Emeke Izeze, a Christian journalist who writes for The Guardian, one of Nigeria's leading newspapers, is also thinking long-term. He notes that "Muslims in the north (of Nigeria) are ready to kill for their religion," and that they are receiving aid from aggressive Islamists abroad: "Christians in Nigeria need assistance as well. They need to know that people in the United States care."

 Care, of course, can come in a variety of ways. The U.S. State Department has finally responded to pressure to act on Sudan, and we similarly need to wake up our Foggy Bottom diplomats to the facts of life and death in northern Nigeria. In Izeze's words, "Any bit of pressure put on the U.S. government will help it understand that every step must be taken to preserve the religious balance in Nigeria."

 Every step? Teaching and helping Nigerian Christians to fight if Muslim aggression continues? This is hard, but we have to realize that turning the other cheek to individual, personal offenses is not the same as accepting genocide or religious tyranny. If we say fighting back is never warranted, then we are likely to see Middle Eastern history multiplied, with churches turned into mosques and evangelism prohibited.

 Peaceful paths may still be possible, but Buckner's conclusion is right: "If we care about the survival of Christians in areas where they are most under attack, more of us will have to step out of that nice comfortable house with a swimming pool and air conditioning, and get involved in something thousands of miles away."