Comments on: Fast for Darfur? http://blogs.ssrc.org/sudan/2009/09/15/fast-for-darfur/ Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:59:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Oscar H. Blayton http://blogs.ssrc.org/sudan/2009/09/15/fast-for-darfur/comment-page-1/#comment-4596 Oscar H. Blayton Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:16:43 +0000 http://blogs.ssrc.org/sudan/?p=1073#comment-4596 Ms. Serapio, I would like to thank you for your comment and your question: “What exactly about these public officials’ involvement [in the proposed September 21st fast] makes you concerned?” But before I can adequately answer your question I need to know what you understand to be the significance of Eid ul-Fitr . Ms. Serapio, I would like to thank you for your comment and your question: “What exactly about these public officials’ involvement [in the proposed September 21st fast] makes you concerned?”

But before I can adequately answer your question I need to know what you understand to be the significance of Eid ul-Fitr .

]]> By: Mohanad Elbalal http://blogs.ssrc.org/sudan/2009/09/15/fast-for-darfur/comment-page-1/#comment-4592 Mohanad Elbalal Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:02:41 +0000 http://blogs.ssrc.org/sudan/?p=1073#comment-4592 The fact that there fasting on Eid shows a great deal of cultural ignorance and this grandstanding is hardly impressive when muslims all around the world have been fasting for a whole month. Darfur is not in need of prejudiced xenophobic senators and ignorant self indulging celebrities. The fact that there fasting on Eid shows a great deal of cultural ignorance and this grandstanding is hardly impressive when muslims all around the world have been fasting for a whole month.
Darfur is not in need of prejudiced xenophobic senators and ignorant self indulging celebrities.

]]> By: Nikki Serapio http://blogs.ssrc.org/sudan/2009/09/15/fast-for-darfur/comment-page-1/#comment-4591 Nikki Serapio Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:43:19 +0000 http://blogs.ssrc.org/sudan/?p=1073#comment-4591 You write: "The names of Congresswoman Donna Edwards, Senator Bill Frist, Congresswoman Gwen Moore, Congressman Spencer Bachus and Congressman Donald M. Payne appear on the web sites as individuals intending to participate on the September 21 fast. The fact that these names appear on the web site should be cause for real concern for how poorly our federal legislators fail to understand the situation in Darfur." This makes no sense at all, and the claim here is missing an argument. What exactly about these public officials' involvement makes you concerned? Does fasting itself indicate that they lack understanding of the crises in Darfur? I don't think so. You write:

“The names of Congresswoman Donna Edwards, Senator Bill Frist, Congresswoman Gwen Moore, Congressman Spencer Bachus and Congressman Donald M. Payne appear on the web sites as individuals intending to participate on the September 21 fast. The fact that these names appear on the web site should be cause for real concern for how poorly our federal legislators fail to understand the situation in Darfur.”

This makes no sense at all, and the claim here is missing an argument. What exactly about these public officials’ involvement makes you concerned? Does fasting itself indicate that they lack understanding of the crises in Darfur? I don’t think so.

]]> By: Bill Bray http://blogs.ssrc.org/sudan/2009/09/15/fast-for-darfur/comment-page-1/#comment-4585 Bill Bray Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:06:24 +0000 http://blogs.ssrc.org/sudan/?p=1073#comment-4585 This is what happens when well-meaning, but ill-informed movie stars and other celebrities become too influential in advocacy groups. They have passion, and could be doing worse things with their time. But the movie star track record on helping make foreign policy is not especially impressive (remember Ed Asner and Sean Penn, for example). The real disappointment here is John Prendergast, who has actually served in government and should know better. He seems to have become 'star-struck.' This is what happens when well-meaning, but ill-informed movie stars and other celebrities become too influential in advocacy groups. They have passion, and could be doing worse things with their time. But the movie star track record on helping make foreign policy is not especially impressive (remember Ed Asner and Sean Penn, for example).

The real disappointment here is John Prendergast, who has actually served in government and should know better. He seems to have become ’star-struck.’

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