23-year-old Nathan Kleinman is to be applauded. He began a hunger strike on June 30 in Lafayette Park outside the White House to demonstrate his solidarity with the 3.5 million victims of the genocide in Darfur, most of whom are starving. This is a reasoned, rational and immensely brave act by a young man of conscience. Few of us would have the courage to do likewise. He is a credit to his family who support him fully (his mother is a pediatrician) and his alma mater Georgetown University (he has just graduated from its School of Foreign Service).
I think I can safely say that every blogger at the Huffington Post would join me in honoring Nathan’s efforts to draw attention to this disaster. Arianna and her editors have shown their support for the victims of this genocide and those who work to help them, first, by publishing my journals from Darfur and since by keeping this issue alive in the Huffington Post.
Today, in Lafayette Park, Africa Action is sponsoring the last of five Sundays of public worship and political witness to end the genocide in Darfur alongside Nathan and his supporters. I wish I could join them today. In the meantime I encourage all readers of the Huffington Post to go and visit Nathan in person, and if they cannot get there then visit his excellent blog and show their solidarity.
Nathan, keep up your admirable work, I will come and visit as soon as I can.