Invisible Children was founded on the belief that there is equal and inherent value of every human life and there is a global responsibility to protect that life regardless of borders. As I listened to President Obama’s speech on Tuesday at the United Nations General Assembly, I could not help but feel that his vision of global human rights was a powerful reiteration of the values Invisible Children holds to its core. Obama’s message aimed to remind Americans that our nation is only exceptional if it stands up “not only for our own narrow self-interest, but for the interests of all” – an international community whose commitment to prevent mass atrocities and protect human rights are active and engaged even when America’s core interests are not directly threatened.
It seemed like President Obama was referring to the LRA conflict when he described the state of rampant injustice in the world – until it became clear that he actually was:
“There will be times when the breakdown of societies is so great, and the violence against civilians so substantial, that the international community will be called upon to act… And these challenges will grow more pronounced as we are confronted with states that are fragile or failing – places where horrendous violence can put innocent men, women and children at risk, with no hope of protection from national institutions… In Africa, we are working with partners to bring the Lord’s Resistance Army to an end.”
U.S. President Barack Obama addresses the 68th United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York.
The atrocities of the LRA conflict are on President Obama’s mind, but so is hope for the future:
“I believe we can embrace a different future… A world where human beings can live with dignity and meet their basic needs, whether they live in New York or Nairobi; in Peshawar or Damascus.”
Obama’s vision of a different future is exactly what we’re working towards in our new #zeroLRA campaign: a future in which people are no longer abducted, displaced, killed, or threatened by LRA violence. It’s a priority to the President, and it’s a priority to us. In a speech that so closely echoes our own ethos, Obama reminds us that regardless of our political views, global justice is something we can all agree on.
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