Voices Project

Tour so far…

We are sitting in downtown Fayetville, Arkansas waiting for the night scene to pick up so we can start playing and singing.  We picked out a sweet spot between two restaurants and across the street from a couple of bars.  We’re so very excited, and we’ll let you know how awesome it is. 

So far, this tour has been a trip.  We left Saturday, and went to Memphis.  Memphis was a little bit of a tough city to play in, and we kept getting asked to move because we were playing on private property.  However, we’ve not always been the best at following rules, so we kept playing anyway.  We eventually stumbled across a piece of sidewalk that wasn’t owned by anybody and was in a pretty great spot, and we played there for several hours.  Memphis is ridiculously hot and humid, and we all felt like wax people who’s body parts were slowly dripping off.  

The longer we stayed, the more people stayed around to watch us, and we had a pretty good group of 20 or so people watching us for a good part of the night.  As it was getting later and later, and all of the festivities of downtown Memphis were shutting down, a police officer on a horse told us that we weren’t allowed to draw a crowd that big and that we had to leave.  So, finally, we left downtown Memphis. 

The next morning, we led the music at a small church just outside of Memphis called That Church.  The people were pretty great, and if you’re ever there, you should check it out.  

After church, we met a girl named Payton James for lunch, and had some great conversation with her.  She’s 17 and she’s doing a great job of spreading awareness for what Invisible Children, Resolve Uganda, and the rest of us hippies are doing.  

We then went to St. Louis, where we stayed for a couple of days.  We stayed with Becky Dale, one of our really close friends, and she set up two coffee house shows [which were AWESOME] and we played at the Loop downtown after both of them.  St. Louis was really good to us, and we were able to raise a bunch of money for Resolve Uganda.  

Last night, we were in Springfield, Missouri.  We played downtown, and, honestly, there weren’t a ton of people, but somehow we still did really well.  

We’re all poor, so after playing downtown, we went dumpster diving for some food, and scored some sausage pizza.  : )

Tour’s been going good, and we’ve got a lot of good stuff for our documentary, which you can pre-order here: www.indiegogo.com/voicesexp.  

Mad love,

Brian

Dear St. Louis,

We came.  We conquered. 

Next stop, Springfield, Missouri! 

P.S.  IF YOU HAVEN’T HEARD, THEN YOU LIVE UNDER A ROCK.  BUT, THE LRA BILL PASSED YESTERDAY!!!!!!

fireinyoureyes asked: I had a lovely time playing the rainstick with you gentlemen in the Loop tonight.
Good luck to the three of you.<3

It was a fabulous time! 

Thanks for hanging out with us!

This Letter is a Cry for Help.

Public Appeal to President Barack Obama
Attacks by the Lord’s Resistance Army in Northeastern Congo

President Barack Obama
White House
Washington D.C.
United States of America

Niangara, May 19, 2010

Your Excellency, Mr. President,

As you prepare to sign a new law to combat the problem of the LRA, we, human rights defenders from Niangara territory in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, write to sound a warning bell.

Since 2009 attacks by the LRA have continued to result in deaths amongst the civilian population. We have suffered too much. We await a strong response from the international community and the Congolese government to end once and for all this LRA phenomenon. A strategy needs to be put in place to protect our people and to save those members of our families who are still held by the LRA.

In this message, addressed to Your Excellency, the President of the United States of America, the population of Niangara deplores the international community’s lack of effective action against the LRA despite our repeated appeals. Nevertheless, local human rights NGOs, who hold documentary evidence on these atrocities, have continued to cry out to attract the attention of the international community and that of the Congolese government.

In December 2009, the LRA massacred civilians in Makombo village and the surrounding area in Mangbele chieftaincy. At least 345 people were killed during the massacre and more than 250 others were captured. We continue to discover the unburied remains of the victims, and the death toll does not include those who drowned in the Uele River when the LRA crossed the river with their prisoners.

Since January 2010, similar massacres have been reported in the villages of Kpanga, Mapi, Tende, Kpuru, and Nawoko in Mangiza chieftaincy to the north of Niangara. Mangiza chieftaincy is completely occupied by the LRA, except for its administrative center, Nambia. Most of the information about these massacres has not been documented or verified due to the presence of the LRA, and because our territory is totally cut off. We have no means of communication that would allow the population to send rapid alerts to senior authorities in the Congolese government or to the international community.

The population of Niangara feels forgotten, abandoned and our suffering appears to result in little concern on the part of the international community or our own government. We mourn the deaths of our family and friends brutally slaughtered by the LRA, and we pray each day that those still held by the LRA will be saved. We live in constant fear that there will be more LRA attacks. What chance do we have if no one hears our cries and no one comes to our aid? We beg of you, please do not leave us alone in the hands of these killers. 

As a result, we, the human rights defenders of Niangara, make the following recommendations to you:

• Insist that the international community acts to transform the current military approach so that operations against the LRA leadership are more targeted and effective and conducted in a way that spares innocent civilians who are often caught in the crossfire.

• The UPDF, FARDC, MONUC and other forces that may intervene in the future, must have all the means necessary to conduct these operations so that the population does not suffer the consequences.

• Develop a mechanism to identify, arrest, and punish the commanders of the LRA operations in Niangara.

• Support the installation of telephone networks in Niangara territory, as well as a community radio, to inform the authorities of the situation and to protect the population.

• Help the people of Niangara, the displaced, former Congolese LRA combatants, and both children and adults who have escaped from the LRA with psychosocial support, food and other basic supplies.

Your Excellency, this letter is a cry for help. We know the goodness of your heart and we know that you alone can bring a concrete, rapid and decisive response before our women and children are wiped out.

Please, save us.

With all our hope and our respect, we thank you for turning your attention to the Congolese people and for the goodwill with which you will receive this message.

Yours sincerely,

The human rights defenders of Niangara:

1. Adam Matsaga

2. Jean‐Pierre Angombe

3. Mado Mersi

4. Bale Houssein

5. Mariam Gumete

6. Emabe Pandatimo

7. Jean‐Baptiste Ngere

8. Aboubakar Ngata

9. Jules Dramdema Ali

10. Henri Kama Nomzier

11. Crispin Anigobema

12. Julienne Djomgane

13. Tongolo Floribert

14. Dumossa Apolonaire

15. Massina Leonard

16. Siro Jean‐Pierre

17. Dieu‐donne Maka

18. Dboyo Aniya

19. Tambuada Godelive

20. Souleyman Magwengasa

21. Odeka Mesior

22. Mulimu Mussa

23. Khbudri Kambabume

24. Mboli Foko

25. Meduama Jean

26. Mboli Nginayo

27. Kamegindba Gboma

28. Konyebadi Lengeleng

29. Kateka Jean

30. Ngasadu Therese

31. Jeruane Mersi

Oh, just influencing policy… nbd.

Feel free to repost this:

ATTENTION! The White House has posted an announcement that S.1067 has been submitted to the President and awaits his signature. Please go to the link below and “Submit a comment.” Share your support of the legislation and specifically ask for President Obama to make a PUBLIC, personal statement of commitment to help end LRA violence and support the recovery of LRA-affected communities. Aaaaand GO! 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/pending-legislation/s.-1067

First Show

We played our first show tonight.  It was at a beautiful little coffee shop in Chattanooga called Pasha.  The bands were wonderful, and the people were fabulous.  We got to see several old faces, and get to meet a lot of new ones.  

Overall, tonight was a good night.  Thanks to everyone who came out.  

-Brian

We are.

We are artists.

We are singers.

We are writers. 

We are dancers.

We are painters. 

We are activists.

We are idealists.

We are movers,

We are shakers.

We are fighters.

We are voices.

We are screaming for peace.

We are screaming for justice.

We are few.

But soon, we will be many.  

Won’t you join us? 

-brian

P.S. We still need 740 bucks for gas- help us out at www.indiegogo.com/voices