A Whirlwind Of Change To Be Made!

Chilling huh?

Are did you just surpass the video?

Go ahead. Give it a go. I bet that it will touch you on a level that you never expected.

Did you watch it yet?

Well, if you did, then I bet you are lost for words. I know I was. Those are real people reaching out in a way that many people are starting to. And the message they spread is one that all too often gets ignored.

This is a message that is near and dear to my heart. As a gay teen, I know the struggles that are faced each and every day. I live in a community that isn't very open and accepting. At least, that older generation isn't. As time goes by, more and more people either come to accept it, or let it be. There are very few people in the area that are openly rude to me now a days. I only wish that was the situation across the globe.

We hear all to often about teens committing suicide because of others being down right rude and ignorant. And that right there is the cause of it all: ignorance.

Adults teach their kids ideals that promote hate and anger. They want their kids to follow their ideals, because in turn, those were the ideals that were instilled into themselves. There aren't very many people out there that are willing to end the generational trends that they are born into. Its just easier to follow the crowd, to do what is expected. And those that turn from it? Well, they are outcast and shunned from society, treated as if they are lower individuals.

But those that dare to stand up for what is right are slowly but surely making a move forward. They are forcing change in the places where change needs to be made. These are the people that are paving the way into a new and hopefully better future where tolerance is the first value that is taught to the youth that is to be born onto this planet.

All I can say is that I can't wait to see what tomorrow has to bring. I am aware hat it might not be much prettier then what today is, but even if just one new cloud gains a gold lining, that will be more then enough to help me move forward, to help me think that this world is headed in the right direction.

I just want people to feel safe, to feel loved. I've said it before in my blogs, and I will say it once more. I may not know you, but I do love you, just like you should love everyone else in this world. And remember: If there is at least one blade of grass on your side of the fence, regardless of its color, what does it matter if it's greener and fuller on the other side?

Picking Up the Quill

Wow. I have almost forgotten the pure joy and serenity that comes from keeping a blog. Transcribing my growth over time was something that helped me to continue moving forward. I started this blog for a class that I had senior year (I have graduated this past June). At first, it was designed merely to track the progress that we were making in that class. I made it because I had to. I never once thought that I would take to it like a fish to water. I personally believe that I fell into it so easily because it wasn't like keeping a record in a way that we had to in other classes. We weren't writing about nonsense. I wasn't having to write about things that I didn't deem important to myself. We were reflecting upon the things that we were doing, reinforcing and reconstructing them in our ways, our own words.

These past few months seemed to drag by. I forgot the one thing that my Principles of Democracy and 21st Century Global Studies teacher (Ms. Suzie Nestico) had taught us. That lesson: reflect upon each and everything. I wasn't thinking about the journeys that I was taking and the lessons that were coming out of them. I as just going along for the ride and then later turning to wonder what they were actually about. And now as I sit here, reflecting for the first time since I was handed my diploma, I can see all of the lessons that life has handed me, sometimes in the funniest of ways.

I had plans, dreams for what I would do after high school. I was to attend my dream college (Arcadia University) to further my studies. What those studies varied from day to day. One day I would want to be a Marine Biologist and Zoologist and travel the world. And when I was ready to begin a family, I would become a high school biology teacher. Another day I would want to be a photo journalist and work with National Geographic. So many different thoughts and career choices have flown this teenage mind of mine. But sadly, that didn't fit in with Gods plans. So I am still in Mount Carmel. But I think I may be finding my place in the world. I think I know why God chose me to stay where I am.

Many teens in today's society are interested in one thing: having the time of their lives. And why shouldn't they? We are young. There is so much out there to experience, so much to learn about and do. The pull that the smallest things have on us immense. It can get hard to resist. But I personally have been able to see beyond that. I was born with the gift to see the way things will turn out before I take part in them. I have managed to stay out of major trouble up until this point in my life. And I plan to keep it that way. I'm not saying that I am better then anyone. I have had my fair share of mess ups in my life time. I was just fortunate enough not to caught doing them or afterwards. And I thank the Lord for protecting me.

But My purpose in this life is to help people. I am a born helper, I have always been that way. SO many times in my life I have had people coming to me, looking for words of comfort, or looking merely to vent. And I am always willing to listen if that is what you need. I will do my very best to point you in the right direction. I wont do the work for you, but I will watch and help you up after you fall and hit the ground.

At times though, I think that I often times put other people first too often. Sometimes I need to do things for myself first. And that is why I am beginning a new chapter in my life. I am currently working two jobs. On top of that, I am working on getting an apartment. A very close friend presented the offer to me, and with the rest of my household moving into a new house, I thought that this would be a wonderful time and experience. So I gladly accepted. I know that an entirely new level of responsibility is going to be coming with this. And although the weight of it all is going to enormous,  I am not going to let it get the best of me. For the first time, I'm not going to be able to fall back on my mother to care for me. It is time for me to show the world that I am ready for the worst that it has to offer.

It was a beautiful and liberating thing to reflect once more. I hope that I will soon be able to write once again, to get my words out there. Who knows how my blog may evolve. It already has hit a few different levels, each better the last last in my opinion. I hope that whom ever might have stumbled across it can find my words pleasing and pleasant to read. Don't fear commenting. I would love to get the feed back. to see what the rest of the world things. Who knows, maybe we can teach one another something. Until next time, please remember, if you don't feel loved, someone loves. Heck, I love you and I don't even know you. The world would be a much better place if people would love without caring about what the other person is like. So love each and every person that you happen to see. :)

My Walk With Kony

From the day that Kony 2012 was published onto YouTube, I was following it like a plague. It captured me and held me close. The thoughts that there was a man out there, doing horrible things to children truly made my blood boil. And I wanted to do something right away.

But over the pat few weeks, I made several blog post based on my findings. The researched ranged from the LRA to the Ugandan government and from the Invisible Children to those the critique their works. I have been held into a slightly falsified situation, one that has been stretched to make hearts break by those who weren't 100% honest.

Below is a list of those posts that I have made, my journey with Kony:

1. MAKE KONY FAMOUS!!!

2. Action Through Knowledge

3. Snap To Decisions

I want to thank the Invisible Children. They taught me so much. First, they taught me what not to do when working on a cause. I learned that instead of rushing right into making a decision. That is the worst thing that you can do. You need to take the time to look into the truth behind a cause.  Just because a group of people got together and presented you with a bit of information doesn't mean that you know enough. They are giving you some information, all of that has been learned and repeated to you in a way that is based on their own personal feelings about the situation. One of the most important things that you need to do is form your own ideals. You need to know where you lie in with the situation. Don't let someone else spoon feed you. You won't learn a thing that way. Through researching, processing, and utilizing information is the only way that you will truly learn something.

Second, they informed me about a situation. The things that are going on in Uganda are truly horrible. And the saddest part about it is that very few people knew anything about it. I know I personally was completely unaware. But with the release of the Kony 2012 video, information was spread far and wide. But, their video was seriously lack quite a bit of information. The biggest thing that was missing was what's going on right now in the area. We were mislead about the present. Another that was missing was an actual plan of attack. How are we supposed to go about bringing down and capturing Kony? They got so many people ready to do something, but they left out the actual plans. So now we have a bunch of teens that are willing to put in time, but now they are left alone, standing on the side, waiting for the next order of business.

There was a lot of things that Kony 2012 did right. But along with that, there were even more that went wrong. We need to learn how to research information before hopping on board with something. I learned this information the hard way. I, like so many people, was ready to hop and rush into acting upon the request of the Invisible Children. I'm glad that I took the time to find out for myself what was really going on. I just hop that many other people also take the time to learn for themselves what going on.

Research

Make sure that you do look well into the things going on. Don't simply accept the information that you are presented from other people. If there is something out there that you feel you need to or want to be apart of, get your own information. Look at several sources. One source is an introduction. The second is a briefing. Any other source after that is when you will truly begin to learn.

Recollect

Think about the thing that you have read. This may be the most crucial part. You need to come to your own decisions. This is when you will find out how you truly feel about the situation. At this point is the moment that you will know if the cause is worth fighting for or not.   Take your time, think it through, and make sure that you can enjoy and work through the choices you are about to make.

Action

When you have decided where you stand, that is when you take action. Come up with a plan. Don't just go rushing into anything. You need to know where you're going and what you're going to do. This is the moment for you to put your knowledge to the test. You can now go out and educate that people. Inform them about the cause that you are fighting for. Take a moment, follow your heart, and make your  mark, change the world.

Snap To Decisions

I'm a typical human being. I can easily be led into making decisions just because of the things that are said. You can probably easily convince me into helping out in any sort of situation. My heart just wont allow me to walk away when I know that there is something going on. And if it is a big enough situation, I act. I get thoughts into my head without truly knowing the facts. All I know is that I love to help. I feel a fire grow inside of my chest every time a situation is presented to me.

Joseph Kony - Is the video enough?

By now, everyone has heard about Kony 2012, a video made by the Invisible Children. If you are new to my blog and are unaware of what it is, I posted a blog about it. You can scroll down for a bit of information. But I'll run through it briefly. Kony 2012 is a campaign aimed at putting pressure onto the government to capture Joseph Kony. Joseph Kony is the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda. Their goal is to take over the government and rebuild it based on the 10 Commandments. He was known for kid napping children right of their houses and either forcing to fight, or selling them into sex slavery. This was going on for about 20 years. He is number one on the International Criminal Courts most wanted list. A man by the name of Jason Russell directed a video that brought to the news to many Americans. Two days after the video was posted onto YouTube, it went viral. Many Americans, including myself. rose up and wanted to be involved almost instantly. I know that I personally only saw the first 13 minutes or so of the video before I started Tweeting about it. I post it on my Facebook, changed my default picture, and spread the video to anyone and everyone that I saw was online. The very next day, I presented it to two classes in my school. I know I wanted to be apart of the movement. I felt inspired by this video.

But is inspiration really enough? Can inspiration truly bring about change? I thought it was enough. I thought that if I simply told enough people or spread the word far enough, that things would begin to change. But that is SO far from the truth. Inspiration is simply the very first step. But sadly, that is where most people end it. They don't pursue it, they don't keep with it. As soon as the get the common knowledge, they are done. At first, I was thinking like that. But my teacher pushed me to take a closer look. She herself was just becoming familiar with the movement and encouraged me to keep on the hunt. She wasn't about to let me look like a fool chasing his tail, take a bite out of something that was far bigger then it seemed on the surface then it really was. And I'm glad she pushed me.

The Invisible Children, an organization that was also founded by Jason Russell and the minds behind Kony 2012, had A LOT of things hidden from the world. In their video, they did the one thing that they knew would get people moving. They played with out emotions. They knew the buttons to pressed, and the jabbed at them through the entire video. My heart ached and panged through the entire half hour long video. There wasn't a second that I didn't want to hop on a plane, fly right over to Uganda, and hunt Kony down myself. The things that the video brought to light coupled by the numbers were outstanding. But could the entire thing have been over played?

One thing that I found out through my search for more information that, conveniently, wasn't a part of the video, is that the Ugandan army itself was also taking part of the awful crimes that the LRA were committing. The very system that was supposed to protect the people of Uganda were hurting the citizen in the exact same fashion as the rebels. The soldiers have been known to use rape as a form of military strategy. They are just as violent and brutal as the LRA themselves. And these are the people that are supposed to helping and protecting the citizen of Uganda.

Some times I just don't know what to think. People surprise me all the time. You put all of your faith into something, hoping that it turns out one way, but then they turn around and do something else. And I found myself in that very position this week.

Jason Russell - This the man we're going to follow?

Jason Russell was recently taken into custody and hospitalized. He was found walking around San Diego clad only in his underwear (later removed, leaving him solely in the nude). The man, 33 years of age, was screaming and pounding his fists on the sidewalk as passer watched. As it turns out, Russell is suffering from a psychosis, or the loss of reality. The Invisible Children have reported that this was brought on by the stress that has surrounded the Kony 2012 video.

This must have really put an unfix-able dent into the Invisible Children's campaign. To have their ring leader get caught up into something like this isn't going to look very good. With Russell be the one that made the video and the driving force behind it, many would question his sanity at the time. How can we be sure that he wasn't having similar issues at the time? Are all the facts completely correct? I'm not saying that the video is completely wrong. But I just want you to be aware of the possibility that it may not all be as it seems.

Russell isn't the only one that has made me question. There have been many reports posted about the Invisible Children. Many things were brought to light about them. But, seeing as I can't be 100% positive about their accuracy, I only give them a portion of a thought, just like I am with the video now. But as a person that was truly considering following this cause to the very end, I know the importance of reading up on it it. Many have called the Invisible Children out. Some simply destroying them with words, others simply informing readers. Many just want those that are wanting to get caught up in the Kony action be aware of that else they aren't thinking about. One college professor from Yale has done just that. The Invisible Children have even refused to share their financial information as set forth by the standards of the Better Business Bureau.

There is so much more then what meets the eye when it comes to movements, and Kony 2012 has taught me just that. Do I still feel like I should do something? You bet. Do I know exactly what I am going to do or how I'm even going to do it? Nope. I want to that the Invisible Children for exposing this to me, even if they aren't 100% creditable.

One day, I will do something. It may be tomorrow, it may be in a few years. But all I know is that if I ever want to be a changer of the world (one of my BIGGEST dreams) then there is a lot of work that I have to do, tons of research to look into, and loads of time to dedicate. No more running head first into something. After learning of it, you have to take a step back, ingest it, process it, work on and develop it, and then spew back something that is plausible.

Action From Knowledge

On Tuesday, March 5th, Kony 2012 went viral. This video exposed to Americans what is currently going on in Uganda. It told the story of a man named Joseph Kony, who, for the past 26 years, has kidnapped children out of their beds. In the first decade that he was in power, he had taken 8,000 children. That's roughly two kids a day. He would force young males into his war efforts, a guerilla tactics group called the Lords Resistance Army (LRA), and young women were forced into sex slavery. His vision? To create a government based and ruled upon the Ten Commandments.

I, along with many other people, have not been shy in telling where I stand. This man must be brought down. He should not be allowed to continue these horrible acts. The numbers that appeared in the video were astonishing to say the least. I felt my heart ache with each new statistic that appeared on my computer screen. And, after only 13:25 of the video, I knew that I had to try and do something. I wanted to help out all those people in Uganda, the Conga, and Sudan. The children needed to be saved. Almost right away, I began to send out Tweets, Facebook statuses, e-mail, etc. I sent the video to everyone that I saw online that night. I began talking about it, and even brought it to my school. A few had already viewed the video, but many were still way in the dark. So I took the time to explain the little that I knew.

But that's all I had, was a little. There was, and still is, so much that I don't truly know about this situation. As a typical American, I only knew what was going on in my own country, and even then, I wasn't all that informed. I'm not very bug on watching the news. Not that I have anything against it, I simply am never around when it's on the television. But still, I wanted to do something.

After reading many other articles and blogs from other people, on big thing was floating around. Most people had similar thoughts. Others were looking for information, or extending the knowledge that they had. No doubt the things going on in Uganda are horrible. Yes, that man should be caught and arrested. But what can we do? It doesn't involve us, and we aren't even close to them.

Another thing that I saw floating around rather shocked me. These people still agreed that things were horrible, but didn't agree with the video. They said that it felt out too much. They don't believe that simply spreading the word, one of the biggest points of the video, would truly show any help, that the video was simply a waste of time and why should we help now when it has been going on for a long time...

But how do you get something to happen? How does a cause start? How do you get people to fight along side you in protest?

Information and education!

People need to be aware of what's going on before they can take a stand. They need to be informed of the situation before they can pick a side, let alone come up with ideas or plans on how to help. Kony 2012 did just that. The video did a good job at showing the things that were going on in Uganda. They even talked of the efforts that the Invisible Children, a group founded by the same individuals that made the video, are taking in order to have justice. And they kept very realistic ideals with it. They are not sending people to Uganda, or trying to have solders shipped over there. They are informing people. They travel throughout the country talking to people about the things going on.

And although the Invisible Children may have shady parts, this shouldn't take you away from the cause. You don't need to be a part of them to care about the situation. Take a stand. Raise your voice. Pressure the government into giving their all into catching Kony. Because in the end, it will be with our help that Joseph Kony will be put behind bars.

So, spread the word. That is the key. Before anything can take place, before anything can happen, people need to know. The plans will come from those that care. And for people to care, they need to know. If you know, then it is up to you to let the person next to you know and then they must tell the next. The more people that know, the sooner the government will know that people care. When people care, then the government will continue their actions in assisting Uganda! So, make Kony famous! Whether it's through Invisible Children, or because your heart asks you to, do it for the children!

MAKE JOSEPH KONY FAMOUS!!!

I started blogging just over a month ago and have pumped out six posts. With this being my 7th, I feel as if it is THE most important. If anything, I hope you read this post, watch the video I'm going to attach, and spread the word.

Joseph Kony (picture from NEWSi7)

Joseph Kony needs to be made famous. Not because he is a singer. Not because he has written a book. Not because I like him. He needs to be made famous for JUSTICE! This man is a MONSTER!

He is a leader of the guerrilla army named Lords Resistance Army (LRA) and is bent on, through extreme violence, turning Uganda into a theocracy based on the Ten Commandments. For the past 26 years, he has been abducting children right out of their houses! Young boys are being forced to fight in the war, and young girls are being sold into sex slavery! If they try to resist or escape, he kills them on the spot.

The United States, after many longs years of effort, has finally sent over 100 soldiers to aid in training Ugandan soldiers in ways to catch him. But with the lack of knowledge of this man, the people of this country aren't interested. Most people don't even know his name, let alone what he's been doing. And without the interest of the citizens, the government may be pulling those men and woman back! This would only aid Joseph and take away any hope that Uganda has!

So please, I ask of BEG of you, PLEASE watch this video! Spread the word! Make this man famous!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc

Will You Accept Me?

The hardest thing a teen will go through is finding themselves. It is a battle that everyone goes through. Without that knowledge, they feel lost. It's similar to drifting through space, with nothing around to clutch onto. We just watch everyone else form into their groups, and all we want is to be a part of it.

Many times though, a teen will but on a front, trying to get into the "cool" groups, the masses that everyone else seems to like. The problem with that is that more often then not is that they really don't belong there. I'm not saying that they aren't good enough to be in that group, just that they have different ideals then the rest of the group. But all teens care about is being accepted.

The world is a hard place, and with others to help you through it, it becomes just a slight bit easier. So why shouldn't they search for those people that they feel will help them? I remember when I was in that stage. I was always trying to make friends with the cool kids. I would try to do the things they did, listen to the music they did, even dress like them. But then I realized that the life they had wasn't the same as mine. They had things that I would never get to see. But you know what? As soon as I realized this and accepted the world and my life for what they truly were, my life began to become a little better.

I was able to flourish and become my own person. I took a stand for who I am and what I believe in. People got to finally know who I am. And that is the most important thing in the world. YOU need to be the one to define yourself. Don't allow the world depict you. Look to the stars with your eyes and head held high. The second you discover who you are is the second that you will finally begin to live.

Now, the journey may be scary for some. I knew it was for me. But I can honestly say that I have never felt better. I have grown to love myself! I hope that you also have found yourself and are able to love that person that is inside of you.