By Mike Slaton
Massive human tragedy always compels me to imagine what it’s like to be in the middle of so great a catastrophe.
Irishman John Clyn, amidst the ravages of the Black Death, wrote, “I, as if among the dead, waiting till death do come, have put into writing truthfully what I have heard and verified. And that the writing may not perish with the scribe and the work fail with the laborer, I add parchment to continue it, if by chance anyone may be left in the future, and any child of Adam may escape this pestilence and continue the work thus commenced.”
Whether we’re watching towers fall or cities flood, there is nothing worse than seeing a disaster we have no power to stop. Clyn’s text was followed by that of another writer, who said simply, “Here it seems the author died.”
As the New Orleans death toll climbs, many have cried out that we do much for other countries, but little for our own. While I understand this sense of despair, such comments are woefully misinformed. Truthfully, we don’t do much for other countries. If the city of New Orleans were in a foreign country, the situation would unfold simply: our ham-handed national response would be applauded, and some federal official would win the Nobel Peace Prize.
One need only look to the Sudan for an example of the idle hands of our foreign aid policy. On Sept. 9, 2004, the Bush administration declared that genocide was occurring in the Darfur region of the Sudan – a little late, considering it began in February 2003. If we think it’s despicable that the U.S. government took days to respond to Katrina, how much worse is it that genocide ran rampant in Darfur for nearly two years before the administration even admitted it was happening?
As many as 400,000 people have been killed in Darfur, and an estimated 2,500,000 have been displaced from their homes. Given recent events, we Americans can understand such displacement. Imagine losing everything you love and being heartlessly crammed into a filth-ridden, overcrowded holding pen, as befell so many of our fellow citizens. Now pretend that the hurricane that put you there is going to come back for you, again and again, because of an ideological commitment to wipe out your people.
If the response to the situation in New Orleans is “not acceptable,” then our response to the situation in Darfur is a crime against humanity. The old line that America said “never again” after the Holocaust is starting to seem unbelievable. Watch “Hotel Rwanda.” Visit http://savedarfur.org. “Never again” is a promise we must act on to make it true.
The world ended dramatically for thousands of people in New Orleans this week, and all of our hearts go out to them. Please support the hurricane’s victims by attending the “Relief on the Riverfront” benefit on Sept. 24 at the Belvedere.
But while you’re there, remember that the world has been ending for millions in Darfur for nearly three years. When will their benefit take place?
Americans caring about Africa – now that would be news.
Mike Slaton is a U of L student and a guest columnist for The Louisville Cardinal.
Contact him at opinion@louisvillecardinal.com
