Contact your representatives and pay attention to Darfur

As the media goes, so does the American populace. As Darfur seemed to be getting better with the U.N. Peacekeepers and the cease fire, the media and the people seemed to hop to the next story of the day, be it O.J. Simpson or Britney Spears.

However, the crisis is not any better, and U.N. Peacekeepers are meeting stiff resistance from the Sudanese government. While thousands continue to die every day in Darfur, the attention of the United States and other powers wanes.

Certain people are attempting to make a difference. As the only presidential candidate to have been to Sudan, Gov. Bill Richardson has a clear policy to bring the might of the United States to bear on the Sudanese regime, forcing a true cease fire and real humanitarian relief.

The election, though, is a long way away. State Sen. Hansen Clarke, D-Detroit, and Rep. Alma Wheeler-Smith have legislation in Lansing to divest Michigan pension funds from companies found by analysts to be complacent in the genocide in Darfur. With the budget focus, and the counterproductive partisanship of the majority in the Senate, these bills need a popular push to get through and start making a difference.

I urge you, contact your representatives. Get involved. Help us prevent another 500,000 from dying a needless death because of our apathy.

Tom Choske

president of Spartans for Richardson