ilovemylife: DARFUR'S DREAM ISN’T DIFFERENT THAN EVERYONE ELSE ON THE PLANET

Sometimes I get so annoyed, well maybe, angry, would be the honest emotion that we let genocide to go on. Not to leave out the other disgusting behaviors that we ignore. Like ignoring is the thing to do! A few of the other disgusting behaviors: child soldiers, modern-day slavery, ignoring the poor, selling weapons to rogue nations, lying by our President and his selected crew, children left to raise themselves, a foster care program that is chronically underfunded……

I was told that I was raised to be a Christian. I say "told" because as it turns out, it is hypocritical that I was raised to be a Christian - the behavior of my family fails to witness Christian behavior. However, even though the "born again" Christian beliefs have morphed into a personal belief approach for me, I choose some of the Bible statements as acceptable standards to live by and one is in the book of Matthew, chapter 25, verses 31-46:

31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Okay, I admit that I am not worried about being condemned to eternal punishment in some place called “hell”, however the idea that the way we treat or care for others, whether we know them or don’t know them is a fulcrum to our humanness. This idea of treating others with kindness and empathy speaks to who we are as human beings.

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." — Jesus (c. 5 B.C. - A.D. 32 ) in the Gospels, Matthew 7:12, Matthew 22:39, Luke 6:31, Luke 10:27 – is another one that I try to live by. But this principle is so good, that it is found in various religions and philosophies. It is not an exclusively Biblical principle. It just is the right thing to do regardless of where we got the idea. Makes me wonder – isn’t it just common sense? Do we need a religion to tell us this idea. We are given love to give it – that’s my thinking.

GENOCIDE = MURDER, TERROR,

IMMORAL THINKING AND ACTIONS, HATE

THE WORST OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR

The Goal of the Dream for Darfur effort

“Our goal is to protect civilians on the ground in Darfur. To achieve this, the government of Sudan must allow a robust civilian protection force into Darfur.

Because of China’s extensive economic interests in Sudan, leaders in Beijing are in a unique - indeed unrivaled - position to persuade Sudan to consent immediately to a true and robust U.N. operation in Darfur.

Beijing is also the host of the 2008 Summer Olympics, an event that stands for peace and brotherhood. As the Games approach, advocates for security in Darfur have an extraordinary opportunity to reach out to the Chinese government, in its role as host, to urge Beijing’s leaders to use their considerable influence with Sudan.

We will know when we have succeeded when a robust peacekeeping force is in Darfur and there is security for civilians and humanitarian workers.”

The Olympic Torch Relay

“The modern Torch Relay was created by Dr. Carl Diem in 1936 when the Games were held in Germany. Diem used the Torch Relay to celebrate the Third Reich – and to deflect attention from growing international concern about the nationalism of the Third Reich.

Olympic Dream for Darfur will use the Torch, a symbol that was created to divert attention from those intent on genocide -- and use it as a rallying cry to end the first genocide of the 21st century.” From www.dreamfordarfur.org

I am organizing our Dream for Darfur event here in Rhode Island. The first planning meeting was August 6, 2007.

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Dream for Darfur event in Providence, RI, USA

CARRY THE TORCH FOR DARFUR

Saturday, October 27, 2007

3:00 p.m.

Torch Relay

Speakers, Music at the Rhode Island Capitol Building

and

Walk the Waterfire for Darfur

Help Us Bring the Dream to Darfur Families

Participating Groups:

RI Save Darfur

Darfur Action Network

StandNow

Event is posted at www.savedarfur.org

Link to Darfur Events Center

Type in a Rhode Island zip code, such as 02871

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August 8, 2007, The International Dream for Darfur effort begins one year in advance of opening day of the China 2008 Olympics.

The schedule of the Darfur Torch Relays:

August 8 - International Torch Relay launches in the area surrounding Darfur
August - Kigali, Rwanda Relay Event

September 9 - U.S. Torch Relay launches in New York City

September 9 is the anniversary date that Secretary of State Colin Powell acknowledged the Crimes in Darfur as Genocide

September - Yerevan, Armenia Relay Event
September 29 - Burlington, Vermont
September 30 - Concord, New Hampshire

October 7 - Boston Relay Event
October 7 - Pennsylvania Relay Event
October 13 - Ohio Relay Event
October 14 - Indiana Relay Event
October - Sarajevo, Bosnia Relay Event
October 20-Illinois Relay Event
October 21 - Iowa Relay Event
October 27 - Nebraska Relay Event
October 28 - Colorado Relay Event

November 3 - Utah Relay Event
November 4 - Washington Relay Event
November 10 - Oregon Relay Event
November - Berlin, Germany Relay Event
November 17 - California Relay Event
November 24 - Nevada Relay Event
November Phenom Penh, Cambodia Relay Event

December 1 - Texas Relay Event
December 1 - Arizona Relay Event
December 1 - New Mexico Relay Event
December 8 - Tennessee Relay Event
December - Hong Kong, PRC Relay Event
December 8 - Florida Relay Event
December 8 - Georgia Relay Event
December 10 - Washington, D.C. Relay Event