2012

So, since I can't post this on Facebook, for fear of a fight or people thinking ill of me, I'll post it here.

This Kony 2012 thing has been going crazy all around, for both sides. Many people have gotten super excited and super behind the movement, to "Make Kony Famous", sharing videos, buying action kits and all this.

Many people have been pretty against it, stating that this organization "Invisible Children" is shady at best, that Africa needs real help not just a bunch of white suburbanites trying to feel good about themselves and other disparaging comments.

I'm one of the former, even after the research I had done finding out whatever truths about Invisible Children and the real situation in Uganda, I shared this video. I'm not going to spend money on it, I don't believe it will be money well spent, but I will get educated. From both ends.

Why?

When I was a freshmen in high school I went on a trip to New Orleans. At this convention I attended, one of the child soldiers who was lucky enough to escape spoke to an entire crowd of youth about his experience. The cocaine that was forced into his bloodstream, how he was forced to kill his own family, how he moved on and what he's doing now.

There is a real problem that Kony 2012 addresses. One that has been happening for years, and is unfortunately just coming to light. These child soldiers, rampant sex trafficking, these are not just problems over seas. Minneapolis, Minnesota, a city just an hour North from my home town is unfortunately full of young Somalian men who are taken from their homes and sent back to Africa to become these soldiers. The midwest is one of America's greatest hot spots for human trafficking, unfortunately.

And I get the uprising against this movement. The money that should be spent on helping, unfortunately, is not. And facts are misconstrued and misrepresented.

I suppose instead of backlashing, I wish there would be a movement to care to this degree about fixing something, and doing it right. Maybe it won't be this movement, but hopefully it'll spark someone to want to be that hero, to want to make an effort as Invisible Children state they do. Maybe this organization is flawed and is not the real way to fight this battle, but instead of beating them down, why don't we focus on finding a way to make this insane dream a reality? To have a movement of our own that is as innocent as possible, that is truly set out to make the world better.

And maybe that's something I have to do. It may be said that the viral video is just a way to make people feel good, but why would that make them feel good in the first place? It's obvious that once people are educated about injustices, they want to provide justice. There is a desire to help. So why not provide a real way to people to make a difference?

There has to be a way to make a real, and good difference.

And I hope that people are just as passionate about finding that, as they were about sharing this video and finding the flaws.

Hopefully, when truly good motivations come to light, everyone will be able to stand behind them.