Tag Archives: Afghanistan

murtuza

To Afghanistan with Love!

In July 2011, US Marine Sgt. Scotty Moore used a very unorthodox way of getting a date for the Marine Corps ball. Sgt. Moore, posted in Afghanistan at the time, was dressed in his combat gear when he sent out an invitation via YouTube to Hollywood star, Mila Kunis.

In the 19 second video, which got about 400,000 hits in just a few days before it came to the notice of the actress, the soldier was smooth, suave and oozed confidence. Little did he know, that the Black Swan actress would oblige. She graciously accepted the invitation and accompanied the sergeant to the ball in Greenville, North Carolina on November 18.

A dream come true for the soldier indeed.

This just goes to show how social media can go a long way in bringing the desires and stories of a common man to the attention of famous personalities. It is the power of the Netizens which helps in spreading word across the digital space. It is their views, likes, shares and comments which make ordinary stories transcend the Internet and reach their intended recipients. The Internet community becomes one and helps the voice of their fellow netizens echo out. Such is the power and potential of social media that it can help bring together ordinary people and their idols.

In a similar instance showcasing the power of social media, a picture of 5 year old, Murtaza from Ghazni, Afghanistan sporting a blue and white plastic bag with “Messi” and “10” written on the back went viral on the internet in January earlier this year. Apparently, Murtaza was a big fan of the Argentinean football star and wanted his jersey. However, the kid’s family was poor and could not afford one. So his older brother Hamayon took a plastic bag, made an improvised jersey out of it and gave it to his little brother. Pictures of an ecstatic Murtaza brandishing the makeshift jersey were taken and uploaded onto the internet. It didn’t take long for the internet to make its impact. Soon enough people from all across the world started tracking down the kid in hopes of helping him get a genuine jersey and a football to play with.

But it didn’t stop here. The boy’s father was contacted by UNICEF and was informed that Murtaza would be receiving a package from Messi himself. The viral picture had made its way upto Lionel Messi’s notice. As a gesture which would touch millions of people across the world, Messi signed a genuine national jersey of Argentina and sent it across to the little boy. The boy was also told that he would soon get a chance to meet his idol.

This just goes to show, how social media and the people who occupy this digital space can work together to make miracles happen. So don’t hesitate in leaving a message out there in the digital world for someone you idolize. You never know. You just might get a reply.
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