Iganda, Uganda, Weallganda
It seems Fall Out Boy has a new video:
And it seems it's causing quite a stir in the tiny world of bandom fannish entitlement.
Before I drag out my soapbox, let me give you a little of my background:
I have a B.A./Sc(Hons) (ooo! I think I might add all those pretty letters after my name every time I sign something! *kidding*) In African Anthropology/Comparative Development and Economics.
I have an M Phil (I believe that is an ABD to some of you folks, or like a project based Masters program, if that makes sense) in International Development/Determinants of Health (SubSaharan Africa Sustainable Agricultural Reform).
What those big words mean? Is that I dig Africa. A lot.
SubSaharan Africa and it's people are my passion. I've worked, in various capacities and for varying organizations in 4 countries in Africa, including a stint in a IDP (internally displaced persons, ie refugee) camp on the Mozambique/Zimbabwe border at the tail end of the Mozambiquan civil war.
I actively volunteer for organizations that campaign for fair trade for African goods, human rights, and health in that region. (That is why anyone who disses Bono can bite me. Call him what you want but his involvement in the issues of HIV/AIDS debt forgiveness has brought more attention to the issue in a few years than anyone else in the almost 2 decades I have been involved).
*drags out soapbox*
So, what I'm saying is I'm excited when anyone with a certain amount of fame/celebrity uses said fame/celebrity to shed light on issues that, for the most part, no one cares about--not because they actually don't care, but because they don't KNOW. I approve. I'm also intrigued as to how Pete happened upon this particular cause celeb, which is none so flashy as say Darfur or the environment.
WTF am I talking about? You ask?
The video was shot in the Gulu region of Northern Uganda.
Why?
Well, Pete Wentz is involved with Invisible Children which was at first a documentary film (and excellent, btw), but has become an international campaign to bring aid to and awareness of the night commuters of Northern Uganda.
Night commuters, you say? What's a night commuter? Simply put, children. Every night thousands of children, some as young as 3, make the 20km trek from their rural villages to the safety of cities like Gulu. Safety? From what?
From being kidnapped.
For over 20 years the Lord's Resistance Army has waged a campaign of terror; kidnapping children, giving them Kalishnikov rifles and machetes and setting them loose on the the Acholi people. Or if they are girls, condemning them to lives of sexual slavery, all to do the bidding of a crazy man.
People call it a civil war. It is not. They call Joseph Kony a terrorist. He is not. He is a charismatic crazy man who believes he is on a mission from God. Terrorists can be negotiated with. There is no negotiating with him. Although over the years there have been various attempts at peace talks. Ultimately? They've all fallen apart.
So, this is what Pete Wentz and his friends wanted to tell the world.
Did they succeed? Apparently fans are weighing in on the negative side of things; that the video is contrived and patronizing. Maybe. But you know what? If one kid chanel surfing stops to hear a FOB song, and watches and wonders what the heck that was all about and actually goes to the Invisible Children website? I consider that a victory.
Unfortunately though, I think that you'd only know what the band was trying to do, if you know what that band was trying to do. If that makes any sense.
And the statistic at the end of the video? Is not exactly correct. Yes, there have ben over 38 000 children abducted and forced into the LRA in the last 20 years. But the actual number? Is more like 66 000.
As I have some knowledge of the issue at hand (I have friends who work for the UN and trust me seeing prisons full of war criminals whose average age is 11 is not something that helps you sleep soundly at night. Also have friends who've written postgrad on the LRA, and have several friends active in NGOs affiliated with promoting awareness of the situation in Northern Uganda) I thought it might be an interesting thing to post about, and maybe provide some answers to people who see that video and think "what the?".
What's the Lord's Resistance Army? Wikipedia actually does a pretty darn good job of explaining it here.
As for the children of Northern Uganda, my friends started an organization called Gulu Walk to raise money and awareness. And it's a really really easy way for everyone to feel like they are doing something.
Here are some links if you're so inclined:
Uganda Rising A Canadian Documentary on the the Northern Ugandan situation
ResolveUganda A simple write in campaign
War Child Founded by the amazing Samantha Nutt. Brings awareness of war affected children and child soldiers in Uganda, and around the world.
Bead for Life Such a simple idea, bringing such amazing results. I have some of their jewelery and I love it. Go to their store and buy one of everything!
Right to Play Soccer balls, not rifles. Sport as a way to combat poverty and global inequality.
Info on child soldiers from Amnesty International
The African Union's Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child
So, there you go.
*tucks soapbox away*
If you have any questions or would like to discuss anything, I'm always open to that.
Click to viewAnd it seems it's causing quite a stir in the tiny world of bandom fannish entitlement.
Before I drag out my soapbox, let me give you a little of my background:
I have a B.A./Sc(Hons) (ooo! I think I might add all those pretty letters after my name every time I sign something! *kidding*) In African Anthropology/Comparative Development and Economics.
I have an M Phil (I believe that is an ABD to some of you folks, or like a project based Masters program, if that makes sense) in International Development/Determinants of Health (SubSaharan Africa Sustainable Agricultural Reform).
What those big words mean? Is that I dig Africa. A lot.
SubSaharan Africa and it's people are my passion. I've worked, in various capacities and for varying organizations in 4 countries in Africa, including a stint in a IDP (internally displaced persons, ie refugee) camp on the Mozambique/Zimbabwe border at the tail end of the Mozambiquan civil war.
I actively volunteer for organizations that campaign for fair trade for African goods, human rights, and health in that region. (That is why anyone who disses Bono can bite me. Call him what you want but his involvement in the issues of HIV/AIDS debt forgiveness has brought more attention to the issue in a few years than anyone else in the almost 2 decades I have been involved).
*drags out soapbox*
So, what I'm saying is I'm excited when anyone with a certain amount of fame/celebrity uses said fame/celebrity to shed light on issues that, for the most part, no one cares about--not because they actually don't care, but because they don't KNOW. I approve. I'm also intrigued as to how Pete happened upon this particular cause celeb, which is none so flashy as say Darfur or the environment.
WTF am I talking about? You ask?
The video was shot in the Gulu region of Northern Uganda.
Why?
Well, Pete Wentz is involved with Invisible Children which was at first a documentary film (and excellent, btw), but has become an international campaign to bring aid to and awareness of the night commuters of Northern Uganda.
Night commuters, you say? What's a night commuter? Simply put, children. Every night thousands of children, some as young as 3, make the 20km trek from their rural villages to the safety of cities like Gulu. Safety? From what?
From being kidnapped.
For over 20 years the Lord's Resistance Army has waged a campaign of terror; kidnapping children, giving them Kalishnikov rifles and machetes and setting them loose on the the Acholi people. Or if they are girls, condemning them to lives of sexual slavery, all to do the bidding of a crazy man.
People call it a civil war. It is not. They call Joseph Kony a terrorist. He is not. He is a charismatic crazy man who believes he is on a mission from God. Terrorists can be negotiated with. There is no negotiating with him. Although over the years there have been various attempts at peace talks. Ultimately? They've all fallen apart.
So, this is what Pete Wentz and his friends wanted to tell the world.
Did they succeed? Apparently fans are weighing in on the negative side of things; that the video is contrived and patronizing. Maybe. But you know what? If one kid chanel surfing stops to hear a FOB song, and watches and wonders what the heck that was all about and actually goes to the Invisible Children website? I consider that a victory.
Unfortunately though, I think that you'd only know what the band was trying to do, if you know what that band was trying to do. If that makes any sense.
And the statistic at the end of the video? Is not exactly correct. Yes, there have ben over 38 000 children abducted and forced into the LRA in the last 20 years. But the actual number? Is more like 66 000.
As I have some knowledge of the issue at hand (I have friends who work for the UN and trust me seeing prisons full of war criminals whose average age is 11 is not something that helps you sleep soundly at night. Also have friends who've written postgrad on the LRA, and have several friends active in NGOs affiliated with promoting awareness of the situation in Northern Uganda) I thought it might be an interesting thing to post about, and maybe provide some answers to people who see that video and think "what the?".
What's the Lord's Resistance Army? Wikipedia actually does a pretty darn good job of explaining it here.
As for the children of Northern Uganda, my friends started an organization called Gulu Walk to raise money and awareness. And it's a really really easy way for everyone to feel like they are doing something.
Here are some links if you're so inclined:
Uganda Rising A Canadian Documentary on the the Northern Ugandan situation
ResolveUganda A simple write in campaign
War Child Founded by the amazing Samantha Nutt. Brings awareness of war affected children and child soldiers in Uganda, and around the world.
Bead for Life Such a simple idea, bringing such amazing results. I have some of their jewelery and I love it. Go to their store and buy one of everything!
Right to Play Soccer balls, not rifles. Sport as a way to combat poverty and global inequality.
Info on child soldiers from Amnesty International
The African Union's Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child
So, there you go.
*tucks soapbox away*
If you have any questions or would like to discuss anything, I'm always open to that.