An Invisible Children Video Blog From The White House

This isn't the actual signing of the "LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act", but it's still pretty cool. If you haven't read my earlier post about Obama and Invisible Children, read that before watching this video. It will give you a bit more context.

I'm posting this video mainly because of the excitement and energy of these guys. I'm posting it because they are living proof that our voices matter, and that we can influence our government. This was the most historic bill related to Africa to come out of the senate. Because of the hard work of these young people, an international villain will be brought to justice, and a new generation of children in northern Uganda will have opportunities.

If you don't know about Invisible Children, you should check em out. Thank them for their hard work, their persistence, and for the tenacity with which they went after this goal.

I think many of us have hopes and dreams that we long to see realized, but what we lack is the passion and the discipline to push toward them. Not every dream can be realized (For instance, I will never be able to run a sub four minute mile), but many can be realized. They need focus and determination.

What is stopping you from pursuing your dream? Has Apathy crept in and told you to give up on pursuing justice in an unjust world, have your friends and family told you that your contribution doesn't matter? These guys are just one example, one VERY tangible example of how every day people like you and me can make and are making a difference in this world.

May you dream in big ways today, and may those dreams of a more beautiful world become reality.

Obama Signs Historic Legislation with Invisible Children!

Now of course, everyone has an opinion on the President, and no one person is perfect, but what happened yesterday for the organization Invisible Children was quite remarkable. I'm really proud of our President for taking action and recognizing the hardwork and grassroots efforts of a generation of activists.

If you've been reading my blog posts for a while, then you probably already know about the organization Invisible Children and the mission they have been on for the last five years to see the government intervene in a horrible situation in Northern Uganda. Literally thousands and thousands of people have been moved from their homes into Internal Displacement Person Camps (IDP). They are over-crowded, and undernourished. They don't have access to adequate sanitation. They are suffering because of a warlord named Joseph Kony and his "Lords Resistance Army" (LRA).

Sure, our world has some bad people in it, but Kony is among the worst. He has been stealing children for decades from the villages and IDP camps of Northern Uganda. He goes after children between the ages of 5 and 12 because they are big enough to carry a gun, and small enough to sneak into communities to steal more children. Generations of children have lived in fear of the LRA. Literally thousands of children have been abducted each year to resource Kony's militia group. They are KIDS! They should be going to school, playing sports, laughing, and having fun. Instead they are being forced to kill other people. They are being forced to lose their youth and innocence out of fear for the death of themselves or the ones that they love.

As Invisible Children has lobbied over the last several years for the abduction of Kony and for intervention in Northern Uganda, they have been met with a groundswell of support. The organization was started by some recent college grads when they came face to face with children who made commutes each night from their villages into cities where there was additional protection for them. These kids slept in bus depots and hospital basements out of fear of being abducted.

Literally millions of american young people between 15 and 35 have gotten involved in this organization's work. They have believed in the ability of the people to be involved in government. People hosted video watching parties and learned more about the organization. They wore T-shirts, and donated money. They wrote letters and visited their congressional representatives. All because of a desire to see justice done in Northern Uganda. All because folks said enough is enough.

I'm writing this post today in celebration of what Invisible Children, Enough, and Resolve Uganda have been able to do through hard work and intense commitment to seeing change happen. Many of us gripe about politics but avoid getting involved in the process. We gripe about problems in the world, but aren't willing to get our hands dirty. We complain about injustice but then act like we are helpless to do anything.

I'm really proud of the folks at Invisible Children. I'm really proud of the activists who were catalyzed by this organization. I'm really proud to see a generation stand up for something wrong in the world, and see results. It's never easy to stand up for the right things, and it's always easy to just give up, but these folks persevered. They persevered and saw a bill go before congress, get passed, and then watched President Obama sign that bill into law. They saw what happens when people get engaged and stay engaged in the political process.

I hope you will take time to celebrate with them and their hard work. Many of my friends have worked, volunteered, and/or financially contributed to seeing this become a reality. I hope it increases your confidence that we can REALLY make a difference in the world. It takes hard work, but more than that, it takes many people making their small contribution to get in the fight.

As you go about your day, I encourage you to consider what you can do to continue to make a difference in this world as well.

Congratulations again Invisible Children!

I Saw The President!

Ok, well I saw his limo drive by. Yesterday around 2PM as I was attempting to take my brother to the airport in Pittsburgh, traffic was halted altogether. Curious as to why traffic was at a dead stop, I pulled into a parking lot overlooking the highway I needed to drive on to get to the airport. People were standing and looking at the road. I asked what was happening, and they said, "President Obama's motorcade is coming through!" Just as they uttered that statement, I saw motorcycles coming down the road. I quickly pulled out my iphone and snapped the photo above with the presidential limo heading to the airport.

President Obama was visiting Pittsburgh because next weekend (Sept 24-25), Pittsburgh will host the G20 Summit. "What's the G20 Summit?" Glad you asked. Here's a link that explains a bit about the G20. Essentially these are the leaders of the 20 most populated and financially powerful nations in the world. They essentially come together to talk about ways to better manage and influence the global economy. Here's a wikipedia article that tells more about who these leaders are and why they are meeting.

The Pittsburgh area is really excited for the event. If you live near Pittsburgh, I think some of the major roads will have limited traffic as the event gets under way. For me, it's pretty exciting to think that a group of twenty world leaders will be meeting just a little over an hour from my house. Of course, as you can imagine, the G20 event will draw in a variety of protestors and participants. I'm sure there will be some great news coverage in the days ahead as well. Personally I'm looking forward to seeing what comes of these meetings.

In the meantime, I'm glad traffic got back to normal quickly after the President drove by, and my brother was able to make his flight back to Orange County.

Obama at Notre Dame?

Well here's the latest hotbed of controversy . . . people say you should avoid talking about two things with others, faith and politics. I'm going to ignore that wise advice and talk about both.

Our Nation's President has been invited to speak at commencement at Notre Dame University. Notre Dame, as you may know, is a Catholic Religious University. The Catholic Church has been very vocal about the issue of human life, and our President has been very vocal about a woman's right to choose. Typically, when a person speaks at a university commencement, they receive an honorary degree. Typically, when a national leader speaks at a commencement it's a pretty big deal for the university too!

And yet, it looks like a recipe either for greater controversy or huge reconciliation. I've heard that every North American Catholic bishop has spoken in opposition of this event. On the flip side, universities are considered to be hubs for the liberal exchange of ideas. I wonder what the subject/content of such a graduation speech might be.

I wonder how this will all resolve, and I wonder what people think about the issue in general. Your thoughts?

A few thoughts relating to the Inauguration

So I received a link to this video yesterday--it's currently appearing on Black Entertainment Television in limited viewing areas. In my thoughts, regardless where you might stand on abortion, there's a lot to think about here. Of course, I'd like to think that there is typically a lot to think about on this blog.

Yesterday, most of America watched history in the making as we elected the first African-American President. His inauguration was probably the most attended event in the history with estimates at over 2 million people in attendance. I couldn't help but watch it myself yesterday. One of my friends actually received an invitation to the inauguration. As we watched on television one of my friends commented that it was pretty wild watching someone take an oath and become the most powerful person in the world.
But with great power comes great responsibility.

For me I was impressed with Dr. Rick Warren's prayer for our new president. I have included the video with the transcription below.

Almighty God, our Father:

Everything we see, and everything we can’t see, exists because of you alone.

It all comes from you, it all belongs to you, it all exists for your glory.

History is your story.

The Scripture tells us, "Hear, O Israel, the LORD is our God, the LORD is one." And you are the compassionate and merciful one. And you are loving to everyone you have made.

Now today we rejoice not only in America’s peaceful transfer of power for the 44th time, we celebrate a hinge point of history with the inauguration of our first African American president of the United States.

We are so grateful to live in this land, a land of unequaled possibility, where a son of an African immigrant can rise to the highest level of our leadership. And we know today that Dr. King and a great cloud of witnesses are shouting in heaven.

Give to our new president, Barack Obama,

the wisdom to lead us with humility,
the courage to lead us with integrity,

the compassion to lead us with generosity.

Bless and protect him, his family, Vice President Biden, the Cabinet, and every one of our freely elected leaders.
Help us, O God, to remember that we are Americans--united not by race or religion or blood, but to our commitment to freedom and justice for all.

When we focus on ourselves, when we fight each other, when we forget you--forgive us.

When we presume that our greatness and our prosperity is ours alone--forgive us.

When we fail to treat our fellow human beings and all the earth with the respect that they deserve--forgive us.

And as we face these difficult days ahead, may we have a new birth of clarity in our aims, responsibility in our actions, humility in our approaches, and civility in our attitudes—even when we differ.

Help us to share, to serve, and to seek the common good of all.

May all people of good will today join together to work for a more just, a more healthy, and a more prosperous nation and a peaceful planet.

And may we never forget that one day, all nations--and all people--will stand accountable before you.

We now commit our new president and his wife, Michelle, and his daughters, Malia and Sasha, into your loving care.

I humbly ask this in the name of the one who changed my life—Yeshua, 'Isa, Jesus [Spanish pronunciation], Jesus—who taught us to pray:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,

for Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

Amen.

May these few words videos and prayers spur your thoughts toward living as better citizens of the Kingdom of God and in so doing, spur you on toward being a better citizen in the place where you live.