AWARENESS 2011: INVISIBLE CHILDREN TONY

Tony in Invisible Children: Tony.

Invisible Children of the revolution

By John Esther 

Dedicated to "bringing awareness and opening eyes to some of our world's pressing issues; Ecological, Political, Health/Well Being and Scientific Progress" the Awareness Festival is now in its third year. 

A four day event concluding today, yesterday the Los Angeles festival screened the DVD, Invisible Children: Tony, on the big screen. 

In 2003 Americans Bobby Bailey, Larry Poole and Jason Russell, along with a camera, wound up Uganda in search of something more important in life. These 19-year-old men found it when they befriended young Ugandans like Tony, another boy victimized by Joseph Kony's Lords of Resistance Army (LRA).  

A particularly ungodly organization, the LRA has been accused of mass murder, child abduction and rape in Uganda and beyond. In order not to be forcefully recruited as child soldiers, who must kill fellow Ugandans or be killed, hundreds of children like Tony would leave their village homes and migrate to the city in order to sleep safely.

Responding to their newfound awareness, the three Americans returned to California to form Invisible Children, a group bringing awareness to the plight of Ugandans terrorized by mass murder. With a coalition consisting mostly of Ugandans plus American Invisible Children Roadies, the organization grows to such a degree it influences U.S. legislation. Then cold-blooded murder strikes Ugandans and and an American during the 2010 World Cup. 

(Beyond the horrors of the terrorist attack, politically speaking, it was tremendously stupid on the part of the LRA to make such an attack while the games were held in the country of South Africa. Westerners were actually paying attention to the African continent. An international public affairs fiasco, the attack brought negative-worldwide attention to the LRA -- who are not affiliated with al-Qaeda, despite initial ignorant coverage of the attack.)

Rather than give up, American youth was vitalized by the event. More signed up and more became dedicated to helping Ugandans live safely. There is now a movement to get quick communication devices (radio, cell phones) to remote areas so citizens can warn other citizens when the LRA is near. 

Co-directed by Poole and Russell, Invisible Children is more than just an engaging documentary that inspires action, it provides a wonderful example of what resides in some of America's best youth.