Currently an advisor to Barack Obama (she manages to slip a few comments in about him every few minutes), she's the one who wrote the famous memo that basically said the the US must return to human rights centered foreign policies or it will continue to lose prestige and influence in the world at large.
She makes an interesting point. With all the trouble in Uganda, very few Americans even inquire or have any awareness of the challenges there, but the phones ring off the hook for people who want to save Gorillas.
Samantha talks about some of the organizations who are having some success raising awareness of some genocide, particularly in Darfur. She clearly thinks that a change of presidents isn't going to make much difference unless it's Obama.
So how do we prevent evil from prevailing?
Be adaptive, don't just denounce, be in the room, talk to your adversaries but don't check your principles at the door.
Espouse dignity, no holier than thou stuff.
Don't hype the threat, focus on the legitimate challenges and threats, but don't lunge into reactive mode. calibrate your response and approach.
Increase your awareness of the complexity of the issues. increase your involvement, don't let fear scare you. If we want change we have to become part of the effort.
Evil will not prevail she says, not unless we let it!
website: ksgfaculty.harvard.edu/samantha_power
book: A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide
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