Causecast

Check out Causecast’s page completely dedicated to How It Ends!

by ERIC ANDREW MACKEY, Causecast Contributor

I was not the only one. I was not the only one in that room who cried. Nor was I the only one in that room inspired by a group of young activists convinced our generation would leave this world a better place than we found it. I was not the only one in that room who decided to not sleep through a revolution. For most of us, it was the first time we were exposed to activism, the first time the thought occurred in our minds.

We can change the world.

For some of us, it was the night that said activism would take hold of our lives. This is the reason I, and many like me, hold this cause so close to heart. It’s the reason I have to see it through to the end. It’s the reason we have to make sure it ends. It’s the night the story changed us.

That was the night I saw Invisible Children: Rough Cut for the first time. It was in a packed house and everyone in the room was in awe, shocked and distressed that such a situation could be unfolding with us being completely unaware, for twenty years nonetheless. Children as young as six are stolen to fight in a meaningless war. They’re wielding guns. killing, raping and pillaging. Their youth has been corrupted. The documentary tells the story of the Ugandan kids’ plight, the destruction of their families, and the absence of anything remotely similar to a normal childhood. It’s the story of Night Commuting. It’s the story of Displacement Camps. It’s the story of a region living in fear of one man. If they are not abducted by him, their life consists of making sure it does not happen. That’s not to mention they are living amidst some of the worst conditions imaginable. Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army, is that man. The rebel army has been working to overthrow the Ugandan government for twenty-something years, leaving a country bruised and broken in its wake. After the film was made in 2003, the three filmmakers started a nonprofit organization called Invisible Children with hopes of ending the longest running war in Africa. Laren, Bobby and Jason continued to make films telling all they could about the resilient, promising youth living in this region.

On May 19th, a bill was introduced into Congress to apprehend Joseph Kony, disarm the LRA, demobilize child soldiers and stop this war. Alongside senators and celebrities alike, on June 22nd and 23rd, we are going to Washington D.C to support this legislation. Lobby Days is the culmination of the efforts of hundreds of thousands of young adult activists just like me. I saw the film and immediately knew I had to give my voice to the kids of Northern Uganda. Since, I have given countless hours of my time to further their cause. I’ve worn shirts and bracelets hoping I would get the chance to share their story. I’ve given speeches and shown the films to interested audiences. I watched them cry. I know I’m not the only one.

I’m not the only one who saw the films and followed this organization every step of the way. I’m sure I speak for hundreds of thousands of supporters around the globe when I say we will put an end to this war. We are the devoted many who have commuted through the night, been displaced and then rescued. We’ve seen this grow from a grassroots campaign to a national phenomenon. We’ve watched our boys talk to Larry King and some of us were there talking to Oprah. We are unshaken by the naysayers and committed to change. Still, we need affirmation that none of this has been done in vain. We need to see a tangible solution for them and for us. We need to know that we really are changing the world. For the kids that changed our lives, for the kids who inspired hope in us, for the kids that most of us will never get to meet, we’re going to Capitol Hill to show our faces so their voices can be heard in solidarity. This is how it ends.