It Takes a Planet...

Around the corner from our hotel in Portland sits a drumming shop called Rhythm Traders. The side wall of the shop hosts a beautiful mural depicting a group of drummers and singers making music and enjoying life. The mural caption reads, "Hope Is Vital: It Takes a Planet to Save a Village."

That's a fitting message for any gathering, but it is especially right for a GA in which UUSC is drawing attention to the ongoing genocide in Darfur.

As of this moment, over 1,000 people at GA have attended an event on Darfur or joined our advocacy action to get the Chinese government to work actively to end the genocide. As the most important purchaser of Sudanese oil and the source of much of the Sudanese regime's weaponry, it matters what China does.

In addition, black T-shirts bearing the Drumbeat for Darfur logo and a request that people "Connect, Take Action, End the Genocide" are popping up all over GA. UUSC Washington DC representative Shelley Moskowitz was minding her own business buying a sandwich across the street from GA, when the man behind the counter asked, "Where'd you get that cool t-shirt?" Shelley answered that they were available across the street at GA.

When Shelley told the guy that the shirts cost $15, he asked whether or not the money goes to a good cause. As Shelley considered the perfect response, a woman two people behind her in line chimed in, "You bet it does!" Shelley turned around to see that this UU from Sacramento had on the same t-shirt. GA is pulsing with the Drumbeat for Darfur.

The mere threat of action by hordes of gentle UUs has already goaded the Chinese government into action. China's newly appointed special envoy to Sudan made a public statements today defending China's actions to bring peace to Sudan, and indicating that the Chinese were thinking seriously of contributing troops to a UN protection force in Darfur.