2008 Woodie Awards
Pulitzer Winning Lecturer Explores Genocides Past and Present
Gil Landau
Issue date: 3/29/05 Section: News
Genocide is not a topic generally greeted with much enthusiasm. However, when Samantha Power addressed the subject on March 1, the auditorium on the Beren Campus was filled to capacity. Employing humor to make the subject palpable, Power discussed genocides past and present, as well as their future prevention. She asked if America can respond to genocide in an age of terror, and answered yes, but only if it addresses its own human rights issues first.
Samantha Power is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist for her book A Problem from Hell about the history of genocide and ways to prevent it in the future. She is also a professor at the Kennedy School of Government in Harvard, and Executive Director for the Carr Institute for Human Rights Policy.
The lecture began with a synopsis of American foreign policy, or lack thereof, regarding genocide during much of the 20th century. During that time, genocide occurred around the world, generally without any censure. The massacres of the Armenian Christians, Cambodia's killing fields, Rwanda's tribal genocide, and Hitler's gas chambers occurred with nominal outcry. Power explained that "bystander syndrome" and "political inertia" were to blame for the silence. Only in response to Bosnia during the middle of the Clinton administration did the public begin to place political pressure on the government.
Power lauded Jewish groups for being instrumental in bringing human rights and genocide to the forefront of the political scene. She reasoned that the Jewish cry of "never again" did not only apply to the holocaust, but to any genocide in any place. However, she explained, because Jews have been the target of genocide, they are uniquely qualified to combat it.
Power concluded with an assessment of the post September 11 world. She addressed the benefits of such an age, which is attuned to terror and determined to eliminate it. However, she cautioned against using homeland security as a tool for violation of human rights. In an equally harsh condemnation, she attacked both Democrats and Republicans for ignoring issues of genocide. She also chastised the European and Canadian governments for dumping genocide issues on America, and America for not leading the world in a campaign against genocide. However, along with her condemnation of President Bush, she praised him for recognizing Darfur as genocide, when others would not. According to human rights groups, pro-government Arab militias have forced more than one million black Africans from their homes and killed thousands in Sudan's western region of Darfur.
A short question and answer period was filled with questions ranging from the usefulness of international organizations to ex-presidential candidate Kerry's position, and included a short rant by one audience member on the despicable nature of the Bush administration.
At the end, Power's rallying cry was "Darfur, Darfur, Darfur...." She urged students to get involved and put pressure on the government to deal with Darfur, warning that if we do not intercede today, in ten years "Hotel Darfur" will replace the recent movie Hotel Rwanda.
The lecture was the second speech in the lecture series on human rights planned by the Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf Scholar-in-Residence Program in conjunction with the Rabbi Arthur Schneier Center for International Affairs.
Samantha Power is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist for her book A Problem from Hell about the history of genocide and ways to prevent it in the future. She is also a professor at the Kennedy School of Government in Harvard, and Executive Director for the Carr Institute for Human Rights Policy.
The lecture began with a synopsis of American foreign policy, or lack thereof, regarding genocide during much of the 20th century. During that time, genocide occurred around the world, generally without any censure. The massacres of the Armenian Christians, Cambodia's killing fields, Rwanda's tribal genocide, and Hitler's gas chambers occurred with nominal outcry. Power explained that "bystander syndrome" and "political inertia" were to blame for the silence. Only in response to Bosnia during the middle of the Clinton administration did the public begin to place political pressure on the government.
Power lauded Jewish groups for being instrumental in bringing human rights and genocide to the forefront of the political scene. She reasoned that the Jewish cry of "never again" did not only apply to the holocaust, but to any genocide in any place. However, she explained, because Jews have been the target of genocide, they are uniquely qualified to combat it.
Power concluded with an assessment of the post September 11 world. She addressed the benefits of such an age, which is attuned to terror and determined to eliminate it. However, she cautioned against using homeland security as a tool for violation of human rights. In an equally harsh condemnation, she attacked both Democrats and Republicans for ignoring issues of genocide. She also chastised the European and Canadian governments for dumping genocide issues on America, and America for not leading the world in a campaign against genocide. However, along with her condemnation of President Bush, she praised him for recognizing Darfur as genocide, when others would not. According to human rights groups, pro-government Arab militias have forced more than one million black Africans from their homes and killed thousands in Sudan's western region of Darfur.
A short question and answer period was filled with questions ranging from the usefulness of international organizations to ex-presidential candidate Kerry's position, and included a short rant by one audience member on the despicable nature of the Bush administration.
At the end, Power's rallying cry was "Darfur, Darfur, Darfur...." She urged students to get involved and put pressure on the government to deal with Darfur, warning that if we do not intercede today, in ten years "Hotel Darfur" will replace the recent movie Hotel Rwanda.
The lecture was the second speech in the lecture series on human rights planned by the Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf Scholar-in-Residence Program in conjunction with the Rabbi Arthur Schneier Center for International Affairs.