Current Release: April 28th, 2009 | Vol. XXX Iss. 10

Photo By Katie Morris

Film sparks action

By Rachel Alexander

rjalexander@vwc.edu

Sitting down for a movie seems to be a pretty comfortable thing, right? Or so you would think. But the  Invisible Children movie screening that took place to inform the Virginia Wesleyan community about people in Uganda being affected by inhuman ruthlessness was anything but comfortable.

Here children are often taken to become children soldiers. Not only that, illnesses such as AIDS run rampant through overcrowded refugee camps, extreme poverty is common, and many suffer from the affects of starvation. The Lord s Resistance Army, commonly referred to as the LRA, and the government of Uganda have been waging a war for many years.

It is not uncommon to see this brutality, and the violence has been noted as a normality by many and peace as a venture that is becoming farther and farther away.

What is happening in Uganda is disgusting, and many of the students were shocked by what they saw.

However, this shock brought strong emotions forward and willingness from the school to make a difference by speaking out and bringing new ideas to the table. The documentary is a prime example of the impact that art can have on life, and how a powerful piece of cinema can raise awareness and help pull people together to try to change the situation.

 I want to see if we can get someone to support a day of silence for the Invisible Children, said Anna Cogliandro, junior.  I think that it would be a great way to give a voice to those people who cannot speak out and are invisible to us. These people aren t invisible. They are important human beings, and the world needs to see how sad it is not to be able to hear their voices.

What was shown to the community of students was not a story with a happy ending attached to it but a call to attention to speak out against the violence that is taking place. A club is now being organized by president and founder Angel Irr.

As of right now, the club is operating under the title,  The Invisible Children Club but will be choosing an official name soon. Their ideas to raise support the cause include book drives, change drives which sport the slogan  change for change, and a dance-off later in the semester. For the book drive, the club is collecting books between now and Jan. The books will be sent over to Uganda to help build up schools to better the education in Uganda.

Primary goals being fundraising for Invisible Children and NGO s (Non-Government organizations) and promoting awareness on campus and in the community.

 The Invisible Children representatives were amazed at the amount of people. They said it was one of their best stops, said vice president Elisa Mangubat.

By many members of the student community being present for the documentary presentation of  GO, a movie that told the story of students raising money for this cause, their trip to Uganda, and what they saw on their incredible journey, word has gotten out and many people are enthusiastic. It was said in the club notes that members were excited about  people being there on their own, without people making them.

It really shouldn t be surprising. As Margaret Meade once said,  Never doubt that a small number of commited people can change the world.