Randi Miller Wins Wrestling Bronze Medal

Much of the media attention from the first week of the Beijing Olympics focused on Michael Phelps. Phelps earned it with seven world records and eight gold medals. However, I woke up this morning and women's wrestling was on television.

Imagine my surprise to see a powerful nubian sister from America ... Randi Miller ... winning the bronze medal in the Olympic women's 63-kilogram wrestling match! Miller defeated Canada's Martine Dugrenier by scoring the decisive point with only 13 seconds remaining in the third period.

Congrats to Randi Miller and her family in Arlington, TX for this remarkable international victory. And for those villagers who are wondering ... 63-kilograms is about 140 pounds!

Joey Cheeks Appears on Colbert Report

Last week, Team Darfur president and co-founder Joey Cheek had his visa revoked by the Chinese government less than 24 hours before he was supposed to leave to attend the Beijing Olympic Games.

Since then, Barack Obama and John McCain both issued statements of support, and in an interview with Bob Costas on NBC President Bush said: “Joey Cheek has just got to know that I took the Sudanese message for him. My attitude is, is if you got relations with Mr.Bashir, think about helping to solve the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. That was my message to the Chinese government.” (SOURCE)

Tonight, Joey will be interviewed on the Colbert Report. The Colbert Report airs on Comedy Central at 11:30 pm, and repeats tomorrow at 8:30 pm.

Please watch this evening, and if you haven’t already, please send a message of support to Team Darfur athletes.

The Darfur Olympics

From DreamforDarfur.org's email newsletter:

Dear Friends,

Terror continues for the people of Darfur. Despite our efforts and yours, China has not used its unique influence with Sudan and its role as Olympic host to try to address the Darfur conflict.

China has ignored the people of Darfur. Next week you can send Beijing a message by refusing to watch Chinese propaganda during the Olympics.

Every time China touts itself as a responsible world power during the Games, tune into our alternative Olympic programming on the web. Watch the Darfur Olympics -- Mia Farrow's daily webcast from a Darfurian refugee camp from August 8 to 15.

Sign up for alerts about Mia's broadcast.

You can also find out more about the other major events in Darfur over the past few weeks -- in particular the murder of seven peacekeepers in Darfur and the International Criminal Court's charging Sudanese President Bashir with genocide. For more information, click here.

We hope you will stick with us for the rest of the campaign. As we enter this final stretch, we need your help. Donate today to help us show the world what is really happening in Darfur.

Best,
Jill Savitt
Executive Director, Dream for Darfur

Cullen Jones: Tiger Woods of the Swimming Pool?

UPDATE: We published this post in March 2007. Last night, Cullen Jones won a gold medal in the 4x100 freestyle relay! If Michael Phelps wins 8 gold medals ... one of them will be courtesy of his teamwork with Cullen Jones!

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Des Walsh, a blogging evangelist living in the Australia area, gave the Electronic Village a heads-up on a sports story that was making a splash Down Under while barely making a ripple here in America. It turns out that that the fastest American in the pool is a man of African descent. Cullen Jones set the American record in the 50-yard freestyle last year ... only a tad off of the world record. He parlayed his speed in the pool into a seven-year endorsement deal with Nike worth potentially more than two million US dollars. That makes him the highest paid sprint freestyler in the world.

Jones is a member of the world record-setting 400-meter freestyle relay team and a potential gold medalist at the Beijing Olympics next year.

I imagine that most Villagers have pride for what this brother has done. Speaking of pride, the timing is real good for the movie of the same name starring Terrance Howard and Bernie Mac. Movie about Black students going to state championship in swimming coming to a theatre near you. [Editor's Note: I'm waiting for the movie that brings us the first team of sistas that make it to the state championship ... Just the dawg in me!]

Back to the point ... it is a good thing that Cullen Jones has a chance to bring a positive spin on diversity for the sport of competitive swimming. Soon people will be calling him the Tiger Woods of his sport. Unfortunately, it is likely his impact will be as neglible for Nubians. Tiger has been on the scene for a decade. Anyone see any other brothers on the PGA Tour? A few more of us watch golf on television when Tiger is playing ... but, the reality is that there simply aren't many African Americans with the financial means to tap into inate golf talent that will allow them to become professionals in the sport.

It could be the same for Cullen Jones. I live in Cincinnati, OH. It is a big budget fight just to keep the community pools open for the summer. Ain't much room for racing up & down a pool that is filled with hundreds of other kids from the neighborhood. As such, it is unlikely that the inate swimming talent inside our African American youth will have a chance to shine. As a result, Cullen Jones will likely remain the only pepper in the salt of the US Olympic Swimming Team photos for many years to come.

Anyhow, I don't begrudge Tiger or Cullen gettin' paid for their talents. However, I am no longer holding out hope that they are pioneers for other people of African descent into their respective country club sports.

On the other hand, the Acting White blog gives another twist to this story. Bro. Collier hopes that the publicity Cullen Jones will get leading up to the Beijing Olympics may result in fewer drowning deaths and accidents for children of color.

What are your comments on Cullen Jones and his world-record success in the pool?

Nia Abdallah vs Diana Lopez * Who Won the Fight?

Beijing Olympics open this week. One young sister who will not be there is Nia Abdallah. She won the silver medal in 2004. She wanted to go for the gold in 2008.

Instead, she will be watching it on television along with the rest of us. The judges said she lost her qualifying bout with Diana Lopez. So, Lopez is representing the United States and Nia is sitting home.

Watch the bout in the video below. You be the judge!

Nia Abdallah vs Diana Lopez - Olympic Qualifying Match


Who won in your opinion? Anyhow, I encourage you to visit her blog. Methinks that Sis. Abdallah is gonna need some love from all of us over the next couple of weeks.

Video Satire on Beijing Olympics

The video is by award-winning cartoonist Mark Fiore. He introduces the world to the Olympic mascot Beijing wanted to keep a secret: "Gengen Genocide."

With less than 30 days left until the Olympics, the window of opportunity to pressure China is closing. But we still need China to use its influence with Sudan to stop the Darfur genocide.

I encourage villagers to join the Switch Over campaign.

We want to send a message to Olympic corporate sponsors; they have influence with China as host of the Games. Tell sponsors of these Genocide Games to use this influence and end their silence on Darfur.

We are not asking you to boycott the Olympics. With Switch Over, you ignore sponsors that ignore Darfur -- by pledging to change the channel during the Olympics when certain sponsors' commercials come on.

Villagers, what say u? Are you willing to participate in this effort of individual protest on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Darfur?

Letter from Olympic Corporate Sponsor * Microsoft

I recently joined other villagers in sending messages to Olympic corporate sponsors asking them to use their influence over China to make things better in Darfur.

Here is response that I received from Microsoft:

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Thank you for your recent letter to Microsoft regarding the humanitarian crisis in Darfur and the 2008 Olympic Games.

The Beijing Olympics present an opportunity for countries to come together in athletic competition, and to draw attention to universal values such as individual and team endeavor, fair competition, excellence and achievement. The Olympics have the power to transform global relationships, create unity and accelerate positive change in the world.

Microsoft respects the International Olympic Committee’s decision to select China as the host country of this year’s games and is pleased to be able to support the games as a software supplier and a distributor of licensed Olympics coverage through our partnership with NBC Universal.

Like people all around the world, we are shocked and horrified by the violence and human rights violations in Darfur. We commend Dream for Darfur and other organizations for their leadership in casting a spotlight on this atrocity and the need for immediate international resolution. Governments and international organizations – the United Nations chief among them – as well as humanitarian relief organizations - will need to continue to work together locally and globally to address the problems in the Sudan. Microsoft will continue to support these organizations in their mission through technology assistance and other resources.

We appreciate having this opportunity to clarify our position and activities and thank you again for taking the time to share your views with Microsoft.

Sincerely,
Daniel T. Bross, Director
Stakeholder Engagement
Microsoft Corporation

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Have you heard from any of the corporate sponsors that you wrote to about China's role in Darfur?

Am I Not Human? Switch Over to Darfur

NOTE: This post should have been posted on the 27th of the month in accordance

with the Am I Not Human? blogging campaign commitment. My apologies for the late submission.

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We get tied up in our day-to-day existence and sometimes don't think about others on Mother Earth. That is one of the reasons that I support the 'Am I Not Human?' campaign initiated by the brothers and sisters of the Roots of Humanity blog.

This month I want to invite all villagers to take a moment to think about the atrocities committed in Darfur ... especially as you prepare to watch the 2008 Olympics in August. Truth to tell, I invite you to tell the Olympic sponsors to help end genocide in Darfur.

After all, in a little over a month, China and the Olympic sponsors will kick off the Beijing Olympics. With your help, we can make sure the world, the sponsors, and specifically China do not forget about the people of Darfur.

I encourage you to learn about a new campaign, 'Switch Over to Darfur,' sponsored by Dream for Darfur, which will help keep the pressure on China and Olympic sponsors leading up to the Games in Beijing.

Click here to check out the new campaign and take the 'Switch Over' pledge.

Earlier this month, advocates held nationwide protests outside the offices of Olympic sponsors that have remained silent about the genocide in Darfur. These events were covered by the Associated Press, The Wall Street Journal, and many other media outlets. We believe that the privileges of Olympic sponsorship come with responsibilities. Sponsors are eager for access to China's consumers and have been working to enhance China's image as Olympic host. Sponsors are also associating themselves with all the positive values represented by the Games -- but not working to uphold those values.

When asked to take action for Darfur, 16 out of 19 top Olympic sponsors chose to remain silent.

On the new 'Switch Over' website, you can let the Olympic corporate sponsors know that you intend to ignore companies that ignore Darfur.

Villagers, we have brothers and sisters all over Mother Earth who ask the question, 'Am I Not Human?' Isn't it time that we answer them? What say u?

President Bush: Please LEAD On Darfur

We now have less than two months until the Beijing Olympic Games begin on August 8.

I urge all villagers to write a letter to President Bush asking him to lead on Darfur. The UN Security Council has just returned from its trip to Africa, where it visited the Darfur region.

During June, as President of the Security Council, the United States is in a unique position to exert its influence to ensure that the peacekeepers and civilian police authorized almost a year ago by the UN are deployed immediately.

Write to President Bush now and tell him how crucial his leadership is in urging China and other Security Council members to deploy the peacekeeping force to Darfur.

Darfur: Nationwide Day of Action on June 20

I encourage all villagers to join the Nationwide Day of Action on June 20. Please join Dream for Darfur and Save Darfur Coalition for a nationwide protest against the silence of Olympic corporate sponsors on the Darfur crisis.

To mark United Nations World Refugee Day on June 20, students, activists, and community leaders in cities across the country are gathering at the stores and headquarters of sponsors that have failed to address the Darfur genocide - despite their responsibility as stakeholders of the Olympics. Click here to attend an event in your community.

Join Blog Campaign: Am I Not Human?

I am hopeful that all bloggers and blog readers will take a moment to remember humanity. Sometimes we get so tied up on our day-to-day existance that we forget to look up or think globally about humanity. We have a chance to think globally with upcoming major competitive events such as the Beijing Olympics. Many agree that China is a country guilty of numerous human rights violations and outright oppression.

You are invited to take a moment to remember humanity on Sunday, April 27. On that day we are asking bloggers and blog readers all over the world to ask a simple question for Darfurians, Tibetans and others that have been affected by China’s lack of concern for human rights ---> ‘Am I not human?’

The Olympics should be global representation of friendship and humanity. However, the Beijing Olympics are tainted by the oppressive reality of China's human rights stance in Darfur, Tibet and elsewhere. China shows a willingness to ignore the lofty principles of the Olympic movement.

Our blog campaign, ‘Am I not human?’ involves bloggers from a myriad of cultures recognizing the symbolic importance the Olympics claim to represent and the direct violation towards humanity China is guilty of in its act as a supplier to oppressive forces in the Sudan, and it’s unspeakable acts towards Tibetan Monks.

The campaign’s strategy is to educate, motivate and activate. A small ebook will be available for download detailing the background of the struggle in Darfur and Tibet, highlighting real actions that can and should be taken. The ebook will present the opportunity to continue action offline within our communities by anyone claiming to be interested in making a positive change.

AfroSpear blogger Eddie Griffin states, “We will no longer idly stand by and watch such blatant hypocrisy as human beings are inhumanely preyed upon.”

The Blog Campaign participants will post in unity on the 27th of each month until real measurable, progressive change can be seen in Darfur and Tibet. Our first postings will begin on Sunday, April 27.

You can learn more from our 'Am I Not Human' Virtual Campaign headquarters or you can email the Campaign Organizers for additional information. The Campaign Organizers are: Daz Wilson, Danielle Vyas, Wayne Hicks and Eddie Griffin.

The next step is yours! What say u?

China's Genocide Games

Villagers are encouraged to check out this article describing the connection between Darfur and China. Obama, Nadar and others have publically tied the Beijing Olympics to the situation in Darfur. Many of us watched the heated protests in Paris, San Francisco and elsewhere during the journey of the Olympic Flame.

It goes without saying that the Beijing Olympics are a powerful target to be pursued by any of us that care about the Darfur genocide. Eric Reeves lays it out for us in his article entitled, 'China's Genocide Games'.

Obama Ties Beijing Olympic Boycott to Crisis in Darfur

Much of the protests against the Olympic Games in Beijing focused around the way that China is handling the unrest in Tibet. I was pleased to see Barack Obama pivot the discussion to include the relationship that China has with Sudan.

Barack Obama called for President Bush to boycott the opening ceremonies for the Olympic Games in Beijing. Obama said a boycott "should be firmly on the table," but that a decision should be made closer to the Games.

Here is Obama's full statement:

"If the Chinese do not take steps to help stop the genocide in Darfur and to respect the dignity, security, and human rights of the Tibetan people, then the President should boycott the opening ceremonies. As I have communicated in public and to the President, it is past time for China to respect the human rights of the Tibetan people, to allow foreign journalists and diplomats access to the region, and to engage the Dalai Lama in meaningful talks about the future of Tibet. I am also deeply concerned about China's failure to support efforts to halt the genocide in Darfur. Regarding the Beijing Olympics this summer, a boycott of the opening ceremonies should be firmly on the table, but this decision should be made closer to the Games."

Please join the Electronic Village and others tomorrow as we participate in a Blogblast entitled, 'In Solidarity: Global Day for Darfur'.

In Solidarity: Global Day for Darfur

Have you been listening to the noise surrounding the Olympic torch over in Europe. Protests from people that are upset about China disregard for human rights took it out on the eternal Olympic flame. Many villagers recall that PurpleZoe led us on a Blogging Day of Action for Darfur last year. Well, villagers ... let's do it again!

This time our lead is coming from Danielle. My blog will join Danielle (ModernMusings.com) on April 13th for the In Solidarity: Global Day for Darfur campaign. I am hopeful that other bloggers who read this post will join in this effort. The Strategy is to Educate, Motivate and Activate toward ending the genocide in Darfur.

• Educate through analysis of reports and news materials, compilations of facts through viral multimedia like podcasts and videos posted on YouTube and linking to articles, blog posts, and viral media to expand public knowledge of the Darfuri genocide. Any and all aspects can be focused on; such as the root causes of the murder, who is behind it, and what the international community has done to promote the murder and to end it.


• Motivate through the capacity within humanity for empathy. Motivate through love. Pull at heart strings, communicate the sameness of Darfuri families and your own, and share the simple, common fact that we are all the same and the suffering of the Darfuri people is felt within our hearts. Motivate through the anger for the greed, the murder, and the lack of action.


• Activate through petitions, open letters, letters to all our elected officials as well as U.N., Sudanese and Chinese officials, and speaking out to the corporate sponsors of the Beijing Olympics as China plays a key role.

Please reach out to Danielle if you want to add your blog to this unified effort on April 13.

Bring The Olympic Dream to Darfur - Anheuser Busch

Villagers understand that it is important for us to stand up for one another all throughout the diaspora. This includes our brothers and sisters in Alkebulan. We are concerned about the ongoing genocide in Darfur. One of the levers of change is China. The Chinese government has immense influence with the Sudanese government. We want China to overtly use their influence to end the genocide.

How do we move China? The same way that we move anyone ... through their pocketbook. We need to deal directly with the sponsors of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. We need to encourage the sponsors to urge Chinese government to use their influence to end the genocide in Darfur. As such, I joined with a number of progressive bloggers to write the sponsors listed at the bottom of this post.

I received my second corporate response. The first came a few days ago from Staples. The second response came from Anheuser-Busch and read as follows:

Dear Wayne,

Thank you for contacting Anheuser-Busch. For nearly 25 years, Anheuser-Busch has been a proud sponsor of the Olympic Games. Over that time period, many organizations have used the high profile nature of this world-wide event to raise awareness for their causes. We respect the rights of these organizations to voice their concerns and appreciate your comments as well.

Our association with the Olympic Games is to support the athletes who bring the world together in the spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.

Sincerely,
Anheuser-Busch

Anheuser-Busch appreciates my concerns but doesn't even mention Darfur in the response. Ah well, the journey of 1,000 miles begins with the first step as they say in Chinese folklore.

Bring The Olympic Dream to Darfur - Staples

Danielle (Modern Musings) and Purple Zoe (Ultraviolet Underground) encouraged their readers to communicate with the sponsors of the 2008 Beijing Olympics to encourage them to urge Chinese government to use their influence to end the genocide in Darfur. I received my first response today from Staples:

Thank you for your recent email to Staples expressing your concern about the Darfur issue and encouraging Staples to urge the Chinese government and the International Olympic Committee to use their leverage to help end the crisis in Sudan.

As you may know, Staples is not a sponsor of 2008 Beijing Olympics. Rather, we are the exclusive supplier of office furniture to the Olympics, including the Olympic Committee as well as official Olympic locations. This is the first time Staples has been involved in the Olympic Games.

As a company that does business around the world, Staples takes very seriously its obligations as a corporate citizen. However, corporate pressure is no substitute for the coordinated international diplomacy that is required to resolve the conflict in Sudan.

In recent months the Chinese government has begun to raise the Darfur issue with the government of Sudan and has finally supported the deployment of a UN peacekeeping force in the region. There have been some hopeful developments on the international diplomatic front as well. While the conflict and the humanitarian toll it has taken are far from over, these developments suggest that the best course for resolving the crisis in Darfur is a vigorous and concerted diplomatic effort.

The reply was not signed by a person. Nor was there any contact information provided for follow-up or clarification. Rather, it appears that Staples (a) denies that they are a sponsor of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and (b) tells us that China is doing better.

I wonder how the other corporations will respond? I wonder if they will each respond ... or if some will ignore the issue entirely? But, at the end of the day, I wonder if other villagers will join in effort to end the genocide in Darfur?

Day of Action for Darfur

One of the most powerful statements that I've seen by any blogger on the genocide in Darfur is posted by Purple Zoe over on the Ultraviolet Underground. Here is a taste of her message:

"My Pledge to Boycott the US sponsors of the Olympic Games Hosted by China

After having written to the sponsors of the Olympic Games and receiving empty letters of some (not all) of the sponsors that basically refused to apply pressure (Adidas was even sarcastic in nature and advised they are a sneaker company and not a grassroots political organization...), I am boycotting the corporate sponsors of the Olympic games who will not use their strength to persuade China to take serious action in regards to the genocide in Darfur, a region they have a great deal of economic influence over.

These companies will not receive a dime of my money as long they support China without challenging more resolute action for aiding Darfur. I may not spend a dime with them for the duration of the genocide in Darfur, and may never spend a dime with them again. Plain and simple.

Here are their names: Adidas; Anheuser-Busch; Atos Origin; BHPBilliton; Coca-Cola; General Electric; Johnson & Johnson; Kodak; Lenovo Group Limited; Manulife; McDonalds; Microsoft; Panasonic; Samsung; Staples; Swatch; UPS; Visa; and Volkswagen."

Villagers, I encourage to take a moment to read her full post on actions that we can take to end the genocide in Darfur. The question we must ask ourselves ... what are we going to do?

Wordless Wednesday: Darfur

Today we made a commitment to Blog Against Genocide in Darfur. We shared the details on this global tragedy earlier in the year. Today, I encourage all villagers to Join us in this Day of Action for Darfur.

Mail letter to our Frat Boy (props to Field Negro for this nickname) in the White House. You may need to send him the map so that he knows where to find Darfur. I don't think that Frat Boy knows much about world geography beyond Iraq or Iran.

You may need to remind him that Sudan is the largest country in Africa, located just south of Egypt on the eastern edge of the Sahara desert. The country's major economic resource is oil. But, as in other developing countries with oil, this resource is not being developed for the benefit of the Sudanese people, but instead, for an elite few in the government and society.

One aspect of the conflict that we need to understand is the impact China has on the situation. I suspect that the issue of China's support of the Sudanese government will become much more visible as we get closer to the 2008 Olympics being hosted by China.

Villagers, do you think that it is time to consider a boycott of the Olympic games if China doesn't act on their influence over Sudan to stop the genocide?

LeBron & Darfur Genocide

LeBron James is only 22-years old. That is a fact that we should keep in mind over the coming weeks as he is in the NBA spotlight. However, when you publically proclaim that you have a desire to become the "first" billionaire athlete, then you come under more scrutiny. Michael Jordan made a conscious effort to be apolitcal in his career. Money ruled with Michael Jordan. He once said, "Republicans buy gym shoes too" when asked why he wouldn't endorse a Democratic candidate.

LeBron James seems to be using the Jordan playbook. His actions appear to say, "Chinese people buy gym shoes too". Using that twisted logic it is unfortunate that there aren't many hardwood floors in Darfur. Maybe if Nike had more market share with the Darfur children and families that are being ripped apart we might have more heroic stance taken by LeBron.

The Christian Science Monitor recently reported that LeBron refused to be a witness against Darfur genocide. The Cleveland Cavaliers' Ira Newble recently wrote an open letter criticizing China's role in the Darfur genocide, urging fellow basketball players to pressure China to change its policy ahead of the 2008 Summer Olympics. "China cannot be a legitimate host to the premier international event in the sporting world -- the Summer Olympic Games -- while it remains complicit in the terrible suffering and destruction that continues to this day," the letter stated.

Only two of Newble's teammates refused to sign onto his letter: Damon Jones and LeBron James. James, one of the NBA's most recognizable faces, is a perennial all-star and was named a tri-captain of the 2006 USA World Championship Team.

In a Christian Science Monitor op-ed yesterday, New York University history professor Jonathan Zimmerman explained, "James said he didn't have enough information about the issue to take a stand. Mr. Jones wouldn't comment." But he also noted, "Jones has an endorsement contract with an up-and-coming Chinese shoe and apparel company. James has a $90 million deal with Nike, which has huge business interests in China."

China is Sudan's largest trading partner. Brookings Institution scholar Roberta Cohen wrote, "Were China to use even a small part of its leverage to call Sudan to account, it would go a long way toward saving lives in Sudan."

In July 2005, the Center for American Progress Action Fund teamed up with the Genocide Intervention Fund to call citizens to "be a witness" of the genocide and ask major television networks to report on the massacre. James now appears in Nike advertisements calling others to be a witness ... of his basketball stardom. Perhaps King James should read Luke 12:48 (...to whom much is given, much is expected...).
What do you think villagers? Is it unfair to expect more of atheletes in the spotlight than we expect of ourselves? Do we want our athletic heroes to have a conscience ... or just entertain us with their skills and commercials?