James North writes
Alex de Waal has decades of experience in Sudan and Darfur, and his
point of view is valuable, as is this blog: "Making Sense of Darfur."
His latest post is particularly useful:
* He endorses the measured, diplomatic approach of the Obama administration, and its special envoy, Scott Gration.
* He reminds us that the Save Darfur organization provides almost no direct relief to the refugees in Darfur.
Rob Browne at DailyKos urges Rabbi David Saperstein (of the Union for Reform Judaism), who is fasting for Darfur, to fast on behalf of the people of Gaza too–a crisis in which American Jews have far more influence than they do in Sudan. Browne writes to Saperstein that he is being "hypocritical":
Rabbi, it is my concern that the RAC's [Reform Jewish Religious Action Center's] lack of public outcry and advocacy regarding [the Gaza] crisis removes your legitimacy to discuss humanitarian concers elsewhere in the world. If you, the RAC, and the URJ (Union for Reform Judaism, the largest Jewish religious movement in North America), cannot, or will not, use your power and significant influence with the Israeli government to alleviate the suffering that they have assisted in creating and maintaining, why would citizens or international leaders consider listening to your requests with respect to the behavior of other govenments.
PEP at its best, Progressive Except for Palestine. Young Jews, what do you think of this one-way compassion?