UNOFFICIAL COPY AS OF 03/14/12 12 REG. SESS. 12 RS BR 2099
A RESOLUTION honoring the KONY 2012 video and the Invisible Children organization for engaging young people in dialogue and action with the goal of stopping atrocities occurring in Uganda and surrounding African countries.
WHEREAS, the charitable organization Invisible Children released a video entitled "KONY 2012" via social media in early March 2012, which highlighted the heinous actions of Joseph Kony against his fellow Ugandans; and
WHEREAS, the KONY 2012 video describes the killing and maiming of thousands of Ugandans, much of which is done by Ugandan boys who are kidnapped, forced to kill their own parents, and take up arms in a fight in which they do not want to participate, while the girls who are kidnapped become sex slaves; and
WHEREAS, Joseph Kony, who has led the Lord's Resistance Army, or LRA, for 26 years, is considered the number one war criminal by the International Criminal Court, who wants to arrest and prosecute him; and
WHEREAS, the Ugandan and neighboring governments, along with international forces, have been unsuccessful so far in capturing Joseph Kony but continue to search for him; and
WHEREAS, Invisible Children created the KONY 2012 campaign with the purpose of making the plight of the Ugandan children under Joseph Kony's reign of terror known to the world and keeping political pressure on policy makers so that they continue to support the hunt for Joseph Kony; and
WHEREAS, Invisible Children has successfully garnered the attention of the world through the effective use of social media, including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit, leading to a greater awareness among the general public about Joseph Kony, the children of Uganda, and the work of Invisible Children; and
WHEREAS, Invisible Children has for years had teenagers as their primary audience, screening previous videos in schools throughout the country and educating young people on the desperate circumstances of children their own age in a world they previously did not even know existed; and
WHEREAS, Invisible Children seeks to encourage teenagers to engage and educate others about Joseph Kony and the Ugandan children, by encouraging discussions with others, furthering social media interactions, and lobbying of policy makers; and
WHEREAS, the KONY 2012 campaign may be the first to truly harness the power of engaged youth throughout the United States and world, teaching them the power that they have through their individual and combined voices, to effect change and political will; and
WHEREAS, regardless of whether or not Joseph Kony is caught, tried, and convicted of his crimes before the year is out, KONY 2012 and the Invisible Children organization will have succeeded simply by bringing awareness to millions of people, including finding a way mobilize and engage teenagers and others in America and around the world to act for the social good;
NOW, THEREFORE,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky:
âSection 1. The House of Representatives does hereby honor the KONY 2012 video and the Invisible Children organization for engaging young people in dialogue and action with the goal of stopping the atrocities committed by Joseph Kony and his followers in Uganda and surrounding African countries.
âSection 2. When the House of Representatives adjourns this day, it does so in honor and memory of those who have suffered at the hands of Joseph Kony and his followers, and in appreciation for the awareness provided by Invisible Children's KONY 2012 campaign.
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BR209900.100 - 2099 - 6565 Jacketed