Genocide

Julie Clawson 8-05-2010
As a writer with a public blog, I've become used to getting hate emails. Sure, some people might leave offensive comments on a blog, but the real vitriol gets reserved for emails.
Ruth Hawley-Lowry 4-12-2010
This week is a confluence of anniversaries. April 7 was the 16th anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda where more than 800,000 died in a few days.
Rose Marie Berger 4-12-2010
In any in-depth conversation about the effectiveness of nonviolence as a strategy, this question always comes up: Would these nonviolent strategies have worked against the Nazis?
John Gehring 3-10-2010
The Washington Post has a new op-ed page writer drawing scrutiny for his hearty endorsement of "enhanced interrogation," which translated from Orwellian into English means torture.
Alfonso Wieland 1-19-2010
[En español] Haiti is an example of how both flesh and bones politicians as well as countries can look convincingly l
Alfonso Wieland 1-19-2010
[English version] Haití es ejemplo de cómo los políticos de carne y hueso pero también las nacio
Randy Woodley 1-14-2010

100114-michael-steeleI am writing to educate Michael Steele and those whose understanding of Native Americans are as superficial as his. On January 4th Steele, the leader of the Republican Party, held up his hand in the old Indian parody style of "how," and he accompanied the gesture with the words, "honest Injun."

While the situation in Sudan remains dire (and could worsen as the country faces volatile elections this spring), Christians can celebrate a recent story of hope: the first major U.S.
If all we notice in President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Lecture is a justification of war, we will miss the 21st<
Brian McLaren 11-24-2009
Although there are several points I find troubling, inaccurate, or misleading in the recent Manhattan Declaration, and although I noticed the relative
Molly Marsh 11-13-2009

While we'd love to think we inspired Oprah to choose Uwem Akpan's Say You're One of Them as her current book club pick, we are glad his collection of stories is getting lots of new readers. Last year we asked Sojourners contributing writer Kimberly Burge to profile this important writer -- probably the first Nigerian Jesuit priest ever to have two stories published in The New Yorker. Burge writes about Akpan's double calling as a priest and writer, his early training in religious formation as well as the craft of writing. "More and more," Akpan says, "I'm beginning to believe that Christ was both a priest and a poet."

Randy Woodley 11-12-2009
In November we first think of Thanksgiving, and as we Native Americans say, Thanksgiving is a time when we once again reflect upon all we have and the genocide it took to get it.
Randy Woodley 10-12-2009
Gurgen Bakhshetsyan / Shutterstock.com

Photo via Gurgen Bakhshetsyan / Shutterstock.com

As an explorer, Columbus was not the first to reach the Western Hemisphere. Native Americans had been here for 10,000-20,000 years, and Vikings and Chinese are among those others who hold prior claims. Even after four attempts, Columbus never realized his goal of finding a western ocean route to Asia. As a “founding father type figure” he never set foot in what is now considered America but landed in the present day Bahamas, Cuba, and Haiti. 

As a Christian example he enacted terrible cruelties to friendly natives: assuming unlawful rights of authority; robbing and subjugating whole nations of their freedom and entire capital; allowing his men to rape, murder and pillage at will; and deliberately leading the way for the genocide of millions, considered by many to be the worst demographic catastrophe in recorded history.

So why do Americans celebrate Columbus Day?

Mimi Haddad 9-30-2009
Many people in Minnesota get really excited about fall. We welcome cooler weather, colorful trees, and a chance to share treasures from our garden.
Elizabeth Palmberg 8-31-2009
The outgoing commander of the U.N./African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur has garnered much press by saying, on his way out of the door, that "I would not say there is a war going on in Darfur.
Now that the Cold War that was anything but cold in Africa is over; now that the CIA, as far as we know, no longer pays for the overthrow and murder of democratically elected leaders as it did with
Brian McLaren 6-17-2009
Jim Wallis is one of the most talented interviewees I've ever known. He knows how to get substance, not just spin, into a sound byte, and he has an amazing ability to think on his feet.
Jim Wallis 6-10-2009
Few biblical figures stand out for their bravery as Esther does. Faced with a looming order for the systematic extermination of her people, she risked her life and broke the silence.