The atrocities in Darfur have gone on for too many years. When I see photos and video coming out of Darfur and talk with people who have been there to personally witness the results of the brutality of this genocide...I don't know what to think. While the world has taken some notice of what is taking place there, it hasn't been enough.

I commend the various humanitarian organizations which have become involved in trying to provide some aid to the people affected by the genocide, but now they have been ordered to leave the country. I applaud the International Court's issuing an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir for a five-year campaign of violence in Darfur and charging him with acts of genocide. I am encouraged by President Obama's appointment of a special envoy to Sudan, retired Air Force General Scott Gration. These are all critical steps in helping to end the crisis in Darfur.

But does everyone see this as a crisis? I want to share with you an e-mail I received from the Save Darfur organization (www.savedarfur.org) which works so hard to help address the issues in Darfur. The e-mail provides a link through which you can let President Obama know that you support continuing efforts to help the people in Darfur, especially as they face an increasing crisis due to the removal of humanitarian aid groups by order of their president.

"A big lie." That's what Sudan's ambassador to the United Nations called a U.N. report that there are "over 1 million people at life-threatening risk" due to the government of Sudan's decision to expel aid groups.

But we know the truth: there is a dire crisis in Darfur. We can't wait another day for bold, agenda-setting leadership. That's why I just added my voice to a letter from the Darfur activist community calling on President Obama to take bold action for the people of Darfur, and I hope you will too.

http://action.savedarfur.org/campaign/jointletter

The rainy season in Darfur is coming soon, and it will only make matters worse for those at risk without the aid groups. We must help the groups get access to Darfur again.

Make sure President Obama hears from you!

http://action.savedarfur.org/campaign/jointletter

This is not a political crisis...this is a humanitarian crisis...help make a difference...pay attention to what's happening in the world around you...help raise awareness!

Peace, Deb

Photo credits: (top to bottom)

• www.savedarfur.org
• www.who.int
• www.who.int
• www.news.bbc.co.uk

"Hate"...a word that is used very casually by most of us in our daily lives..."I hate having to get up so early in the morning."...."I hate broccoli."...."I hate the cold." "I hate it when it's so hot."...."I hate paying bills."....Used in these ways, the word is fairly innocuous, although it does contribute to the loss of power the word has in other situations, particularly when directed toward another person or group of people. Several years ago I became aware of how much I was using the word and resolved not to use it anymore because although the feelings connected with using "hate" in conversation were strong, they really weren't the feelings I believe are causes of "hate." I do pretty well with this vocabulary limitation, but do slip up on occasion.

I don't know if I've ever actually hated someone.  I can think of several times in my life when I've had very intense feelings about someone because of something he/she has done or said and perhaps at those times I really thought I hated them.  But I've come to feel that "hate" goes well beyond anything I've ever felt toward another person...and perhaps I've just been fortunate to never have anything said or done by someone that has created such impassioned response from me.  I have no doubt this surprises many people.

hate: (www.dictionary.com)

-verb (used with object)

1. to dislike intensely or passionately; feel extreme aversion for or extreme hostility toward; detest: to hate the enemy; to hate bigotry.
2. to be unwilling; dislike:
-verb (used without object)
3. to feel intense dislike, or extreme aversion or hostility.
-noun
4. intense dislike; extreme aversion or hostility.
5. the object of extreme aversion or hostility.

Based on these definitions, hatred is a very subjective matter...hard to measure. But in terms of legislation of crimes motivated by hate, is it really so subjective?

"A hate crime, also known as a bias crime, is a criminal offense committed against a person, property, or society which is motivated, in whole or in part, by the offender's bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity/national origin." http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius_02/html/web/offreported/02-nhatecrime12.html

This may be the FBI's definition of a hate crime, as it is for several individual states in our country, but it's not the definition according to current federal legislation which excludes "disability and sexual orientation". Most recently, legislation often referred to as the Matthew Shepard Act, legislation to correct this omission was vetoed by President George W. Bush last fall.

Last week, the Matthew Shepard Act was reintroduced to our House of Representatives:

"On a vote of 249-175, the House passed and sent to the Senate a bill backed by the new Democratic White House to broaden such laws by classifying as "hate crimes" those attacks based on a victim's sexual orientation, gender identity or mental or physical disability.

The current law, enacted four decades ago, limits federal jurisdiction over hate crimes to assaults based on race, color, religion or national origin.

The bill would lift a requirement that a victim had to be attacked while engaged in a federally protected activity, like attending school, for it to be a federal hate crime...

Conviction of a hate crime carries stepped up punishment, above and beyond that meted out for the attack. The bill would allow the federal government to help state and local authorities investigate hate crimes."   http://uk.reuters.com/article/usTopNews/idUKTRE53S8IM20090429 (April 29, 2009)

Take a few minutes to watch this clip from The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC last week where Rachel talks with Judy Shepard, Matthew Shepard's mother and Executive Director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#30508882

This bill now goes to the Senate. President Obama has promised to sign the bill if/when it reaches his desk.

We KNOW that attacks happen that are directed at people for reasons of a victim's sexual orientation, gender identity or mental or physical disability...verbal AND physical assaults perpetrated on people no reason other than these presence of these characteristics...no different from race, color, religion, or national origin.  These crimes ARE different from attacks on people for personal reasons such as revenge, betrayal, murder, etc. and "random" crimes like burglary, vandalism, and even murder. Violent or non-violent, hate crimes are a different category of crime and our laws need to provide protection for all citizens and non-citizens from being targeted because they're "different".

The fact that legislation is needed to deal with "hate" crimes is distressing in and of itself in our country. But it IS!!! Let's not be discriminatory about who does and doesn't deserve protection and justice.

Contact your senators to let them know your feelings about this...whatever those feelings are....they need to know.

Peace, Deb

I invite you to check out the following article regarding clergy members, including the Right Reverend Gene Robinson, lobbying US Senators about this hate crime legislation: Clergy gather in DC to lobby for gay rights

By BRIAN WESTLEY
Associated Press Writer

Months after giving an invocation at a kickoff event for President Barack Obama's inauguration, the U.S. Episcopal Church's first openly gay bishop returned to Washington on Monday to persuade Congress to pass an expanded hate crimes bill. V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire is among more than 300 clergy members...

Click here to view this content.