NEWSPete Wentz Needs Your Help
Apr. 23 2009, Published 7:57 a.m. ET
At a time when America is going through some tough patches, it can be easy to forget that there are others suffering things most teenagers in this country will never have to face. Fall Out Boy rocker Pete Wentz wants to remind today's youth that others need help, and took to the Huffington Post today to blog about an important event going on this weekend to benefit child soldiers in Northern Uganda.
"So you'd think we're all apathetic and lazy, twittering the world our laments on last night's episode of Lost. Maybe we are. But in our hyper-connected world, the group of radicals have gone global," he writes. "We're your neighbors and your co-workers. And maybe you don't know our names, but soon you will: I'd like to tell you about a few friends of mine, who, in a few days are about to make history, and they want you with them.
Pete goes on to discuss the organization called Invisible Children, a movement trying to help kids escaping the Lord's Resistance Army in Northern Uganda, which kidnaps children and forces them to be soldiers.
"They're kids. Except no one told them they were, so they carry AK-47s, kill their parents and murder, rape and terrorize their own people on command. In the past two decades, 30,000 of them have been abducted. This is a reality neither you nor I could ever begin to understand. It was one of those times in my life where I was given a choice – continue ignoring the issue because it wasn't in front of me, or forget about myself and do something," Pete writes, adding that he and the band went to Africa to get perspective.
He continues:
"Here's where you come in. On April 25th, Invisible Children is staging an event called the RESCUE, in 100 cities across 10 countries worldwide. Thousands of people are going to symbolically 'abduct' themselves and stand in solidarity with all the abducted children forced to fight as soldiers. In turn, every group will be 'rescued' by a celebrity, politician, local luminary – someone who will make noise and bring the media out. I will be there, in Washington, D.C. standing in solidarity with thousands of other people so that these kids in Uganda will be noticed. And if no cultural leader shows up in one particular city, then everyone in the surrounding cites that were rescued, will take a bus to join them. This will continue until every participating city is rescued. Now, this could take days, or even weeks, but it's going to happen.
The RESCUE is going to make history. It's going to make a positive impact. We will be at the frontlines. And I want YOU to be with us.
I thoroughly believe that after April 25th, the world will see a shift in consciousness, and things will be different. You will be changed, or at least you'll have a hell of a story to tell. Go to and watch their new film called The Rescue of Joseph Kony's Child Soldiers to learn more about the specifics of why this is the next step. Then sign up. This is your chance to be a part of something great, not for the glory, but for the courage it takes to stand up for justice. Just don't light shit on fire, I don't want to get in trouble."
