Invisible Children

In the spring of 2003, three young filmmakers, Laren Poole, Jason Russell, and Ben Keesey traveled to Africa in search of a story. What started out as a film making adventure transformed into much more when these three boys from California discovered a tragedy that both disgusted and inspired them, a tragedy where children are both the weapons and the victims of a violent war.  They spent some time in Uganda and when they returned to the States, they created a documentary "Invisible Children: Rough Cut," a film that exposes the tragic realities of northern Uganda's night commuters and child soldiers.  This film was originally just for friends and family but soon it became a huge success and now has been seen by millions of people, effecting every person who lays eyes on this documentary.



The war in northern Uganda started by Joseph Kony, the leader of the LRA, has been called the most neglected humanitarian emergency in the world today. For the past 23 years, the Lord’s Resistance Army and the Government of Uganda have been waging a war that has left almost two million innocent civilians caught in the middle. The Government of Uganda's attempt to protect its citizens from this rebel militia has largely failed, resulting in an entire generation of youth that has never known or seen peace. 

Since Invisible Children: Rough Cut was filmed in 2003, night commuting has ended for the children of northern Uganda. In recent years peace seemed to be within reach, mostly due to the Juba Peace Talks. From June 2006 to March 2008 in Juba, Sudan, the Lord’s Resistance Army and the Government of Uganda engaged in a series of peace talks in order to end the conflict. These peace talks, supported by special envoys from the United States and other nations, allowed for the longest period of peace in northern Uganda’s 23-year war.  A great accomplishment for all people forced to be involved in this tragic violence.

"We are story tellers. We make documentaries about war-affected children in east Africa and tour them around the world."

Invisible children's staff and founders use the power of media to inspire young people to help end the longest running war in Africa. Their model has effected hundreds of thousands of people and many of those people have been called to action through the films and the volunteers that tour them.  These people do everything they can to help out and believe that the problems of central Africa need to be tackled comprehensively, from peace to education. Solving them will be no easy task, and it will take many people doing all that they can to ensure the best result by the end of this war. 

Wesboro Baptist Church

Westboro Baptist Church, based in Topeka, Kansas, is a small, extremely homophobic, anti-Semitic hate group that regularly stages protests around the country, often several times a week. The group pickets institutions and individuals they think support homosexuality or otherwise disagree in what they believe is God’s law. Established in 1995, as a not-for-profit organization, WBC considers itself an “Old School" Baptist Church. WBC’s leader Fred Phelps and several of his children and dozens of his grandchildren appear to make up the majority of the group’s members.

On the church's website, WBC states "We engage in daily peaceful sidewalk demonstrations opposing the homosexual lifestyle of soul-damning, nation-destroying filth. We display large, colorful signs containing Bible words and sentiments, including: GOD HATES FAGS, FAGS HATE GOD, AIDS CURES FAGS, THANK GOD FOR AIDS, FAGS BURN IN HELL, GOD IS NOT MOCKED, FAGS ARE NATURE FREAKS, GOD GAVE FAGS UP, NO SPECIAL LAWS FOR FAGS, FAGS DOOM NATIONS, THANK GOD FOR DEAD SOLDIERS, FAG TROOPS, GOD BLEW UP THE TROOPS, GOD HATES AMERICA, AMERICA IS DOOMED, THE WORLD IS DOOMED." 

WBC members say that “God’s hatred is one of His holy attributes” and that their picketing is a form of preaching to a “doomed” country unable to hear their message in any other way.  WBC says they do what they do because if they did not act in the way that they do, no one would listen. They think that their actions are moral and correct in God's eyes. WBC says that this is how God wants everyone to act.

Some people agree with what Westboro is doing. No matter how "loathsome" the Westboro Baptist Church may be, says Alana Goodman at Commentary, "the court's decision is correct." The "universally despised" group is better opposed by counter-protests or picketing laws, not by ignoring the constitution. "The price of free speech is that we have to put up with the worst of it."

However most people disagree with Westboro Baptist Church. The First Amendment should not be used to justify the "vicious verbal assault that occurred in this case," says Justice Samuel Alito in his citation of dissent. In fact, the Supreme Court has ruled before that words can, "by their very utterance, inflict injury." The First Amendment was not designed to uphold this type of "malevolent verbal attack."

When I googled Westboro Baptist Church I notice right off the bat that something was wrong.  Instead of having a normal website name such as "www.wesborobaptistchurch.com" the website is called www.godhatesfags.com. What Wesboro Baptist Church is doing is both immoral and disgusting.  They put words in other peoples mouths claiming that they are Christians and following what God wants, by believing in Christianity.  These people are no where near Christian.  By traveling around the world spreading their hate towards soldiers, homosexuals, and Jews does nothing but promote hate.  Human dignity is a type of worth that every human being has. It is used as a right of respect during political, moral, or ethical conversations. The people at Westboro use their human dignity in the wrong way by not respecting peoples opinions and ways of life. These people think that what they are doing is a charity for the world but it is just sick and wrong.  Everyone is entitled to their own way of life and these people should not try to stop it.  Especially the way they are doing it.

Cyber-Bullying

Cyber-bullying is the use of the Internet and related technologies to harm other people, in a deliberate, repeated, and hostile manner.  As cyber-bullying is becoming more common in society, many groups are trying there best to stop it.  The term cyber-bullying was first coined and defined by Bill Belsey, as "the use of information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an individual or group, that is intended to harm others."  Cyber-bullying can be as simple as continuing to send e-mail to someone who has said they want no further contact with the sender, but it may also include threats, sexual remarks, "hate speech", ganging up on victims, and posting false statements about someone to humiliate them. 

Cyber-bullying statistics: http://drclaudiocerullo.com/2011/01/05/cyber-bullying-statistics/

The Harford County Examiner reported concerning statistics on cyber bullying:

• Around half of teens have been the victims of cyber bullying
• Only 1 in 10 teens tells a parent if they have been a cyber bully victim
• Fewer than 1 in 5 cyber bullying incidents are reported to law enforcement
• 1 in 10 adolescents or teens have had embarrassing or damaging pictures taken of themselves without their permission, often using cell phone cameras
• About 1 in 5 teens have posted or sent sexually suggestive or nude pictures of themselves to others
• Girls are somewhat more likely than boys to be involved in cyber bullying

These statistics alot with many others are very alarming and scary to see.  Statistics show that cyber bullying is a serious problem among adolescents and teens. By being more aware of cyber bullying, teens and adults can help to fight it.  Many cyber bullies think that bullying others online is funny and harmless. Cyber bullies may not realize the consequences for themselves of cyber-bullying. The things teens post online now may reflect badly on them later when they apply for college or a job.  It is always important to be extremely careful of what you put online.  Once you hit the send button whatever you type or post is on the internet, FOREVER.



There are many ways to help stop cyber-bullying. http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/take_action/take_a_stand_against_cyberbullying.html is a great website that gives individuals information on how to prevent and take a stand against cyber-bullying. We need to teach children that silence, when others are being hurt, is not acceptable. If they don’t allow the cyberbullies to use them to embarrass or torment others, cyber-bullying will quickly stop. It’s a large task, but in the end, our children will be safer online and offline. We will have helped create a generation of good cybercitizens, controlling the technology instead of being controlled by it.



Bullying- Jamey Rodemeyer

Bullying is becoming a huge problem around the world.  Many people think that bullying is just like in the movies.  When a big kid takes money from a little kid. But bullying can also be emotional.  And sometimes emotional bullying can be even more difficult then physical bullying.

Jamey Rodemeyer, a 14 year old boy from Buffalo, New York took his life Sunday after what his parents claim was years of bullying because of struggles with his sexuality.  His parents said he seemed normal and happy during his first few week of high school, but they now know he put on a brave face for everyone and pretended he was OK.  They wish he didn't.  Jamey was bisexual and struggled with his sexuality and fitting in with peers at school.  He was bullied and teased for his sexuality.  In one of his last posts on his blog he said "I always say how bullied I am, but no one listens...What do I have to do so people will listen to me?"  No one listened. So he took his life.

Lady Gaga dedicated her performance of "Hair" at the 2011 iTunes festival saying "We lost a little monster this week. And I wanted to dedicate this song to him tonight because he was really young. I wrote this record about how you're identity is really all you got when your in school.  It's called "Hair". So tonight Jamey, I know you're up their looking at us. You are not victim, you're a lesson to all of us."  Jamey's last tweet was to Lady Gaga and it said "bye mother monster, thank you for all you have done, paws up forever"a few hours later he took his life.

"Bullying is an epidemic across America, it must be stopped." Emma S.

"Bullying has morphed into something that is uncontrollable now.  With the use of social medias bullying has increased to a level that in unimaginable." Samuel H.

"Bullying has been a major issue across America for a long time and has caused kids to an early grave and should be prevented." Chris G.

At our high school the anti-bullying and cyber-bullying code of contact is strictly enforced.  The code of conduct states "This school expects students to conduct themselves in a manner in keeping with their levels of development, maturity, and demonstrated capabilities with a proper regard for the rights and welfare of other students, school staff, volunteers.  Consequences and appropriate remedial actions for a student who commits one or more acts of harassment or bullying may range from positive behavioral interventions up to and including suspension or expulsion. Consequences for a student who commits an act of harassment or bullying shall be unique to the individual incident and will vary in method and severity according to the nature of the behavior."  These consequences are enforced for any type of bullying. Emotional, physical or cyber bullying. Our dean of students at the school states “You may not think that what someone says is bullying, but it could be to someone else.”  He also told us how to deal with cyber-bullying. “We seem to thrive on negativity, so if you are trying to get rid of it and stop cyber-bulling confront the problem by blocking them on facebook, talking to an adult, and telling authorities”

Bullying is a huge problem across America and all it takes is one statement by one person to take someones life.  It is always important to what what you say and if you are being you are being bullied or know someone being bullied to tell a trusted adult and try to deal with the problem instead of putting on a brave face for people.  It may just save a life.

moral thoughts

lying to your parents is worse than lying to a stranger

When you lie to your parents it may seem worse then when you lie to a stranger. However, lying is lying. No matter who you are lying to it is still morally wrong.  Whether you lie about something little or something big you are still doing something that is not right.  You may feel that if you lie to a stranger no one will ever find out but the truth does eventually come out one way or another.  It is always the best thing to tell the truth.  When you tell the truth you do not have to keep track of everything you say. 


when baby-sitting, I wouldn't hesitate to have friends over for a party

When you are baby-sitting it is your job to care for the child or children you are watching.  You are being paid to protect and watch a child and make sure they are safe while the parents are gone.  If you invite friends over for a party you are putting the child in harm by not being able to watch it at all times.  Plus, you usually are not even in your own household so it is also wrong to throw a party in someone else's home.  Babysitting sometimes can get boring but it is always important to put the child first and not think of yourself over the job you have.