Over the last day, you may have seen me post on my Facebook timeline about my feelings on the whole Joseph Kony/Invisible Children topic. If you HAVEN'T seen how I feel about this issue, well, there isn't much to say. With my day being jam-packed with editing video and audio in conjunction to running a small side business, I hardly have time in the middle of my week to watch a thirty-minute video on some Ugandan guerilla leader utilizing children as pawns for his army. Generally, I am probably more bleeding heart than most realize, but my reasons for not watching this thirty-minute compendium is merely about time--NOT politics and awareness.
Now, there is probably someone out there that is thinking, "You clearly have the time to write a blog post about this topic, so why can't you watch a thirty-minute video?" The answer is simple:
It's my choice not to do so at this time.
Tragedies and horrors happen around the world every second and it's a shame they are happening. I applaud those who made the film and have made it a worldwide trending topic on Twitter, but I am afraid I have to take a "pass" on this particular issue. Does it make me ignorant and apathetic to the cause? Perhaps. The great thing about "free will" is that you have the choice to take action on an issue or sit on your hands and deal with the guilt. Before you start waving your finger at me to tell me that I'm a bad person, let's examine a couple of things:
If you are willing to make others aware this cause, good for you. You win my vote for Humanitarian of the Day. However, people should also be aware of the issues that are close to home whether it be about family or friends. God forbid someone's mother, father, brother or sister were suffering or passed away from a disease like cancer or AIDS. Would you go posting on their timeline about Joseph Kony and tell them, "Hey, you need to watch this! Let's spread the word and make the world aware..."? Maybe that person's husband died yesterday and you posted that video to their timeline with your plead for them to spread the word about the issue. I don't know about you, but I think I would feel like a dick for posting something like that after someone close to them had died.
Look, there are a lot of you out there that are sensitive to the Kony cause, but whose to say that you can't be more sensitive to any cause at any point in time? Where were you four days ago when you probably never heard of Kony? Maybe you did hear about him, but you weren't so sure on what he was doing. The point is that four days ago you and I weren't doing anything to raise awareness to the cause. Instead, you were probably more concerned about your work, which Food Network dish you were going to cook later in the evening, or whether or not you were going to skip town for the weekend just so you and your girlfriend could have sex in a cabin.
Whether it's donating your time in a soup kitchen, making an underprivileged kid's day by playing basketball with him, or sharing your love at an animal shelter, you're contributing to the humanitarian cause. My point is that I'm about the humanity of the world. While others may focus their time on efforts to rid of Joseph Kony, I choose to donate my efforts and time to those who may require hope in a time of need (i.e. individuals who need hair, monetary assistance, physical assistance, volunteering in a classroom, etc). Does that make me a bad person?
Where you choose to place your heart in humanity may reflect on your personal future enlightenment. For now, I choose to watch one-minute video of Kate Upton make a Carl's Jr. burger look sexy and far more delicious than I've ever seen.
Love and Respect to you all.
Shan Man
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