OPINION & EDITORIAL
Remember children of northern Uganda
Looking for a print version?
Simply choose ‘Print’ on your computer and a printer-friendly document will be generated.
Also by Letters to the Editor:
- SSFC stipend appropriate (December 11, 2007)
- Poor plowing cuts off handicapped access (December 10, 2007)
- Cars that actually help the environment (December 10, 2007)
- Organic food: Deliciously safe (December 10, 2007)
- Diversity deserves attention at UW (December 7, 2007)
Related Stories:
- Ugandan suffering goes unnoticed (February 8, 2006)
- All African human rights violations deserve media attention (November 16, 2005)
- Democracy in substance (April 29, 2005)
- Anti-war campaign yearning for action (October 25, 2006)
by Letters to the Editor
Friday, April 28, 2006
On April 29, thousands of people across the country will take a new approach to ending a devastating war abroad — they'll take it lying down. Invisible Children Inc., an organization committed to ending the war in northern Uganda where more than 50,000 children have been brainwashed to fight as soldiers, has organized a "Global Night Commute" in 136 cities across the globe. Americans (38,000 and counting) are closing their eyes to open the world's to an unseen war.
At 8:30 p.m. April 29, more than 350 high school students, university students and community members from Madison and surrounding areas will commute from the state Capitol steps and peacefully demonstrate down Langdon Street, ending at the pedestrian mall (the area between Lake Street and Park Street) to sleep outside on behalf of the invisible children of northern Uganda. This event is a plea to the U.S. government to help put an end to this horrific 20-year-long war. This op-ed is a plea to you to make our voice stronger.
The start of Invisible Children came in 2003, when three naíve filmmakers from southern California flew to Africa in search of a story that would change the world. They found a situation in northern Uganda that disgusted and inspired them. They documented their findings of a 20-year-long war where children are the weapons and the victims. After seeing the impact of their film worldwide, they formed the nonprofit Invisible Children Inc.
The organization is dedicated to ending the war in northern Uganda, where children are abducted and forced to fight with the rebel army as child soldiers. The Global Night Commute is dedicated to increasing awareness of this war as a means to start putting an end to these specific atrocities and offers an opportunity to view a free screening of the film, writing letters to politicians, brainstorming future fundraising events and contributing to increasing educational opportunities for these invisible children.
The Global Night Commute — for Madisonians in particular — is a special occasion for a community to rally around and return to its history, reframing the Mifflin Street Block Party as a peaceful war protest while imposing a new-age twist. Invisible Children is "asking people to lie down and close their eyes with us for one night so that we can open the world's eyes to this unseen war." Will you put down your beer and come sleep with me? Register at Invisiblechildren.com.
Whitney Sogol UW senior
Anonymous (April 28, 2006 @ 11:27am):
I thought the UN was going to solve this problem? Oh wait, the UN is useless.
Anonymous (April 28, 2006 @ 1:52pm):
Condoleeza Rice was supposed to report back to the U.S. Government on the state of the war. SHE has failed to do so. This war, like the situation in Darfur, is not the responsibility of a single institution or State. It is a human responsibility. If you want to persuade the UN- join in, make the war visible, force the US and the UN to follow through and really START taking action.
Anonymous (April 29, 2006 @ 12:24am):
"force the US and the UN to follow through and really START taking action."
Yeah, like the UN is going to actually DO anything? It's only been 20 years - the committees have barely begun to write resolutions - and we all know how effective UN resolutions are at solving problems.
NOBODY wants the USA to be the hegemon - until there's a job of work to be done.
Charles MacWange (May 1, 2006 @ 12:50am):
You are doing a grate work.
How do I go about establishing such activity in Norway.
I do come from Northern Uganda
Whitney Sogol (May 7, 2006 @ 7:48pm):
Hi Charles,
Why don't you email me, wmsogol@wisc.edu. otherwise, you can nab a dvd from the website www.invisiblechildren.com, it comes with information on how to do house parties, organize events, etc. I am more than glad to help talk you through how to raise awareness no matter where you are!
