We believe in the equal and inherent value of all human life. We believe that a worldview bound by borders is outdated and that stopping injustice anywhere is the responsibility of humanity everywhere. We call this ethos the Fourth Estate.
AND IT BEGINS NOW.
Over the next two weeks, we need you more than ever before. Because we’ve seen so much progress in the decrease of LRA violence in the past year, some leaders in Washington think we’ve now done enough. But enough doesn’t cut it. The mission is #zeroLRA. As we speak, these leaders are meeting to reevaluate counter-LRA operations and if those operations don’t get reinstated, we are blatantly abandoning communities in central Africa still targeted by LRA violence and giving Joseph Kony the opportunity to rebuild his army. Prematurely pulling U.S. advisors out of the region would be extremely detrimental to the goal of #zeroLRA, and would essentially put us back at square one.
But there is good news. We have champions in the House of Representatives who believe in the importance of the mission, and we need to get behind them. They’ve drafted a letter to President Obama urging him and his administration to remain committed until the battlefield is bare, Kony and his top commanders are arrested, and all of the men, women, and children affected have returned home. The letter is open for two weeks. We’ve targeted Representatives who need to sign on before it’s sent to the President’s desk. It’s our job to get them to sign it, and this is how we’re going to do it:
1. Find your Representative
Go to our website, enter your zip code, and a list of your Representative(s) will appear. You’ll have access to their Twitter handle, phone number, and office address. Bookmark that page, you’ll be using it a lot over the next 14 days.
2. Tweet your Representative
Most Congressional leaders have a Twitter account. Refer back to step one to tweet your Representative(s). Simply click on their handle and a pre-written tweet will appear. For the next two weeks, tweet them as often as you can. Do it until your thumbs are exhausted, and get everyone you know to do the same thing. In case you forget, here’s what you should say:
3. Call your Representative
Hopefully you’re starting to see a trend here. We’re contacting our leaders in every way possible (and not in a creepy ex-boyfriend/girlfriend way) Remember that page you were supposed to bookmark? Yep, that one. Refer back to it for your Rep’s phone numbers. Call them every day, then call your friends and family and ask them to call them everyday. Here’s what you should say
I’m calling to ask [REPRESENTATIVE’S NAME] to sign a letter to President Obama, urging him to stay committed to ending the violence being committed by the Lord’s Resistance Army, or LRA, in central Africa. The members of the House sponsoring this letter are Representative Royce, and Representative McGovern. Since 2010, U.S. efforts in central Africa have helped reduce killings by the LRA by 93%. But giving up before the job is done gives the LRA a chance to regain strength by abducting more children. That’s why I urge [REPRESENTATIVE’S NAME] to sign this letter to President Obama and help keep our government committed to ending LRA violence. Thank you so much for your time
Easy, breezy, Ben Keesey.
4. Deliver an invitation to your Representative
Print out this invitation, fill it out with your info, stick it in an envelope, and address them to your corresponding Representative. Drop it by their office, or place it in the mail. It’s as simple as that.
5. Steal our stuff
No but really, steal our stuff. Swap out your cover photo. Retweet us. Grab our Instagrams and use them as your own, Print this poster, take a picture with it, Snapchat it to a friend, change your profile pic, update your Tumblr, whatever you want as long you get the word out.
Think people should hear about this?