You’ll forgive the cynicism, I’m sure–or maybe not, which is also legitimate–but here is a quick highlight of things in my inbox:
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Writers in London “are calling for an end to the atrocities in Darfur.” Why? For the children, of course. “The world needs to wake up. For too long, it has let these children down. Our politicians need to take action in Darfur.” Because we haven’t heard that before. (Also on the list of things we haven’t heard before: Phrases like “calling for an end to” and “atrocities in Darfur.”)
- George Clooney’s dad goes to Dayton to appear at a rally. I love rallies. They’re so effective at…rallying people.
- And in the subcategory of More Things We Can Put Before “For” in “For Darfur,” Matt Damon Breaks Toys for Darfur. Celebrities posed kicking the crap out of “symbols of youth” to draw attention to April 13 as the “Global Day for Darfur,” which apparently is the anniversary of the start of the genocide. (I’d love to find out how that day was chosen.) The best soundbite: “Damon, 37, destroyed a dollhouse with a baseball bat…”
Though I have to say the woman blow-torching a Barbie doll, surely the most accurate and culturally appropriate symbol of childhood in an impoverished Muslim desert, is probably my favorite image.
Of course, for all my bitching, I have no useful suggestions. But am I wrong in feeling like the celebrity-activism train has reached the end of its tracks? What if, instead of gimmicky poses, these famous people, and the activists behind them, demanded that the powerful people making–or stalling–decisions about Darfur actually come clean about what the hell they’re talking about? What if, instead of “awareness,” we advocated accountability–not after the genocide, as we’ve all been so pleased with ourselves for doing about Rwanda, but while it’s going on? What if the 10,000 people at a rally marched, celebrities in the lead if we can’t seem to find the way ourselves, to the White House, or to the United Nations, and sat there until someone explained what they really mean by, “The United States is committed to ending the genocide in Darfur and continues to lead the world in responding to the crisis there…” or–not to harp on my favorite phrase–“The Security Council…resolves to remain seized of the matter”?
Just an idea.
A friend was just telling me about when Angelina Jolie recently visited Darfur. He said he was sitting outside his container in his boxer shorts having a cup of tea and Angelina just popped out of the container next to him in boxers and a t-shirt, asking if they could spare a cup. Ahh…very nice Angelina. I mean if they’re going to come anyway, the least they can do is walk around in their underwear and have a cup ‘a joe with lonely, sex-deprived UN aid workers in a disaster zone. Really brightens up the day. By the way, I hear she’s just as hot in person.
Ha. That’s an amazing image, well-told… Angelina in her boxers, asking for tea, feeling relevant. How does that even work?