Invisible Children

Parent Cafe
1

<p><a href=“http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3166797753930210643[/url]”>http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3166797753930210643&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>In the midst of all the college chaos, I think we need to pause and really put things into perspective. It is one thing to know that there is terrible suffering ongoing in Africa; it is another to see the footage by people my age. </p>

<p>Give it a chance-- it’s funny and terrible and above all, real.</p>

2

<p>Thanks for the link. I’ve heard of Invisible Children, but didn’t know much about it besides the fact that it involved Uganda. My friend at the University of Texas told me that a ton of people slept outside the Capitol building to demonstrate. I wish I could have been there.</p>

3

<p>Yes! My D had all of her friends bring donations for Invisible Children instead of gifts to her sixteenth birthday party in March. She was able to send her very first check for $500 to the organization. And her friends participated in the Global Night Commute in Santa Barbara last weekend (D couldn’t go due to championship swim competitions this week…all nighters and swimming don’t mix). Kids in 130 cities across America participated. Here’s a news brief about it from a Ugandan website. <a href=“http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/496494[/url]”>http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/496494&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>The story of the young filmakers is quite compelling. This organization has really got some grass roots and kids who are not normally political are starting to wake up and get active.</p>

4

<p>Yes, Invisible Children is a great thing. It’s getting a lot more play recently in colleges also. One of the fraterninties at W&M has become dedicated to raising money for the cause.</p>

<p>Another growing group that I’d like to plug (which I will be getting involved with next year) is Building Tomorrow: Destination Kampala. This group was started by a W&M graduate who raised enough money to build a school for orphans in Uganda, and it is quickly expanding to more and more colleges across the country. It’s up to like 5 now, which is pretty good for something that started off as one person.</p>

<p>here’s the link: <a href=“http://www.buildingtomorrow.org/index2.asp[/url]”>http://www.buildingtomorrow.org/index2.asp&lt;/a&gt;
here’s an article with info: <a href=“http://www.wm.edu/news/index.php?id=5805&readMore=true[/url]”>W&M News;

5

<p>There are no words to decribe this horror.</p>

<p>Why do you think the world has chosen to shut its collective eyes to this indescribable evil?</p>

<p>Seventeen Years!</p>

<p>If the U.S. Government would bring to bear 1/100th of the resolve that it currently commits to the Iraq war toward the ending of this horrible suffering… imagine the healing! </p>

<p>And what about the rest of the world? Why does the United Nations stand silently by?</p>

<p>One answer: Uganda is a nation of no global economic consequence. Its people are worth less than nothing on the world stage. It is entirely expendable. </p>

<p>It is evil in the extreme to ignore this problem.</p>

6

<p>Thanks for the links, momof2inca and soccerguy. Can’t agree more with poetsheart-- this is happening in part because Uganda is of no global economic consequence, and so we think they are “expendable”. Yet I feel it is we, those who are lucky enough to live in a privileged world, that should be ashamed; ashamed for our ignorance, for failing those that need help, and for complaining about work and stress when all the Sudanese children have to go on is hope and little else. </p>

<p>Other times, the despair is overwhelming. </p>

<p>**“I think for us it is better if you kill us.” **</p>

<p>No child should ever need to say that. Ever.</p>