Kony 2012

[Drewhop]

I don't consider it part of the wussification. I think it's more of a self-image problem. We've been convinced that we're bad people. We have been guilt-tripped and told that we're evil because we are successful. Our problems at home don't matter as much because we don't DESERVE to fix them. Hell, poor people who can't feed themselves are better off in the US than those in other countries and therefor don't need to be helped.

 

It's all fucked up.

 

What I would love to see:

Dear World,

We, The United States of America, have taken a look around our home and decided that it needs a serious cleaning. So we're going to use up some of our sick hours and take the near future off while we get some stuff done around the house. You know, some cleaning, some fixing, balancing the checkbook. A membership at the gym might be in order as well. We'll pop out from time to time to pick up the groceries and do some shopping, but that's about it. We won't have time to chat.

 

In the meantime, we recommend you take care of yourselves and sort out your own issues. You can do it. You must. Because when we're done getting ourselves back into shape, you do NOT want us cleaning your house for you.

 

Sincerely,

Those proud motherfuckers otherwise known as,

The United States of America

 

 

This is the only statement I need to comment on today.

 

+rep

[zeitgeist57]

Geebus, Tim...don't you have anything better to do than reply to CR posts?

 

TL;DR

 

[TTQ B4U]

Geebus, Tim...don't you have anything better to do than reply to CR posts?

 

TL;DR

 

 

30" Monitor, Working from Home, Multitasking :gabe:

[Cordell]

Scott, I like you and will share this story because I know you've discussed having problems with employers in the past. Just think how you would feel if at every point you brought up that was important to you they just simply said, "we could care less and no fucks are given" because what you were wanting to discuss wasn't impactful to them. Who knows, maybe they have. I've been at companies like that and honestly, moved on because of it.

 

Where I work now, they have an option for every single member of the 4,000+ employees that we can donate/transfer our sick time to someone in need. It's a pretty simple process but here's how it works.

 

Last year we found out through someone that followed the application process that a 58 yr old lady working at our Easton Location had cancer. She's a typical hourly worker that mans the front desk/security. Her chemotherapy and other treatments were not only expensive but her time off needed would have put her in a world of hurt since short term disability and FMLA options go with great reduce to near no pay.

 

I didn't know her at all. Never even said hello as I likely just walked past her on many occasions. I gave one of my sick days to her. Doesn't sound like much and I might just need it myself. However, I wasn't alone. We had over 200 people in the company cough up one day for her offering her nearly 10 months of paid sick time to get through the initial hurt that in the end just might kill her.

 

Not many companies even remotely offer such a thing. However, the management team at our company actually does give a shit and in the end, offering such things is the right thing to do. I went back this week and found out her Optical Rx needs changed due to the impact of her treatments. The company is supplying the frames and lenses and I'm making them for her, all at No Charge. Again, a cool thing that honestly, doesn't cost a $4B company much if anything at all.

 

Good story, and amazing to me that a company like that exists. I had to take a pay cut when i hurt my hand last year only to come in and jockey cars around because I chose to come into work and do something rather then sit at home and suck up more money I would've got for free. It's been my experience with most things that I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't, so its become really easy for me to not give a shit. In all honesty I would've given up a sick day or 2 for that lady, for whatever reason something like that when I can see it and meet the person effected. I guess I'm not numb to individuality, but to feel something towards millions of people I don't know.

[Cordell]

Geebus, Tim...don't you have anything better to do than reply to CR posts?

 

TL;DR

 

 

Damn clay i read it.

[TTQ B4U]

Good story, and amazing to me that a company like that exists. I had to take a pay cut when i hurt my hand last year only to come in and jockey cars around because I chose to come into work and do something rather then sit at home and suck up more money I would've got for free.

 

I searched for a long time and changed careers to join this group. The pay is the last thing on my list of reason why too.

 

It's been my experience with most things that I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't, so its become really easy for me to not give a shit.

You're not alone. It is however, IMO a scary point in life when you don't give a shit. Never give up; stick to the high road. Doing so just puts you on the same plane as those you're angry with. Maybe in an even worse place really.

 

In all honesty I would've given up a sick day or 2 for that lady, for whatever reason something like that when I can see it and meet the person effected. I guess I'm not numb to individuality, but to feel something towards millions of people I don't know.

Don't get lost in the numbers. We process 1200-1400 jobs per day for the medical devices we make. All individual and custom to the patient. It's not about volume, numbers or even the doctors. Each and every one of them goes on a patient; a human being.

 

I've worked first hand in our mobile clinics and seen a 9yr old boy see his father for the very first time. I'm not sure who teared up first, me, the father or the kid. I'm man enough to say I'll never forget that kid or how it made me feel. Millions of homeless kids, some who's parents are drug addicts, some just lazy. In the end, they are still innocent kids and people who were at some point less fortunate than me and you.

 

Another cool thing about this job is they offer every single employee an opportunity to work 10 days in the mobile clinics. Paid time for hourly folks. There's actually a waiting list. I'm going back to work the clinics again this year. I just missed the one that took off for IN and KY last week so I have to wait for a while yet.

[Aaron]

They are talking about this on CNN Live right now.

[NEORedLS1]

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h239/BS_Tiger56/kony.jpg

[Forrest Gump 9]

I don't consider it part of the wussification. I think it's more of a self-image problem. We've been convinced that we're bad people. We have been guilt-tripped and told that we're evil because we are successful. Our problems at home don't matter as much because we don't DESERVE to fix them. Hell, poor people who can't feed themselves are better off in the US than those in other countries and therefor don't need to be helped.

 

It's all fucked up.

 

What I would love to see:

Dear World,

We, The United States of America, have taken a look around our home and decided that it needs a serious cleaning. So we're going to use up some of our sick hours and take the near future off while we get some stuff done around the house. You know, some cleaning, some fixing, balancing the checkbook. A membership at the gym might be in order as well. We'll pop out from time to time to pick up the groceries and do some shopping, but that's about it. We won't have time to chat.

 

In the meantime, we recommend you take care of yourselves and sort out your own issues. You can do it. You must. Because when we're done getting ourselves back into shape, you do NOT want us cleaning your house for you.

 

Sincerely,

Those proud motherfuckers otherwise known as,

The United States of America

 

Amen to this!!

[airwg2189]

Well I guess I'm a little shocked at the hate here. Pun intended since there seems to be a lot of it here on CR and on CR for this thread.

 

I did watch portions of the video and admit to condensing it to perhaps a total of 8 minutes skipping through it, I do feel I walked away with a decent understanding of the content and specifics. That said, let's not everyone focus so much just on that video or specific cause, but I would encourage everyone to look at the intent of the original post too.

 

It's easy to share an opinion on that specific topic but couldn't the intent of the post go much farther? Has anyone even bothered to consider or clarify that? Has anyone gone so far as to expand on the point? Has anyone say you can't? Those are what I see as just as concerning about America and society be it online in social media on CR or in my own circle of friends.

 

Many have shared their thoughts on this specific case, but to me the real question is what do you "give a fuck about" and what are you doing about it? All rhetorical questions.

 

My point is while I did find the video moving at times and respect that many people all around the world have personal causes they support and ways of attacking it, what struck me was a pretty clear message that encourages everyone to get out and do something about what moves them on behalf of helping others.

 

IMO if you're reply to such posts is simply that you don't give a fuck, then you probably don't and that's your choice (while a strikingly sad one), one you have to live with. The opportunity to change that view is all yours too. Some here have, some won't and some have other causes they support (kudos). The world will never all agree but hopefully those with a more half glass full approach out number those with a glass half empty or worse yet a glass entirely broken.

 

As the saying goes, life is what you make of it. I agree with one solid point of insight from that video, which is that when I die, I hope that the things I've done in life inspire others, have changed the word in some way for the better, and leave a legacy for my kids that said their dad was a good guy, and while not perfect, he at least "gave a fuck" and did something about it.

 

Perhaps I'd change that last part, but I had to make my final statement more CR'ish. I love you Gabe.

 

Soap Box Off.

 

+ rep to Rocky and Michael

 

I commend you for actually having a thought-out stance, unlike most of the hypocritical, clueless denizens of Facebook who post the video and join the event and yada yada. I respect that, and I'll give you a valid response.

 

My stance isn't that I don't give a fuck in the context I take you're presenting it. I do have issues I care about. Mostly here in the United States, some abroad. It's that I don't give a fuck about this particular situation in the light it's being presented. Don't get it wrong, I think Joseph Kony is evil - I'm sure everyone else does as well. He's a sick psychopath, and he does need to die. I'd feel horrible if I, or my daughter, were ever in a situation like what those children are going through. I wish nothing but the most vile of deaths to anyone who makes anyone else literally hide for their life. But ultimately, I simply don't care about Uganda, or the Invisible Children project, and I do feel as if I have good reasons why. My disdain is two pronged; I have a bad taste from most of the supporters simply because of their hypocrisy and that the Invisible Children project is very vague and doesn't really seem to address any long term goals... in fact, it doesn't seem to address anything other than 'We need to kill Joseph Kony'. I'm also against it because it's not our problem. I realize this sounds incredibly selfish, so I'll go into details further down.

 

Like others have touched on, Uganda is not the only country in Africa with issues like this, nor is this the only frightening cause of unintended (or however you want to put it) death in Africa. The entire continent, spare a few pockets of wealth like South Africa and Egypt, is a giant shithole for one reason or another. If you're not getting shot, you have AIDS, or no food, or the water isn't safe to drink, or there's no medicines for common viruses, or there's deadly jungle diseases, or you're a sex slave until you're deemed worthless, or you're forced into whatever warring tribe. The list goes on and on. The problem with Uganda, and ultimately most of Africa, is that the entire continent needs to be built from the ground up. If we were to devote the resources into finding and killing Joseph Kony, someone else would just rise up and continue his ways/similar ways, or the people would die from something else. You eliminate Kony, and we see yet another video about people starving in Uganda next year. It's very sad, but if you truly want to save these children, you need to fix everything.

 

The KONY2012 video does not think out a solution very well. It calls strictly for awareness in major cities in hopes that Washington begins to support United States military involvement in Uganda to find and kill Joseph Kony. It kills me to see people complain that we're still in Iraq and Afghanistan, but support us getting involved in Uganda. This is a direct strain on our tax dollars, no matter how you look at it. Bullets cost money. Yes, killing Joseph Kony would be a very good thing, but it's a little more complicated than just posting about it on Facebook. Having the modern world be aware of it doesn't do a damn thing. Just like the video pointed out, nobody knows who or where he is. It took us 10 years to find Osama bin Laden, and we had somewhat of a trail to follow. Imagine how long it'd take us, how much it'd cost us, and how many lives would be lost for us to find Joseph Kony. Uganda makes Afghanistan look like a tropical paradise, and we'd easily be losing just as many lives in Uganda hunting Kony as we have taking down Sadam Hussein and finding Osama bin Laden. The United States is already heavily involved in several theaters in the Middle East, and our citizens seem to be waking up to how much our international involvement, whether militaristic or not, is costing us. (NOTE: I'm not taking a negative stance against our Middle East operations here, rather stating that people are beginning to notice the resources required) Our economy is already in the gutter, and with as much unbacked credit as we have floating around, we're treading very dangerous waters. Do you think our country would remain civil and have the unity to survive another real depression while maintaining, what would theoretically be, at least four major wartime fighting zones? Even without the dollar failing, can our country afford, in it's current financial mess in Washington with a complete lack of a budget, to get involved anywhere else in the world, for any issue?

 

Maybe if we weren't in so much debt ourselves, or had so many issues at home to address, I'd feel different. Yes, our issues are a little... softer, but they're still issues, which are only magnified if we take a 'world police' role. Being the good guys costs. Caring costs. And not just money. People, land, capital, material resources, time. For everything we give to someone else, we sacrifice something at home. And personally, so long as there is a single legitimate starving soul (read: not a worthless drug addict) in America, I have problems with us feeding others. Yes, it's a selfish stance, but we made ourselves into the country we are today. What's so special about us, as human beings? We're just as physically capable as other nationalities. By pure birth nature, we're no more intelligent than anyone else on this planet. We just happened to get our shit together, why can't <insert struggling country here>. Our history wasn't all rainbows and butterflies, we've had our struggles just the same. It's not easy, and there's gonna be some bloodshed. There's gonna be some rough times, but that's what makes ANYONE into who they are today. Why can't <insert country here> overcome just the same? We can't be taking everyone by the hand and feeding them, comforting them, protecting them when they fuck up, and figuring out how to cure their diseases. It's not good for us, and ultimately, it's not good for them either. How's that Iraqi government doing? Real stable, huh? Oh wait, we're still training their police officers for them because they can't get their shit together. (Again, not an anti-Middle East plug)

 

Plus, with all the international hatred we've been getting, maybe it's for the best, from a social standpoint, if we just keep to ourselves. Let's fix our economy and actually save up a little, THEN we can invest in someone else. Let's cure cancer. Let's develop foods to solve hunger as cheap and easy as possible, so nobody has to go to sleep hungry. Let's fix our political system, and rid out all the leechers, and let's get America back on track in being a very productive country. Let the world miss us for a bit, it wouldn't be so bad. I'm strongly in favor of us bringing everyone on a government dollar back home, minus a few spies and key operations with the sole intent of keeping watch and immediately preventing a World War III situation from breaking out. The world seems to hate our world police stance, so be it. It's easier for us that way, and we can focus on ourselves for a while.

 

Now with this said, I'm completely in support of private organizations doing whatever it is they want to support or not support other countries; just leave my tax dollars out of it. If you want to donate to a cause where only 31% of anything you donate actually leaves the country, so be it. 31% is still more than 0%, so maybe your 31% might get lucky and might reach the hands of the right individual who's able to do something worthwhile somewhere. Personally, I've donated to Charity: Water, as I think it's a very good organization with a much more important goal. And more of my donation will make a difference in comparison to other charities. I also feel as if safe drinking water is a little more important than having to hide at night, personally.

 

I know it's selfish, and I know it's sad, but Uganda is not our problem right now, and saving it requires far more than what we can afford. KONY2012 is not an answer.

[oh8sti]

Although I don't agree with you on every aspect of your response, I do commend you for taking the time to take a stance with intelligence.

[Guest Spam]

Although I don't agree with you on every aspect of your response, I do commend you for taking the time to take a stance with intelligence.

 

+1

[TTQ B4U]

My stance isn't that I don't give a fuck in the context I take you're presenting it. I do have issues I care about. Mostly here in the United States, some abroad. It's that I don't give a fuck about this particular situation in the light it's being presented. I simply don't care about Uganda, or the Invisible Children project.

 

My disdain is two pronged; I have a bad taste from most of the supporters simply because of their hypocrisy and that the Invisible Children project is very vague and doesn't really seem to address any long term goals... in fact, it doesn't seem to address anything other than 'We need to kill Joseph Kony'.

 

His focus isn't vague or state that he simply wants to kill Joseph Kony. The program is not only creating awareness and educating people all over on the situation and why they are pursing him, but is actually funding the building and operation of the rehab centers in Uganda for children too. Time is running out on having him captured by the forces we have deployed thus awareness is key.

 

So you don't agree with the situation and how the organizers are going about their cause or really understand why they are doing it and that in turn leads you to say you simply don't care overall about Uganda or what's happening there? How's that helping anything? Not an approach I would exactly call inspiring.

 

I'm also against it because it's not our problem. I realize this sounds incredibly selfish, so I'll go into details further down. Like others have touched on, Uganda is not the only country in Africa with issues like this, nor is this the only frightening cause of unintended (or however you want to put it) death in Africa. The entire continent, spare a few pockets of wealth like South Africa and Egypt, is a giant shithole for one reason or another. If you're not getting shot, you have AIDS, or no food, or the water isn't safe to drink, or there's no medicines for common viruses, or there's deadly jungle diseases, or you're a sex slave until you're deemed worthless, or you're forced into whatever warring tribe. The list goes on and on. The problem with Uganda, and ultimately most of Africa, is that the entire continent needs to be built from the ground up. If we were to devote the resources into finding and killing Joseph Kony, someone else would just rise up and continue his ways/similar ways, or the people would die from something else. You eliminate Kony, and we see yet another video about people starving in Uganda next year. It's very sad, but if you truly want to save these children, you need to fix everything.

So in a nutshell because the country has multiple issues that need addressed and is so fucked up that you feel everything needs addressed in order to be worth a damn?

 

WOW!, you know what's just as scarey as saying that since you can't do it all, it's best to do nothing? The fact that the US of A is just as fucked up if not worse albeit in different ways. I suppose applying your solution we should just all say "fuck it" the country is so messed up and the solution so complex that unless we are able to fix everything we should just continue to do nothing. I never knew indifference was actually an approach to solving problems. Interesting. I think it's safe to say you're not much of a project leader.

 

The KONY2012 video does not think out a solution very well. It calls strictly for awareness in major cities in hopes that Washington begins to support United States military involvement in Uganda to find and kill Joseph Kony.

It's not strictly calling for US Military involvement. While I don't personally support a long term war, I do support the strategic team we do have over there trying to take this asshole out. God knows we have men and woman deployed all over the world not actively engaged in anything nearly as meaningful to human life right now anyway, so why not take out a guy responsible for over 20yrs of raping the country of children?

 

The movement is like any other campaign, lobbying to garner support of our leaders. Is that wrong? I can think of a dozen lobbyist groups that should be shit canned way, way before one that is trying to save the lives of children.

 

It kills me to see people complain that we're still in Iraq and Afghanistan, but support us getting involved in Uganda.

I can't say where I've seen anyone associated with this movement asking for a 10+ year war costing Billions. They are creating this global awareness because U.S. military advisers are currently deployed in Central Africa on a “time-limited” mission to stop Kony and disarm the LRA. If Kony isn’t captured this year, the window will be gone.

 

I see them asking for our leaders and entertainers and people of noteworthiness to at least acknowledge the situation aka give a shit and help inspire others to do the same. The whole reason it's called Invisible Children is that until now, now one has considered the victims worthy of being visible. It's no different than when a family hurries themselves and kids past a homeless man on the street without making eye contact thinking if you don't see them, they won't exist. Bullshit. Face the truth and either have the stones to do something about it, support those that are trying or GTFO of the way.

 

Now with this said, I'm completely in support of private organizations doing whatever it is they want to support or not support other countries; just leave my tax dollars out of it. If you want to donate to a cause where only 31% of anything you donate actually leaves the country, so be it. 31% is still more than 0%, so maybe your 31% might get lucky and might reach the hands of the right individual who's able to do something worthwhile somewhere.

The organization posts their financials so transparency is there. The 32% that go directly to the cause is less all their associated costs and efforts to market the cause. No agency of aid even the red cross has 100% of the donations go directly to the cause.

 

I know it's selfish, and I know it's sad, but Uganda is not our problem right now, and saving it requires far more than what we can afford. KONY2012 is not an answer.

The beautiful thing is the Kony cause knows that and that's exactly why they are doing what they are. They clearly see that a large percentage of those that are now aware won't care and are just as selfish. Thus the need to really get the word out there and work extra hard using social media to help make a difference. It may not be your answer, but in the end, your indifference will never be the answer. Ever.

 

I give the guy props for simply giving a shit and organizing an effort as large and helpful as this one. Way more than most will ever do. +rep for him.

Edited March 10, 2012 by TTQ B4U

[airwg2189]

So in a nutshell because the country has multiple issues that need addressed and is so fucked up that you feel everything needs addressed in order to be worth a damn?

 

WOW!, you know what's just as scarey as saying that since you can't do it all, it's best to do nothing? The fact that the US of A is just as fucked up if not worse albeit in different ways. I suppose applying your solution we should just all say "fuck it" the country is so messed up and the solution so complex that unless we are able to fix everything we should just continue to do nothing. I never knew indifference was actually an approach to solving problems. Interesting. I think it's safe to say you're not much of a project leader.

 

The sad reality of most third world countries is that if you don't die from one thing, you die from another. If we were to completely eliminate the LRA, starvation and disease become issues, both of which kill people due to lack of a proper governmental and health infrastructure. The group that has food become the alphas, and the cycle repeats itself. Everything needs to be fixed for it to make a difference. You're right, I didn't specifically write out 'rehab centers' but the overall message of the video/project is very targeted on one end goal of killing Joseph Kony, not much more.

 

It's not strictly calling for US Military involvement. While I don't personally support a war, I won't say I wouldn't support a small Navy Seals team going in there to take this asshole out. God knows we have men and woman deployed all over the world not actively engaged in anything nearly as meaningful to human life right now anyway, so why not take out a guy responsible for over 20yrs of raping the country of children?

 

How'd that work out in Iraq? How many soldiers wound up dead, even after we killed Saddam? How much money did we dump into the Iraq operation after Saddam? If we kill Joseph Kony, someone else rises. It's not as cut and dry as eliminating Kony makes Uganda a peaceful country. Many others are right there to take the reigns of the LRA, and Al-Shabaab, the ADF, and the FNI would all bite at the chance to gain significant power and control over Uganda. Again, it's a serious investment. We would have to be there for quite a long time, with much more than a small Navy SEAL team, or we would have wasted our time. We'd be back again in a few short years dealing with the next psycho to take the helm.

 

The organization posts their financials so transparency is there. The 32% that go directly to the cause is less all their associated costs and efforts to market the cause. No agency of aid even the red cross has 100% of the donations go directly to the cause.

 

I'm not asking for 100%. I'm well aware that's simply an impossibility, given that some people dedicate their lives and do charity work as a full time job; that's perfectly acceptable. But 32% is absolutely pathetic. There are numerous organizations that are well into 80-90%+ of their revenue being flipped into services and goods that they represent.

 

I'd like to know why you think we need to have an answer? Why do we need to be cleaning up everyone else's shit? I'm all for helping when and where we can, don't get it wrong, but we've heightened our debt ceiling numerous times now, and we're scarily close to being the ones asking for help soon. The pride and power of our country, and thus our ability to help others, rides on the almighty dollar right now, and it could very easily be made worthless overnight by any one of several different factors. THAT is a problem that should be addressed first. Let's clean up our house, then kick some ass and take names. Until then, I don't want my tax dollars paying into things like Invisible Children.

[TTQ B4U]

The sad reality of most third world countries is that if you don't die from one thing, you die from another. If we were to completely eliminate the LRA, starvation and disease become issues, both of which kill people due to lack of a proper governmental and health infrastructure. The group that has food become the alphas, and the cycle repeats itself. Everything needs to be fixed for it to make a difference.

 

By definition anything living is dying; from one thing or another. However, what you're trying to say is that without solving everything there will be no differnece. If so then how is doing nothing better? Again, it's not.

 

Also, if the end were so bleak, according to you, All third world nations would already be extinct. Not happening. Indifference and doing nothing is not the answer and there is no need to fix everything or do nothing. Those that change the world are those that do something, not sit around making excuses to do nothing.

 

I think that horse is dead my friend.

 

How'd that work out in Iraq? How many soldiers wound up dead, even after we killed Saddam? How much money did we dump into the Iraq operation after Saddam? If we kill Joseph Kony, someone else rises. It's not as cut and dry as eliminating Kony makes Uganda a peaceful country.

Iraq was not a cut/dry timed mission. Apples and Oranges. Ones was a planned long term war, the other is just a strategic kill. In terms of what happens after, that then becomes up to their people just as in Iraq. Civil war over in the middle east is exactly what they need. There are no assurances that someone won't take Kony's place, but the reverse is just as true.

 

Again, by your definition we shouldn't do anything right? Tell that to Abe Lincoln, Martin Luther King,Gandhi or Rosa Parks. Where would our country be if they all did nothing because they felt not begin able to fix everything was going to hold them back? Indifference and doing nothing is not the answer.

 

Many others are right there to take the reigns of the LRA, and Al-Shabaab, the ADF, and the FNI would all bite at the chance to gain significant power and control over Uganda. Again, it's a serious investment. We would have to be there for quite a long time, with much more than a small Navy SEAL team, or we would have wasted our time. We'd be back again in a few short years dealing with the next psycho to take the helm.

So now your giving the opposition the game without even trying or giving the kids a chance or letting the world become aware. You're also assuming the motives and methods of those groups would be exactly the same as his. That's a lot of assumptions standing in the shadow of fear and belief that doing nothing is better than doing something.

 

Again, I'm sure the leaders I mentioned earlier likely had those same thoughts.

- How dare Abe Lincoln attempt to win a huge military and moral battle;

- Who would have ever thought a black woman could change history;

- Who would have ever thought a black man could start a movement;

- How dare a little man from India stand up and oppose tyranny like that;

 

Who would have thought they all would actually give a shit and take a stand and actually change the world. I bet none of them EVER though doing nothing was the better option.

 

I'm not asking for 100%. I'm well aware that's simply an impossibility, given that some people dedicate their lives and do charity work as a full time job; that's perfectly acceptable. But 32% is absolutely pathetic. There are numerous organizations that are well into 80-90%+ of their revenue being flipped into services and goods that they represent.

I work for a $4B non profit company in the insurance and healthcare space. I know what the costs involved in charity work are and what can be done with even just a few dollars. What he is doing with the money is absolutely able to make an impact. I'd be happy to continue this portion of the conversation if you really care to get into dollars and the number of lives that can be impacted. The company I work for took over California's Healthy Family's program. Why? Because the fucking Governor said they were so bankrupt that it couldn't afford to maintain the program. We stepped up because it's the right thing to do.

 

Same here, Jason Russell is stepping up, raising money and doing the right thing. As he has stated, "The world needs to realize, you can't have Hitlers anymore. We're not going to have Rwandan genocides anymore. We're stopping that."

 

I'd like to know why you think we need to have an answer? Why do we need to be cleaning up everyone else's shit? I'm all for helping when and where we can, don't get it wrong, but we've heightened our debt ceiling numerous times now, and we're scarily close to being the ones asking for help soon. The pride and power of our country, and thus our ability to help others, rides on the almighty dollar right now, and it could very easily be made worthless overnight by any one of several different factors.

Would you agree as many here have that the US is by far the LEADER in the world in terms of values and standards and resources? I think that's a fair statement. That last part is EXACTLY why I BELIEVE we should. Because we can. If those with the power, resources and ability don't give a shit, the world is fucked, that's why.

 

If WE as a society stop caring, then kill me now because the country we live in once did and I do believe as a whole still cares. I'm this adamant because for all the bitching and fact slinging that you and others are pulling out to use as support for indifference, none are greater than the lives of those kids and other HUMAN BEINGS. We created this economic bullshit we are facing. Own it. Deal with it. Don't let it be what we use as the excuse not to do the right thing at helping others when the cost of doing so is so small compared to a human life. The life of a child.

 

If the 2nd coming of the The Holocaust were to come to fruition again, would you still say the same thing? Really? What makes killing jews in the 1940's like they are expendable any different than little kids in another country in 2012?

 

THAT is a problem that should be addressed first. Let's clean up our house, then kick some ass and take names. Until then, I don't want my tax dollars paying into things like Invisible Children.

You don't want YOUR tax dollars. Ah, I see, this is about you and other people's Tax Dollars. How about we reverse those shoes and people in this country start doing what I said in another thread about living for just one minute for someone else besides themselves when they make a decision that is a little more important than money. Using that same standard, I say fuck child labor laws here in the states, let's put our youth to work and work them to death all in the name of lower prices on the goods I want to buy. Same difference really; likely more impactful. Let's start with all the children in your family too.

 

You mentioned that Kony2012 isn't the answer, and ironically, Jason agrees with you. He oversimplifies the issue and admits openly the video is not the answer, it's just the gateway into the conversation. Their goal is get the world to keep investigating, and people like you to read the history.

Edited March 10, 2012 by TTQ B4U

[oh8sti]

If you know anything about African politics, you know how fucked it all is. a LARGE portion of their money goes to bribing officials to even allow them to operate. It seems crazy, but yes, you have to PAY the African political figures in order to work there and help the people. I'll be honest, I'm impressed they are able to get 32% back.

[Big Chief2011647545501]

^^ Too much reading...

[AWW$HEEET]

hear that...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

that's the sound of no one giving a shit about Kony anymore.

[ansonivan]

http://universaldork.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/hasselhoff.jpg

[Miller]

Panduh tears LOL

 

Thank you

[NEORedLS1]

^^ Too much reading...

 

Agreed.

[oh8sti]

Panduh tears LOL

 

Thank you

 

http://www.lilomaternity.com/blog/images/baby-crying.jpg

[wagner]

This video pretty much sums up all the facts of this case, is pretty funny, and has 0 trans fats

 

[macpyro2]

This video pretty much sums up all the facts of this case, is pretty funny, and has 0 trans fats

 

 

Slowclap.gif "cheers" , maybe some trumpets playing in the background. Full of winning

[NEORedLS1]

This video pretty much sums up all the facts of this case, is pretty funny, and has 0 trans fats

 

 

Ministry of Hugs and Sunshine :dumb: