Skip to main content

I will help make Kony famous

If you have a half an hour to spare, stop reading and watch this video:

Make Kony Famous 2012

If you don't have 30 minutes free, don't watch the video but continue reading. Do save this link, though, because you should find the 30 minutes. Really. (I am talking to you, Mami, you who are reading this and have no time for anything other than PEP and my wedding... find the time!)

When we are small, young and naïve, we are taught that we can change the world. That ONE person can make a difference. That we, every single one of us, can help. But then, unfortunately, we grow up. We grow up and we start to realize that no, one voice does not count; you need a million, at least. And no, your vote does not make a difference; you need half-plus-one in order to make a difference. And unless you are a philanthropist and have millions and millions of dollars, or even better, euros, you cannot change the world. And the sad thing is that you don't only realize it, you live it, you experience it in your own flesh and blood. And then you become jaded and bitter and you look after yourself and no one else.

But, dude, it's 2012. The 11th year of the XXI century. It's the age of communication, the age in which (plagiarizing a heck of a lot of people and having no hard evidence to support my plagiarized quote) there are more people on facebook than there were citizens in the world 200 years ago. That number may or may not be real - but that is not the point. The point is that we are always connected, always communicated (even if virtually and not physically). We are on-line.

And you know what? When we are on-line, we can make a difference.

Like now. There is a terrorist called Joseph Kony, who is the leader of the guerrilla group LRA (Lord's Resistance Army), in Uganda. He kidnaps children; the boys are forced to become soldiers, the girls are forced to become sex slaves. It is terrible. And sad.

And you think, "Wow, that's terrible. And sad." And say nothing else because you are comfortably sitting in your bed, or your office, or on the bus or train on your way home reading this on your BB or iPhone or Android or whatever. And you get to do this because you are lucky. Just like me, you are lucky. You are lucky that you were not born in Uganda, and that you were not kidnapped as a child, and that you were not forced to become a sex slave or a mercenary. You are lucky that you can read, that (like me) you speak more than one language, that you have a voice.

And that your voice counts.

I am not asking for your money - of course, if you have it, donate! But that is not the ultimate goal of my post. I am not even asking for your time, because maybe, like me, you are tied down to your city and cannot relocate to help with physical actions. I am asking for your online presence.

And that, my dear reader, you cannot deny me. Or anyone. Especially, you cannot deny your online presence to the people of Uganda. To the people of the world.

What do you have to do? Watch the video. Here is the link again, just in case you don't feel like scrolling back up: Make Kony Famous 2012

Watch the video and share the video. Tweet it, tumblr it, google+ it, facebook it, blog it, post it, pin it, BBM it, email it... just do it (that is in no way an infringement of Nike copyright or trademark).

YOU can do something. One person does make a difference. If we all help to make Kony (in)famous, we won't have to wait too much longer until others are made (in)famous and have them pay for their sins. I will help make Kony famous in 2012 because I want for the guerrilleros of FARC and ELN in Colombia to also be brought to justice. If it can happen in Uganda, it can happen in Colombia.

And we can help to make it happen. All you have to do is share. Easy, right?

I can make a difference. I am joining in with the world's rage against these evil people. I am helping make Kony famous.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Finding Myself

I'm well aware of all my identities, past and present. I wear them like masks - some, I have even worn like capes. Proudly displaying them for the world to see and admire. I used to believe that I could "put on" one identity and be authentic, and then "put on" another one and still the authentic. And at least in my heart I was authentic. Natalya, the 16-year-old poet was an authentic identity for me; Natalya, the Journalist was a thrilling identity (that came with an official badge and access to many venues and people I would have otherwise not been able to get close to); Natalya, the Foreigner was (and continues to be!) my favorite identity, the one with which I feel most at ease. Perhaps because it is the simplest one, the one that requires the least amount of work from my side: I just happen to not have been born where I live. I have been living with this identity for 22 years. Most recently, Rolfs-Mutter and Christophs-Mama have joined the ranks of my favori

I hate marketing

I hate marketing. I hate it. I hate it -- because it works. You see, I'm getting married in seven months (yay me! Check out our wedding website ), and I need to do all the planning here in Germany for a wedding taking place in the Caribbean coast of Colombia. It does seem like a challenge, but I am an amazing planner and I can do it. Also, my mom and sister/Maid of Honor have it all under control. But, as I said, since I'm in Germany, there are many things I need to do online. So I have to rely on websites to kinda figure out what I want. Before I went online, I took advice from my good friend Hope (who also recently married) and closed my eyes and imagined my perfect wedding. This is what my perfect wedding looks like: At the beach, hopefully getting our feet wet while saying "I do", at sunset, with only our closest family and friends (so, no more than 20 people), drinking piña coladas and eating fish and coconut rice, listening to soothing background music a

I'm Average

I think there is nothing worse in life than being average. That is actually my biggest fear - well, right alongside the crocodiles under my bed finally eating my toes, and the guy sitting in the corner of the living room walking towards me. There are (thank god) no monsters in my closet. No, but seriously: I am terrified of being average! I think it is terrible to get lost in the masses. Especially now that the masses have reached 7 BILLION (and according to the BBC World Citizen Counter I am number four billion six hundred ninety-seven million six hundred and one thousand eight hundred twenty). I mean, we have got to find a way to stand out. But then again, if all us, if all seven billion of us try to stand out, we will, ironically, not. So I guess some, the majority, would have to actively NOT stand out in order for a few of us to do something *special* that will differentiate us (whether positively or negatively is up to each of us) from the rest. It's not easy. And that'