And next in the long list of Things That Won’t Help

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:

    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.”)
    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.

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