'Kony 2012' video inspires students to take action

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- A video that's gone viral, called "Kony 2012" has received more than 40 million hits on YouTube. It targets a Ugandan guerilla leader, Joseph Kony, who is wanted for atrocities by the international criminal court. The video is driving many young people to take action.

In just three days, a 30-minute video has made Kony the world's most notorious war criminal.

What the guerilla leader from Uganda is accused of doing now has the attention of millions around the world, especially young people like high school students at Bishop O'Dowd in Oakland.

"If my little brother were kidnapped to be part of an army and being taught to mutilate other kids, it's touches me," student Dezhon Grace said.

The video was produced by the non-profit group Invisible Children. It went gone viral thanks to social media.

"I remember the night they showed the video we both tweeted, I tweeted about 40 times, at least 40," student Elliot Brue said.

"That is exactly the power of social media and I think this campaign and this situation is really perfectly situated to draw on the power of social media," Camille Crittenden, of UC Berkeley's Human Rights Center, said.

"Once I told my mom, she watched the video with my brother last night and they were both really affected by it," student Margaret Huntington said.

"My dad does know about it and he was really supporting me," student Makda Medhanie said.

Bishop O'Dowd High School is encouraging students to begin a dialogue for change.

"We'll run videos, we'll put posters out and let the kids know what the cause is and what is going on with it and then once we have that basic plan, they kind of run with things," Assistant Principal Kevin Cusing said.

"And it shows that this generation isn't going to stand for that type of violence or that type of cruelty," student Caroline Counts said.

"It's going to show other people's flaws as well and it's going to call them out on what they are doing wrong and we will take action about it," Brue said.

Kony has been in hiding for awhile now. He is no longer in Uganda. He now operates in Congo and that region. He is the most wanted man on the international criminal court's list.

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viral video, africa, children, child abduction, youtube, technology, lyanne melendez

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