THE TRUTH ABOUT “INVISIBLE CHILDREN”
I am stoked on the recent public interest in Africa, especially because Africa is so central to American identity and welfare, yet is too often neglected and abused in education and foreign policy. HOWEVER, after researching this campaign, I have discovered some things omitted: INVISIBLE CHILDREN is an NGO. NGOs serve various parts of the world by giving foreign aid. This generosity is seen by the privileged (usually the citizens of Westernized nations) either as a waste or as salvation. The NGOs themselves often carry ethnocentric ideas throughout their service. It does not help a nation to simply give them food and money and supplies, when at the end of the day you are only perpetuating their poverty. If your funding is pulled they are left with what they began with. Now, with INVISIBLE CHILDREN, we have some naive filmmakers and thousands of miseducated youth pressuring the Ugandan government to act accordingly. In pressuring them to undergo peace talks, engaging a cease fire, giving Kony time to rearm and re-strategize, they facilitated his retaliatory brutality, in 2006 and 2008. Even in 2008, Uganda was already LRA FREE, though Kony moved his operation to the CAR, DRC, and Southern Sudan. So why did Obama pass a bill to allow the militarization of Uganda in 2010??? Is it the oil recently found in Lake Albert? Is it to fight competitive Chinese interests in Africa?? And INVISIBLE CHILDREN knowingly propagated misinformation to drive the public to pressure their government into signing a bill that legalizes the militarization of Uganda, for the purpose of killing a war criminal who hasn’t fought within those borders in years. [EMAIL FROM INVISIBLE CHILDREN COORDINATOR: “I agree with you that leading people to believe that the war is still happening in Uganda is not ethically right. It’s something we’ve been addressing internally, focusing on getting all staff and supporters on the same page in regards to the language they use in their communications.”] Not to mention that a non-profit is barred from political lobbying, otherwise they have to forfeit their tax exemption. THAT BEING SAID, if you give money to this “charity,” or any charity, be careful of the interests behind their claimed humanitarian intentions. I will say that INVISIBLE CHILDREN has built many schools and is educating and employing hundreds of children through Uganda, but if there are no job markets for that education, how does that help? We need professionals in high need areas who are aware of the economic, social, political, and cultural implications of their actions. Professionals who understand what kind of economic, political, and social structures they can introduce and HELP (not controlling all the operations, but cooperating) build to complement the native people of these nations.
Tim Okamura is a contemporary Canadian painter with a unique style of realism, blending modern urban settings (i.e. graffiti) with subtle “samples” of classic painters (i.e. Rembrandt). The texture of his paintings create such a gritty reality that you have to witness firsthand to truly understand. This is his portrait of Erykah Badu.
wise words from an awesome friend
“you know how people always have some kind of a problem that doesn’t affect you in anyway. This leads into rule No. 1 NOT YOUR PROBLEM!! this rule will save you from drama and all the little high school bullshit. If someone is like, “hey who drank my last beer,” and you drank it but no one knows you drank it but your keeping your sweet little mouth shut, then that guy gets really mad but he’s an asshole anyway. Ladies and gentlemen say it with meee!!!!! NOT YOUR PROBLEM!!!!
Now rule No. 2 is LIVE YOUR LIFE!!!!! If you have a friend thats all pissed of cause you didnt call him to come over for this bad ass party with free food and beer but the week before he didnt ask you to go on a sweet boat trip to go fishing or something cool like that and he or she is like, “hey man you forgot to call me about that party,” you quickly respond, “ooohhh shit sorry man i was LIVING MY LIFE!!!! like a champ but thanks for inviting me on the boat trip the week before.” ooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! it stings a little but its the truth and thats how you find true fucking friends. And if he starts giving you shit just walk away and say it out loud NOT MY PROBLEM!!!!!
Finally rule No. 3 DO WHAT YOU WANT!!!! theres no expatiation just do it cause you have already gain the friends that are great for you to support what you wanna do.
try this for a week and hit me up.
please repost.”
Oliver Hart AKA Eyedea AKA Michael Larsen’s “The Many Faces of Oliver Hart,” circa 2001. Entirely written AND produced by Eyedea, this album is on my ‘most underrated’ list.
Groove Theory is an R&B fundamental.
The making of Illmatic.
(Source: getliftedcrew)
i’m finally goin through the blogs i follow…
if your blog bores me, i’m deleting you.
(via onlytherealsurvive)
#kickinit like Q-Tip, in the #bluntcave
I Spy, anyone?
Homemade #Megadeth chest piece on #Tampasfinest thrash drummer, tatted by #tampasfinest thrash guitarist
