Sand And Sorrow

There is a fairly well-known quote by Louis L’Amour, in which he goes against accepted wisdom. He actually claims that reading about some places is better than going there:
“Having done both, it is better to sit in comfort with a cold drink at hand and read the tale than to actually walk out of the Mojave Desert as I did.”

In that vein, I am increasingly getting enamored by the concept of “Travel @ Home.” There will always be places we simply can’t get to, but we can always watch or read about them.

Right now, Sudan might be one such place. One good way to go there vicariously is to get hold of the documentary, Sand and Sorrow. The film is a great way to gain understanding of the origins and the aftermath of the Darfur crisis. The footage and especially the still photos pull no punches. The narration by George Clooney weaves a logical narrative thread and manages to do the one thing every documentary should do: It makes sure we become aware and can no longer plead ignorance as our excuse anymore.