Alright, guys. Did you know that there is a genocide going on in Darfur, Sudan's western region, AS WE SPEAK? Well, as you read, but the point is the same.
(NOTE: I am in America, and when I say "us" "we" "our country" I mean as such. Sorry all the 5 billion+ not in the US.
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What exactly is a genocide? http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/genocide (www.dictionary.com) defines the term "genocide" as "the deliberate and systematic extermination of a national, racial, political, or cultural group." How does that pertain to us? Well, as one of the most powerful countries on the planet, we have a responsibility to our fellow human beings, and that is to UPHOLD SIGNED LAWS. We (the United Nations and her allies) had created the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (http://www.hrweb.org/legal/genocide.html), adopted in 1948 and signed in 1951. It states that genocide is against the spirit and aims of the United Nations and is therefore illegal under international law.
So why am I posting this contest? I am starting a local chapter of STAND (Students Taking Action Now: Darfur), a student anti-genocide coalition, and a chapter of the Save Darfur Coalition (SDC) in my town.
What I am looking for are poems or short stories about the genocide from you. You can help, by going to www.standnow.org and www.SaveDarfur.org and looking around. Educate yourself. Know more about what's going on. Donate money if you want, and volunteer your time for your local chapters of these organizations. What if you don't have a local chapter? START ONE. STAND's website has many resources and tips for starting a new chapter. USE THEM.
So the point of this contest is to educate others by bringing this situation to light. I want emotion, I want to feel your words' power. I want something inspiring me to help these people. In the end, I want something I can read to my town urging them to contribute. At the end of this contest I will ask the winners and honorable mentions, or just whoever I feel worthy, if I have their permission to use their poem at my events for my chapters. If I have such permission, these poems will be held with respect and honor, as education about anything is the best thing we can strive for. I want poems or stories showing how you feel about this crime against humanity. I want passion, compassion, and voices who AREN'T SILENT ANYMORE.
LET THE WORDS WE'VE SAID, "NEVER AGAIN" AND "NOT ON OUR WATCH" RING TRUE. LET US, MY FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS, BE THE WAVE OF CHANGE THAT WASHES UPON THE BEACHES OF THIS WORLD'S POLITICS.
Key facts on Darfur (courtesy of STANDnow.org)
450,000 dead, 2.5 million displaced, 3.5 million starving
The Sudanese government is backing Janjaweed militias as they murder, rape, loot and expel non-Arab Africans from Darfur.
Janjaweed tactics, including the systematic poisoning of wells and burning of sood stores, demonstrates clearly that the campaign is genocidal.
More information can be found on the sites listed above, and if you search "Sudan genocide" or "Darfur genocide".
Remember: DON'T STAND BY, STAND UP!!!!!!!
RULES:
No bashing of ANYTHING. Got it?
No StIcKeY cApS--it's damn annoying
No swearing unless it's to prove or make a point
No erotica
No bashing...oh, already said.
SPELLCHECK IS YOUR FRIEND
DON'T WASTE MY TIME OR SPACE
In the end, I want something I can be proud enough to read in front of thousands of people. If you think your poem(s) are that good, then enter. Don't waste my, yours, or anyone else's time.
Thank you.
(NOTE: I am in America, and when I say "us" "we" "our country" I mean as such. Sorry all the 5 billion+ not in the US.
)What exactly is a genocide? http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/genocide (www.dictionary.com) defines the term "genocide" as "the deliberate and systematic extermination of a national, racial, political, or cultural group." How does that pertain to us? Well, as one of the most powerful countries on the planet, we have a responsibility to our fellow human beings, and that is to UPHOLD SIGNED LAWS. We (the United Nations and her allies) had created the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (http://www.hrweb.org/legal/genocide.html), adopted in 1948 and signed in 1951. It states that genocide is against the spirit and aims of the United Nations and is therefore illegal under international law.
So why am I posting this contest? I am starting a local chapter of STAND (Students Taking Action Now: Darfur), a student anti-genocide coalition, and a chapter of the Save Darfur Coalition (SDC) in my town.
What I am looking for are poems or short stories about the genocide from you. You can help, by going to www.standnow.org and www.SaveDarfur.org and looking around. Educate yourself. Know more about what's going on. Donate money if you want, and volunteer your time for your local chapters of these organizations. What if you don't have a local chapter? START ONE. STAND's website has many resources and tips for starting a new chapter. USE THEM.
So the point of this contest is to educate others by bringing this situation to light. I want emotion, I want to feel your words' power. I want something inspiring me to help these people. In the end, I want something I can read to my town urging them to contribute. At the end of this contest I will ask the winners and honorable mentions, or just whoever I feel worthy, if I have their permission to use their poem at my events for my chapters. If I have such permission, these poems will be held with respect and honor, as education about anything is the best thing we can strive for. I want poems or stories showing how you feel about this crime against humanity. I want passion, compassion, and voices who AREN'T SILENT ANYMORE.
LET THE WORDS WE'VE SAID, "NEVER AGAIN" AND "NOT ON OUR WATCH" RING TRUE. LET US, MY FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS, BE THE WAVE OF CHANGE THAT WASHES UPON THE BEACHES OF THIS WORLD'S POLITICS.
Key facts on Darfur (courtesy of STANDnow.org)
450,000 dead, 2.5 million displaced, 3.5 million starving
The Sudanese government is backing Janjaweed militias as they murder, rape, loot and expel non-Arab Africans from Darfur.
Janjaweed tactics, including the systematic poisoning of wells and burning of sood stores, demonstrates clearly that the campaign is genocidal.
More information can be found on the sites listed above, and if you search "Sudan genocide" or "Darfur genocide".
Remember: DON'T STAND BY, STAND UP!!!!!!!
RULES:
No bashing of ANYTHING. Got it?
No StIcKeY cApS--it's damn annoying
No swearing unless it's to prove or make a point
No erotica
No bashing...oh, already said.
SPELLCHECK IS YOUR FRIEND
DON'T WASTE MY TIME OR SPACE
In the end, I want something I can be proud enough to read in front of thousands of people. If you think your poem(s) are that good, then enter. Don't waste my, yours, or anyone else's time.
Thank you.
Contest is Over
- Contest was judged on December 26, 2007
- Rewards: Gold: 600, Silver: 400, Bronze: 200, Honorable mention: 10 people
- Final notes: Hey guys, sorry for being so late in judging this. I got so many great writes! Thank you all for entering here; I hope to contact the winners soon regarding the possibility of using their winning poem(s) at a rally to end genocide in Darfur. I hope that in this holiday season we didn't let the focus slip from the victims and survivors of genocide, but gave thanks that we are still here and able to raise our voices. Never let the spotlight move, all of you. Never let them die without last words, and don't allow yourself to be one who commits and walks away.
On a happier (ish) note!
Thank you all for joining me in a quest to bring more attention to the genocide. Lets all give a great big round of e-applause to the winners and honorable mentions, shall we? Those who won honorable mention, I did not order you in a specific way. If here it says that you are the last on the HM list, that doesn't mean your poem touched me the least, it just means that that was what it ended up being.
To the author of African Drowning, I love your use of imagery, how you relate the situation to so many who just "flip through the channels from (their) hollow thrones, looking for something important to watch". Thank you, thank you.
The author of Dear Sudan really touched me not only as an activist but as a person because they really made it in our face. "the blood's on your hands" they wrote.
"Shoot holes in their pans,
rape their women.
They can't hold you back
'cause you have the guns.
Blow off their heads.
Kill their children.
They've nowhere to run,
'cause you're meant to guard them".
This is so true. The government, made to protect its civilians, is now meting out death to the innocents, people they were to guard. The people facing the horrors and atrocities have no other place to go, because their homes have been taken from them by those who gave them in the first place. Great job, and thank you.
In A Voice In Africa Speaks, the narrator is a person in Darfur, sharing their last breaths with us. Their kindred are dead, their life done.
"What difference will it make now
my voice is almost gone
so many died before me unnoticed
what took your attention so long?"
What did take us so long to notice this? How long was it before our (my, the United States) governments declared Darfur as "genocide"? And now how many other people, innocents have to die for us to finally make a change here? I believe we all can help initiate a difference, you just have to let yourself stand up. Stand up for what's right, for human rights, for life in an area so dead.
Thank you all for entering. I wish that I had enough points to include more honorable mentions, but alas, I cannot afford it. I hope that you all continue to believe.
"Never doubt that a handful of people can change the world--in fact, that's all that ever did." ~~Margaret Mead (loosely)
Contest Winners
- Error: Unable to find finalist item 3339266, it seems to have been deleted :( [remove]
- Error: Unable to find finalist item 3302878, it seems to have been deleted :( [remove]
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Do our words provide for shelter? / Do our tears put food on plates? / When we read our Sunday Papers, / are we saying “It’s too late” / /by passim 31 lines, 10 comments, on May 8 5:32 PM 2007. In War, Freedom. Pain, Sadness
Bronze trophy winner
• Commented on by judge. Prewrite [remove] -
i would not ease your hunger with religion.
Zealots pandering their beliefs,• Commented on by judge. Prewrite [remove] -
We will never forget
We will never forget• Commented on by judge. Prewrite [remove] -
A human catastrophe spells
doom for the indigent Christian populace.• Commented on by judge. Prewrite [remove] - Error: Unable to find finalist item 3480164, it seems to have been deleted :( [remove]
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We hold the answers in our hands,
We just don't know it yet.by katie-jo 37 lines, 2 comments, on Oct 20 8:57 PM 2007. In Stop Genocide in Sudan
Honorable mention
• Commented on by judge. [remove] -
Geopolitics
attack geopoliticsby cover fire hero 35 lines, 25 comments, on Oct 29 5:02 AM 2007. In Geopolitics, War, Rebellions, Coup, Politicide, Murder, Deja Vu, noguest Honorable mention
• Commented on by judge. Prewrite [remove] -
Crimson tears slide down ashen face / As flesh is ripped and bruised / The cries have fallen on deaf ears / Blood curdling screams ratt• Commented on by judge. Prewrite [remove]
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During a panic attack, the eye of the storm,
A bullet drops, this world we'll reform.by SoS 54 lines, 9 comments, on Dec 28 3:54 PM 2006. In Darfur, Humanitarian, Satire, Free-verse Honorable mention
• Commented on by judge. Prewrite [remove]
Entries [18]
1 - 18 of 18
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This is Akashic Archangel's Essay on Genocide. Read it if you want. I said I'd post it and now I did.• Viewed by judge.
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Oh gone those days when the Third World was but a secret of malicious neglect,by marc creamore 70 lines, 2 comments, on Aug 5 10:51 AM 2007• Commented on by judge. Prewrite
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Wake up wipe your eyes from the slumberby anjol35 16 lines, 1 comment, on Nov 3 6:10 PM 2007• Commented on by judge. Prewrite
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You know they have a new six star hotel
Where your slightest whim is responded by a bellby Justusdreams 31 lines, 7 comments, on Nov 4 1:38 AM 2007• Commented on by judge. -
Does Genocide ,the black rose of death. By any other name still smell as sweet? Once again,we all stand by saying,"we did not even know"."What could I do? We were only following orders. Once again the same old carnage,by Fire-ant 0 lines, 1 comment, on Nov 17 7:21 AM 2007• Commented on by judge.
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There's a place out there You might've never of it heardby yassmin 36 lines, 1 comment, on Dec 4 8:06 AM 2007• Viewed by judge.
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Bullets kill like cancer,
lives taken away in terrible vain,by Lathon89 12 lines, 7 comments, on Dec 4 8:08 AM 2007• Commented on by judge.
Add a comment
Comments
1 - 20 of 20
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Wow, I am happy to see this contest. I have time for my efforts to come colors. But I can't say whether you'll like it or not. But it's worth the try.
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We have a lot of Sudanese refugees moving into my area, (or at least we have had, I've got no idea on how exactly it's continuing).
We've had people who've managed to flee and seek asylum come to speak to us at school. It took some twenty years of roving through the forest just to make it across the border to meet aid and transport, not to mention the family some have had to lose or leave behind over that time.
It's human nature to take peace for granted, so you really appreciate the people with the courage to share their experiences and open others eyes to the other side of the world.
Pulls you back into reality, makes you realise that 0.05% extra GDP from today mightn't be that great a sacrifice from the economy in the grand scheme of things.
Just imagine what the global conscience is yet even to touch on, like North Korea perhaps?
=> Jess
P.S. remember this site isn't uniformly American
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I just wanted to say that I commend you for standing up and demanding that your voice be heard. Too many complain about our world, yet most seem to do nothing about it...complaining never stopped anyone from dying. I'll be back to read the entries of this contest. Thank you for bringing this to the attention of AP. La x
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It's funny how these facts have been around for all of us, but very few of seem to care. It had a small carnival on the news a while back; and once people started to lose interest, you'd see no more. Good luck.
I-Araxie-I
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Now I will definitely post. Dunno if it's gonna be any good. I am astonished that there is only one entry. Thought it'd evoke some emotion in people. Sorry, it didn't hit me in the head before; I just felt like if I wrote a poem, it'd be repeating my essay over again (no excuse, I know, but that's how I felt). Givmme a day or two, and you'll have another entry
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I'm so happy that the crisis is finally getting the attention it desperately needs!
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I'd enter this ...
but the site won't let me.
However, I do have a website against genocide, partially inspired by Darfur. It was up before the story about Darfur was even on the News in the U.S. I read it in the news from France, Africa and Asia.
www.voicesforAfrica.homestead.com/
There are many poems there from people all over the world against genocide.
Good luck with your contest.
Jim Dunlap -
Bookmarked
I have pre-writes for this, including on Voices for Africa, but it has been too long since I spoke out on this issue, so I hope to bring something new.
Peace, Rob -
Let your voices be heard! I've been a supporter of human rights in Darfur for quite some time now. Something has to be done, communities cannot stay ignorant and shrug this off as if it was some other charity. Save Darfur!
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awesome contest. I will not be entering though as I don't know enough about it. Good luck and god Bless. Stand up and make a difference
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wowww, this is a really AWESOME contest! I am so happy to see all these entries
I too have heard about this from my church. It's a Unitarean Universalist church. Even though I'm Wiccan
ANYWAYS! I am glad someone is standing up for the people in Darfur. I'm with ya!!
~Pandy~
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I apreciate the sentiment behind this contest and I am looking forward to coming with something that would do it justice...thank you for your conscious effort in obliterating injustice. every action counts.
sincerely
Jamila -
Last January my school had a fundraiser to stop genocide in Sudan. We raised over $27,000 that was donated to the CARE foundation, which is working to save Darfur. I am glad that more people are spreading the word. One of the genocide victims came and spoke to our student body. He kept saying thank you for caring and how much his people would appreciate it. During the assembly announcing our campaign, we learned about the horrors the Janjaweed is using against these people. It reduced me to tears. Then, when the man came and spoke at the end of our "Genocide Project" (as it was called by our leadership teacher), I realized how big a part of the problem we are if we stand and do nothing.
My teacher once quoted someone, I'm not sure who, "Never be the oppressor, never be the victim, but most of all never be the onlooker." -
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I'm so glad to hear about your fundraiser! I myself am having the honor (and trouble!) of starting an anti-genocide group with STAND and GenocideIntervention.net at my high-school. It's great that more and more people are finally reading my friggin contest! I don't know how long I can keep this running without making people mad. That quote is really something to live by. You can always watch, but never do anything. It won't make you feel good, and it won't teach you anything. Only when you actually take the time and effort will you accomplish anything and make a difference. That's what I'm striving for.
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What is the limit of entries per person and are songs also acceptable?
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There isn't a set limit, just be reasonable, and yes, songs are acceptable. New poems/whatever encouraged, PWs okay. That help?
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I think the US has already bitten off more than they can chew with the Iraque business. We can't save the entire universe, nore is it our soul responsibility to try. I think that unless we get a better president we shouldn't try to "save" anyone else, the US is already making too much of a nusance of itself. Besides, the US needs to take the log out of it's own eye before it can remove the sliver from it's neighbors eye. The US has problems in its own lands that need to be taken care of first.
Thats my opinion anyways. -
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That's okay to have your opinion. IN fact, I am looking for people to have differing opinions than my own and comment here. I'm not looking to 'save Darfur' but to help raise awareness about the genocide. It's so sad that not enough people understand that there is more out there than just us in the U.S. or in their own countries. I happen to believe that we are in Iraq for the wrong reasons, and we should turn our resources to helping those who have been crying out for aid, not to people who never needed our 'help' nor wanted it. Thanks for your comment, though. I'm glad that you offer a different opinion here. Not everything is happy and rainbows and fluffy pink bunnies and unicorns. It usually is dark, depressing, and we can't help everyone. Thanks for the comment!
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well yeah I think we should help those who have been crying oyt for months. I'm not saying that the US is the only country, just that we have enough problems at home without trying to save the rest of the world. What about the thousands of children who freeze to death in the winter because they have no home? What about all teh children who are abused by their foster parents? There are so many problems in the US that I think it is neccessary for us to focus on solving the problems on our own lands first.
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thank you. more thanks for holding the contest.
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