The Ice Bucket Challenge has been feeding our social media feeds for weeks now, and what started out as an attempt to raise awareness for ALS research has turned into a viral internet phenomenon. While no one undercuts the need for ALS awareness and research, the timing of this event has in some ways overshadowed other important events going on in the world today such as the Palestine/Israel Conflict, the unrest in Ferguson, MS, and the ongoing severe drought in California.
Gaza Journalist Ayman al Aloul began this challenge to raise awareness of the toll Gaza has paid for the ongoing conflict in Palestine. More than 50,000 people in Gaza have been displaced from Israeli Airstrikes that have hit homes, schools, and Mosques. So far, 2,119 Palestinian people have been killed since July 8th, most of those being civilians, including 400 children; 4 Israeli civilians and 64 Israeli soldiers have been killed in the same time period.
Actor and Activist Orlando Jones uses the Ice Bucket Challenge to bring attention to the ongoing violence and unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, where 18-year-old Mike Brown was shot and killed by police. Since the shooting, the people of Ferguson have been protesting police brutality and violence, and it has become an epicenter of the conflict between police and community relations.
Actor and Activist Matt Damon used the ice bucket challenge to focus on the water being used. He decided to use toilet water to complete his challenge in order to highlight the fact that toilet water in the United States is cleaner than water in most developing countries. The toilet water use is also to signify that the state of California is in a severe drought, and water wasted is becoming increasingly problematic.