On Monday night, Sen. Brownback gave a speech at Boston University called “Africa, Al Qaeda, and US Security: How Better US – Africa Relations Benefits US Security Interests”. I attended the speech with Erin Saif, of ONE Boston and many, many BU ONE members.

Although the title of the speech was long, I thought that Sen. Brownback summed it up by saying that the world is about to enter, “The African Moment”. Sen. Brownback talked about his travels to Africa and US efforts to fight HIV/AIDS and Malaria. He spoke about the Millennium Challenge Corporation and how important it was for the US to invest in Africa not only because it was the right humanitarian thing to do, but because it also benefits our nation and respects the values of our own country.

Sen. Brownback stressed the importance of global trade and talked about ways to encourage the markets to help find new and better drugs that will address neglected diseases that are killers in the developing world. He also talked about how easy it is to eradicate malaria with drugs, bed nets, and pesticides saying that Africans are very capable, but simply need the resources to do it.

It was an amazing speech that highlighted ONE’s issues and efforts, he even spoke of meeting with Bono and urged everyone to go to Africa and get involved in one way or another and try to travel to Africa.

After the speech, Sen. Brownback made a quick exit from the lecture hall but Erin Saif was able to chase him down, with a ONE band in hand, and explain that she was a member of the ONE Campaign. Sen. Brownback instantly recognized ONE and gave her a hug. He then said that he would take a few pictures with ONE members from BU before he left.

-Matthew Bartlett, ONE Regional Organizer

UPDATE: Brownback to pull out of race?