Efforts of generosity toward African immigrants not lost
Commentary by Samuel Rose

As I sat and listened to the gripping stories of faith, bravery and survival as told by the misnamed “Lost Boys” of Sudan during a residence hall function for the Tom Brown-Pete Wright Residential Community, my mind was simultaneously making connections between their plight and that of many in Africa still today. Being of predominantly African ancestry, I wondered how in the great scheme of life, my ancestors were not left in Sudan, Angola, Rwanda or Burundi, for me to be raised in the midst of such unimaginable horrors of genocide, famine and war.

For too long, wars have been started and prolonged in Africa because of the promise of wealth this rich land possesses in its vast oil, diamond and mineral reserves. Most often, it is to the benefit of those who have no rightful claim to the land. Wars that are supported every time an engagement ring is purchased, or a rapper “ices” out his watch or chain, or whenever another gold medal is won at an Olympics.

It’s sad thinking about the unfortunate plight of those living in countries that to the naked eye do not pose any financial benefit to the global conglomerate of powers that be. Case in point, the world sat back and watched as Rwandan militants massacred 800,000 people within three months. You may call it by whatever name you desire: Tribal fighting, barbarianism or even, in European form, “ethnic cleansing.” The sad truth was that no one went to help earlier because there were no Western interests in danger there.

As my Sudanese brothers culminated their story with their account of traveling here to America on an airplane and their subsequent assistance into assimilating into the American culture, I could not help but smile. At last, some sense of “Reparation.”

Hundreds of years before we were forced onto boats to come and build the West. Now they fly us across on airplanes to truly give us a chance of surviving. What a turnaround.
Now, by no means can these acts of generosity, hospitality and humanitarianism on the part of the people of America make up for the horrors and genocide of the Middle Passage and subsequent and continued mental enslavement of countless generations.

However, this does represent a step in the right direction.

It is refreshing to see people reach out in a large scale effort to a group of young men who did not have wealthy comrades in America or anywhere else for that matter lobbying for military, financial and political intervention on their behalf. These young men did not own land. Actually, they didn’t own anything that could be of benefit to the wealthy conglomerates and oligarchs who too often interfere and contaminate humanitarian missions. This government-sponsored effort was without great fanfare or propaganda, for these young men posed no threat to anyone and were no part of any terrorist organizations.

It is truly a blessing to see that there are still honest and good-natured people whose hearts ache when they see human suffering, and consider the plights of others without being concerned with how it will benefit them. Thank you to all who have helped these “Lost Boys” find their way to become upstanding, difference-making “Men.”

Samuel Rose is a senior social work major from the West Indies Cayman Islands. He can be contacted at (s.j.rose@student.tcu.edu).

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TCU Daily Skiff © 2002