John Shimkus – Talking the Talk but not Walking the Walk on Darfur
Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL 19) makes a big fuss about his pro-life views. When it comes to the unborn, Shimkus is against abortion, and opposes federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research. On looking at the rest of his voting record, however, one might ask Mr. Shimkus why the already living don’t seem to count as much.
I’m talking, of course, about Darfur, the region of Sudan that has been, and is currently being, cleansed, raped, and otherwise genocidally abused, all practically with the approval of the Sudanese government.
Congress has taken several “actions” to help eliminate what Congress, the President, and the United Nations have labeled as genocide. Initially, Mr. Shimkus was a supporter of helping the people of Darfur. He cosponsored one of the first Congressional actions on the subject – The Darfur Genocide Accountability Act – and voted yes on the next bill (which is currently “stalled in conference committee”).
Shimkus showed early support for helping the people of Darfur, but when it came down to writing the checks, it seems his heart isn’t actually in it.
Two amendments came up in the process of Appropriations this year. The first, which Shimkus voted against, would have provided more and better funding for the African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur. The AU force is undermanned and excessively underfunded, and until a multi-national force arrives (both NATO and the United Nations haven’t budged), they are the only force likely to stop the dozens of murders and rapes that occur every day. Thankfully, despite Mr. Shimkus’s objection, the amendment passed.
The second amendment, which Shimkus again voted against, called for humanitarian aid to the people suffering from the affects of this genocide. The people of Darfur, spread throughout refugee camps both in the Sudan and in Chad, are starving, ill, and dying. Hunger is a tool of genocide, and it’s working faster than a thousand Janjaweeds could hope to work.
This measure failed, thanks, in part, to Congressman Shimkus.
The title of this post has to do with talking the talk but not walking the walk, as the popular saying goes. So you abstractly support efforts to stop genocide, but when it comes down to actually doing it, sending money or humanitarian aid, or helping support the fighters that are protecting the civilians in this region, you seem to have changed your mind.
Or perhaps Mr. Shimkus was never a supporter of this effort in the first place. Perhaps he wanted his name on a piece of paper urging help for the region, but doesn’t want to actively participate in this political hot-topic.
People are dying. They’re being killed. They’re being raped. They’re being systematically eliminated. I sure wish my Congressman would make the moral choice and help save lives, rather than vote down party lines.
Hopefully, more people in the IL-19 will wake up to this hypocrisy before November.
I’m talking, of course, about Darfur, the region of Sudan that has been, and is currently being, cleansed, raped, and otherwise genocidally abused, all practically with the approval of the Sudanese government.
Congress has taken several “actions” to help eliminate what Congress, the President, and the United Nations have labeled as genocide. Initially, Mr. Shimkus was a supporter of helping the people of Darfur. He cosponsored one of the first Congressional actions on the subject – The Darfur Genocide Accountability Act – and voted yes on the next bill (which is currently “stalled in conference committee”).
Shimkus showed early support for helping the people of Darfur, but when it came down to writing the checks, it seems his heart isn’t actually in it.
Two amendments came up in the process of Appropriations this year. The first, which Shimkus voted against, would have provided more and better funding for the African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur. The AU force is undermanned and excessively underfunded, and until a multi-national force arrives (both NATO and the United Nations haven’t budged), they are the only force likely to stop the dozens of murders and rapes that occur every day. Thankfully, despite Mr. Shimkus’s objection, the amendment passed.
The second amendment, which Shimkus again voted against, called for humanitarian aid to the people suffering from the affects of this genocide. The people of Darfur, spread throughout refugee camps both in the Sudan and in Chad, are starving, ill, and dying. Hunger is a tool of genocide, and it’s working faster than a thousand Janjaweeds could hope to work.
This measure failed, thanks, in part, to Congressman Shimkus.
The title of this post has to do with talking the talk but not walking the walk, as the popular saying goes. So you abstractly support efforts to stop genocide, but when it comes down to actually doing it, sending money or humanitarian aid, or helping support the fighters that are protecting the civilians in this region, you seem to have changed your mind.
Or perhaps Mr. Shimkus was never a supporter of this effort in the first place. Perhaps he wanted his name on a piece of paper urging help for the region, but doesn’t want to actively participate in this political hot-topic.
People are dying. They’re being killed. They’re being raped. They’re being systematically eliminated. I sure wish my Congressman would make the moral choice and help save lives, rather than vote down party lines.
Hopefully, more people in the IL-19 will wake up to this hypocrisy before November.
