Kony 2012 - A Digital Media Revolution

During our exploration of Human Rights as a problem solving topic, we focused on creation of child soldiers as a crime against humanity. That journey brought us to Invisible Children (which you can watch in its entirety on YouTube). The young men responsible for creating Invisible Children represent the potential within all of us. They originally went to Africa with a couple thousand dollars and a nice camera. Their mission was to capture some of the injustice experienced on the continent. During their travels they came to the city of Gulu. There they found hundreds of young children sleeping in the streets of the city. Upon investigation they discovered the children were hiding from local rebel groups, so that the soldiers would not kill them, or take them as child soldiers. Moved by the stories they heard, these young men made a promise to do something for the children of Uganda.

My students and I came across Kony 2012 on Tuesday, March 6^th 2012. At that time there were only around 5,000 views of the video. As of this morning (Friday, March 9, 2012) over 52,000,000 people have viewed the call to action. This campaign represents the power of not only social networking, but our young people as well. When faced with injustice they gathered together, used digital media to rally others to the cause, and then proved to the establishment that change is here.

The digital media revolution represents a shift in the fundamental structure of our global society. When people join together by the millions to fight injustice globally, governments are forced to pay attention. When these same people begin to speak out and share with others, those same governments are then obligated to take action. Kony 2012 represents the potential that both technology, and our youth have to truly make the world a better place. Regardless of what one thinks of the endeavor, it is a direct reflection of the exponential changes new technology has introduced to the human experience.

Update on Syria 3/9/12

The prior post was deleted because it linked to some distrubing images of Syrian governmental forces dancing on the body of an opposition soldier. War makes people crazy.  This one will be just as informative, and less graphic.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/story/2012-03-09/syria-opposition-diplomacy-defectors/53430532/1

Some people say the situation in Syria highlights what can happen when a government is willing to go to any extreme to preserve their own power. However, others believe the government is simply taking direct action to restore peace and stability in their country. Do you think the Syrian government has a right to use any means necessary to restore order and stability - even if it means attacking and killing Syrians? If protesters become violent in any nation, is it the responsibility of the government to use force to restore order? Do you feel Syrian protesters basic human rights are being violated, or that they are getting what they deserve for allowing their protest movement to become violent? Is the video intended to bring awareness to the situation, or is it simply propaganda used to turn people against the Syrian government?

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What do YOU think Human Rights are? Are they important? When introducing this topic many of my students asked, "Why should I care about human rights?" How would YOU answer that question?

Human Rights

Since the end of World War II, many people have prioritized the protection of human rights around the world. But what exactly are human rights? Do they vary depending on religion and culture? Many western countries criticize the Islamic world for its treatment of women, while the United States is often condemned for its use of the death penalty. Can one nation fight to protect human rights in another nation, and if so, how? What challenges do globalization and the prevention of terrorism present to the preservation of human rights in the future? Do poverty and the inequities between  countries fall under the umbrella of human rights? After the devastation of two world wars, world leaders came together to advance the cause of human rights. The newly formed United Nations established The Commission on Human Rights. Together, members from around the world drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. However, though many of the democracies of the United Nations readily accepted the declaration, there were other nations who worried that the declaration would upset their way of life. These tensions remain unresolved today and present a huge barrier to agreement over, and enforcement of universal human rights.   Future Problem Solvers, we need you to examine violations, issues, obstacles, and alternatives related to the topic of human rights. This is a subject that is critical to both your personal well-being, and the well-being of future generations. We all have a right to live; now we need to hold governments around the world accountable for ensuring that our basic human dignity is preserved both now, and in the future. Use this post to list Human Rights violations that are important to you. Feel free to add information, comment, and provide resources on each others posts. This is where we begin exploration of the challenges within our topic. Enjoy.

Welcome to the EEExperience

Welcome to what I hope will become an essential component of our problem solving community.

Background: My students and I participate in a program known as Future Problem Solving Program International. We work together with over 250,000 students from around the world to address global challenges from a futuristic perspective. We use a process based approach to problem solving that allows us to take on some of the most pressing issues around the world. The process itself gives students the power to tackle HUGE problems, in a systematic manner, that can truly make a difference and bring about change.

Vision: This is where YOU come in. Whether you are a student, parent, fellow educator, or a person who wants to make a difference - I invite you to participate in our problem solving conversations, and indeed to stimulate your own conversations. Your comments, solution ideas, and insight will help everyone involved become more informed, powerful, global problem solvers.

The future of technology and communication is here. Social networking and weblogs represent an excellent opportunity to share information and ideas. I am always looking for ways to communicate solution ideas and action plans for the problem solving topics we are exploring. The EEExperience represents yet another way that we can work together to address some of the most pressing global issues facing all of humanity. Your participation in this blog provides the opportunity to have your voice heard by some of the most intelligent, compassionate, active problem solvers in our nation.