All my love, Marisa.

This year has concluded my second year as an Andersonian editor, and with each year, I have moved up in the hierarchy. I started off as the associate editor last year. This year I served as the co-editor, and next year, I have the privilege of dropping the co- from my title and becoming editor-in-chief. With this responsibility, I plan to keep doing what I’m doing now, and that means learn. I have learned much in my time as an editor this year, particularly how to better use commas. I have full faith in the editorial staff next year, and I hope that we will have as much fun producing the newspaper as we did this year.

See you next semester, Michael.

Last August, I met with Michael Haynes and Dave Baird about the paper, and I left asking myself what I had gotten into. But I quickly grew to love the work and the responsibilities of being an editor. I’ve had fun writing about things I care about and laughing at things I find funny, even (or especially) when it ruffles some feathers. But most of all, I’ve loved spending time with the other editors. Michael is a great editor and organizer of our staff. He taught me how to use the programs and fine-tune the paper when I came in with no prior experience at the beginning of the year. Marisa was hired to help us out at the beginning of fall semester. When she joined the staff, the noise level in the office rose several decibels and we all loosened up and got to know each other better. Even though she’s a freshman this year, she’s already a good copy editor and a talented writer. Tyler and Zach have been a great help to us in their writing for sports and entertainment. All of them will be returning next year as editors, and the Andersonian will be in good hands for as long as they choose to stay. I am looking forward to the next phase of my life, but I will look back on the Andersonian as one of my best memories of AU.

Best wishes, Andrea.

Coach Tony Holloway meets with the four seniors before the first pitch last Saturday. (Photo: Sports Information)

The HCAC softball regular season title belongs to the AU Ravens for the first time since 2000. Currently riding a four game winning streak, the Ravens have pushed their record to 25-10 and 14-0 in the conference.

This past Saturday, they defeated Franklin twice, and they have their last two regular season games this Saturday at Mount St. Joseph.

AU won the first game against Franklin in dramatic fashion 3-2. The seniors came up big on Senior Day as Monica Crowe pitched seven innings, gave up six hits and struck out three, while Kelly Rusterholz delivered the big hit, a walk-off double in the bottom of the seventh inning to win the game. It was her second double of the day and her first RBI. She also scored a run.

Amy Wuestefeld and Megan Ream scored the other two runs for the Ravens, and Wuestefeld stole two bases. Ream doubled to lead off the seventh, which set the table for Rusterholz’s game winner. Megan Kruse had the other RBI for AU.

The Ravens had seven hits compared to the Grizzlies’ six, and Franklin stranded nine runners on base. Franklin struck first with one run in the top of third, but AU answered with two in the bottom half of the frame. The Grizzlies then tacked one on in the top of the fifth to tie the game, but Rusterholz and the Ravens ended things in the final inning. The game was the fourth straight one-run game the Ravens played, and they won three of the four.

The offense awoke in the second game as the Ravens won easily 8-2. Franklin had no answer for Devin Moorman as she allowed just four hits and two earned runs while striking out nine. She pitched all seven innings, and her record is now 8-4. AU broke a 1-1 tie with a five-run fourth inning and never looked back. They scored two more in the fifth and finished the game with 13 hits. Seniors Stephanie Atkins and Megan Kruse went yard for AU, and five different Ravens recorded an RBI. AU also struck out just one time on the day.

For the seniors, it was a fitting end to four great careers. All four players did something significant in the two games, as Crowe got the win on the mound, Rusterholz hit a walk-off double and Atkins and Kruse homered.

The team went 10-0 at home, and the seniors might finish their careers 48-20 in regular season HCAC. The graduating class also never finished lower than fourth in the conference and was instrumental in the team’s conference championship season in 2011.

To add to the list of accomplishments the seniors have compiled, they have added the regular season title and are the clear favorite to win the postseason tournament.

Individually, Crowe was named HCAC Player of the Week last week, making it the sixth time she has been given the honor. AU has had a player named Player of the Week five times this season, a testament to their dominance.

The first pitch on Saturday will be at 1 p.m. in Cincinnati against the lowly Lions of Mount St. Joe, who are just 6-27 this season. From there, the Ravens will host the HCAC tournament on May 4 and 5. As of now the tournament, which consists of the top four teams, will be AU, Bluffton, Transylvania and Manchester.

For the Ravens, it’s a chance to repeat as postseason champions and another chance to make a deep run in the national tournament. With a potent offense, shutdown pitching staff and a decorated senior class, an excellent tournament outcome is a real possibility.

Cole Heberling was named HCAC Player of the Week for hitters. (Photo: Sports Information)

The race for first place in the HCAC is at its climax as the AU Ravens baseball team is just half a game up in the standings with only two weeks remaining in the season.

AU won two of three games from Defiance this past weekend, and they are currently 22-11 and 14-4 in the conference. The Ravens have hit a slight bump in the road, losing three of their last five, but they could turn it around as they face Mount St. Joseph this weekend, a team currently ninth in the HCAC.

AU took the opening game of the series against Defiance 2-0 in a pitcher’s duel between Greg Vogt and Darin Waterman. Vogt went the distance, striking out eight and allowing just three hits. It was arguably his best game of the season and pushed his record to 6-2. However, Waterman was almost as good, as he allowed just five hits and struck out seven. Cole Heberling went 1-3 for AU and drove in the only two runs of the ballgame. Brett Detty, Michael Tucker, Drew Kidd and Kyle Beckman also recorded a hit, but the Ravens left five men on base.

In the second game of the series and of the day, the Ravens won 8-2 as Dan Schmitz (3-0) picked up the win for AU. The offense was much better, tallying 10 hits and scoring in five different innings.

Detty, Craft and Vince Moore each had two hits, while Craft and Tucker had two RBIs apiece. Manager David Pressley shook up his lineup, moving Detty to the leadoff spot and putting Craft in the two slot.

Heberling, the HCAC Player of the Week, was bumped up to the fifth spot, and Drew Brantley and Aaron Rodgers started in left field and third base respectively.

Whether the lineup change is to be credited for the runs or not, the Raven offense scored eight runs, compared to the two they had in the previous two games combined.

Schmitz was his typical self on the mound, striking out nine batters while walking just two. He gave up four hits and only one earned run in seven innings of work. Schmitz now has 56 strikeouts, which is tops in the conference. Tyler Watson and Andrew Enderle each threw an inning in relief, and the two have proven to be the stoppers out of the bullpen.

On Sunday, the Ravens dropped the series finale 4-2. AU had a chance to separate themselves further from Rose-Hulman, but the offense faltered again, despite more changes in the lineup.

The Ravens did record seven hits but left six men on base. Tucker and Rodgers each had two hits, and Rodgers smacked a solo home run for one of the Ravens’ runs. Jake Eaton took the loss for AU, which drops his record to 1-1.

AU will have Vogt and Schmitz to pitch the opening games against MSJ this weekend. The series is obviously crucial, but it also presents a good chance to separate themselves from Rose-Hulman.

Rose will have to travel to Manchester this weekend, which is a much tougher matchup than Mount St. Joe.

AU is currently in first place, but the offense will need to find their groove again if they are to finish at the top.

At press time the results of Tuesday’s game against Rose-Hulman were unavailable.

Shantol McMahon throws the discus. (Photo: Sports Information)

Both the men’s and women’s track teams placed sixth at the Rose-Hulman Twilight Invitational last Friday. The meet was the last one before the HCAC Championships this weekend at Franklin. The Raven men were led by Tony Johnson, who had the only first place finish for the men. Johnson won the 100 meters with a time of 11.05 seconds.

Leonard Wells placed second in the shot put (47-11) and the discus (148-3), while the 400 relay team finished fourth. All together the Ravens had 13 top ten finishes.

On the women’s side of things Alex Friske and Emily Radke brought home a first place finish. Friske ran the 100 meter hurdles in 15.13 seconds, which was good enough for first and Radke’s throw of 39-5 was tops in the shot put.

Radke also finished second in the discus and Friske finished fourth in the 200 meters. The Ravens had 12 first place finishes.

Ronn Johnstone puts on a one-man show in Give ‘Em Hell, Harry. (Photo: Cameron Bourqueen)

Shedding a captivating light on the tumultuous presidency of Harry S. Truman, Give ‘Em Hell, Harry, by Samuel Gallu, is an honest look at the struggles and triumphs of a man thrust onto the world stage.

Running Apr. 28-29, the one-man show, set in the Oval Office, details Truman as a leader of conviction and courage.

Chair of the theatre department Professor Ronn Johnstone showcases his gravitas and power as a performer through his effortless portrayal of Harry Truman throughout his presidential life.

Johnstone wanted to do Give Him Hell, Harry from an early age, seeing the movie at age 14.

He would often use clips of the script for monologues and pieces for various audiences.

At the time, he considered himself too young to take on the daunting role of our 33rd president, but now, for his 50th birthday, he has finally fulfilled one of his dreams.

Said Johnstone of the show, “I’ve always wanted to do this script.”

He felt he was free to put on the show after Dr. Fritz Robertson held a program featuring him singing a selection of arias that he was supposedly “too old to sing.”

Johnstone stated, “If he’s going to do it, then that’s what I want to do. Fritz gave me the perfect excuse.”

Give ‘Em Hell, Harry is a biography of sorts, giving the audience an inside look at how Truman rose to the presidency after Franklin D. Roosevelt’s passing, how he met his wife, and the controversial points surrounding events such as the dropping of the atomic bomb, the Korean War, and his dealings with anti-communist Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Truman meets and converses with several historical figures such as Herbert Hoover, the spirit of FDR, and his wife, Bess, though there is really no one else on stage.

“The trick is imagining the person is there in the space, keeping eye contact,” stated Johnstone. “It’s a bit of a chess game in your head.”

Throughout the show, Truman talks to the audience, making sure to edit his speech to an appropriate level.

In each of these discussions, he brings up important points such as the misplaced blame at Hoover for the Great Depression and the fact that Truman didn’t know the U.S. even had a bomb until FDR died.

In the second half of the show, the focus turns to his infamous showdown with General Douglas MacArthur over the leadership decisions made in Korea.

Furthermore, there are some humorous moments interspersed in the show that detail what a multifaceted person Truman was.

An angry letter dashed off on the Oval Office desk to a Washington Post writer about his review of his daughter’s singing performance gave the audience respite from the seriousness of the show.

Truman cutting the grass with a cylinder lawn mower on stage before being scolded by his mother-in-law made the audience chuckle with delight.

Several other humorous comments made by Truman give the show a needed balance between interesting light moments and the grave subject matter of the wars.

Another interesting feature of this one-man show is the slide show that plays in the background to further illustrate the many moments in history that Truman highlights.

The audience can truly appreciate the horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the larger-than-life look of General MacArthur.

“In the script, there are many photographs. I got the idea from the book. It’s much easier to convey MacArthur in MacArthur’s get-up,” stated Johnstone. “Illustrating the book was helpful to me, so why not put them in the show.”

Understandably, Johnstone has considerable difficulties trying to bring President Truman to life on stage.

Johnstone said, “Capturing his mannerisms is challenging. He also speaks fast. He has a Missouri accent. He has a completely different cadence than I do.”

Also, Johnstone bears little physical resemblance to Truman but makes up for it with his seeming mastery of Truman’s behaviors.

Overall, Johnstone wanted those audience members who are a part of the greatest generation “to remember who they are. Everything that made them a viable citizen in 1948 is just as viable today. They have a lot to offer the community.”

Give ‘Em Hell, Harry is a show that captures the essence of the volatile political atmosphere of the Truman presidency and gives it a human touch, a positive message and much-needed insight into a man that shaped the future of modern America.

First up is Avengers, coming to theaters May 4. Marvel has been paving the way for this highly anticipated comic book adaptation for several years, and with director Joss Whedon at the helm, it may just live up to its hype. Whedon reportedly settled on an ensemble approach to the story rather than focusing on Stark as the main character, a good decision for Avengers. Previews show the heroes fighting amongst themselves and struggling to work as a team, so the climax of the movie will show them sacrificing ego and forming a fast friendship. Also, there’s a giant snakelike Transformer chasing Iron Man.

The month of May will also bring Men in Black III and the dubious board-game themed Battleship to the screen. Battleship features singer Rihanna and Liam Neeson in a ludicrous plot involving aliens and a naval battle for planet Earth.

I have higher hopes for MIB and am especially curious to see Josh Brolin as a young Tommy Lee Jones.

June will open with Prometheus, a Ridley Scott production with rumored connections to the universes of sci-fi classics Alien and Blade Runner. Noomi Rapace, the original girl with the dragon tattoo and recent Sherlock Holmes co-star, will play a team member who discovers evidence of the origins of life on Earth.

On June 22, the controversial Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter will perform a radical rewrite of history that has Lincoln scholar Professor Brian Dirck already fuming. I, for one, am excited to see this movie, if only for its sheer ridiculousness. In the preview, Abe dons his iconic top hat and picks up his axe. He smashes the axe into an attacking vampire, then swings it around to fire a round at another vampire—that’s right, the axe is also a shotgun. It won’t be winning any awards, but it will be fun to see this outrageous thriller taking itself seriously.

A rewrite of another sort will hit theaters July 6—Marvel’s The Amazing Spider-Man. No one was sad (or surprised) to see the Toby Maguire franchise fade away after the overblown disaster that was Spiderman 3, but the remake promises to stay true to the classic comic books with a talented cast. Emma Stone will bring her signature charm and wit to her role as Gwen Stacy, and Andrew Garfield will display the acting chops he earned in The Social Network.

Without a doubt, though, the most anticipated movie of the summer is Christopher Nolan’s finale to the Batman trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises. Bruce Wayne’s alter ego, now a reviled criminal after taking the fall for Two Face’s killings, must return to defend Gotham against the villain Bane. Nolan’s movies can’t miss, and from Batman Begins to Inception, they have grown in power and sophistication. Inception star Tom Hardy will likely give a magificent performance as Bane, alongside Anne Hathaway as a surprising choice for Catwoman. I am unsure how the actress and her role will fit into the plot of Dark Knight Rises, but I have complete faith in Nolan as a writer and director.

I remember going into their new album, The End is Where We Begin, with a bit of concern. I really enjoyed two of their previous albums, Phenomenon and Welcome to the Masquerade, which some say is their magnum opus, but I didn’t care for two of their other albums, The Art of Breaking and The Flame in All of Us.

I didn’t know what to expect this time around, but aside from a few issues, I was pleasantly surprised.

From the meaningful ballads to the return of vocalist Trevor McNevan’s signature rapping, listeners will get a mixed bag.

The first half of the album brings to mind influences found on their previous album, Welcome to the Masquerade, and some Rage Against the Machine influences (“Light Up the Sky”) as well.

“Let the Sparks Fly” is classic TFK, bringing to mind some of their hits “Fire it Up” and “Move,” which share the same energy and passion.

“I Get Wicked” displays some of McNevans’ rapping skills, a greatly missed element in TFK’s more recent work.

“Be Somebody” is one of the slower songs on the album and really shows TFK’s heart and soul.

The second half of the album is better than the first.

It starts off with the string-heavy “This is a Warning (Intro)” and kicks into one of the album highlights, “Courtesy Call,” with Skillet-like strings and heavy guitar riffs.

“War of Change,” their first single off the album, sounds similar to Linkin Park, with rap-infused verses and an eerie intro.

“Down,” a personal favorite, is a smash-your-face rock song with skillfully rapped verses.

“Fly On the Wall” took a few plays for me to warm up to it, but it is a hidden gem within the record and is another song that features strings.

“All I Need to Know” and “So Far Gone” shows off the softer side of TFK and proves to be more in-depth lyrically.

The main downfalls of this album are the slightly cheesy lyrics. Lyrics like “Don’t play me like a (3) DS” and “Peter Parker, bit by some radioactive” feel more ridiculous than cool.

The “Introduction” and “Outroduction” are meant to build excitement for the listener, but they come off as, again, slightly cheesy.

Because of the boundary-breaking Welcome to the Masquerade album, the songs on The End come off as trite and give a sense of familiarity, with nothing particularly new added to their catalogue.

Overall, The End is Where We Begin is a solid, fun rock record and classic TFK.

Old and new fans will enjoy this album, and it’s definitely on my list of favorite albums of the year.

While neither Peterson or Tomlinson have much experience in student government, they are hopeful for the upcoming term. (Photo: Julia Smith)

AU’s Student Government Association (SGA) strengthens connections between students and administrators, using their influence to make concrete, tangible changes at AU, as well as building a more organized group structure. Although small  in comparison with the 2,500 undergraduates at AU, the 2011-2012 SGA performed well.

According to the fliers stuck on bathroom doors around campus, there are more trashcans in and around Hartung; the lighting around the valley has increased and been updated; there is a menu shown outside the Haven and MP; and chapel cards are collected at the side doors in addition to the middle aisle.

SGA pushed for water fountain filters, and the original idea of Raven Xpress came from the organization. Now, partnering with the class of 2012, SGA is promoting roofed bike shelters.

When the time for elections arrived, however, no one was particularly interested in continuing the tradition of an executive branch.

Until, of course, Chris Peterson and his running mate Michael Tomlinson decided to fill the ballot as the only contenders for next year’s term.

Peterson, currently a junior marketing major and management minor, and Tomlinson, a junior psychology major, ran for president and vice president, respectively. While neither have much prior experience in student government (Peterson served one term as a senator for SGA), both expressed excitement and optimism about the upcoming year.

According to Tomlinson, he feels that “Chris and I [will] do a great job connecting with the student body and hearing what the students want from their school.”

Past SGA presidents and other high-ranking officers were typically involved in government before their terms (i.e. political science majors, high school student government, etc.).

However, according to current student body president Kevin Sheward, it isn’t exactly necessary: “A familiarity with any organization that you wish to work for will always help you succeed. I do think that Chris and Michael would be more prepared for their roles had they been more involved with SGA in the past. However, Chris and Michael are hard workers and I think they will handle the challenges of being inexperienced with great success.” Sheward’s VP, Ben Carroll, agreed, saying, “To serve SGA well, all you need are ideas and passion, both of which Chris and Michael have.”

Underlying goals focus on strengthening unity, communication and trust. (Photo: Julia Smith)

Ideas and passion are Peterson’s and Tomlinson’s strong suit. Their campaign revolves around three pillars: communication, unity and trust.

“We want to reincorporate the student body,” said Peterson. “Campus is broken among groups, athletic teams, Dativus stereotypes, Swing Club stereotypes. We want to connect people together more. That’s why we decided to run.

“We want to lay a better foundation. Renewing and rebuilding. I’ve definitely seen things [in SGA] I’ve been unsatisfied with. We think the student body has lost hope towards SGA. We really want to build SGA back up and help the student body know that we’re there for them.”

In order to expand upon trust, Tomlinson cited “an anonymous system where people can help and encourage each other through different problems they may have.  It’s still in the works, but I feel that it will be a great way to help the student body and increase accountability, positivity, and encouragement on campus.”

To further increase trust and communication, Peterson wants the “SGA office to be a friendly environment. Instead of hearing, ‘I don’t know what goes on in there’, we want people to hang out there; we want students to be able to talk to us. Michael and I agree that students can talk about anything. We’re not going to report them — we’re not their RA. For example, if students want to talk about the drinking policy, and they don’t agree with it, we can explain why the policy is there and open eyes about why the policy exists. We are not required to report student behavior. We aren’t there for the administration but there for the student.”

To further augment communication, the Peterson and Tomlinson team will be assembling weekly podcasts broadcasting news the student body needs to know.

“I’m a Marketing major, so I’m going to market SGA,” said Peterson. “We believe that the podcasts and other links to communication will up our visibility, and more of the student body will be involved with the organization.” Included in their plans is a total revamp of the SGA website.

Unity poses its own complications and problems, and Peterson acknowledged the amount of disunity and stereotypes attached to multiple clubs around campus. In order to address the issues, he plans on working with CAB to promote events, and he even plans to create a few stand-alone SGA events. To start out, Peterson intends to “be a face of the student body, try to be at as many events as I can and get my friends and their friends to come, too.”

The duties of SGA also encompass dealing with the university’s administration. AU debuted a much-complained about ad campaign this semester—We Don’t Believe—and Peterson embodies the majority of students’ opinions.

“I brought up the university’s rebranding in the presidential meeting today. A lot of students take it as a joke, not seriously. I told the administration that they did a poor job, in my eyes, with the rebranding, and that it should have been done differently,” he said. “They were open to it. I hope they realize that a lot of the student body isn’t able to connect to it or learn from it. I don’t believe it is too late to connect people with it. I told them that, and I hope that they do a lot of planning over the summer to make it a lot stronger than the first year it was public.

“According to Michael and I and the student body, we feel comfortable challenging the administration. It will spark new ideas, it will get a conversation started; we feel that a challenge will be best no matter the situation. A challenge builds better ideas and conflict can be a good thing. We will, however, walk alongside the administration whenever a challenge doesn’t need to present itself.”

Tomlinson agreed, saying, “I believe that differing opinions help build better solutions to problems on campus.”

While the current president and vice president of SGA agree with their successors, Sheward said that “any change will need a tangible starting point.” And although “Chris and Michael are optimistic about the opportunity they have to be a voice for the student body to the administration and the impact their leadership can have over the student body, I think Chris and Michael will see how quickly a year goes by and that goals will have to be reevaluated. I don’t want to dampen their enthusiasm, and I hope they keep the good of the students and the goodwill of the university at the forefront of their plans,” said Carroll.

Sheward encourages them “to think creatively within their role. Bring an outsiders perspective into SGA and use that to their advantage. I would encourage them not to be disappointed when events or other projects don’t go as planned, but to stick to the course and be selfless in their service.”

Bringing an entirely new executive branch and cabinet to SGA throws the 2012-2013 team onto a path of inexperience to try, fail and try again. However, Peterson believes challenges spark better ideas, and consequentially, a better student government.

“I’m looking for a great year, and I’m really excited to see what the student body and SGA—by teaming together—can be capable of. There’s lots of capability on this campus, lots of talent I’ve seen, and I want to tap into so that we can make use of it to better the university. And I think we will.”

AU’s Alumni Director Ben Davis is the pioneer behind the event and says they are expecting close to 100 runners on race day. However, the race usually has more than 35,000 people at the starting line, and the crowd makes it tough for runners to run their personal best.

Davis, an avid runner himself, has run in the Mini for many years and saw the race as an easy way to keep alumni involved. Several students, faculty, staff and alumni run in the race every year, so Davis wanted to tie the Mini into the alumni events somehow.

Tent space had been booked for the first two years of Davis’s time as Alumni Director, and AU was put on a waiting list. Three years ago, the school was able to secure a tent at the finish line, and this year the AU-TU Challenge will make its debut.

“The AU vs. Taylor Challenge was a fun idea. I had just to add a little good-natured competitive element into it,” said Davis. “I’m friends with the Associate Vice President for Advancement at Taylor, so I took the idea to him and he agreed.”

The Mini takes place about a month before the famed Indianapolis 500. Runners in the race have a chance to run a lap around the racetrack at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway before re-entering the streets. After the race, runners and spectators can enjoy the attractions in the post-race party area.

Vendors will host giveaways and sell merchandise. There will also be a free massage area for runners, and spectators can watch live coverage of the race on WISH-TV 8. The race has sold out for several years, and it is estimated that nearly 90,000 runners, spectators and volunteers gather at the finish line to enjoy the food, music and other festivities.

The one complication with the event is the fact that it takes place on the same day as Commencement for AU. Davis will be at the race until about 12:30 p.m., then make the drive back to Anderson so that he can be on campus in time for the processional through the Valley and Commencement in the Kardatzke Wellness Center.

“It’s a little complicated to pull off, with it being on the same day as Commencement, but with some extra volunteer help it will all come together,” Davis said.

Videos of alumni congratulating the graduating seniors will tie together Commencement and the Mini. Alums at the race will congratulate seniors for crossing their own “finish line.”

The race will be on Saturday, May 5 at 7:30 a.m. in Indianapolis. The AU tent will remain open until noon or 12:30 p.m. so that everyone involved with Commencement can make it back to campus in time. For more information on the race and the other festivities, go to www.500festival.com.

A chalk message written near Meridian Plaza in downtown Anderson to make Joseph Kony famous. (Photo: Brooke Taylor)

Twenty-two students gathered last Friday night to raise awareness about Joseph Kony. Students posted signs around campus and in downtown Anderson as part of a worldwide effort to stop Kony.

According to the Invisible Children website, Kony is the leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and has abducted children to use in his army. The abducted boys train to be child soldiers, while the girls grow up to be sex slaves for Kony’s army.

The website states that Invisible Children exists “to promote peace and prosperity in post-conflict regions and protect communities currently affected by LRA violence.”

Invisible Children started when three filmmakers went to Africa in 2003. Not knowing what they wanted to film for sure, they realized the ongoing war in Africa. They made the Invisible Children documentary, and the movement to end this war had started.

Recently, a video was produced about finding and stopping Kony from his actions. The video went viral, and millions of people around the globe began advocating the video. The goal of the video was to make Kony famous, so that the government could take further action against the oppression in Africa.

According to cnn.com, President Barack Obama sent 100 advisers, most of which were U.S. Special Forces, to find Kony in October. Obama said the time overseas would be short-term, but just Monday he announced the 100 advisers would continue the search for Kony, calling him a “madman.”

The extended search for Kony could be due to the pressure felt from the overwhelming response to the viral video and the April 20 event Cover the Night, the name dubbed by Invisible Children to make Kony even more famous and get the attention of the government.

A poster on campus compares Joseph Kony, leader of the LRA, with Osama bin Laden and Adolf Hitler. (Photo: Julia Smith)

Cover the Night was an event for people around the world to mainly post signs to bring awareness to the issue.

AU student Kelsi Hatheway had the idea to get people on campus involved with Cover the Night, and she and Brooke Taylor created an event on Facebook promoting Cover the Night.

“I just wanted to get everyone involved,” said Taylor, after hearing several comments from her friends wondering if there would be a group participating in the event. “[Hatheway and I] invited all of our friends on Facebook to the event.”

The students gathered in the Fine Arts parking lot at 10 p.m. Friday night.

Before dispersing around campus and downtown, the students who attended grabbed hands in a circle, and student Claire Brown led the group in prayer.

Individuals brought in signs, posters and nametags, reading “Stop Kony,” Kony 2012” and “Hello, my name is Kony.” The group managed to bring over 1,000 signs.

The night was cold as the students headed to their locations.

“I was a little nervous with the weather being really cold and raining,” said Hatheway. “I am really excited to think 22 people gave up their Friday night.”

Students posted the signs, posters and nametags around poles downtown and wrote messages in chalk.

“I feel like a walking Shane Claiborne,” said Brown.

They were instructed not to vandalize with spray paint or graffiti, as it would hurt the cause.

However, some people did not approve of the signs and chalk messages located downtown. At the Paramount, one woman inside the building sternly voiced her displeasure with the messages written in chalk outside the building.

“Our point is to not make anyone mad,” said Taylor.

Other passersby appreciated the students’ efforts and threw money out of their moving vehicle without any exchange of words.

“They just through money out the window!” shouted Kristina Cooper as several students rushed into the street grabbing the loose one-dollar bills.

Brown said that the night was about “people standing up for the injustice and standing up for peace. It is about standing up for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. [Kony’s] been getting away with it for too many years.

She also hoped that Kony knows about Cover the Night and realizes that people are rallying together against him.

The signs on campus were reportedly taken down, as they were not approved with the university.

The goal of the nationwide Cover the Night was to raise awareness about Kony, and the students believe that the injustice to children in Africa is a worthy  cause to fight against.

If you want to help with the cause, visit the Invisible Children website to see where you can donate.