NHL Playoffs: Round 2
Tibet: Protest Organizers in Australia Renew Calls For Nonviolence
Pony Party, If You Only See One Movie….
By 73rd virgin
I recently had the opportunity to see "The Devil Came on Horseback" on the National Geographic channel (where it will be shown again Friday at 6 p.m. EDT).
It is the story of a U.S. Marine Captain named Brian Steidle, who takes an 'oversight' position in Darfur, armed only with a camera, to monitor a cease-fire between the Muslim north and the Christian south.
The story is not new….hell, the MOVIE isn't new…but this is the first time I have seen it. For some reason, this particular telling of the all-too-familiar story really spoke to me. I feel like I understand the conflict a lot better now. And the personal, first-person narration from someone we wouldn't necessarily think would be pre-disposed to have such an emotional response made the telling all the more powerful. By the end, I felt his frustration…not an extension of my own frustration, but HIS frustration….at trying to get real help for the people of Darfur. I think it's a must-see….
I don't like to give away too much about a movie…especially one I wish you'd watch for yourself…but as a disclaimer…the movie isn't sugar-coated by any stretch, but it isn't non-stop ick either. There is enough 'shock' in it to (hopefully) engage people's concern, but it isnt gruesome. It's heart-wrenching on many levels, but not beyond the reality of the situation.
And a big 'thank you' to the National Geographic Channel for bringing us this remarkable movie. (It's also available on DVD)
[i edited out totally unrelated hockey chatter, because i put up a separate essay]
brian steidle, Darfur, janjaweed, Open Thread, pony party, Sudan
srkp23 on April 23, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Saw it at yK last year. It was a cruel irony that although it is a movie for activism, it really also showcased Steidle's frustration and helplessness in a way that revealed the difficulty, even futility of our activism when it comes to genocide. But witnessing and constant attention to the genocide in Darfur is still an absolute moral and political necessity, even if the cries fall on the deaf ears of the powerful.
RiaD on April 23, 2008 at 3:24 pm
i'll look it up….
3card on April 23, 2008 at 8:18 pm
…after they fell apart in game 6, but except for that – what a great series! I guess Lup is only gonna score 1 goal in the series he got the right one. Also good to see Sami get on the board. (Now I hope Scotty pulls his head out). Ane even though that was a dumb penalty to take last night "Darian friggin Hatcher" really surprised me at how well he played through the series. He's still got a little left in the old legs.
How great is it not to have to listen to the constant Ovetchkin, Ovetchkin, Ovetchkin for the next couple of weeks…, but now I guess it will be a huge Crosby overhype to endure.
I just turned on the tv and these guys are still talking about the "Avery antics". Ha! Can you even imagine what would have happened if that shit bird had tried something like that in front of Hextall or Billy Smith?