Sudan, China, and the 2008 Olympics

This is Aaron Hui (H Block) I decided to post a youtube video (previous post) that focuses a little more on one of the places that our guest speaker stated was an obstacle in the fight against Genocide: China. The video talks about how the 2008 Olympic Games are related to China and the Darfur/Sudan Genocide. After watching the clip (which is about 2.30 minutes), do you agree with those such as Frank Wolf and Mia Farrow that by supporting the Olympics, one is supporting the Genocide in Darfur? Or should the Olympic games be unrelated to the Genocide? Here's an article from the SF Chronicle, which gives another side of the China/Darfur relationship, and how China has in fact tried to stop the Genocide: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/09/11/international/i161342D50.DTL&hw=darfur+sudan+china+olympics&sn=002&sc=864.
Another link from the WashingtonPost that talks about China's possible consequences with its relationship with Sudan: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/13/AR2006121302008.html.
What do you think about the relationship? Would you agree or disagree that China and the Olympics are or are not helping with the Genocide?

China, Sudan, and the Olympics

A Moral Dilemma

In H Block's Friday class, we were presented with information about the history of the conflict in Sudan, and what is being done to put an end to the mass violence. The speaker was an example of an 'upstander,' the opposite of a bystander, of someone who was taking actions based on her beliefs. The facts of the current situation in Darfur would be considered 'intolerable' by most people. As residents of the United States, we are not in constant danger of death or displacement, so in the literal sense, we can 'tolerate' the genocide in darfur, because it is not physically endangering to our persons. However, I feel it is safe to say that nobody I know would agree that the mass killing/displacement of innocent members of a society is a good thing.

So I have a few questions:

When and how does one decide to take action if s/he considers a situation 'intolerable'?

How does one decide the boundaries of responsibility? (i.e. helping a neighbor vs. a person in a different neighborhood vs. a person in a different country?)

On a more personal level, what factors would cause you to take action to help a cause that did not have a direct affect on your physical well-being? (Our speaker was motivated to take action on behalf of Darfur because of the loss and and sorrow her family experienced as Austrian Jews during WWII.

SF Bay Area Darfur Coalition event

This is Danielle (I am technologically challenged...)

So I am on the SF Bay Area Darfur Coalition's mailing list, and they're holding a "Dream for Darfur Planning Meeting" where they hope to formulate a couple of good ideas in regards to an SF Darfur event. They're interested in some event that would contribute to encouraging China to end their oil-oriented relationship with the Sudanese government.
The meeting is Sunday, September 23, from 1:00 - 3:00 pm, at the JCF Building (121 Steaurt Street btwn Mission and Howard).
I was thinking it may be cool to get together with a couple of you to check it out and see what we come up with, as well as to establish a relationship with the Coalition people.

Here is the direct link to the Darfur coalition's site: http://darfursf.org/content/?p=169

One of the many helpful resources offered on this site is a calendar where you can check out all the upcoming Darfur-related events in the Bay Area.

SF Bay Area Darfur Coalition--> Guest Speaker

This is Julia Borelli (im working on getting my own account)

I wanted to hear about everyones responses to the guest speaker we had today regarding the genocide in Darfur.

I have also thought of some question that I would be interesting to think about and discuss.

-Why do you think that the efforts made to better the situation have not made sigficant change?
-Why has the problem worsed over the last decade?
-Which group has been most effective in their efforts to help the situation?
-Why do you think the genocide in Darfur and Sudan as a whole have lasted so long?
-What do you believe to be possible outcomes of this issue? Do you see a way that it can be resolved?

These are some of the sights she listed, as well as other informational sights:

http://www.enoughproject.org/region/darfur/overview.php
This is a good site to keep you updated on exactly what's going on right now in Darfur, how people can help with the current situation as well as a history of the crisis.

http://www.darfursf.org/
This is the site for the coalition, it lists up coming events that are open to the public, it also has videos and news that show whats going on, and an online petition, that all of us can sign.

http://www.genocideintervention.net/
Genocide intervention is a broader site that sheds light on genocides that are occuring all over the globe, it does have a focus on darfur, It also allows you to sign up for STAND (the Student Anti-Genocide Coalition)

http://www.savedarfur.org/content?splash=yes
save darfur allows you to sign up to get daily emails with news from darfur, it also has information on the "Help Bring the Olympic Dream to Darfur" event, as well as a link to a blog.

The Value of Regret

This Is Thom.

We had an enlightening discussion regarding wheather or not "deniers" of genocide should be given equal time with "scholars." I want to shift this lens a bit though, and investigate the effect that time plays on potency. The modern world is very sensitive to our recent history. We, especilly Americans, do our best to portray history in the worst possible light, the reason being, I believe, that in some way the West believes that this will make up for what they did in the past. But at what point do we stop caring? For example: if I could stop the massacre of Christians in ancient Rome, but in exchange I would lose Virgil and the arch and the innuemerable other contributons the Roman Empire has made to Western civilization, I wouldn't. Its simply too far removed from my expierience. In the end the fate of thousands of people who lived thousands of years ago ceases to have any weight. I would choose one great person from the past over thousands of nameless, faceless, non-entities. How do other people think about this?
So my question is: is there a lime limit? Is it human to "stop caring?" Is it a moral implantation? If we had a differant moral system would we care more? If we were a culture based in orality? Is there a reason to care about human death at all? Why? Just topics for discussion.

Denial and/or Freedom of Speech

This is Elias as Ms. Finn and until Julia helps me with my lack of technology comprehension I will continue to be Ms Finn.

Firstly, I was really pumped about my Genocide class's (H Block) discussion about denial of the holocaust in particular and then of any truth in general. Listening to the varying opinions the major theme for me was that I was not able to formulate a nice, clear-cut opinion. I was pulled this way and that as new ideas were brought up and at the end of the discussion my brain was throughly cloudy. I only have questions and I'm quite interested to hear any and all responses. What forms the basis of our understanding, the concept of free-speech or hearing what we want to hear? Can we censor what we don't want to hear or does everything have to be heard? Does letting deniers speak give them opportunity to change minds? Who should win, "truth" or the "other"? Can one listen to a denier and yet still actively oppose their ideas? Does listening give their cause momentum? So many questions....

The other thing was that I was deeply and truly disturbed and frightened by the video Hate.com. I was so taken aback that I had to pause for several moments before I went on with my day. I was shocked that this video is not of "history," but of the now. this is now and we can not be withdraw by time from these events. More questions: How do those people form their ideas? Should they be allowed to post online, just as I am this very moment? Is their anyway to change their ideals? Should people try to change their ideas?

Quite a long post, but hopefully it is some food for thought.

Week 2 -

Since today is September 11, I thought it would be appropriate to consider the event that happened 6 years ago and the United State's reaction to our class discussions.

This year, in commemoration of September 11, there was a ceremony in New York. For details on the ceremony you can go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/12/nyregion/11service.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&hp

This ceremony consisted of many of the family members of the deceased and the community joining together to commemorate their loved ones. There they solemnly read the names of each person who died in the attack. Yet, according to the article, the ceremony was shorter this year and fewer people attended.

After September 11 I remember that there was a clear surge in patriotism. The biggest difference i remember seeing was on my ride to school the following few days and noticing all the new American flags on people's houses. But since then the US has been administrating a "war on terrorism."
Does an attack against a country usually unite it? Is this surge of patriotism truly a positive force? or does it, while uniting one country, alienate another? Also, since America is such a melting pot of different cultures have any one group of people been negatively impacted more by 9/11 than others?