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INVISIBLE CHILDREN in Uganda (Help)

SpritBear1SpritBear1
edited April 2011 in Non-Animal Collective Discussion
An organization called "Invisible Children" came to my school today to help raise awareness about the 25 year war going on in Uganda right now and how children are abducted from their homes and forced to fight. My eyes were opened to this reality today and I really would like to help in anyway I can. The best way that myself or any of you can help is to donate ANY amount to this non-profit organization. Anything you can sacrifice is appreciated. (I paid 20 today at school, which is why you will see I have paid nothing on the website.) <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://25.invisiblechildren.com/member/ic-fundraising?fcid=50299">http://25.invisiblechildren.com/member/ ... fcid=50299</a><!-- m --> The goal that has been set is a small amount of $25. If any of you could help with that, that would be awesome. But if not, it's all okay. I love you still. I realize that animalcollective.org is NOT a site for charities, and I am NOT expecting anyone to donate. I just thought that it wouldn't hurt to post this in the "Vocal" section of this site. Like I said, ANY size donation is greatly appreciated. If you can't donate, perhaps you could post the link to a Facebook, Twitter, etc. account so someone you know could possibly donate. Please don't flag this as spam. I'm just trying to help out in any way I can, and I need people to help me do that. Thank you for at least reading this if you have made it this far. Much Love, SpritBear

Comments

  • MoonDogMoonDog
    I have friends in Uganda and am going this June. Your call for help is not unheard.
  • SpritBear1SpritBear1
    I would love to go there and do what I can to help. Have you been there before?
  • MoonDogMoonDog
    No, I have not. I've been to Tanzania but that's a different matter. I hope to live the rest of my life in East Africa though. I think I have a calling there. But I know people who have died in Uganda. Our missionary friend visits often, and the last time he left, the day after actually, soldiers went into the town and killed a bunch of people that we were in contact with (for being Christian).
  • SpritBear1SpritBear1
    I felt a need to help in any way I could, and me being only one human with no money... What I can do is spread the word about it. So, I really appreciate you reading and commenting. What church mission was it? , if you don't mind me asking.
  • MoonDogMoonDog
    Not associated with a church. He's a lone missionary, haha.
  • SpritBear1SpritBear1
    Oh, I sorry I sorry. I thought the (for being Christian) implied that it was with a church. That's awesome though that he's helping. Also, I really love your signature.
  • MoonDogMoonDog
    No need to apologize! The people that were killed were part of a church, though, if that's what you were asking... I don't know the name though.
  • SpritBear1SpritBear1
    Oh yes yes. That is what I was asking. Thank you MoonDog sir. You seem like a kind gent rent.
  • winilulawinilula
    I believe we are open to any kind of information proffered. I will check the link out and read up on it. Isn't it interesting when our eyes are opened up and our spirit is touched by something? It's like electricity. I have my own "something".
  • SpritBear1SpritBear1
    It is quite amazing. I had that experience yesterday. My mind was opened to this reality. I felt the need to help in any way I possibly could, as I said earlier in this thread. It IS like electricity. You have your own "something"? Sounds intriguing! Thank you for reading up on it. It really is a great organization.
  • DaveDave
    edited October 2011
    Fuck 'em
  • SpritBear1SpritBear1
    Hey hey, Space Fred, it is okay. I actually feel the same way. Most everyone in my school did not care about this in the least bit, and I just found myself wanting to be alone and quiet for the rest of the day. I feel so terrible for all the horrible things kids and a lot of other people across the world have to deal with. We have it so nice over here, and we take so much of that for granted. I want to help them so badly. But what can I do? What can ONE person do?
  • DaveDave
    That's a great question to which I have no good answer.
  • winilulawinilula
    OK, here's my weird story to illustrate how one person can make a difference. One person is standing on a busy sidewalk looking at the sky. Looking at the sky for a long time. People are walking past him, too wrapped up in their trajectory. Eventually someone else looks up, too. They're curious. And then another. A crowd forms. Now people aren't just looking up, they are joining the crowd to see what the crowd is looking up at. Different people, different missions, different backgrounds. If you yell and shout and point you might get more people looking faster. Those that will be moved, will. Those that won't will move on. But if you're looking at a universal truth, like a gorgeous sunset, or battered women, you have just made an immeasureable difference.
  • SpritBear1SpritBear1
    This is absolutely great! Is this a quote? Or did it come from your brain? I love this. Tanks
  • DaveDave
    Oh, I'd guess that's an original. Thanks for posting that, Wini.
  • SpritBear1SpritBear1
    Space Fred and I would like to say Thank You for posting that!
  • winilulawinilula
    Well, hey, thanks. Sometimes I am able to make sense. One caveat about what I described: not everyone can SEE what you see. But many can.
  • TabelzTabelz
    they came to my school as well. we've been pretty involved with them for a number of years. way to go putting this out there!
  • SpritBear1SpritBear1
    Yeah yeah! Thank you sir. I thought this would be a good place to post the information. It's a great organization and the problems over there are REAL.
  • DaveDave
    [quote="winilula"]Well, hey, thanks. Sometimes I am able to make sense. One caveat about what I described: not everyone can SEE what you see. But many can.[/quote] That's because I'm colorblind. Did I already post a response to this? I thought it if I didn't post it.
  • SpritBear1SpritBear1
    I love you all!
  • winilulawinilula
    A NOTE OF TEMPERANCE I was reading about brainwashing last night and that reminded me that we are ALL being brainwashed in both positive and negative ways. Sometimes when you feel something new and intense it is not really YOUR feeling, it is the techniques of the informer to (knowingly or not) coerce you into feeling what they feel. And of course you do, because it feels Good and Right! Especially when you are younger (sorry) it is easier to not notice the feelings are not emanating from within but are caused by external stimulus. Not that we get any swifter when we are older! We just have become used to being duped, lied to, manipulated, used and so learn to be wary of intense and sudden emotions. (except anger and fear) (and even those are questionable!) HOW-EVAH... I have found a good trick to be asking myself: Have I ever felt this way before? What was the outcome? Does this line up with thoughts/feelings I have had independent of anything outside my skull? Being young is so very hard when they give you the wrong instruction manual, or don't give you one at all. I am so glad I am old.
  • DaveDave
    The influence of advertisements, opinions, and all sorts of difficult-to-percieve stuff on thoughts, feelings, and behaviors is fascinating. I have trouble watching commercials on TV or looking at billboards on the side of the road sometimes (when I'm not meditating, usually) because of how effective they are at infiltrating my thoughts. I actually end up feeling resentful. I generally do feel resentful to manipulative advertisements, and I don't watch much broadcast TV because of that. A book that I wrote about here under my old moniker, [i]Ishmael[/i] by Daniel Quinn, talks extensively about what Quinn calls "Mother Culture". The influence of the voice of culture whispering in our ears is monumental. Wini, you might enjoy Daniel Quinn's stuff. As might anyone who likes to read and who has an interest in the way people live their lives.
  • we tigerswe tigers
    that's a very interesting point to touch upon, wini. And Dave, I have trouble too with commercials and things. Its really a common trouble I have though that is probably one of the more obvious when it comes to advertising. The portrayal of women. Being relatively tall and thin myself I still see all these perfect women and its so easy for me to pick myself apart, which I end up feeling poorly about because I know there's nothing wrong with me but i've been brainwashed into thinking what a woman should look like and that I don't have 'this' have too much of 'that'. But that outlook can be easily applied to everything. The stereotypes of men, being told that we should drink soda, or that recycling makes us a better person. Positive and negative. But anyways, since i haven't even touched on the topic...Thank you for sharing this! I try sometimes to forget about the plight of people in the world because there is so much of it and it can be so overwhelming sometimes but that's a bit selfish really. And I think its great that you feel so passionately about this topic because i've felt that way before in regards to similar humanitarian efforts. And i'm glad that you've shared it with us because its brought an awareness, it got us talking and thinking about some really important issues and I will certainly be donating even just a small amount of money towards this cause.
  • MoonDogMoonDog
    Some recent stuff in Africa has actually made me angry at our unwillingness to do anything. It's great that we're interfering in Libya. I couldn't be happier. One less genocide in the continent is a huge accomplishment (if we actually stop him), in my opinion. However, it makes me think. Why THE HELL hasn't the UN and the US stepped in before in places like Uganda, Rwanda, Sudan, THE Congo, and countless other places?! I understand that the genocide in Sudan was slighted by the UN for the simple reason that China receives most of their oil from Sudan... how screwed up is that? Once China makes an investment in something, and investment that leads to the death of thousands of innocent people, the rest of the world just looks the other way? And damn, just look at the Congo. That place has been screwed up ever since the Belgians left them to rot. It didn't help that the US helped assassinate their first democratically elected leader and then put a crazy dictator tyrant in the throne for 32 years. I think it's great that the US is stopping the government in Libya, and I'm glad for organizations like Invisible Children, but it makes you think. Are we really doing anything? How many more situations are being overlooked while we pat ourselves on the back for "solving" another? Hell, look at Ethiopia. As good natured and well-meaning all of those charities were, both donors and celebrities like Bono actually screwed up the country even more. All the money went to the communist government, meaning the government got richer while people died of starvation on their doorstep. Hell, we should just nuke Africa and get it over with (just kidding). But really. I hate the UN for their inability to do what's right and act.
  • DaveDave
    Simple answer: Because the U.S. spent some $3 trillion on wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and we're already going into Libya on a stretched budget--we simply don't have unlimited resources to play Global Policeman. And the U.N.'s peacekeeping abilities are often useless due to differing political goals of countries on the Security Council (yes, I'm talking about China and Russia). The full answer is extremely complicated and I'm not going to kid myself into thinking I could tell you all the ins and outs. I agree, it would be nice if genocide didn't happen, but this is the world we live in. One part of the complete answer to "Why here instead of any of the other multitudes of places in which genocide is and has been happening for the last decade or so?" is this: Obama has the support of many nations, including several Arab ones, to go ahead with the air operations. Whether or not they continue to support him is an issue as well, but I don't think the U.S. couldn't afford to run around in another Middle Eastern country without support from its neighbors, even if that support is short-lived. As the President said, it presents us with a unique opportunity to step in and help, whereas in other situations that help might not be possible. My problem with the Libya thing is this: what happens if the air strikes fail? Do we send in more troops? Do we start another full-on war? I don't think Obama's interested in taking it that far, but I just don't know anymore. His moves have been becoming increasingly conservative (he's far from a true left-winger, contrary to what fanatics like Glebb Neck say) and he's already extended our troops' time in Iraq and Afghanistan, which I believe was a lost cause in the first place. So, we'll see. If you listen to "Talk Of The Nation" on NPR, this will definitely come up, and that show generally has intelligent and knowledgable folks on the air who have, in this particular case, been dissecting advantages, disadvantages, and risks of the U.S.'s intervention in Libya.
  • winilulawinilula
    AUGH REALLY OFF TOPIC GUYS
  • DaveDave
    :O Sorry
  • SpritBear1SpritBear1
    Oh Oh. Thank you though! For all those words. I enjoyed the on topics and off topics.
  • MoonDogMoonDog
    Hmm I don't know why I wrote all of that.
  • DaveDave
    It seemed like you felt passionately about it. It bothers me, too.
  • MoonDogMoonDog
    I do.
  • G.O. [!]G.O. [!]
    it began in AFRIKA and that is where it will all end! <!-- s>__< --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/mad.gif" alt=">__<" title="mad" /><!-- s>__< -->
  • DaveDave
    I read something else this morning that explains why the U.S. is intervening in Libya. While the revolts in other parts of the Middle East are actually more important to the political interests of the United States, there's an international news organization with a strong presence in Libya. If U.S. personell were photographed for just standing by while the oppressive government cracked down on its people, it would make for a publicity nightmare. <!-- so_O --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/eh.gif" alt="o_O" title="eh" /><!-- so_O -->
  • ShinsyShinsy
    I just read through this thread finally! I think it's great that you're speaking up about something you are so passionate about. And even the off topic stuff is interesting. I donated!
  • SpritBear1SpritBear1
    Hey! Thank you! I think it's really good to spread the word about this. Although, I agree with the above comment. We need to find a permanent solution to help over there. Money is never a permanent problem solver. Shinsickle, you're a swell lady.
  • DaveDave
    Permanent solution: I don't think there's only one. I think they're all based in personal responsibility, and the sad fact is that when people have 244 inch televisions, heated seats, and spicy Cheetos, a desire for introspection and changing deep-seated tendencies is unusual, even when there's something urgently prompting the need for those changes.
  • ShallfishShallfish
    [quote="Dave"]Permanent solution: I don't think there's only one. I think they're all based in personal responsibility, and the sad fact is that when people have 244 inch televisions, heated seats, and spicy Cheetos, a desire for introspection and changing deep-seated tendencies is unusual, even when there's something urgently prompting the need for those changes.[/quote] I was watching TV yesterday and aparently the Director of movies like Ace Ventura, Bruce Almighty, and Liar Liar was like that. He was succesful and bought a big house and had awesome stuff. \ the difference is that, he ended up losing his "i can have anything i want"mindset, and gave it all away. Now he lives in a normal house (actually, just a large trailer) and doesnt buy many things. He said hes way more happy that way.
  • G.O. [!]G.O. [!]
    deeks afrikan adventure 2: the revenge!
  • IkoOvoIkoOvo
    lol
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