Kony.

I have issues with this whole "Kony" deal. BIG. ISSUES. I completely agree that it is an awful situation. I feel terrible for those kids in Africa, and agree that no one should be treated that way. EVER. But, I have perspective that only those who have traveled to a third world country will get. In a third world country, you see things you should never have to see. Babies with diseases that could be cured by simple medicine we have in America, but are not even heard of there. Mothers that can't feed their children. Young girls begging on the street for money just to return their earnings to their pimp. Children cold, hungry, and orphaned. People dying and no one cares. This is just a small piece of situations I saw in India. And someone tells me that Kony should be my main concern? Let me give you a wakeup call America. The same things are happening in America. We are not immune to corruption. Terror, hatred, poverty, murder, kidnapping, it all happens here. We have children being taken from their homes and put into unimaginable circumstances, and according to this recent Kony campaign, it seems as though Africa is the only one with issues. Do not assume that I am saying we should not support trying to save those children. It is awul. I agree. But I also think we should solve America's problems before we start trying to solve the rest of the World's. It seems hypocritical. When I was in India, one of my adult leaders said something very interesting. I was talking to her one night, and I was expressing how concerned I was about the kids I was helping. I told her how I hated that they have nothing, how I want to do so much more, and they deserve so much more. She said something that will always stay with me. "Katie, they know no different." Of course we want to help them! In America we know the potential those children can have. But in India, and in other third world countries THEY KNOW NO DIFFERENT. She continued to say, "Honestly Katie, those kids would be happy in America for about a month. Then they would want to return to simplicity." I completely agree. We can only do so much for children who are happy already. In my mind, the kids in India lived terrible lives. They had to eat the same thing every day, their shoes had big holes in them, it was cold, they had little education, some were orphans, and they had no necessary hygiene. But guess what, they were the HAPPIEST CHILDREN I HAVE EVER SEEN. I learned that I did the most I could for them, but my next task was to help people that I can do so much more for. My fellow Americans. Because they know different. They know what they can have. That should be our main concern. So Kony 2012, it is a good campaign. Good cause to support. But let's solve America's problems. Funny the way it is, right? That we would chose to overlook the horror in America by bringing the focus to a situation in Africa? Funny the way it is.

-KT