Re: George Clooney arrested in Washington DC, March 2012

by it's me Mon 19 Mar 2012, 07:28

I fear for Dick Gregory
it wont be
I think
a fast trip

by macs Mon 19 Mar 2012, 07:59

hope I'm not double posting this
(apologies if so, I am a little behind and I sometimes get lost in the news thread...)

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

An open letter to actor George Clooney from Sudan Change Now:

Dear Mr. George Clooney,

We are very pleased to see the efforts that you are exerting in internationally exposing the injustices happening in Sudan today and in the past years. We know the importance of getting international figures on the side of justice as crucial players in bringing issues of injustice to the global debates. We would like to thank you for these efforts and commend your lobbying within the US and abroad. As advocates for peace, democracy and justice in Sudan, we would like to share our concerns and suggestions on the way in which your important advocacy work on Sudan is being conducted.

We write you this letter on behalf of many Sudanese people among some of which are activists today working hard on the ground to expose the terrible violations that are being imposed on our people in all regions of Sudan by the current government. As you know, there are various agendas and politics involved under the guise of humanitarian calls for action and there are also wonderful and transparent efforts being tainted by such negative perceptions. We would like to make sure that people like you are part of the more positive, fair, truthful and proactive symbols of justice for the country.

Sudan Change Now is a young Movement comprised of people who have decided to transcend this cycle of politics and power struggles and really work on the ground for democratic change. Our members work on advocacy and mobilization in Khartoum and other regions as well. We think that the disconnection between the Khartoum center and the rest of the country (especially in conflict areas such as Blue Nile, South Kordofan and Darfur) is a serious obstacle to holistic change in the country. We believe that crossing the regional boundaries within the country will ensure that when change does happen it will be a nationwide one that caters for all. We fully understand that the struggles vary immensely but we also know that we are still one nation and we would like to maintain that unity. With the separation of the South as a constant reminder of our failure to ensure change before it was too late, we are determined to show that we all suffer tremendously from the current regime and have been suffering for decades now as a people with various identities, religious backgrounds and ethnicities.

Sudan Change Now stands firm in support of the people of Sudan regardless of race, ethnicity, tribal, religious or gender backgrounds. Sudan Change Now asks that you kindly support us in showing a more comprehensive picture of the conflicts in the country with an understanding of the complexities as well as the terrible conditions that many face throughout Sudan. Portraying the regional conflicts in the country as a simplified war of Arabs and Africans concerns us. It does not fully capture the historical and political aspects of the conflict considering that the Sudanese government is a dictatorship and does not reflect the sentiments of the majority of the people. The regional conflicts in Sudan are not simple and are highly political with a strong basis on economic gains such as oil and other resources. Sudan Change Now knows that the unfortunate truth in such politicized strife is that innocent people fall victims and very little is done to protect them. Our Movement has worked hard with other activists who have been advocating and repeatedly protesting against the conflicts and atrocities in Darfur, South Kordofan and the Blue Nile. With many arrested and exposed to serious security threats by the Sudanese forces as a result. We would like to make it clear that the actions of the Sudanese Armed Forces in the country and the NCP led regime are not representative of the people of Sudan. We believe that there is an urgent need for the peaceful resolution of conflicts in Sudan and that the killing of innocent civilians must immediately stop.

We believe that any nation has the right to fight for its own causes and that all citizens should be able to take ownership of their struggle for justice and peace. We would like to solidify our efforts in ensuring that our country peacefully undergoes a democratic transformation, ensuring that justice does prevail and that all citizens of Sudan are able to lead a dignified and protected life. We believe that this should be ideally done by the Sudanese themselves who are the most affected by the situation and understand the complexities of the problems as well as the most suitable solutions. However, we know that the repressive political climate in Sudan makes it difficult for the voices of those opposing the government to be fully heard and we count on international advocacy figures to support us in getting those voices heard and ensuring that the language of dichotomies is used carefully and responsibly when portraying conflicts.

We write this letter as part of our newly launched campaign of "Not in Our Name" which aims to portray to the world the unrelenting and repressed local resistance against the current regime that has been happening for years now within Sudan. In order to fully support the cause of the Sudanese victims of war, we urge you to engage with the many Sudanese in Sudan and abroad to share their relevant experiences and opinions on how they perceive the problems and solutions of the terrible conflicts in their country. The campaign aims to allow the voices of Sudanese (from all regions) resisting the current regime to be heard internationally and to announce its rejection of all violations that have been occurring under this terrible dictatorship for more than two decades now.

The Message of "Not in Our Name" is: Our Struggles are one and we the people of Sudan shall be heard. On behalf of the Sudanese people, Sudan Change Now says No to War, No to Oppression, No to Human Rights Violations and Marginalization, No to Racism and Tribalism, No to Poverty and No to Atrocities in Sudan.

The Sudan Change Now Movement can be contacted at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] or on facebook and twitter @Sudanchangenow. Sudan Change Now was established in 2010 and describes its mission as: 'Toppling the regime and establishing a plural civil and democratic alternative.'

by it's me Mon 19 Mar 2012, 08:04

thanks macs

by lovelylois Mon 19 Mar 2012, 19:14

From Celebitchy today on George's arrest.\
Mar 19
'12George Clooney on his arrest: “It was my first arrest, let’s hope it’s my last”

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

These are photos of George Clooney after the DC Metro police released him on Friday, just hours after he and his dad were arrested outside of the Sudanese embassy. I know he’s probably talking about very serious human rights things, but all I can think about is A) how hot he looks in these photos and B) how he looks like he’s making really dirty hand gestures. So I looked it up – George actually was joking around with the press after he got out – here’s the video:

TMZ also got a comment from George at Dulles, and they asked him who he called when he got his one phone call – he said his mom! Yeah – I think Stacy is on the way out, don’t you? Anyway, George appeared on Fox News Sunday to discuss Sudan. I didn’t think George ever wanted to appear on Fox News? Eh.

George Clooney was arrested outside the Sudanese Embassy in Washington, DC Friday, but that hasn’t stopped the 50-year-old actor from fighting for what he believes in.

Appearing on Fox News Sunday, The Descendants star accused the country’s president, Omar al-Bashir, of “bombing indiscriminate, innocent civilians with Antonov planes.”

Clooney also pointed out that al-Bashir has “programmed” his citizens to live in fear, thus limiting their chances of survival.

“They kill people — one village we were in, there were 34 people killed in the last two months, and it’s a small village — so they kill people, but more than that, they’re keeping them hiding in the rocks, in the caves, so that they can’t farm, and they miss their planting season this year,” Clooney explained. “This is the oldest society in the world, if you read the Bible. These people have been there forever, and now they’re not going to be able to feed themselves coming up in the next few months.”

Clooney has visited the war-torn nation in the past — and he too has come close to losing a limb as the result of a bomb explosion.

“We’re standing on top of this bush, and [our guide] pulls back the bush and there was this bomb. . . so then he kept messing with the bush, and I said, ‘Maybe don’t hit that thing with the stick so many times,’” Clooney said. “We were glad to get out of there.”

Clooney admitted that he’s using his celebrity status to bring attention to the ailing nation’s plight.

“I [asked my journalist father], ‘Remember how you used to get all your stories bumped by, like, Liz Taylor or something happening in Hollywood?’” Clooney recalled. “I said, ‘Well, let’s go to Darfur and you be the newsman and I’ll be Liz Taylor and let’s get it on the air.’”

The actor didn’t mind his brief arrest, as he’s always been politically-minded and socially responsible. “I grew up in a family that believed that your job was to be involved with your fellow man,” Clooney said. “You have a responsibility to participate in the human condition, one way or another.”

[From Us Weekly]

How different would George’s Oscar campaign have been if THIS was the George who showed up? If he went a different route for this past Oscar campaign – away from the rent-a-date and “Clooney Knows Best” speeches and just went for a humanitarian gut-punch? I think he might have actually beaten Jean Dujardin, honestly. People love this side of George.

by blubelle Mon 19 Mar 2012, 20:45

I just saw The Artist. It was good, sort of quirky, but IMO not the movie of the year. Jean Dujardin did a great job but again, IMO George was robbed. Of the three films he was nominated for over the years I think MC was his best work. I really thought he would get the oscar this year as a tribute for all his film work. His loss makes me realize just how political the voting can be. Harvey Weinstein is a powerful man and with him behind The Artist, well I guess it was enough to push it over the top. Who did George have helping him?

by NotAvailable Mon 19 Mar 2012, 21:49

My thinking exactly. Our George got robbed. Such a terrible thing. I don't think he sees or understands that these holey bimbos don't attract awards. They attract attention yes, but not awards. It used to work back when it was a new idea. But its a fad that is being changed by the likes of the Kardashiens. Now you have to rottenly marry someone just for the camera effect or make your divorce over dramatized to really make readers mad enough to call you names for months. That seems to be how its being done these days. Look at some of the recent divorce actions. Suddenly doing it without letting the spouse know you were going to do it. Bad.

by silly girl Tue 20 Mar 2012, 00:19

Someone who was arrested with GC....nice it was on Access Hollywood because then the story gets told to a different audience. He tells a funny story:

by Joanna Tue 20 Mar 2012, 00:33

The author of the article from Huffington Post, is Tom Andrews.
This is his web site....

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

by Joanna Tue 20 Mar 2012, 01:27

A few more pictures from Friday's arrest in Washington
are here....

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

by Astras Tue 20 Mar 2012, 05:06

Joanna wrote:I like him with a beard

Those B/W pictures are very atmospheric, thanks Astra.
Have you got the original link ?
Did you edit them to B/W ?

I got them from Corbis.com, but I think you might have to have an account to access. Not sure though... I'm obsessed with B/W photography, so I did edit them. I love highly contrasted photos - and G's hair and beard are perfect for it. Very Happy

These weren't hires, so the contrasting sharpened them up a bit.

I hope you don't mind that I stole one for my newest avatar?!

Of course not! Take, use, have with fun with! Laughing

by silly girl Tue 20 Mar 2012, 12:31

I too love B&W photos too Astras....so thanks.....

Ok I think I am going to make a complaint about our dear obsession. So please bear with me....I love the fact that he is doing humanitarian work.....it was great what he did last week. My problem is that he does these blitzes and then disappears. The media is talking about how he went on all the Sunday talk shows "after" his arrest when in reality he taped those before he was arrested. Now that the blitz is over he has gone back into hiding. I would love to see him walking around LA and talking to the Photogs about his trip....I would love for him to go out to dinner wearing a button of support for the Sudan....he is very good at promoting things but can't seem to get the cross promotion done as well. For instance when he was on the red carpet he could maybe just slip in a few words or wear a ribbon of support....other stars have done that in the past. I just wish it wasn't feast or famine with him. Ok off my soap box.....thanks for listening ..... Very Happy

by it's me Tue 20 Mar 2012, 13:11

IMO
it's better for him
to hide
bec
all people would go with
'he did it all for publicity blablabla...'

Rolling Eyes

by Michelle meyers Tue 20 Mar 2012, 14:43

whatever

by Joanna Tue 20 Mar 2012, 14:47

IMO he's not a Full Time activist but has his own work to do day by day....to keep on & on & on saying the same things about Sudan would cause "joe public" to get bored and as I M said misunderstood. He's already being misunderstood by ignorant people.
Re the "weekend interviews" that were taped before he was arrested. Didn't he say "we just got back from Sudan" and there was no reference to his arrest in those interviews, was there ?
CRS here.... So why are they being questioned ? confused

by The next mrs clooney Tue 20 Mar 2012, 15:07

silly girl wrote:I too love B&W photos too Astras....so thanks.....

Ok I think I am going to make a complaint about our dear obsession. So please bear with me....I love the fact that he is doing humanitarian work.....it was great what he did last week. My problem is that he does these blitzes and then disappears. The media is talking about how he went on all the Sunday talk shows "after" his arrest when in reality he taped those before he was arrested. Now that the blitz is over he has gone back into hiding. I would love to see him walking around LA and talking to the Photogs about his trip....I would love for him to go out to dinner wearing a button of support for the Sudan....he is very good at promoting things but can't seem to get the cross promotion done as well. For instance when he was on the red carpet he could maybe just slip in a few words or wear a ribbon of support....other stars have done that in the past. I just wish it wasn't feast or famine with him. Ok off my soap box.....thanks for listening .....

while he may disappear front he public eye and get on with his "other" job it doesn't mean that he stops his activism, there's a lot of work that goes on in the background that I'm sure he is involved in. Just like with the satellite project we didn't know about it until it was done. He does things to make an impact and walking around with a button on is not really an impact. I think people would get very annoyed if he kept harping on about the issues every time he talked. There can definitely be overkill when it comes to humanitarian issues and I think he is very strategic in what he does. He still has to maintain his popularity as a celebrity in order to ensure that the press and public continue to follow him and therefore he can use that attention in his humanitarian work. If he was all about his causes every time we saw him or heard from him people would soon loose interest and then the media attention would probably lessen. The trip to the sudan and the arrest came at the perfect time when he had been forefront in the media due to the oscar campaign and due to his relationship with SK. He had more attention from the media than usual so he used this extra attention to the benefit of his cause. George seems to be a very smart man and he knows how to use and manipulate the media.

by lelacorb Tue 20 Mar 2012, 15:24

Clooney 'tried to pass himself off as Brad Pitt'!
ANI | Mar 20, 2012, 03.58PM IST
Article
Comments

inShare

Read More:Secret Service|Martin Luther|George Clooney|Brad Pitt|Access Hollywood

0

George Clooney

George Clooney joked with the secret service officials who arrested him in Washington DC on Friday and told them that he was Brad Pitt.

The movie star was among 15 activists who were handcuffed and taken into custody for refusing requests to move on and abandon a protest outside the Sudanese embassy.

The actor was charged with disorderly crossing a police line.

Activist Fred Kramer, who was also arrested, admitted that Clooney made sure the experience was not all bad.

"We were arrested by the secret service because we were on embassy grounds and they walked us over to the paddy wagon. I was in the paddy wagon (police van) with George and with, I think, three Congressmen (and) Martin Luther King III... It was a real honour to be in a paddy wagon with those people," Contactmusic quoted him as telling US news show Access Hollywood Live on Monday.

"George was really the movie star gentleman; he made everybody comfortable, he was cracking jokes... He tried to pass himself off as Brad Pitt," he added.

Kramer said the time he spent behind bars with Clooney was quite enjoyable.

"It was really pretty incredible. It was like a little conference. We had a table in the centre of the cell... and we spent those couple of hours... talking about what could be done, how the United States government can... lead the international community in letting that Khartoum regime know that this kind of behaviour is just no longer tolerable in the world today," he added.

Clooney was released after two hours and immediately held an impromptu press conference, during which he joked about his arrest and urged American politicians to intervene in the Sudanese wars to avert a looming starvation crisis.http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-interviews/Clooney-tried-to-pass-himself-off-as-Brad-Pitt/articleshow/12341905.cms

by it's me Tue 20 Mar 2012, 16:00

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

by Joanna Tue 20 Mar 2012, 16:23

......Groovy Baby.... Superdupercool

by Astras Tue 20 Mar 2012, 16:33

it's me wrote:[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Absolutely LOVE this photo. I love you

I'm volunteering to hit the streets of Studio City in search of a G sighting... Just sayin' Very Happy

The kind of commentary in the article below drives me crazy; because while people like her enjoy pointing out that people like George are naive and misguided, they offer no solutions of their own. Apparently she is Sudanese, but you have to wonder if her position isn't one of bias to where she cannot open her eyes fully to the situation. The bottom line is that men, women and children are being murdered and people need to wake up and find a way to stop it. Thank God there are souls like George in this world who at least TRY to look for answers.

George Clooney isn't helping Sudan

Clooney's well-meaning activism for the Nuba mountain people is rooted in a political culture that does not care for nuance

Nesrine Malik
guardian.co.uk, Monday 19 March 2012 08.48 EDT

Article history

The actor George Clooney was arrested at a planned protest for Sudan in Washington DC on 16 March.

What does one immediately associate with Sudan? Darfur, allegations of genocide, a president indicted by the international criminal court and a mistreated south seceding from the north of the country. And now, George Clooney.

As Clooney and his cohorts were arrested for their protest outside the Sudanese embassy in Washington DC on Friday, the preoccupation seemed to be not with the suffering of the Nuba mountain people (the cause Clooney was advocating for), but with celebrity activism. Stars are hoist by their own petard, in that they bring their star factor, but little gravitas, and it is excruciating listening to Clooney's beauty pageant contestant responses to what is actually going on in Sudan. But he's an actor, not a political expert or an academic. He wants to save lives. But how much impact does the US have on the Sudanese government? Very little at best. International involvement that is all stick and no carrot can be counterproductive.

But let's be fair to Clooney, and look beyond the snide comments and the jokes. It is admirable that he is willing to dedicate his time, health and resources to an issue he feels strongly about. I don't doubt that he is earnest. But it has rubbed Sudanese – the most important interlocutors – up the wrong way. The eye-rolling offence that most Sudanese took at this latest incident doesn't mean that they are necessarily fans of the government in Khartoum, but that they have a deep-seated suspicion of US selective moral outrage.

As a Sudanese, I am concerned not because I would like foreigners to stay out of internal affairs, but because the view Clooney is presenting to the world is not an accurate one. This is not out of any deliberate manipulation on his part, but Clooney's campaign is rooted in a political culture that does not care for nuance.

It all really goes deeper than the criticism aimed at his Enough Project, the Save Darfur campaign, or the "genocide paparazzi" satellite monitoring scheme – all of which are symptomatic of an overarching failure in US foreign policy, which promotes a black-and-white understanding of some situations, often underscored by moral superiority. After all, "Arabs are genocidally massacring blacks in the Nuba mountains" is far sexier and easier to digest than "the people of the Nuba mountains sided with the Southern People's Liberation Movement during Sudan's decades-long civil war between north and south, and after the secession of the south last year, a disgruntled SPLM candidate for governor lost what he believed were rigged elections and then took arms against the government in Khartoum in co-operation with the residual Nuba SPLM cadre, whose grievances had still not been addressed".

Clooney stated that the situation in the Nuba mountains was a "man-made tragedy by the government in Khartoum to get these people to leave". It is nothing of the sort. Khartoum is responding to a rebellion in the region (where the SPLM's agitating role is problematic to say the least) with little strategy and mass clumsy bombings, rolling makeshift oil drums full of explosives out of planes. It is apathetic to civilian deaths and not concerned with wiping out inhabitants of the Nuba mountains. This does not make the situation any less desperate, but it is an event that cannot be addressed in isolation from the conditions and provocations that precipitated it.

Sudan Change Now, a Sudanese opposition movement, published a letter to Clooney today stating :

"Portraying the regional conflicts in the country as a simplified war of Arabs and Africans concerns us. It does not fully capture the historical and political aspects of the conflict considering that the Sudanese government is a dictatorship and does not reflect the sentiments of the majority of the people. The regional conflicts in Sudan are not simple and are highly political with a strong basis on economic gains such as oil and other resources."

Rob Crilly of the Telegraph is correct when he writes: "The problem is that his campaign stems from the same misguided analysis that brought us Kony 2012. It is an analysis that reduces Africa to simple notions of good versus evil, and suggests that outsiders hold the key to finding solutions". Sudan is a country where a plethora of issues – such as tribal grazing rights, water availability, diversity of ethnicities and border demarcations – contribute to conflict. The situation is inflamed by decades of entrenched centralisation on the part of successive governments in Khartoum that have alienated the peripheries. Rebellion flares up in and is doused regularly, with fundamental grievances never addressed.

The current government in Sudan is not a benign one, and it might appear churlish not to support an out-and-out condemnation of its actions. But identifying the true nature of the problem enables us to come up with the right solutions. I would urge Clooney to team up with and extend resources to partners in Sudan who can influence the situation internally. It is his best chance of fulfilling his wish of ending up on the "right side of history".

Source:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

by cindigirl Tue 20 Mar 2012, 16:45

Astras wrote:The bottom line is that men, women and children are being murdered and people need to wake up and find a way to stop it. Thank God there are souls like George in this world who at least TRY to look for answers.

Exactly how I feel too. Gave you a well-deserved positive for your observation.

by party animal - not! Tue 20 Mar 2012, 16:50

I agree with everything you say, n. m. c. He knows the Press very well, has been around many of them for years (by chance I met one of them from a picture agency recently who'd been at a club the night before with him).

He talked of the public's 'misery fatigue' this last week, and realises he has to drip-feed the public in small easily-digestible and sometimes surprising pieces. And with reference to the Guardian article, he did make an appeal to the Khartoum Government to work with everybody to get a humanitarian aid corridor opened before the rains arrived. He achieved amazing results last week, and I'm sure other people are working just as hard every day to get follow up on it. We know he works on it every day. Impressive

by lelacorb Tue 20 Mar 2012, 17:04

party animal - not! wrote:I agree with everything you say, n. m. c. He knows the Press very well, has been around many of them for years (by chance I met one of them from a picture agency recently who'd been at a club the night before with him).

He talked of the public's 'misery fatigue' this last week, and realises he has to drip-feed the public in small easily-digestible and sometimes surprising pieces. And with reference to the Guardian article, he did make an appeal to the Khartoum Government to work with everybody to get a humanitarian aid corridor opened before the rains arrived. He achieved amazing results last week, and I'm sure other people are working just as hard every day to get follow up on it. We know he works on it every day. Impressive

George has done everything he could to raise awareness on Sudan, he's just a man and for this cause he put his face, his money, he risked his health now and do not forget this also requires all (including us), needs the whole world especially the one that has more economic power (oil interests the more industrialized world). All of us who live in that part of the world we must indignant and support! Now he needs every single person because the union is strength.

by cindigirl Tue 20 Mar 2012, 17:04

I watched the Access video with Mr. Kramer describing his few hours with George in a cell. During the chat, G mentioned to him that he was going to have dinner in L.A. that night but didn't mention where or with whom. Smart move G. LOL

by Maggy Tue 20 Mar 2012, 17:52

Thanks for the video Silly Girl

I saw it yesterday when it aired by it's much better now because
I can rewind as many times as I want Give hearts

by davidarochelle Tue 20 Mar 2012, 19:38

The Sudanese author does not accept that mass rape and torture and murder within a country, sanctioned or encouraged by its leaders, is just not acceptable no matter what the reasons. International food aid is often stolen; so what can the UN do to help? Whatever the country, the world press's condemnation has worked in the past. Maybe despots in other nations will also take heed and be less cruel.

by it's me Tue 20 Mar 2012, 19:48

LA?
in the Access vid the guy said G was going to LA
without letting him to the plane

it seems strange
to me

no?

by moniquevander Tue 20 Mar 2012, 20:03

he was seen at a NY airport going through security, so he didn't take a private jet or anything - the guy could have bought a ticket if he wanted to "fly with GC"

by Vi Tue 20 Mar 2012, 22:28

wow

so if he does not fly with his private jet every one could be the ONE normal person on this planet to 'fly' with George Clooney ????

wow wow wow - das ist wirklich krass

bloß, wer will das ?

by it's me Tue 20 Mar 2012, 22:33

Inglish
(or Italian)
please

by cindigirl Tue 20 Mar 2012, 22:41

It' me, she said "this is really wicked"

by Vi Tue 20 Mar 2012, 22:42

no

heute ist mein Deutscher Tag !!!!!!!!!

Gute Nacht

by cindigirl Tue 20 Mar 2012, 22:45

Vi said -"This is my German Day
Good night."

This is simple for me to understand because I am German.

by it's me Tue 20 Mar 2012, 22:52

thanks
but
what does it mean
'my German Day'

???

by Vi Tue 20 Mar 2012, 22:56

it's ok

I am angry because today in only ONE situation I was not able to act confident

instead of thinking 'Leck mich am A.... du blöde Kuh"

I'm angry about myself

I've paid it back during the meeting -not verbal but with my actions but I don't know what God is thinking about my methods of defense - not now - I have to wait

by it's me Tue 20 Mar 2012, 23:01

wait

horrible word

by it's me Tue 20 Mar 2012, 23:03

act confident

interesting way of express yourself

thanks

by silly girl Tue 20 Mar 2012, 23:29

Another view of what happened inside the jail cell:

Fifteen Guys in a DC Jail Cell Plotting Mischief -- Watch Out World! by RABBI STEVE GUTOW

It sounds like the beginning of a semi-decent joke: A movie star, four Congress members, leaders of several NGOs including the NAACP, two rabbis, a journalist and a great comedian walk into a jail cell.

Last Friday, that is what happened though.

Led by George Clooney -- who is in so many ways, so very much more than easy on the eyes -- this unlikely crew sat together for nearly three hours, got to know each other, basically got to like each other, and, most importantly, began plotting about how to turn things around in Sudan. Parts of that nation are about to undergo famine and hunger while the world watches -- sadly nothing new -- the world often just sits and watches tragedy in Sudan. We wanted to talk about what we could do to change that well-worn pattern and come up with a creative new plan.

We had just staged a protest at the Sudanese Embassy knowing that the police were going to arrest us, put us in their paddy wagons and take us to jail. What I think surprised us was that the police were not particularly gentle with us and that we were going to be together for hours in this hell hole of a jail cell where the only place to urinate was in almost plain sight. We did what boys, men (not much difference when you are in a jail cell) do. We told stories and jokes and just got along quite well. It was fun. George Clooney's very impressive dad, Nick, a journalist from Kentucky, was probably the classiest guy in the room. He and Dick Gregory, yes, I said, Dick Gregory, kept us entertained with the breadth of their life experiences. The members of Congress, Jim McGovern (Ma.), Al Green (from my beloved Texas -- I am a Texan), John Olver (Ma.) and Jim Moran (Va.) were not members who had to tell you how special they were -- no, these were guys who got arrested because they hate suffering in the world. They use the status of their offices to make a difference. In any event when sitting in a room with the likes of Clooney and Gregory, they had a high hill of status to climb before they were near the top of status mountain.

Rounding out the room were Martin Luther King III, son of the great civil rights leader; John Prendergast, co-founder of Enough, who has been a leader and a hero in fighting against atrocities in Africa and across the globe; Tom Andrews, President of United to End Genocide, the organization that organized the event so very, very well; Rabbi David Saperstein, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, and one of my personal friends and mentors; Ian Schwab, from American Jewish World Service, a terrific policy associate who was there instead of the irrepressible Ruth Messinger, my friend, ally and leader in so much of this anti-genocide work; Fred Kramer, executive director of Jewish World Watch; and Ben Jealous, president of the NAACP. There were women arrested but in the culture of the age, they were in a different cell than we were so even if Ruth Messinger had been arrested, she would not have been with us.

How rare that such people would ever be together for such a long time. Generally, some of us might see each other here or there but never in such long and forced togetherness. After an hour or so of camaraderie, the conversation turned to Sudan and where to go from here.

George Clooney and John Prendergast, who had just spent some time with President Obama and Secretary Clinton and who had also just returned from the difficult and harrowing areas of Blue Nile and the Nuba Mountains in Sudan, set the stage and let us understand how serious the impending famine would be in the next few months if nothing were done -- scary, sad stuff. We came up with some plans. There was a good deal of strategic brilliance and powerful resources in the room -- these were bright people. We began to think in terms of both a planned strategy and how to make the plan happen. It was clear to us that we could do much -- our challenge was to do the work and stop the famine. I think we realized that if we did help, few would ever know that it was us but that did not matter; we were not in this for notoriety just for the Sudanese people. Only time will tell what we actually do. Often the best laid plans get eaten up because of other commitments. Still, the idea of tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of people dying of starvation ought to impel us to do what we can and to make some difference.

I think that the feeling in the room was best summed up by two things. Firstly, there was no rhyme or reason as to why some got out early and some stayed till near the end, but no one complained. No one said: 'I am important -- why not me?' Second, as each of us left, that person would walk around the room hugging all that remained. It was sweet -- became our ritual and spoke wonders about how quickly love and concern can grow if we just let it.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

by it's me Tue 20 Mar 2012, 23:43

thanks
really interesting
and gentle article

by melbert Wed 21 Mar 2012, 00:42

Thanks everyone for the articles and your insights! We've got some smart people here!!!

by Atalante Wed 21 Mar 2012, 20:26

Link

And sign the petition : LINK bounce

by Katiedot Fri 23 Mar 2012, 11:14

Hah! He thinks protesting is 'uniquely American'???!! Clearly values a good soundbite over sounding dumb:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Jim McGovern On His Time Behind Bars With George Clooney

Jim McGovern spent time in jail with George Clooney while protesting genocide in Sudan.

By Justin Saglio Email the author

March 22, 2012

Actor George Clooney and U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D- are led away after protesting on the steps of the Sudanese Embassy in Washington, D.C. this morning.

Jim McGovern, Holliston's Congressman, knew he would be arrested while demonstrating outside the Sudanese embassy Friday, he told golocalworcester.com.

He hoped his actions would bring attention to the genocide that is taking place in Sudan.

“We held a rally outside the embassy, technically on Sudanese property. We were told by police that we crossed the police line and after we finished our speeches we were given a warning and told to disperse and we didn’t disperse, so we were arrested,” he told golocalworcester.com.

McGovern was arrested with fellow protestor, George Clooney, who chatted with the Congressman about future steps to stop the killings in Sudan while the duo was behind bars.

After spending 4 hours in lockup, and incurring $100 fines, Clooney and McGovern were released.

"I protested a lot of things in college. Protest is a very American thing. In some ways it is uniquely American. That is what our country is about, to say what you believe in. Sometimes it is popular and sometimes it is not," McGovern said.

by Katiedot Fri 23 Mar 2012, 11:17

Anyway, at least nothing more will come of this:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

No Ethics Penalties For Lawmakers Arrested With Clooney

By Shane Goldmacher

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Updated: March 22, 2012 | 11:08 a.m.

The House Ethics Committee announced on Thursday it would not pursue any penalties against the four members of Congress who were arrested alongside George Clooney last week outside the Sudanese Embassy in Washington, DC.

The lawmakers, Reps. Al Green, D-Texas, Jim Moran, D- Va., Jim McGovern, D-Mass., and John Olver, D-Mass., were protesting Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for provoking a humanitarian crisis in the African nation.

Each were handcuffed and placed into a U.S. Secret Service van, according to AP.

The ethics committee said it considered the “scope and nature of the conduct” and that it was not opening a formal inquiry into the matter.

by it's me Fri 23 Mar 2012, 12:56

thanks

so
can't GTC be pursued
by those 4
bec wasting all
with his
so ....... "unuseful"
trip to cabo?

by Cinderella Fri 23 Mar 2012, 13:08

Yay! I'm so glad they decided a formal inquiry was unnecessary! That saves a lot of American tax dollars when the committee has many other fish to fry! So to speak! Laughing

by Joanna Fri 23 Mar 2012, 15:00

You're not begrudging GTC a well earned holiday are you I M ??

by lucy Fri 23 Mar 2012, 15:06

Agree Cinderella, we the people need our tax dollars spent wisely. Love George's sense of humor while in paddy-wagon secret service agent ask him who are you and he replies Brad Pitt.

by Dexterdidit Fri 23 Mar 2012, 23:43

LOL Poor Brad. George did very well and I'm glad they aren't bothering with an inquiry just a waste of money! It isn't a secret why they did it or how etc. So no point doing it. I think George has earned a holiday he has worked hard first with the academies then with his cause.

by melbert Sat 24 Mar 2012, 15:40

I was concerned when there were congressmen involved in the protest and subsequent arrest. But, I am so glad the Ethics Committee kept their heads out of their asses and didn't pursue an inquiry. There are TOOOOOO many unethical practices going on in Washington that they need to devote their time to. These lawmakers with George were proving that they believe this is a just cause!!!

by party animal - not! Sat 24 Mar 2012, 21:43

Really great article in today's Guardian (.co.uk) entitled 'George Clooney's Satellite spies reveal secrets of Sudan's bloody army' by Paul Harris, and headlined 'Why George Clooney makes a difference'

by it's me Sat 24 Mar 2012, 22:27

any link?

by Sponsored content