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 I think most of my readers know that I am the son of two people who came to this country after being in concentration camps, dad was in Buchenwald, mom in Auschwitz. In fact, many who know me well, also know that my mom watched the infamous Dr. Mengele at Auschwitz murder her mother and four-year-old sister right in front of her. There are many more true stories about what happened just to my family and they are part and parcel of the overall genocide, known as “The Holocaust,” perpetrated by the Nazis against my people, among a select few others. I grew up hearing so many of these stories that it may have been what formed my outlook of the world. I could have followed either of two paths or a third somewhere in the middle although that doesn’t seem much of a choice judging by my nature. One path would be someone who only cared about his own people and felt distrust about anyone who was not one of them. The other path is someone who sees all of us as the children of the same God and believes we were put on this earth with one test: How we treat each other? Do we help, or hurt, our brother and sister? Do we all human beings as one big family? The latter is the road I chose and, for that, I give much credit to my parents. They could have come to this country after enduring such horror and been the bitterest people around. I had a close friend whose mom, also a Holocaust survivor, was completely flipped out and it had a terrible adverse affect on her kids. Instead, they were people who had compassion for others and suffered whenever they saw human misery. This led to strong political views regarding Israel, Vietnam, and especially civil rights. Years later, when I was in my 30’s, dad and were having lunch when I asked him if he thought genocide like the Holocaust could happen again. He laughed at me and asked me if I was kidding. He then cited Biafra, Bangla Desh, Cambodia, Armenia, and what was then current, Ethiopia. He concluded by saying, “It is unbelievable what human beings can do to each other.” I told him the only way it was possible. I explained that in every case of genocide the character trait common to those doing the killing was the absolute dehumanization of their victims. The Germans never viewed the Jews, or gay, or gypsies, as human beings. Shooting a Jewish child, in their crazed minds, was the same thing as shooting a dog. I’m not writing this as a specific attack on Bush and his people. Everyone on earth is guilty if they ignore what’s happening. HBO is going to premiere their new film, “Sometimes in April,” this month. It is the horrific tale about the genocide, which left well over a million people dead, in Rwanda over a dozen years ago. It stars someone who became one of my favorite actors, Idris Elba, due to his role as Stringer bell on the HBO show, “The Wire.”  The trailer for the film has a scene where the US Assistant Secretary of State, played by the great Debra Winger, calls the Rwandan head of state and warns him about dire consequences if the slaughter continued. The response given her sends a chill up my spine every time. “Are you going to send the Marines? Why would you come here? We have no oil or anything, just people!” I can’t wait to see that film as well as the one my daughter keeps telling me is fantastic, “Hotel Rwanda,” for which Don Cheadle received an Academy Award nomination as Best Actor.  All that said, I am writing this column to exhibit an E-mail I received this week. Please read it and do whatever you can to help your brothers and sisters before it’s too late. It is an opportunity to help save lives before a million people die again. I’m tired of being part of a race (human) that all it does is scratch its head after such a tragedy and say, “How sad.” March 7, 2005 Dear Michael, As work continues throughout tsunami-stricken coastal Asia, I wanted to alert you to another crisis that cries out for attention. This is a crisis borne not of nature, but of human evil. In the African nation of Sudan, a battle rages between pastoral villagers and nomads. The nomads are called janjaweed, literally translated "evil men on horseback." With the support of the Sudanese Government, these marauders have launched a widespread program of ethnic cleansing throughout the Darfur region of western Sudan. The result -- hundreds of thousands dead, millions driven from their homes into refugee camps, villages razed, women raped in front of their children, and livestock and crops destroyed. The janjaweed have emptied a region the size of Texas of its people. The United States government has labeled the situation genocide. Given the history of the Jewish people and our own experience with genocide, we in particular must not look away. In fact, at American Jewish World Service (AJWS), we believe we have a unique responsibility to speak out. Take action here: Click Here AJWS is working directly with local relief and refugee aid groups to provide drinkable water, emergency medical care, and trauma counseling for the survivors of this onslaught, including thousands of women who were raped by janjaweed. Diarrhea in the camps threatens to kill young children who survived the guns and knives, and we are supporting medical interventions to address that scourge. But to be honest, all we can do is treat symptoms on the ground until the government-sponsored killing is halted. Last summer I traveled to Darfur as part of a fact-finding mission. I spoke with many survivors -- each with a chillingly similar tale of aerial bombing, wanton destruction, murder, and abuse. I will never forget the look of a 10-year old boy at one camp clinging for dear life to a medical assistant -- the child had watched as janjaweed murdered his parents and brothers. Later, a delegation of us led by Elie Wiesel personally briefed Kofi Annan and urged him to do all within his power to stop the attacks. Yet, many months later, the killing continues. Just last week, the New York Times published a column by Nicholas Kristof that recounts the anger of a 28-year old Marine Captain, one of only three American military men posted to Darfur. The Captain, Brian Steidle, watched the janjaweed destroy a village of 25,000. Sudanese military held Mr. Steidle and other African Union observers at a distance while the janjaweed ransacked and pillaged. Says Steidle, ‘‘the entire village is now gone. It's a big black spot on the earth.'' Steidle has no doubt he is a witness to genocide: ''every single day you go out to see another burned village, and more dead bodies. And the children -- you see 6-month-old babies that have been shot, and 3-year-old kids with their faces smashed in with rifle butts. And you just have to stand there and write your reports.''  Elie Wiesel has been among the most outspoken voices calling the world's attention to Darfur, which he calls "today's world capital of human pain, suffering and agony." He goes on to say: "Not to assist Sudan's victims today would for me be unworthy of what I have learned from my teachers, my ancestors and my friends, namely that God alone is alone: His creatures must not be." In the weeks and months ahead, we will continue to update you on progress in tsunami reconstruction. But, as Jews who have seen what we have seen and suffered as we have, we must also lead the way in demanding that our leaders do everything in their power to end this new century's first genocide. I ask you to join us -- by not averting your eyes, by taking every opportunity to speak out for the victims of Darfur, and to tell your friends and neighbors what is happening. Simply, as Elie Wiesel has said, "what is at stake is our own humanity." Sincerely, Ruth Messinger Executive Director American Jewish World Service P.S. You can take action TODAY. Last Friday, the U.S. House of Representatives eliminated $150 million in emergency humanitarian aid to Darfur. Send your elected representatives an email demanding the aid be restored, by using our simple Take Action system at: Click Here It is fair to say that most of my readers aren’t Jewish. Doesn’t matter, as ALL of us have a responsibility to each other, and I respectfully request that you make a call or write an e-mail to make your voice heard and to find out what else you can do. I’m not a big believer that every life is sacred but I certainly know that even one can make a difference. Thanks. P.S.I was thrilled to receive the following e-mail right after I finished writing this column. It is a good example of how important it is that everybody gets involved. March 9, 2005 Dear Michael, On Monday and Tuesday, 1,700 supporters of American Jewish World Service joined with thousands of others across the country in urging their Congressional Representatives to restore emergency food aid to Sudan. Thanks to your action the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee voted 32-31 to restore $150 million in food assistance for Sudan. This critical food assistance will help provide nutritious meals to hundreds of thousands at risk of starvation in Darfur. Even with this victory, we must continue to press for an end to the ongoing violence in Darfur. Please take this opportunity to contact Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and urge her to take all possible steps to bring security to Darfur by going to http://action.ajws.org/ctt.asp?u=3736356&l=82488. A good starting place for learning more about Darfur is our Sudan crisis page at http://action.ajws.org/ctt.asp?u=3736356&l=82489. Sincerely, Ruth Messinger Executive Director American Jewish World Service  © Copyright BravesBeat Network, BravesBeat.com, and Michael M. Rapaport |
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