Tick tock

New poem, fresh off the presses

Tick tock

Tick tock tick tock
Gently wraps the clock
As I lay still
Napping on the couch

Time washes over
Passes by
Motionless I stay
As it goes its way

Tick tock tick tock
Unwinds the clock
Its hand slowly moving
The rhythm gently grooving

It fills a bucket
As the next is filled
Turning now
Against its will

Tick tock tick tock
Signals the clock
Puts into motion
Stirs up commotion

Spinning now like a top
Top to bottom cannot stop
To and fro now a prop
Fizzy fizzy soda pop

Flip flop flip flop
Walking down the block
No turning now slowing
No time to stop

One foot two foot
Left foot right foot
Good foot bad foot
Bare foot shoe foot

Flip flop flip flop
Now begin to rock
Take time take stock
Give thanks give props

Comfy cozy rosy red
Lying silent in a bed
No thoughts no worries
Peace instead

Tick tock tick tock
Declares the clock
The time for moving
Has come to stop

What I told my Congressmen

Yesterday I spent all day walking around Capitol Hill, moving between Senators and Representatives offices. Adrian (my fellow Utahan lobbyist) and I circled the Capitol building at least 3 times (if you’ve ever been to DC, you know just how ridiculous that is). I did all this in a full suit (the blazer was corduroy, which does not go well with hot muggy weather), and Adrian in heels (sometimes she switched to flip-flops, but only when we had time to stop, which wasn’t often). We met with Senator Bennett, and with the staff of Senator Hatch, and Representative Bishop. We also hand delivered information packets and hand written letters to Representatives Matheson and Chaffetz. I cannot believe how easy it was to walk into their offices and tell them what we wanted from them. In some countries, for a common citizen to be able to address their government in a one on one stetting is unheard of. But, here in America, Congressmen are more than happy to sit and listen to their constituents. Another item of note is their staff. The receptionists are all college interns, from your state. For us in Utah, this means you’ll likely run into someone you grew up with working for a Congressman (as was the case with Adrian). They are friendly, and always glad to talk about your home state. I cannot overstate how easy it is to talk to your Congressmen, and how much they appreciate someone flying out from Utah to DC to voice their issues.
That being said, what was it I was asking for yesterday? Here’s the spiel:
Joseph Kony is the leader of the Lords Resistance Army (LRA), and must be arrested, and it must be done by military force. 7 times now he has used peace talks to regain forces and murder or abduct more people. We have tried making peace, and it didn’t work. He must be stopped, and the only way to do this is with military force.
France, the EU, and the UN have all passed resolutions declaring that something must be done. The international community has condemned Kony and is asking for help in bringing him to justice. Removing Kony will not create a power vacuum as in Iraq, because Kony is only king of his own child soldiers and sex slaves. This is a move that will show the world that the U.S. is in fact interested in upholding human rights, despite the fact that we do not support the ICC, and UDHR. Uganda is begging for help, so what we do will not be an infringement on their internal sovereignty.
We asked our Congressmen to sign onto the Lord’s Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act of 2009 (HR 2478 and S1067). The bill requires President Obama to come up with a strategy to stop Joseph Kony within 180 days of the Bill passing, and also commits the U.S. to support rebuilding efforts financially. This Bill has bipartisan support, and has been endorsed by 22 humanitarian, human rights, and faith-based groups.
Yesterday, over 1700 activists and lobbyists met with Congress to say the same thing. Our efforts were spifically targeted at raising cosponsors for the Bills (HR2478 in the House, and S1067 in the Senate).  Today, the Bill has 53 cosponsors. Progress is being made to end the longest running conflict in Africa. We must keep momentum going. Coming to DC and lobbying is one step. The other is town hall meetings with Congressmen when they visit Utah. Your support is greatly needed, not to just write a letter, make a phone call, or send n email. Voicing your demands directly to Congressmen in person is the most effective method. It tells them you are serious, and wiling to take your time for what you think is important. One of the messages we got from many Congressmen yesterday that out of all the causes, protests, and rallies on the Hill, we are the only group willing to organize, get informed, and actually talk to them. They can do so much more for us when we as their constituents are willing to talk face to face. I’ll be sending word soon about when we will be meeting with Congressmen in town hall meetings.

Louis Moreno Ocampo addresses group of Activists

During the event How It Ends, I got the chance to hear Louis Moreno Ocampo; head prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC) speak. He started out by stating that right now one of the functions of the ICC is to simply vocalize wrong-doings. If the ICC never becomes more than an IGO that documents violations of international law, it will have served some good. Ocampo believes in the international community, and that international institutions are going to be the most effective at handling international problems. The ICC is a global institution that was formed in 1998 to collect evidence against the worst human rights violators in the world. The ICC is not a government, in that it has no land and no king. To emphasize the feeling of global connectedness, he pulled a 19 year old from the audience and had him explain why he cared about Uganda. The young man explained that peace and freedom is a right for all, and that if one person can have it, everyone can have it. Ocampo went on to say “Those who are not from Uganda care about Uganda, and that is what makes a difference”. One of the benefits to a global community is the increased attention that is given to the marginalized peoples.

Ocampo said that the reason it is so important it is to arrest Joseph Kony is because he is abducting children 8 to 10 years old in the Sudan and Northern Uganda, and that all he wants from them is two things: 1) to have his own kingdom in the bush, and 2) to have a population of sex slaves and soldiers that will cater to him. From December 4^th to January 9^th, it is estimated that Kony killed 1000 people and abducted 500 children.
He went on to talk about the fact that Joseph Kony was the first person the ICC indicted. Without a doubt, Kony is the single worst perpetrator of human rights violations, and he must be arrested. 7 times, Kony has agreed to peace talks, but has instead used the peace talks as an opportunity to regain strength, and launch more killing sprees. He has proved that he is not willing to negotiate, and that the peace talks are a joke to him. This leaves the international community with no other option than to apprehend him and hold him accountable for what he has done. At this point, Kony’s entire ‘army’ is made up of child sliders. He murdered his top ‘generals’ and replaced them with teenagers he abducted years ago. There is no one to take his place if he is gone. This means that if Kony is taken out, the LRA will likely disband, having no one to fear any longer.
Ocampo said it is not feasible to engage the LRA as an Army because it is made up entirely of hostage child soldiers. Once rescued, they can be re-integrated into communities, and the proof that this is possibleis in the child soldiers who have already been successfully reintegrated. Ocampo called specifically for arrest, not war.
There are no legal barriers to apprehending Kony. The UN has recognized the need to disarm the LRA. The PRC (People’s Republic of China) has committed to support arrest efforts. The UN has passed resolutions condemning the atrocities committed by the LRA. France has committed to support an arrest operation. The EU (European Union) has passed a resolution condemning the atrocities of the LRA. Uganda has asked for help militarily in apprehending Joseph Kony. The international community has spoken, and we all agree that Kony must be arrested, and the LRA must be disarmed.
Ocampo closed by outlining what Uganda needs from us. They need help with planning, resources, and special forces. We must assist in planning and coordinating an operation that will be successful in plucking Kony from the bush with no casualties. Our superior technology to track, and capability to suppress without killing are sorely needed. The resources we can commit are beyond what Uganda is capable of on its own. The critical need is reintegrating of child soldiers into communities. Without this, there is a chance they will go back to the only life they have known for 23 years.
Ocampo has a clear passion for human rights, and believes in the young generation to carry the torch. Let’s not let him down! Visit www.invisiblechildren.com and see how you can join us as part of the solution.

I’m back! Online, that is. I’m at a coffee house called Tryst. It’s rad. Check out these pics, this is what a coffee house should look like:

I have allot of blogging to catch up on, so they’re gonna come quick and plentiful today. Stay tuned!

Quick update

Writing this quickly before Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library here in DC closes. My internet access is restricted right now, as the friends I’m staying with do not have access. Quick rundown for now, more to come soon.

Some great info about non-profit organizations: Uncharitable.org Asks important questions like why are non-profit companies held to stricter standards when it comes to employee standards and advertisement. How much should a non-profit worker be paid? How about how much they are worth, or now much they can produce? If someone can provide the solution to world hunger, why should we limit their salary so we feel they are making some arbitrary sacrifice? Makes sense to me!
I’ve noticed there are ALLOT more women than men here. Just thinking about what that means for this movement, what does that say about men, women’s role in society, etc? Are women more willing to be vocal about humanitarian issues? This morning, Ocampos talked about modern atrocities and how the perpetrators focus on raping women, in other words, women are being targeted specifically as a ‘war’ tactic. Are women being more active in response to this?

Tomorrow I’m meeting with Senator Bennet at 245, Reed Ryan from Senator Hatch’s office at 10AM, and Steven Peterson from Rep Rob Bishop’s office with fellow Utahns Emily and Adrian. Some of the states represented here have a few hundred people meeting in large groups with their reps. Only two other Utahns made it out, so I’ll get some good face time with our representatives. If you would like to join us, you can do so by sending an email or calling their office! For info on how to contact the Representatives I’m lobbying tomorrow, go here.

Lobbying in DC

I’m in DC for a week with an organization called Invisible Children. We’re here for an event called lobby days, which consists of a day of speeches and rallies (today), then tomorrow the more than 1500 of us will be meeting with our Senators and/or Representatives in small groups to try to raise support for this bill. Basically, the Bill says that the U.S. will head a multilateral initiative to disarm the LRA and rebuild Northern Uganda. A few people have asked me if this is a good move for the U.S., and I think it is.

Right now, our international reputation is not so good. Many countries view us as an Imperialistic Nation, hungry for money and a militaristic foothold in every corner of the world. Our motives for going into Iraq are still murky, and our presence in Pakistan and Afghanistan are constantly under criticism. The situation with the LRA in Northern Uganda is a pure human rights violation. The LRA is a boil on the Nations of Uganda and the DRC that must be removed. If they are allowed to continue abducting children, an entire generation of Ugandans will be gone, leaving the Nation vulnerable to becoming a failed State. There is nothing for anyone to gain except the preservation of peace, the restoring of child soldiers to a childhood they have been robbed of, and justice. France and the European Union have passed resolutions saying that they are willing to be a part of apprehending Joseph Kony and disarming the LRA. The ICC has indicted Joseph Kony (in fact, he is number one on their list), and the U.N. has tried peace talks on multiple occasions, to no avail. The time is right, and the time is now. There are about 1500 activists on Capitol Hill this week lobbying for this cause. Join us by writing a letter, sending and email, or calling your representative. Let’s stand together and call for an end to the atrocities in Northern Uganda. We’ve raised awareness and now we are calling on our government to step in as an actor and do something about it.

Here is a website detailing how to wrote your representative, and here is a link about how to call them. Don’t waste the opportunity we all have been given by those who have fought for our freedom so that we may live in a free democracy where the government has to listen to the people. I personally served 12 years in the military for this ideal. Stand with us, and help put an end to the longest running war in Africa!

SLC Demonstration for Iran

Plenty of citizens turned out today to show support for demonstrators in Iran. About 150 people turned out, mostly Persian. Pics here. More to come soon.

Preview for Tomorrow

Today finds me bogged down with homework. I just wanted to direct your attention to Invisible Children, a cause I fully support and advocate for. Check them out, order some merch, and sign up for the Tri campaign. See you tomorrow.

Makings of a Revolution?

Many people have been questioning whether the demonstrations in Tehran will be another Tiananmen Square, or if it looks more like the weeks before the Berlin Wall came down. Is this a revolution? I’m more inclined to think that the people of Iran just feel cheated, and are not willing to stand for it. The biggest question we are hearing is “Where is my vote?”. To me, that sounds like a far cry from ‘Overthrow this regime’. I think Westerners can easily look at this situation, and hope for an overthrow because ‘we’ (I mean the collective we) see it as a solution to what Ahmadinejad has turned Iran into (a provocative Nation probably pursuing nuclear weapons). But the truth is, all the people are asking for is to be heard. While they are mostly Mousavi supporters, I would be willing to bet that the desire for a fair election overshadows their desire for Mousavi in office. Of course, there is potential for them to change their demands if security forces and riot police keep responding with violence, but over the past couple days the people have shown a willingness to demonstrate peacefully, leaving the ball in the court of the government.

What is undeniable is that over the last few days, a cultural shift has happened in Iran. The mood of the Nation has gone from fear of repercussions against speaking out against the government in any way to the National soccer team showing their support, and a 4 day protest. People are now shouting in the streets what they once feared to whisper in their own homes. This is not to say they are not paying a price. There are rumors of kidnappings in the night, and chain murders. People on the ground are claiming anyone carrying a cell phone or laptop are being beaten. There are rumors that the government is trying to cut off electricity in Tehran to stop Twitter updates. The Iranians are not getting off easy, but they are showing that they are willing to pay the price to be heard.

For myself, I am glad to see our Nation’s (the U.S.) reaction. Bloggers have stepped up to fill in the gaps news print and TV have left gaping wide. President Obama has wisely kept the American agenda out of the way, while at the same time commending supporters of the demonstrators. This is a smart move, because it takes away from the Iranian government the ability to say ‘Look, the Americans support you, so you must be on their side’. By keeping out of the situation, we are insuring that the Iranian people are being heard.

An Open Letter From Iranians to the People of the World

I came across this video, and thought it prudent to document what it is saying not only in a video on Youtube which someday may be taken down, but to inscribe it in words here where my freedom of speech is protected, and where it will remain on this digital Signpost, not to be taken down. It comes from Youtube user account ‘moshen083′, and at the end is signed ‘Iranian Artists In Exile’. It begins with a poem, and goes on into an exhortation for the people of the world to support the opposition in Iran. Here is the transcript, with the video embedded after:

Human beings are members of the whole
a creation of one essence and soul
If one member is afflicted with pain
others members uneasy will remain
If you have no sympathy for human pain
the name of ‘human’ cannot retain.

This week Iranians turned out in record numbers not seen since the beginning of the Iranian revolution to change the current President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Their willingness to exercise their Democratic right was both historic and uncommon in the Middle East. Iranians long for change the same way people in the United States and indeed worldwide longed for change after the Bush years. They were tired of an increasingly delusional President who has thrown their country into economic turmoil and portrayed their country as a conflict seeking entity in the Middle East. But today, the same Iranian regime that has denied a dialog with the world denied human rights, denied Democracy, denied the holocaust, is blatantly denying the will of its people by committing massive election fraud to re-elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and arresting journalists and opposition leaders in broad daylight. Accepting this deception will be costly not only for the people of Iran, but also for the people of the Middle East with far reaching consequences worldwide. As you are listening to these words, the people in Iran have taken to the streets in Nationwide protests. Despite brutal Iranian government suppression tactics, the Iranian people are courageously fighting for their rights. As anti-riot police batons crush the bones of demonstrators whose only protest is election fraud, Iranians are screaming for the world to hear them ‘We denounce Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’.

The people of Iran now ask for your support. We do not expect you to fight our struggle, but to help us fight it. We expect people worldwide to put pressure on their governments and politicians not to accept the legitimacy of Iranian elections and the fraudulent Presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Democratic societies worldwide must not leave the Iranian people alone now that they have risen to the challenge. Instead they need to align their policies with the will of the Iranian people. Friends, we ask you not to let 70 million people in Iran to be taken hostage. Any government that accepts Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as the new President of Iran has betrayed the Iranian people, endangered world peace, and has no sympathy for human pain.

View the video here.