangel warned: “We acted too late to save million of Jews during World War II. We didn’t act at all when hundreds of thousands of innocents were slaughtered in Rwanda. We have the opportunity now to stop a genocide and we must act.”
Good for him. How much of the western world’s refusal to act simply boils down to good old fashioned racism? Why are the UN and the United States simply willing to sit by while people are slaughtered like this? And where the hell has Bill Clinton been? Cripes, he just recently told us all that his greatest mistake while in office was not doing anything in Rwanda.
Kathy K
The more I hear about Rangel, the more I like him.
Sharp as a Marble
If this is the same Charlie Rangel I know and loathe, there’s not much more to like than this.
Ken
“Why are the UN and the United States simply willing to sit by while people are slaughtered like this?”
Well, the US is kind of busy right now, and (hopefully) will have its hands full with Iran in the not-too-distant future. The UN has always been useless.
“The more I hear about Rangel, the more I like him.”
Well, except for that draft thing.
HH
Rangel is still an idiot because he wants it both ways… he defies the UN here but wants the UN to be consulted on military action… a broken clock is right twice a day.
What Clinton should express regret about is LYING about his knowledge of the Rwandan genocide.
Rick
HH took my stopped clock analogy in re Rangel. Still, good for him.
I next expect to be appreciative of him no earlier than 2011.
Cordially…
Al Maviva
There’s only a genocide in Rwanda because Republicans hate black people and want them to die – just like they hate Hispanics, as Raid hates cockroaches.
What’s that, I’m commenting to a blog?
Sorry, thought I was introducing Kerry at a campaign stop or rallying the troops at a fundraiser. I’ll try to watch that in the future.
Al Maviva
That’s a joke by the way – but if Chahgin’ Chollie does request assistance for Sudan, that’s damn sure what he’ll say to ensure he gets his way.
willyb
I am generally not a U.N. guy, but I think this is where the U.N. might actually be of some use. Let Kofi take the lead on this issue, or is he a racist?
M. Scott Eiland
Ah yes, Charlie Rangel–the man who thinks that Republican tax cut proposals are the modern equivalent of KKK lynchings and cross-burnings. He’s a prince of a man. Mind you, he’s right on this one, but that just proves the wisdom of a couple of old sayings about blind squirrels and broken clocks.
Dean
I don’t remember (really): Did Charles Rangel say the same things about Rwanda under a Democratic President?
Did he go before the UN and call for an end to genocide when it was Bill Clinton who was in office?
Or is he rather, er selective in his timing of such protests? In which case, does he really give a flying fig about genocide?
Ken Hahn
I’m no fan of Rangel’s but he’s absolutely right on this one. Why are no Republicans getting arrested there?
charles austin
Maybe this is why Charlie wants to bring the draft back! Nah.
willyb
“I’m no fan of Rangel’s but he’s absolutely right on this one. Why are no Republicans getting arrested there?”
Other than bringing attention to this issue, what did Rangel’s protest accomplish besides getting his name in the newspaper? On the same day as Rangel protested, the WSJ reported the following comments by Bush (made during a ceremony celebrating his signing of legislation extending certain free trade benefits to some African countries):
” …
“For the sake of peace and basic humanity…I call upon the government of Sudan to stop the Janjaweed violence,” Bush said. “I call on all parties of the conflict to respect the cease-fire, to respect human rights, and to allow for the free movement of humanitarian workers and aid.”
Aid and rights groups accuse the Khartoum government of backing the militia that is responsible for the bulk of the looting, destruction and ethnic violence. The government has denied the charge. In visits earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the government must rein in the militia and allow people to return to their homes.”
I don’t know if Randel’s protest occurred before or after Bush’s comments, and I don’t know if Rangel was at the ceremonial signing, but my question is, “why should Republicans get arrested when the same results can be obtained in another way?”
willyb
Is it possible that Rangel went to the ceremonial signing, decided not to let Bush have all the thunder on the Sudan issue, and protested latter to make his statement?
Kimmitt
“Why are no Republicans getting arrested there?”
[RESPONSE REDACTED; POSTER HAS CONSUMED HIS DAILY LEVEL OF SNARK.]
John Cole
Only one Democrat was arrested-, while Republican Sam Brownback is introducing legislation today.
As I stated in a previous post, yourdecline has been amusing to watch, Kimmitt.
Kimmitt
If you’d bothered to look on Thomas, you’d note that Senator Brownback has introduced various legislations on this subject before. He is, of course, joined by a host of Democrats and a few Republicans. He has just introduced a bill in the Senate to classify what is taking place as a “genocide,” which would place upon the United States certain obligations. Legislation has already been introduced to that effect in the House, but it’s got a distinctly blue tinge to it. That’s how these things go.
PS: I think Clinton has been averse to offering policy prescriptions here mostly because Clinton has been averse to offering any but the vaguest of policy prescriptions whatsoever. He views that as appropriate, given his “former President” role.
Kimmitt
Don’t get me wrong — I think it is a wonderful thing that a Republican is belatedly introducing legislation which mirrors previously-established Democratic legislation and policies. I look forward to its success, as I do to all eventual Republican copycats of Democratic legislation.