In my first level of inquiry on the Darfur region, I searched my memory of the limited amount of television media that I've consumed recently, and the only story on Darfur that I recall was on Chinese investment in Khartoum, Sudan's largest and capital city. Some of the story contained information on Darfur, but I don't remember anything about immiseration. I never control TV - I only watch other people's TV - so I don't remember what channel it was on, but I watch the 'world' news at least 5 hours each week, including commercials. If it is not entirely outside of the media, then it is at least limited from some sectors of the media, assuming that the different corporations have different standards.

On my second level level of research I looked at the recent headlines for Darfur. The most recent story on Darfur in the St. Petersburg Times was on February 23, 2007, on page 4 of the Largo Times section. The first two paragraphs make a nice abstract of the article:

Page 4 of the Largo Times is small-time for a non-Christian, humanitarian-aid-dispensing organization, or is it? Is it just normal? The article in the Tampa Tribune was on December 3 in the Nation/World section and contained a rather impressive fact-sheet on the region, though most of it is specific to Sudan, not Darfur. The article does not tell a first-hand account, as Sudan has "began imposing bureaucratic restrictions on international journalists." China is the country's main importer and exporter.

On my third level of investigation I used Google. I found some recent articles that were related to some of the previous themes I had encountered. I learned that the United States and United Kingdom are pushing for U.N. sanctions against Sudan and that Sudan has banned the media from reporting on war crimes in Darfur.

"The move is likely to increase an already existing skepticism in the international community about the seriousness of Khartoum to bring Darfur war criminals to justice," but perhaps this also creates an opening to talk about what to do next, and how to direct attention to the prevention of further atrocities. Indeed, the response to historical genocides has perhaps been overburdened with "punishment," a half-concept that completes another half-concept equally embedded in human relations, "sin."

The reporters in the U.S. have generally been saying "OK" but the U.N. has been saying "no" to see if additional peacekeeping troops will work. I also noticed that the U.S. has placed sanctions China.

So I'm at a point at my thinking where I believe that we should feed everything in the food chain, through the penguins, at least. If you are unsure, that includes human beings in Darfur, as well.

Penguins are black and white, as is this issue. The difference between U.S. and THEM is black and white, or white and black. Trey shared a quote with us: if animals could talk, we'd all be vegetarians. If animals had a voice. What if the Sudanese did? What if they spoke our language? Would we continue to let them be raped, killed, displaced? Would we let them starve, reducing their bodies to skeletons wrapped in infected skin? What if this crisis were taking place in Switzerland? In England? What would we do if these were our cousins? How would react if it was us -- our race, our heritage, our culture -- under attack?

Think twice before you say it's not. We don't think of it that way, though. In many ways, these victims are animals to us. They don't speak a language we understand. We love the Manatees but not the fellow man.

We are distracted.

Every time we document a celebrity's divorce proceedings or chronicle a diva's drunkenness -- placing such "news" on top of and in front of important stories about people (real people with potential and talent and purpose) -- we distract society. We shift focus and stifle potential across the board. Potential for ourselves to be a conscientious nation. Potential for ourselves to give, to care, to contribute. If we cared, really cared (and I'm speaking for myself as well), we'd make ourselves available, even if it's on the most basic level.

You don't have to sign up for a non-governmental organization to contribute. You don't have to write a check. You can blog. You can share information. You can write to your elected official: "I've done some research on Darfur, and I'd like to share what I've found."

So, here's the challenge. You've devoted thirty minutes this afternoon and perhaps another hour or two (more for others) elswhere to this cause. It's not much, but it's something. You've turned the knob, primed the pump. What will you do now? Will you put this newly acquired knowledge to use? Will you blog and network and link and challenge and remix? Or will you go home and watch American Idol or Entertainment Tonight and feed the Weapons of Mass Distraction exploding all around us.

-- EmerySkolfield