Tomorrow morning, Belmont will host a talk with Sudanese Ambassador Kabeir to call attention to the genocide crisis taking place in Sudan. The problem? The description of the event on Belmont’s intranet is diplomatically misleading–it makes the event sound like it’s hosting a representative speaking on behalf of the victims:
The genocide taking place in the Darfur region of Sudan is the most serious humanitarian crisis on the planet. On Wednesday, April 13, we will host Ambassador Kabeir from the Sudanese Embassy as we focus on the needs of the people of Sudan and what we in the international community can do to make a difference. Ambassador Kabeir will speak as part of a convocation at 10:00 a.m. in Neely/Black & White which will draw attention to the crisis. In addition, he will be available to meet with faculty and students and to participate in classroom discussions. The purpose of having him visit campus is to draw attention to the continuing genocide in Sudan. You can find out more about the daily, brutal massacre of children, women and men at: www.darfurgenocide.org or www.savedarfur.org. The Sudanese government does not agree with the international assessment of the situation. However, Ambassador Kabeir knows that we will be presenting the international consensus about the genocide, as well as giving him a chance to give us his government’s perspective. I believe that this event will cause more of us to write our representatives, call our senators, and pray for the people of Darfur. When the Rwandan genocide was occurring in the 1990′s, many of us said to ourselves that we would not let this happen again. Now, with the movie “Hotel Rwanda” in theaters, many of us are again repenting of the fact that we did little or nothing in the face of great evil against innocent civilians. This will be a chance for us to think, pray and act together.
Only after one professor encouraged students to NOT attend the event tomorrow was the truth revealed. I decided to look into the event. Here’s what’s actually happening. The ambassador from Sudan is just that: he’s an ambassador coming from the Sudanese government to explain to all who will listen exactly how the reports of genocide in Darfur are all lies.
Why would Belmont do this? Why would they invite someone so controversial to campus and make a mockery of ourselves? Apparently it was someone’s big idea that we could invite this guy, show him a video of the crimes in Darfur, and then when he gets up to give his rebuttal, half the students stage a walk-out. Shortly after, the other half of the students walk up and hand the ambassador handwritten letters written in conjunction with Amnesty International. Wow. This plan could not make Belmont look good any way it plays out. How does it make the university look to invite speakers specifically to spit in their face? On the other hand, why are we giving Hitler a political stage to tell everyone that, in fact, Jews are not being killed.
I don’t know what else to say. This is a very bad idea. I hope the national news media doesn’t pick this up.
too late. prof. reynolds instalanched bill hobbs’ link to the belmont page regarding the visit. you can expect some widespread reaction now. or maybe not, since people being massacred in africa just doesnt quite resonate with bobos enough.