Peace In The Making

Do you know where Uganda is?

Who the LRA are?

Do you even care?

In the 1980s, a woman by the name of Alice Lakwena believed the Holy Spirit ordered her to overthrow the Uganadan government for being unjust to culture of people known as the Acholi. She began the Holy Spirit Movement and begun to fight as the resentment of the government increased. Upon her exile,  Joesph Kony claiming to be her cousin took control turning Lakwena's rebel army in the Lord's Resistance Army(LRA). When support from the Acholi people disappeared, the LRA resorted to destroying villages, and abducting children for their ranks. Who could have predicted the decades of violence to follow?

90% of the LRA's troops were abducted as children.

Recently on December 24, 2008, in desperation to spread fear. The LRA launched a retaliatory attack against the people of DR Congo. 

"The LRA murdered over six hundred and abducted more than one hundred and sixty children to fight amongst its ranks. More than 104,00 Congolese have been displaced since Christmas in attempts to escape the LRA forces."

If that was almost 3 years ago how can that act be deemed recent?

Despite the years that have gone by those lives are still mourned, those children still in search of, and those people still looking for a place to call home. No matter their life span, that memory will always be with them like it was yesterday.

What is being done?

There is an non-profit organization that you may not have heard of, known as Invisible Children dedicated to helping those children without a voice, those lost to the war. There goal is not only to help the children, but to get the message out, to let the world know what is happening right under their noses. As well as bring about the end of an inhumane war, that's gone on for decades too long. They wish to educate US of the unknown terror beyond our borders, encourage not just adults but teens as well to make a difference in the lives of hundreds.

"We are storytellers. We are visionaries, humanitarians, artists, and entrepreneurs. We are individuals part of a generation eager for change and willing to pursue it."

 Focused on long-term development, Invisible Children are responsible for several programs introduced to make a difference.

• Protection Plan
• LRA Crisis Tracker
• Legacy Scholarship Program
• Schools For Schools
• Bracelet Campaign
• Mend
• Teacher Exchange

From the Early Warning Radio Network over the Protection Plan, to scholarships of previous child soliders, to rebuilding schools in war-torn northern Uganada , to the creation of jobs making Invisible Children items. Invisible Children organization has and continues to make a difference in the lives of hundreds.

Since Invisible Children is a non-profit organization ,they can only achieve things though the money donated by people like you and me. We can make a difference in the lives of hundred, simply by buying an Invisible Children product, fundraising, or just giving. Young people around the country are making a difference by supporting this organization, they encouraged the government, and even president himself to pass acts and bills dedicated to the cause.

Then why are many people still uneducated?

Spread The Word.

Peace is possible.


http://www.invisiblechildren.com/

You've Got Mail!

Everyone knows about bullying.. You slam a kid into a locker and it’s obvious who the victim is. Too obvious in fact, that nowadays people have resorted to behind the scenes bullying, anonymously voicing their opinions. Feeling safe with the mentality that it can’t be connected to them, if the person “snitches”. It's called cyber bullying, and it has to stop. Cyber bullying consists of "using technology, like cell phones and Internet, to bully or harass another person. Such as:

• Sending mean messages or threats to a person's email account, cell phone, Facebook, Formspring, etc. 
• Stealing a person's account information to break into their account and send false damaging messages
• Circulating suggestive pictures or messages about a person

These are just some of the many forms cyber bullying can take on. Once posed on the Internet, it may never disappear, and continue to resurface and open old wounds. This like all other forms of bullying has an major impact on the victim, it can lead to anxiety, depression, and possibly suicide. 

"Despite the potential damage of cyber bullying, it is alarmingly common among adolescents and teens." 

• Over half of adolescents and teens have been bullied online, and about the same number have engaged in cyber bullying.
• More than 1 in 3 young people have experienced cyberthreats online.
• Over 25 percent of adolescents and teens have been bullied repeatedly through their cell phones or the Internet.
• Well over half of young people do not tell their parents when cyber bullying occurs

Cyber bullies do not realize the hole they are digging for themselves, their actions and taunts will reflect badly on their character leading to rejection by a college or job. Many social networking websites have ways that bullying can be reported leading to the suspension or deactivation of the bully's account. Bullies can face legal consequences as well for their actions, especially if the bullying was sexual(such as sexting involving minors) which could lead to the bully being registered as a sex offender. Just because you use a fake identity doesn't mean you can avoid the consequences, there are many ways to track someone who is cyber bullying. 

There is absolutely no need for these immature cowardly acts, it should be outlawed, and avoid the lost of a life that will be taken due to any form of bullying. 


http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/cyber-bullying-statistics.html
http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/

Let's Experiment On You

We use the products, yet millions of animals suffer..
No one blinks an eye at the labs filled with animals that are used solely for the purpose of experimentation. That aren't even given a chance at life, at purpose. They're created and destroyed all for the purpose of making sure we stay safe. Since when were we superior? Oh yea, apparently always. Humans are the ones who need to be watched over, who need rules and regulations to keep society in order. Anything other than us is simply disposable income. We're the ones using said products, shouldn't we be the ones testing them? To make sure they're safe for our eyes? For our skin? Of course, right? Too bad no one wants to be the crash dummy, no one's willing to step in and be a guinea pigs to the products they'll turn right back around and use. Now what? Let's just use animals! Not like they have rights or a purpose in this world or anything. Psh, throw them in the lab, make them useful! I could say the same about you. What are you contributing to the world? Nothing? Oh really, don't worry we can just throw you in a lab and give you purpose! Take a seat right here. Does this burn? Are you getting a stinging feeling? Can't feel your face? Oh wells. Next! Try this. Oh you don't want to? Who said you had a choice, you need a purpose in life right? Now sit still we've only just began! Millions of animals are killed during this process, only to be documented as an Opps! disposed of and on to the next we go.

"Of the animals that the USDA collects numbers on, 1,438,553 were used in research in 2002." 1,438,553 animals in one year alone. Over 1,000,000 animals are in labs worldwide, these statics don't even include animals such as mice, rats and birds who's existence isn't required to be documented.
Multiple animals are boxed up and caged, stacked one upon another, that's their whole life, taken out only to be experimented on and may not even return to their small homes.Let's do this to you. Oh but no that's frowned upon, humans can't be caged they require attention and socialization. So do animals, but that doesn't seem to matter. "489, 262 animals that were used in research in 2002 (not including mice, rats, and birds—no one knows how many of these animals are used in research) were used in research that was either painful, distressful, or both" 489,262 animals, the same breeds you see in pet stores looking for nice homes, are tortured.

The facts don't lie, they're simply overlooked due to the superior complex humans have developed. 
We created this. We sent millions of animals to their deaths. We build these torture facilities. 
Something should be done about it. 
http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-animal-testing