kristinvanoss's Blog

WE is made up of YOU's
- Posted on 06.29.09
On June 22 and 23, two thousand people gathered in Washington DC to help end the longest running war in Africa. There has been so much progress in the past few months, but also so much devestation. With the Christmas massacurs, Kony has since moved into Southern Sudan, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. He had abducted thousands, killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions. He is the most wanted man by the ICC (International Criminal Court) and has a warrent since 2005 for his arrest. He is an evil, evil man, and "does not deserve to be on the planet," Jolie Okott.

We were able to hear profound speakers who empowered us and inspired us to keep going. None of us understand why this war has lasted for 23 years. None of us understand the lack of support to end this war. None us understand why people in Uganda are being abducted and killed for so long when if this happened in the US, people and media would go crazy and the abductors would be brought to justice within days, not years.

It's like, I have been explaining to co-workers and family and friends and people on the street that we are all the same. That this is about humanity. I do not consider myself Dutch or German or American or Caucation or whatever. I'm a person. And if we are living, breathing people, if we all have blood running through our veins, then we should ALL be treated as people. No one is more special than the next guy. For people to think, well, I'm an American so I'm better than Iranians or Germans or Ugandans. NO!! We are the same. We have the same wants and desires and fears and joys. That's part of humanity, that's what humanity is made up of. And so, when I get comments like, "Why do you care about people in Uganda? You haven't even been to Africa." Or, "So? America has problems too," I am chilled with anger and saddness. Because these people don't get it. They don't understand that there are five year olds who are being abducted and are too small to carry a gun and are given a whistle instead. Or there are over 2 million people in IDP camps and AIDS and disease is spreading rampent. And do you see America facing issues like these? No. Instead, America is more concerned about parking ramps. I'm not joking, that issue is higher up on the list of priorities than the LRA Disarmament and N. Ugandan Recovery Act is.

And I get comments like, "You are just one person. You can't possibly end a war." And they're right. I can't do it and that's why there is WE. WE is a group of people who are made up of single individuals, passionate about an issue and they won't stop until the problem is resolved. We are the people who violate the status quo. We are the people who are considered hippies because we belive the world can exist without violance and that love and peace is the answer. People quote us, hate us, despise us, love us. But they cannot ignore us because we are crazy and we are changing the world. But without YOU's, WE would not exist. Some people say they are waiting on the world to change, but it won't change if people just sit on their asses doing nothing. And its like, the founders of IC went and made a documentary, they never thought they would end up doing this. But we have no other choice. If we want a better world, if we want change, then we gotta do it, because no one else will. It's like that belief some people have that "someone else will do it." that's not true..because no one else will do it. So we have to. No matter how tireing it is, or draining, there are people's lives at stake and when you think about that and that we owe that to each other because we are humans, not Americans or Germans or Russians or Iraqies, then it make sense. It makes sense to help because after all, that's what we were created for.

Please join us in this movement. The bill is getting more co-sponsers (thank God) but the end is only the beginning. Go to http://www.invisiblechildren.com and sign up for TRI or be a roadie, just join the movement. Your life will never be the same.

Related causes: Community, Human Rights