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(34,658 posts) Wed Oct 2, 2013, 10:26 PM Oct 2013

Aaron Rodgers takes a stand on Congo "conflict minerals"

Last edited Sat Oct 5, 2013, 02:44 PM - Edit history (1)

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is supporting a campaign that advocates for human rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo and against companies that buy "conflict minerals" to make smartphones. Congo is a country in central Africa that is torn by war. Rodgers spoke Tuesday about Raise Hope for Congo during a weekly show he does on ESPN radio stations in Wisconsin. In June, the campaign backed the appointment of Russ Feingold, a former Democratic U.S. senator from Wisconsin, as the U.S. special envoy for the Great Lakes region of Africa and the Congo. On the show, Rodgers said: "We're trying to raise awareness for some of the atrocities that are going on on the other side of the world.

"Many people saw the movie 'Blood Diamond,' which brought some attention and awareness to the 'conflict diamonds' that were being used to fuel the war machine over in Africa and to a similar degree, with Raise Hope for Congo, we're trying to raise awareness about the minerals that are being used in the smartphones that we love to have on our side all the time. "Many of those minerals are conflict minerals that are being used to fuel the war machine over in Congo and some of these groups who are doing some really awful things over there. Obviously, making children into soldiers, just the straight genocide, wiping out entire villages, and the raping and pillaging that's going on over there.

"So, we're trying to raise awareness and have campuses across the country raise up together with one voice and say, enough; enough is enough. We're going to force these companies to only buy conflict-free minerals." Rodgers is scheduled to participate next Monday in a rally at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to raise awareness about the war in Congo and America’s connection to it.

The Journal Sentinel reported in March that Wisconsin manufacturers say they face an onerous task of complying with a new federal rule that requires them to account for tin, tungsten and other minerals from Central African countries where money from such material has helped fund gruesome attacks on civilians.

Read more from Journal Sentinel: http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/226159801.html#ixzz2gcc6eXFU

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WHO:
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers quarterback
Emmanuelle Chriqui, Hollywood actor (“Entourage”)
Omekongo Dibinga, rapper and motivational speaker
JD Stier, Raise Hope for Congo Campaign Manager, Enough Project

WHEN:
Monday, October 7, 2013
7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. CDT

WHERE:
Memorial Union Terrace Stage
University of Wisconsin-Madison
800 Langdon St.
Madison, WI 53706