Now that all the paper assignments are complete, the books have been read, and the book reviews have been written; I can now concentrate on summer reading. To me summer reading is a chance for me to read a couple of books that I'm interested in.
First I'm going to read The Audacity of Hope written by Senator Barack Obama. In this book the Senator calls for a different kind of politics. This is a book about his journey on the campaign trail for the Senate seat in Illinois to as he works to end the decisive politics in Washington to help bring both sides together to work for the American people.
The next book I hope to read is titled Not on Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond. This book was co-written by Don Cheadle (Actor) and John Prendergast (Activist). I received my first real introduction to the crisis in Darfur when my teacher that I was completing my educational practicum with asked my to conduct the daily journal assignments at the beginning of class. So while sitting in the back before class reading a magazine, I stumbled across a story of a family that had been displaced from there homes as result of the genocide. I decided to read up on this issue and introduce it to the class. Since then I've tried to learn more and more about this issue. The situation in Darfur is completely horrid and it is my hope that many Americans will decide that it is an issue worth fighting for. Also I hope that the U.S Government will provide more intervention and help end the genocide in Darfur. President Clinton will tell you that not intervening in Rwanda during that tragedy was on of the biggest mistakes of his Presidency. I applaud President Bush for recognizing that there is a genocide taking place. No it's time to do something about it.
Here at Longwood University we made a effort this past spring to help educate our Student Body about the issue. Our Student Programming Board Lancer Productions partnered with The Office of Leadership and Student Engagement to put on a week of events dedicated to the genocide in Darfur. First we showed the documentary Darfur Now and the next night we hosted activist John Prendergast who was a former White House and State Department Aid during the Clinton Administration. Prendergast currently serves as an advisor to the International Crisis Organization. Prendergast shared with students the history of the conflict in Darfur and what we as citizens and a country can do to help solve it. This is only the beginning, because first you have to educate before you can expect folks to stand up and take this issue on as a cause.
The last book that I hope to read this summer is Promises to Keep which was written by Senator Joe Biden. I'm a huge fan of Senator Joe Biden from Delaware. He was one of the first Presidential Candidates that I supported. I believe that his experience in the Senate specifically as Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee would have been a great fit for the White House as we look to bring this war to a end and fix our image around the world. I hope that if a Democrat wins office November that the first cabinet appointment would be Senator Biden as Secretary of State or better yet why not put him on the ticket as Vice President.
I don't think that any of my Professors would ever tell you that I Cam Patterson was ever excited about reading a day in his life. But when you give me the opportunity to read something that is interesting to me, then I will jump all over it. Everyone take time out this summer to read a book or two.
~Cam Patt~ :)
