Let's Hear It, Hillary.

Today, Barack gave an historic speech on race.

Now, Hillary owes us a speech on genocide.

Back in 1994, for 100 days, over 800,000 blacks were butchered to death during the Rwanda Genocide. Bill did nothing.

Thousands of black women, young and old, were raped and mutilated. Hillary said nothing.

So many bodies were dumped in the Kagera River that it ran red with blood and narrow parts clogged with bloated & hacked body parts. Clinton denied it was genocide.

Let's hear it, Hillary.

It Matters How The Clintons Lose.

An open letter to Obama supporters in my home state of Vermont:

Obama folk,

Please – don’t abandon the victims of the Rwanda Genocide again.

In 1994, the U.S., led by Clinton, had a UN obligation to intervene.  Clinton avoided our obligation by denying it was genocide – even though Hutus were killing 56,000 Tutsis each week – a murder rate 5 times the Holocaust.  Incredibly, the media, Democrats, even African-American leaders, all trusted Clinton and abandoned Rwanda.

At least Bush is calling the crisis in Darfur what it is – genocide.

    

If we can hold Bush responsible for not intervening in Darfur (we do), then we must hold Clinton responsible for what happened in Rwanda:

      

Don’t abandon Rwanda a second time by keeping silent about it in a 2008 Presidential Campaign between Obama and one of the 1994 leaders.  We’re not talking about infidelity – this is about genocide.  It’s not a personal attack.  It’s about human rights and U.S. foreign policy - it’s very serious. 

We’re all humans and we care about other humans, don’t we?  If you can’t care about 800,000 dying needlessly than what do you care about?   If remaining silent about a genocide is winning with dignity, I’d rather lose my dignity, lose the election and speak out – wouldn’t you?

Fortunately, as Rubin Bennett so ably pointed out, Obama’s on track to win the nomination anyway.  So why bring up Rwanda?

It matters how the Clintons lose.

If they’re seen as losing to the rock star first African-American Obama phenomenon, we win the election and little else.

If Clinton loses, in part, because America held them responsible for abandoning Rwanda – we win the election, earn a little more respect in the world, especially in Africa, and we take a step towards healing the wounds in our soul from 1994.

Can Obama raise this issue tactfully?  Yes he can!

Perhaps his campaign can produce a counter to the 3am ad that says, "In 1994, the phone rang at 3am for 100 days in a row.  It was the victims of the Rwanda Genocide.  The Clintons denied it was ringing while 800,000 blacks were butchered to death.".

OK, maybe Obama's team can come up with something more gentle, but you get the point. 

This small amount of justice for Rwanda may again give hope to African children and pride for American children.