Finally Friday Post ... What Can I Do?

I Love the USA

 I'm putting this post together Thursday night from the comfort of my old, big, blue couch.  NCIS is playing on the TV, my dogs are lounging, and frankly I'm hammered.  It's been a long week and I am more than ready for Friday and the sun that will be coming with it.  This blogging stuff is a bit time consuming, which is why I'm doing this Thursday night.  I'm gonna need some creative time on Friday.

So by now most everyone who parties online has heard the whole Stop Kony 2012 happenings.  It had me pretty rattled yesterday.  I did some research and have decided to support the campaign.  But it the midst of all that it got me thinking....

We have so many issues not only in this world, but in our own country.  I tend to get really really annoyed watching propaganda to feed other countries when we still have homeless starving people in our own country.  Shouldn't we kinda be taking care of our own?  I mean really?  Not that helping others is a bad thing, I just feel that there are times when some of our own issues get swept under the carpet to run off and save someone else.  Are we at the mercy of the media and the choices our politicians make?  I think not entirely. I think we can help ourselves and help others as well.

I also noticed a lot of controversy yesterday.  Many people saying the tactics of Kony 2012 are wrong and will never work.  That may be true, however what exactly are the naysayers doing?  Anything?  Any better ideas out there?  I feel like if you're going to take the time to criticize, at least try to come up with an alternate plan of action to go along with your criticism. The best one I heard yesterday was an African reporter who said she believed the African people had the heart to take care of Kony on their own.  Wouldn't that be so empowering for the people of that country?  To find the heart and courage to rise up to their own goodness?  And for us to support that?  Individuals are at their best at taking care of others when they are taking care of themselves as well.  As a country can we get to that place?  Can Africa get to that place?

I simply cannot support Stop Kony 2012 without doing something here at home too.  I can't feel good about that at all.  I'm not the type of person who will ever throw my kids under the bus to save someone else's, nor will I throw my community or country under the bus to Stop Kony.  I know how harsh that sounds.  The other side of that coin is I can participate in both.  I can step up and start participating in some things locally to help my own and still wear the Stop Kony bracelet and post flyers.  I would encourage all of you to take some time to really think about all this.  What can you do locally to make the world a better place?  I for one am going to start donating a portion of the earnings from my art sales to our local food bank, the Sub for Santa program, or our local community center.  I'm going to take the time to find out where the need is and put more of  my time and resources there.  I've tried very hard over the last six months to bring more art to the youth in our area as every year they budget cut the art programs even more.  I don't have much in the way of financial resources, but I can make some time and share my talents.  And I do believe in a small way I have made a difference.  Everyone can make a difference, and it doesn't take money to do it.

I hope all of this makes sense.  I want to Stop Kony, but I want to fix our problems here too.  I believe we can do that.

With all that being said I'm going to take the weekend to enjoy the fact that I live in such an awesome country I don't have to worry about my kids being kidnapped in their sleep only to be made into child soldiers or worse.  I hope all of you will too. 

Have an amazing weekend everyone!