Every morning, religiously, I read BBC and Al Jazeera and end my day with the pleasure of watching what limited access they have on our basic 'tely.' The Guardian, NYT and CNN- with Fox News for a good laugh - sometimes follow if I've really got my thinking cap on that day. But despite my efforts to understand even the slightest about ISIS, I often find myself more confused than when I started. It is even more frustrating because there is an inherent element I understand- I get it. I spent a significant part of my life following my wild mother through East Africa. As her camera man, assisting her with her freelance journalism career, we not only spent over 5 yrs total in Uganda, but traveled to DR Congo; Rwanda twice (the first time in 1998 - 4 yrs after the genocide); Gulu, Northern Uganda and near the South Sudanese border (along with a UN convoy). And another dozen "easy countries." So I have a very instinctual understanding of these things. But ISIS still confuses me. Is it like Joseph Kony? The two have striking similarities. The Arab Spring makes ISIS antics all the more antiquated. I get why they're so powerful, but can't help to subscribe to some skepticism over who all are actually benefitting from them. I unabashedly lament because must readers would have stopped at "depressing news," but if you've suffered through this lengthy post, good on you. Things are tough in the world. And my thoughts and prayers go out to the newest victims of senseless destruction and current atrocities against the same humans we are all connected. But staying up late at night reading about it and heavily contemplating the complexities, I feel I'm involved. I feel like there's more I couldn't possibly do. Read the news, people. It's depressing as shit, but it's not going anywhere if you don't read it. WE ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN CHANGE IT.
top of page
bottom of page