Thursday, March 8, 2012

It's Starting...

It seems to me that if something is popular, than a portion of my generation and the one beneath it will rally against it for simply that reason.
It's the same reason for Emos.  Nonconformists...conforming to each other.

While I normally couldn't care less about what young Americans are rallying for or against when it comes to a popular topic ("I love Justin Bieber." "I hate Justin Bieber because so many people love him". etc)  I have taken a more recent one to heart.

Kony 2012.



Joseph Kony is an evil man.  That's very simply put.  I don't know all the information, nor do I pretend to.  This movement isn't about me knowing EVERY single fact there is to know about Joseph Kony and what he has done.

The point of this campaign is to get the word out and get enough people behind it to show the government that we care about these kids in Uganda who are being kidnapped and forced to kill.  Kony has taken over 30,000 kids and destroyed their childhood.  If the child won't cooperate, then he or she dies.

I care about this movement.  Truly.  I don't throw my hat into any activist ring just because "it's the thing to do". This means something to me; but as I stated in the beginning, I come from a generation in Facebook, where everyone feels the need to toss in their two bits.

I understand that not everyone will have a heart for this campaign, and I don't hold that against them.  There are several things that I see and think "That's a good cause", yet I am not stirred into action.

However, just because I'm not stirred into action doesn't mean my Facebook status is suddenly going to berate those who believe in it.

To me, it seems wildly immature to post pictures and statuses against Kony 2012.  If you don't support it, or you don't have any interest in it, that's great!  You are entitled to be free to participate in whatever you wish.  We are Americans after all.
But that doesn't mean you should throw stones at the cause.  Joking is one thing, but outright disdain is uncalled for.

I've seen it said that we don't have the money or the man power for deployment, so Kony 2012 isn't relevant.

Watch the video.  We already have a team of troops over in Uganda to help the Ugandans find Kony.  We have the equipment, technology, and military know-how to help them track this man who calls us "The Great Power".  Our government wouldn't have sent the team over there if there wasn't a budget for it.

We have the opportunity to help people--children--and our government is for it if we are.  We The People are standing behind this campaign so the government (democrats and republicans alike) keep our team over there to help the Ugandan military force.

This is my plea:
If you aren't interested, please go about your day in a kind, loving, brotherly manner.  Please don't attack those who care about it.
When you have a cause you are fighting for, won't you want your fellow Americans (and Facebook users--people you "requested" as friends) to support you, regardless of whether they support your cause?

Please play nice, everyone.  This means something to millions.  Don't bash it just because it's the new popular thing and you like to be a rebel and a nonconformist.  Look around...you aren't unique.  And for every hurtful/negative thing you post...think of the kids in Uganda under Kony's "care".

This man deserves to be famous.  Deserves to be known.  But not for anything good he's done.

It's time to Stop Joseph Kony.


Kony 2012

http://kony2012.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/

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