The documentary film Devil Came On Horseback is a tragedy that takes place in Darfur as seen through the eyes of an American witness, who has since returned to the U. S. to take action to stop it. It uses the photograph’s and first hand testimony of former U. S marine captain Brian Steidle to take the viewer on a journey into the heart of Darfur, Sudan. Where an Arab run government is systematically executing a plan to rid the province of its black African citizens. This documentary compares to the novel Night and shows elements of total pain in a way you couldn’t imagine.
Since this documentary has come out there has been some action to try to put a stop to the genocide. For starters, Devil Came On Horseback and the novel Night compare in a way such as the classification used for Darfur genocide is killing any members of a group and causing bodily or mentally harm to other members of a group. This isn’t hard to see from the graphic pictures and incidents described of the gruesome killings everyday in Sudan. The novel Night compares to this classification as well. For instance, the Holocaust for genocide of the Jews.
Both Darfur and the Holocaust weren’t a pretty site. The throwing of women, babies, and children into fire pits definitely falls under causing bodily harm to other members of a group. In addition, the documentary Devil Came On Horseback the main character Brain spoke out and tried to put a stop to Darfur and bring awareness to what has been going on there. He went on news stations and shared his first hand testimony along with the pictures he took, but nothing was done in the end to stop the genocide.
The United Nations didn’t put effort into stopping the gruesome attacks. Brain cried, “ I feel guilty for not doing anything. We could only stand there and watch. People died and we took pictures. ” It was eating Brian up inside that all he was able to do when being an observer in Darfur, Sudan was take pictures. He couldn’t step in and take action even if he wanted to because the government didn’t give him the okay to do so. As for the novel Night, nothing was done to stop the Holocaust. Hilter went on to kill thousands of innocent people with no consequences.
Hilter and the Janjaweed were able to do unspeakable things to many people and the outcome caused many elements of total pain. In fact, the Africans in Darfur experienced physical, psychological and emotional pain. They were shot, beatened, women were raped and many Africans were killed by the Jajaweed. The little boy who endured the gunshot wound to the back, will always have that scar there to remind him of that very moment, and the physical pain that shot through his body as the bullet made contact with his skin.
The women who were raped will never forget the excruciating pain they felt when raped by countless men. In attention, to the physical pain they endured, they experienced psychological pain as well, because they will never be able to unsee what they once saw. It will be burned into their memory, seeing their family members being burned alive or murdered to death by a hammer. Brian said, “ the Jajaweed would cut their ears off and cut the eyes out. Shoot children and they will shake your hand and smile in your faces like nothing. It’s like seeing the devil. Brain couldn’t get the image out of this head, he will always have flashbacks of the Jajaweeds evil faces and the bodies of innocent children lying on the ground dead. Experiencing the loss of ones family and the pain from being raped or shot, the Africans couldn’t help but feel emotional. One lady cried, “ They took everything! We have nothing! Nothing! ” They were stripped from their home and lost everything. It’s very emotional to go from having a home and food to nothing but the clothes on your back. Hoping that your family got out alive before the Jajaweed lit their hut on fire.
Many broke down and cried because they felt lost and didn’t know what to do or where to go. Therefore, many elements of total pain were reflected in Darfur, Sudan. More importantly, with Brian speaking out and bringing awareness to what’s going on in Darfur, Sudan, it opened up peoples eyes and although the United Nations didn’t do much to stop the genocide,innocent bystanders like Sam Childers did. Sam Childers known as the Machine Gun Preacher was constantly in fist fights as a young teen, selling drugs and sleeping with married women. He continued to slide deeper into a life of violence and crimes.
Hunted by his dads words, “ Boy, somebody’s gonna kill you one day” he started to distance himself from his old life. He found a job in construction and prospered despite his continuing drug and alcohol habit. As his wife Lynn returned to the church she had forsaken as a young child, Sam also sought to re-establish his relationship with God and began to live a clean life. Things began to change for the better, and the former biker opened up his own construction business and later joined a mission group to help repair huts damaged in Sudan.
During his assignment Sam stumbled across a body of a child torn apart by a landmine. He fell to his knees and made a promise to God to do whatever it took to help the kids of Sudan. Sam returned to Sudan months later to run a mobile clinic, to fulfill his promise, he ventured across the nation upon doing so God sent him a message: I want you to build an orphanage for the children. God said and I want you to do it here and that’s what Sam did. He built the orphanage and to this very day the orphanage is the largest in Sudan. It has fed and housed over thousands of children.
Since Sam Childers stepped up and is making effort to help the children in Sudan a movie called the Machine Gun Preacher was released in September 2011. The movie Machine Gun Preacher is based off Sam Childers life and what hes done to help the children of Sudan. He sold his car, was willing to lose his house and sell his business just to have some extra cash to help the African American children in Sudan. With this movie coming out it brings awareness to the people of America. It shows whats truly going on over there just like in the documentary Devil Came On Horseback you will see some graphic things.
For example, children being blown up, people getting shot, and faces being blown off, but it gives the viewer a good idea of whats truly going on in Sudan and what little is being done. Also, this movie shows that every little bit helps. You can save a innocent child’s life and make a difference if it’s from donating a few dollars to just wearing a t-shirt to show support of the organizations over there helping. The orphanage being built meant another chance at life for the kids of Sudan, if it meant a few days to a couple of months to years of life.
It gave them hope and brung smiles upon their faces, knowing someones willing to try and help. Therefore, this movie shows a good understanding of what people are doing because if people didn’t believe what Sam Childers did was far from amazing they wouldn’t of made a movie about it to bring awareness to the situation. Furthermore, seeing the courage it took Brain and Sam Childers to try their hardest to make a difference in Sudan, I believe the least I could do is just spread the news to people of what’s going on in Sudan.
Even if I can’t go to Sudan and make a difference in that way, there is many other ways I can. For example, I can start a blog about Sudan and all the innocent lives being taken to bring awareness to the American people who don’t quite know, I can donate a few dollars when I can spare it, and I could wear t-shirts of the organizations helping over in the Sudan area. Every little bit helps, it may not be a huge difference, but something so small can lead to something so big. All you have to do is believe in something and make a stand, and sooner or later someone will listen.
Therefore, the documentary Devil Came On Horseback is a tragedy that takes place in Darfur as seen through the eyes of an American witness. When he returns to the Unite States, he speaks out about what he’s seen over in Darfur, Sudan and tries to get help to put a stop to the genocide that takes place. This particular Documentary has a lot going on and can relate to the novel Night in ways it shouldn’t and reflects total pain such as, physical, psychological and emotional pain. Certain people have taken action to try an help the innocent Africans being harmed in Sudan and remember they can always use a helping hand from you or a loved one.
