Alternative Solutions

Over the past couple days I have found my heart rather frustrated and angry at all the criticism that has sprung up around the Invisible Children video and their campaign to stop the crimes of Joseph Kony and the LRA in Africa. (If for some reason you have been living in another dimension and haven't seen or heard about the whole ordeal, just watch the video on my previous post.)

I have found myself in prayer about my feelings and know I'm in need of God's wisdom in all of this...but I just have to get some thoughts out. Writing is therapeutic to me and helps me wrap my head around what's going on in my heart and outside of it. (haha that was so cheesy)

Keep in mind, you are not obligated to read this. ;-)

Some people just like to stir up controversy and prove a point just because they can and no other reason beyond that. I accept that. The internet gives everyone freedom to say what they want.

But some people criticize because they truly believe that Invisible Children is not the best place to invest your money or support. Some people criticize because they think that military intervention is not the right solution, and are concerned that people spreading the video and IC platform aren't fully aware of what they are promoting. (Side note - Personally, I think people need to have more faith in our youth and their ability to reason and think critically.) Some people criticize because they think it's all a gimmick and that simple awareness doesn't solve anything. (Is not awareness a catalyst that brings about a real change/solution? - you can't solve a problem if no one knows or cares about it...) Alot of people are just annoyed that it's another "internet fad" that will die down and a majority of the people supporting it will forget about it in a week. (While that may be true for many - it is not true for every person who watched/talked about/spread the IC video and campaign.) Videos/information going viral is nothing new, and that's fine if it annoys you. But instead of complaining about how your twitter feed is clogged up with Kony2012 hashtags, and essentially putting down the people who support the campaign, can't you at least try and offer something constructive and positive to the mix?

I could go on, but I really just want to say this - 

If you are one who takes any of the opposing stances to IC and what they seek to do with this campaign, then please offer a constructive alternative solution to go along with and support your claims and views! If you don't care or feel the need/responsibility to do that, then by all means, can you at least contribute to the cause in another way that you deem more appropriate than IC without creating a stink about it? If you don't feel the need/responsibility to act at all - then please just say no more about the matter and let the rest of us be concerned about it.

You can turn a blind eye to the whole thing, or you can join the movement in other constructive ways if you don't think IC is the way to go.

I don't have any problem with Invisible Children, the way they spend their money, and their tactics in bringing justice to Joseph Kony. Back in college (I believe in 2007), I along with many friends and students from my university participated in the Invisible Children Commute. It was the first time I learned of the conflict of the LRA in Uganda at the time, and I haven't forgotten about it since. Hundreds of us made the commute (some drove, but most walked there) to sleep (actually I don't think anyone slept...) outside on concrete steps in the middle of downtown Lynchburg, VA to make a statement, bring awareness to the issue, and take steps to bring about change (wrote letters to our congressman/senators). I am proud to see how far Invisible Children has come in their campaign, and I am proud to stand with them even now.

Here are a couple of other Organizations that I have looked at for an alternative to people that don't believe Invisible Children to be the best option.

Here's an opportunity for you to do your own research and contribute positively.



http://www.warchild.us/



http://www.childsoldierrelief.org/work/databases/

This one has an entire list of NGOs big and small that you can look into supporting.

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Invisible Children's wesbite
http://s3.amazonaws.com/www.invisiblechildren.com/index.html

Invisible Children's Critiques to criticism
http://s3.amazonaws.com/www.invisiblechildren.com/critiques.html