From Rwanda to Darfur: Have we forgotten?

In 1994, the Hutu ethnic group of Rwanda slaughtered close to one million human beings in their effort to purge the country of the Tutsis. Over the course of approximately one hundred days, the world turned its back as the genocide raged. The conflict was finally brought to an end when Tutsi militia drove the Hutu military out of the country. One million human beings were murdered, and no one lifted a finger or batted an eye. Now, fourteen years later, almost half a million people have lost their lives in the Darfur conflict, and again the world governments are turning a deaf ear to the cries for help.
The online encyclopedia Wikipedia loosely defines the conflict in Darfur as an ethnic and tribal military conflict encompassing Western Sudan. But the conflict has become rather one-sided. The Sudanese military government, together with the Janjaweed militia, has engaged in a full-scale genocide of its own subjects; murdering innocent civilians, raping women, and destroying homes and property. The war is estimated to have displaced more than two and a half million people, driving them to enter refugee camps where living conditions are unfathomably harsh. The international outcry against Darfur has largely been ignored by the Sudanese government. The UN has been ineffective in its peacekeeping attempts. And the conflict rages on, well into its fifth year and showing no signs of ending.
The UN seemed to have learned its lesson after the horrors of Rwanda. So why has the crisis in Darfur been allowed to continue? There seems to be no clear answer. Mark Lattimer, executive director of Minority Rights Group, stated that: "this level of crisis, the killings, rape and displacement could have been foreseen and avoided ... Darfur would just not be in this situation had the UN systems got its act together after Rwanda: their action was too little too late." So half a million people have payed for this mistake with their lives. Has the UN become so ineffective that it can no longer accomplish what it was designed to do? And why have the rest of the world governments made no motion to intervene?
Public response to the conflict in Darfur has been extensive, but produced little results. And now we as Americans seem to be losing interest. Maybe the vast distance that separates us from them makes the news of the crises feel disconnected, like it is coming to us from another world. Our culture and lifestyle is so vastly different from theirs, it's easy to believe that somehow they are not our brothers and sisters. In the movie Hotel Rwanda, the African manager of a hotel tells a foreign journalist, "Once people see what's happening here, surely there will be help!" The journalist responds, "I think if people see this footage, they'll say 'Oh my God, how horrible!' and go on eating their dinners." Does that line hit home somewhere? It certainly does for me. I feel so helpless, sitting by and watching lives being destroyed. All I can do is pray that God will bring a swift end to the conflict and mend all those broken lives and hearts. And I'd encourage others to do the same. Maybe we can't single-handedly bring this disaster to an end, but we can at least petition the God of the universe to alleviate their suffering.

Aaron

Youth Camp, BABY!

Youth Camp '08, besides the rough weather, the name, and the shortness of our stay: was awesome. We had four messages from four different pastors: Mr. O'Connelly (I think I spelled his name wrong), Mr. Breault (our pastor), Mr. Emerson (Richmond's pastor and leader of our region of churches), and Mr. Lechner (from Charlottevilles, I think?).
The natural beauty of the campus. It is a really nice place to visit, even if you didn't have a whole youth camp to go to. the part of the campus we stayed on was situated on a hill so you could see the surrounding countryside and everywhere you were going or had been.

the first night, (after Mr. O'Connelly's message: "aM i SaVEd?") we played soccer from about 11 to 1 using the light from the cafeteria area. we had fun and totally shud have played a SGC vs all comers game, but it never happened. That night Aaron and I stayed in Gabe's room (Gaaaaaaaaabe!) with Hulme and Lee. after like 2 am we really had no clue what we were saying or even what we were talking about.

The next day, after about 4 hrs of sleep, we had "face-to-face" time. I wont give an opinion about it, I really dont have one, but it was something Mr. O'Connelly had outlined briefly the night before. It was basically a talk with your parents. I'd love to hear from someone what their opinion of their 'face-to-face' time (cue: make a comment?). But anyway, after Mr. Breault's message on honoring our parents, we played ball (yes, I mean basketball) for most of the afternoon, (I had to stop after twisting my ankle), and the competition? Well, my team lost to the pastors (O'Connelly, Lechner, and the Chick), but the rest of the churches didn't really...well, we won eight straight in the winners court. so, whatev.

That night, after Mr. Emerson's message: "wHat iN The wORlD?", we watched (or more precisely: waited to watch for like an hour and then left five minutes after they began) fireworks.

everyone was out on the side of the highest hill on the campus to watch the fireworks the night of the fourth. The fireworks turned out to be a lot farther and more generic than we expected, but we had fun hanging there for a while.

that evening was wacked out. ya. we definitely hung out in the lounge doing practically nothing until curfew at midnight. Me and Aaron again stayed with our chaperone extraordinare, Gaaaaaaaabe! While me and Gabe lost consciousness around 2:30, Aaron and Jon Hewitt argued politics late into the wee hours of the morning.

Mr. Lechner's (a.k.a. Jeepers) message: iS It wORtH iT? was fenomenal. His communicated his key points with passion and clarity. I really enjoyed listening to him. http://www.sgmidatlantic.com/YouthCamp2008/ this is a link to all the messages preached at youth camp. They are all worth listening to more than once.

after lunch we packed our things and left. Jordan and Mr. Melone rode in our car and Melone car took my mom, along with Laura and Emily Benson. Jord and I put the seats down and half-slept the rest of the way home. ya, youth camp was sweet.
the dudes with the matching shorts (stylin or not).

THE lunch table (and dinner table, and breakfast table) in fact, i dont think we really used any other table!
me, Keesh, Jord, and ST on the way home we stopped at a viewpoint overlooking a small valley surrounded by 'mountains' (real mountain men would call them: 'hills') but the view was awesome and we had time for a couple of poses.

the parents were ok after the whirl of the retreat

the Bensons, Cagles, and Alyssa; we got this one off just before it started pouring

driving on the way home. if you could see through those tinted windows...well...i guess its a good thing you can't.

we really enjoyed the ride home but we really didn't do anything. me and jord were pretty comfortable:

Jord sporting the sweet shades

although you wouldn't be able to tell from this look inside the car, we had fun.

They say time flies, but...

Let's just say I was having a lot of fun to make time fly like this:

Beware: there is evil on this earth...

Ya and I thought Halloween 2 was scary...
(turn off the blog music for full effect!)

So the last of the five so-called "surge" brigades is preparing to withdraw from Iraq. Yet people still argue whether the troop surge was a success or not. The Pentagon and the Bush Administration claim that the action reduced violence and insurrection and is proof that the U.S. is making headway in Iraq. Critics of the move argue it only proves that huge numbers of U.S. troops are needed to keep Iraq marginally safe and secure. What's your opinion? Leave a comment or write a post on the chat box to the left.

God Bless,
Aaron

Amazing!!!!

Any of you catch the Wimbledon Final? That was some incredible tennis!!!!(not that I know anything about it). I was pulling for Federer, but Nadal obviously played a step above him. I think I'll become a tennis fan.

Here's a link to a highlight reel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubsv8jzsTsQ

Boycott the Olympics!!!!!

36 days to go until the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The world's greatest athletes will meet on the world's biggest stage to vie for laurels and boasting rights. For many, it's the culmination of their life's work. But this year's games have been harried by controversy. China, the host of the games, has had to fend off critiques of the air quality in Beijing, as well as protests against the government and the human rights abuses committed in Tibet. Steven Spielberg, film maker and art director of the 2008 games, resigned the position in protest after his plea that China cease its support of the government-backed genocide in Darfur fell on deaf ears. The Olympic Torch's round-the-world run was greeted with massive protests and riots in many cities, prompting heavy security and even secrecy. China, which regards the games as proof that the nation has entered into a global playing field, both economically and culturally, has had a difficult time dealing with the various issues. So what should the U.S. do about it?
The question is basically irrelevant, as the U.S. has already fully committed itself to the games. But looking back, I think the right choice would have been to boycott the Olympic Games. We regard ourselves as a bastion of democracy and a champion of human rights, and the Chinese government's civil rights abuses fly in the face of everything we stand for. The Tibet protests sparked a government crackdown that resulted in thousands of deaths and the imprisonment of many others. The government-run genocide in Darfur, Sudan, which the Chinese government supports, has taken over half a million lives and displaced over 2.5 million people. And the Chinese still face persecution by their own government. Protesters are treated harshly, and Chinese Christians are martyred regularly. The U.S. has done virtually nothing to protest these acts. In order to be consistent with the positions we stand for, the U.S. should have pulled out of the games. The country withdrew from the 1980 games in Moscow in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The atrocities the People's Republic of China are committing are at least on level with that invasion.
On the Beijing Olympics website, the tagline is: One World, One Dream. the tagline seems to promote a peaceful world. But the Chinese government seems to reject this idea whole-heartedly. In my opinion, the U.S. missed an opportunity by not boycotting the 2008 Games.

Heading off...

Aaron and I are off to JMU near Harrisburg, VA, to "Youth Camp". (And I really detest that name!) But despite the name, we both hope it will be a blast. I'm sure after that whirlwind trip to SD, Aaron will still be tired, but I'm ready. Please pray for our time and for everyone else attending,

mpsnizzle

Wow... Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I've been really busy. In the course of a few days I almost got killed in a plane crash, took a sweet helicopter ride, went to a baseball game, got my SAT scores back, watched a couple of movies, stayed up till ungodly hours of the morning, and started a Facebook profile. So I've been kinda swamped.
First off thanks Matthew for the insightful comment. I think you sum up the feelings of a lot of people I've talked to. I guess the question boils down to this: Do you ignore the abortion issue and vote for a Democrat to reverse the questionable policies of the Bush Administration, or do you vote for a party who uses the the abortion issue to gain the conservative vote and then ignores it while in office. I think it would be awesome if we had some sort of discussion on this topic. Please leave comments discussing your views on this issue. Maybe we could get some sort of political forum going.
Well, it's like 3:30 in the morning here in SD, so I better go to bed. Oh Mikey, one last thing. If you are for McCain, just come out and say it. Don't keep up this "I hate McCain, he's a total jerk, I like McCain, I'm gonna vote for him". Love ya, man!

God Bless,
Aaron

The agony of politics...

This is sort of how I feel:

Oh the agony of politics...Well, actually before I get into my comment I'll introduce myself as a fellow Sovereign Grace Ministries guy. I'm from Minnesota and attend Sovereign Grace Fellowship, what a blessing that church has been in my life!...This blog hits home for me. I am pro-life to the core and frustrated beyond belief by the state of politics. I am convinced that abortion is the slavery of our day, an issue where there is no moral middle ground. And I pray that by God's grace subsequent generations will look back on this period and marvel that anyone ever argued for murder of innocent babies. To quasi-quote Piper as you did, "I'm all for woman's rights, but there has to be a better way than killing babies."I'm a guy who voted for Bush twice and am utterly torn about his legacy (that could be an entirely separate comment). But more than that, I feel that the Republican party has sold the pro-life movement a bill of goods. They've convinced us to back them, knowing they can drag their feet for introducing real change. So frustrating!! I'll stay tuned to follow your dialogue on these issues.

PS. I love the tone of this blog, talk about Godly fellowship, dialoguing over differences while knowing that you have the gospel in common...what more in common do you need than the cross!!

Thank you, Matthew. Aaron, this is the middle ground that I believe it is my right and duty to stand on.

in Christ,
mpsnizzle

CAUTION!

I just want to give a warning to anyone considering Aaron's book list. These are not PG books, these are not very patriotic books either, and these are not easy reads (except for Calvin and Hobbes). Be warned!

a surfer dude's summer reading:

Sup guys! I'm still at Biola with my wacko relatives having a family reunion, drinking like five sodas a day. There's not a whole lot to do, so that's why I'm blogging so much. It's like one hundred degrees outside. Anyway, I decided to write a list of my summer reading recommendations (not that anyone cares). Here we go:

Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo: Incredible, incredible book. Most of you know what it's about, so I won't explain it. Give it a try before you dismiss it as retarded. It'll change your perspective on war forever. And don't listen to anything Mikey says about it 'cause he didn't even read the whole thing and he's unwilling to admit that it totally destroys all his pro-war arguments. :)

No Country For Old Men by Cyrus McCormack: A really compelling and disturbing tale of the consequences that assail a society which has forsaken morality. McCormack writes with simplistic force, creating a tale that is all the more powerful for its everyday style. It's pretty violent and kinda scary, so be careful.

C.S. Lewis' space trilogy: A really interesting sci-fi trilogy by the master of English fiction. The first installment is Out of the Silent Planet, followed by Perelandra and That Hideous Strength. They can get kinda weird, but they're worth the read.

Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson: Read this. It'll change your life. Forever.

Well, gotta go. I'm gonna go surfing this week! California waves rock!!!!!!!!

God Bless,
Aaron

I respond!

Okay, sorry it took so long for me to get this post written.
I don't agree with Barrack Obama's position on abortion. I've said it before, and I'll say it to anyone, Democrat or Republican. The killing of unborn babies is a huge issue for me. But lately, I've grown increasingly frustrated with the Republican Party's positions on probably most of the other issues. John Piper pretty much sums up how I felt. He said something like, The Republican party campaigns to save the babies, but ignores the suffering of America's lowest class. In the same way, The Democratic party campaigns to bring justice and love to the impoverished, but ignores the murder of thousands of innocents. Piper stated that "One party says keep your hands off of my body, the other says keep your hands off my pocketbook." So which is the greater evil?
At the beginning of the 2008 Presidential Campaign, I decided I was tired of sitting on the fence and had to make a choice of which party I wanted to support. I wanted to work for a campaign. I began to examine the candidates' views on the different issues and asked the Lord who he would want me to side with. And the more I read, the more I realized I could not side with John McCain. A huge problem was his voting record on abortion. Please look this up. As a Senator, he prided himself on being a maverick and bucking traditional positions on certain issues. His record shows that he tended to vote pro-life, but on bills that involved government spending he balked. Statements he made also showed that he didn't believe in a Federal ban on abortion. Come the 2008 election, he is trying to present himself as more of a conservative. But from his record and statements he's made, John McCain will not try to overturn Roe vs. Wade. Bush promised to ban abortion, but he accomplished little. While he did pass a ban on partial-birth abortion, he did not overturn Roe vs. Wade. And if you look at the way he pressed his agenda on different issues, bypassing certain laws he felt unconstitutional, it's clear that he could have overturned Roe vs. Wade if he had really wanted to. I think he played to the evangelicals during the campaign and promised what he did not deliver. And I think John McCain is doing the exact same thing.
So I sided with Barrack Obama. I will not try to defend his position on abortion. It is wrong. But the arguement comes down to what the candidate will do about the issue while in office. I believe that McCain will do nothing to ban abortion, and neither will Obama. Therefore I will support Obama because of his positions on the other issues. It's up to us as Christians to endeavor to change people's hearts on the abortion issue and stop the genocide. Politics is not a solution, and never will be.
In direct response to Mikey's post, Barrack Obama was against the Iraq war from the very beginning, even when the American public was in favor of it. So to say that he is against it because the people don't like it is inaccurate. John McCain stated that he would stay in Iraq for a hundred years if it took that long to get the job done. All this will do is drain our nation's resources, take countless lives and mess up countless others, and hamper our ability to fight terrorism abroad. And I don't know what McCain means by finishing the job. Democracy will not work in that culture and if that's what we're aiming for, no matter how long we are there, the country will fall apart when we leave. And staying in Iraq will not finish our country's fight with terrorism, it will hamper it.
Well, that's all for now. Sorry again for such a long post.

God bless,
Aaron

Signing in from SD!

Hey everyone! This is Aaron, blogging from sunny Southern California. Right now I'm in Los Angeles at the Biola University Library, and this stupid computer won't let me upload any images, so I can't make this post look cool. My family and I flew out to SD on Thursday, and then drove up to Biola on Friday for our family reunion. The flight was really long, but I had a really cool book with me, A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS, by Khaled Housseni, or something like that. It's the story of a few different woman growing up in Afghanistan, and how their lives are thrown together by war and suffering. Amazing book, I highly recommend it to anyone. On second thought, it does have some objectionable content, so I don't recommend it. Anyway, I'm gonna try and get my Mom to go take me to see Get Smart, so I gotta go. Over the next few days, I plan to write a thoughtful and compelling response to Mikey's recent political post. It'll probably be really boring.

Aaron

Thanks, but...

Mr. Murray,

Thanks for your comment. It is very helpful to get feedback from men who are far wiser than I am! I fully agree with you that abortion is murder. And I deeply disagree with Senator Obama's position on the subject. But I do not believe he is promoting abortion. It is a huge issue for me, and hopefully I'll be able to write a post addressing your concerns soon. I want to explain why I have no faith in Senator McCain's ability to change Roe vs. Wade.

God Bless,
Aaron

Ya, what he said...

This is totally what I'm trying to say:

Grammyblogger said...
Aaron...what makes you think that Obama has all the answers to those issues you mentioned? Abortion is murder and Obama even agrees with killing a baby born from a botched abortion. God will judge those promoting abortion and those voting them into office!
June 15, 2008 5:52 PM
-my grandpa: Bob Murray

If Obama agrees with murder, that gives us a look into his rationale for the way he will execute the office of President of the United States. Also it is wrong to vote or give power to a man who is ok with killing. He isn't ok with fighting a war in Iraq because the people don't like it, but he is ok with killing Americans: the unborn (or in some cases, newborn). He follows today's culture: not killing in Iraq, but killing in hospitals all around our country. I'm going to stick with the man who, while it may not be the most popular decision, believes in finishing our country's fight with terrorism and in saving 38 million Americans a year: John McCain.
- mikey

THE summer books 2 read

Warning: They books may influence your intellect, emotions, and/or interests if read. They are also thought provoking, and are proven to affect your normal sleeping habits. (in which case, please consult your doctor to see if these books are right for you.) Please Read Responsible.

• The Bible (do I need to say more?)
  


• Safely Home by Randy Alcorn - This is a rich story of two totally different dudes who see their lives in two very differents lights. Five exciting, eye-paralysing hours later, you may see your life in a very different, eternal light. (Theological Fiction)
  


• Killer Angels by Michael Shaara - A retelling of the famous Battle of Gettysburg through the lenses of the pivotal men who dated destiny and emotionally quake the events that etch their names into history. Prepare to admire, detest, and cry. (Historical Fiction but only just, factual to a tee)
  


• Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies by C.S. Forester - The last in a series of simply amazing novels about a Napoleon-era British naval officer who is, basically, the dude. He is a genius for calculation and decision, making pinpoint acurate risks to do his duty for his country. But he only sees his mistakes, his fears, and their consequences. The whole series is worth reading over and over again, but for a glimpse into this unique human's mind, this book is perfect. (Historical Fiction)
  


• The Inferno by Dante Alighieri - Besides being proclaimed an epic by experts for over seven hundred years, this book (and I advise the one with the synopsis in the front of each chapter) will bring allegory alive to you in a most excellent and, excuse me but, much needed way. You may have to read it several times to fully reap its meaning, but it's worth it. (A comedy, or more acturately, a Divine Comedy)
  
  
• The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis - THESE ARE NOT JUST CHILDREN'S BOOKS! Do I need to say it again? After you read the Inferno, this will be an easy and gentle read, but also a rich and comfortable chance to gain from the tool of symbolism and allegory again. I have not grown tired of any of them, and I'm somewhere around my, literally, fiftieth time reading them. So I recommend you at least try them once through. (Awesome Fiction, a new genre made especially for these books)

• Do Hard Things by Alex & Brett Harris - This book is directed to teenagers who need to or are ready to revolutionize the teen culture by, what else, doing hard stuff. Check out their website at http://www.therebelution.com/ and you will see that these twin ninteen year olds speak from experience and provide their greatest example. I firmly believe that everyone who reads this with an open mind will benefit and be inspired no matter what season of life they are in.

• The Incarnation by St. Athanasius, translated by C.S. Lewis - Even though this book is sixteen hundred years old, the clarity that C.S. Lewis brings makes Athanasius' truth come alive. An easier read than most theological books and most sixteen hundred year old books. But much richer in revelation than most.

Wacked out again!

Game 4 was wacked out too! How can a team blow a 25 point lead in the Finals????????? Especially if that team is the Lakers, who have the best player on the planet and were 9-0 at the Staples Center in the playoffs before last night???? The Celtics were amazing!!!!! I never thought they could pull that one off, but they did. Paul Pierce took the lead in the third quarter and from there on out it was all Boston. They're up 3-1 in the series. If anyone deserves the championship, it's them. I think I'm supposed to be writing about my life, but this is way cooler than anything that could ever happen to me.

Welcome to Hollywood.....

Game 3 of the Finals was wacked out. The Lakers 87-81 victory wasn't very convincing, and it didn't really feel like a match-up between the two best teams in the NBA. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were pretty much nonexistent for the Celtics, and Kobe Bryant singlehandedly won the game for the Lakers because none of his teammates looked like they knew what they were doing. Gasol had like, 5 points? Sasa Vuja-whatever had 17, but he played with no class. My uncle said he played like a Chiuaua on steriods. Add the bias officiating and you have a really big mess on your hands. Maybe I'm just bitter because the Celtics lost.

Aaron

'Viva la vida' to be released over the next few days....

After years of waiting, Coldplay's new album, "Viva la Vida, or Death and All His Friends", is going to be released THIS WEEK!!!!! If you don't want to wait, go to www.iheartmusic.com and listen to the entire album. I'm listening to it now, and I have to say it sounds awfully good. The songs have the signature Coldplay style, but Martin and his other bandmates experimented a good deal. They added different musical influences to the songs, breaking out of the alt-rock mold. And it seems to work really well. It's too early to say which songs are my favorite. I like them all!

Aaron