Sudan, Darfur, and another Cab Ride

On the opposite end of my flight today, had a cabdriver from Khartoum, Sudan. What fascinated me was the fact that he thinks the whole situation in Darfur is being blown out of proportion.

His contention is that the Sudanese government has no reason for the wonton raping and killing in the Darfur region and that it is the 19 ethnic tribes there that are doing it "to themselves."

He was preaching against the accepted gospel, as far as I was concerned.

Like the Sierra Leonan, his plan (he's been here for 9 years) is to make enough money so that he can go back home.

Two observations on this.

1. the immigrant experience is VERY different now than when my grandparents came. They came and knew it would be for good. Now, many people go back to their "home countries" for months on end and come back to the US to finance those multi-month vacations.
   
   I wonder what that does to the desire to 'assimiliate' or truly be a part of the American experience.
   
2. despite the stated desire to 'go back,' once people have kids and start really living here, they don't really go back...for good.

BTW, these obs are not just based on two cabbies :-)