Thread: Kony2012

Note I typed this up on a slow day at work while looking into this, so it will be a long read and I dont know as I am typing if any will share my concern. At the risk of sounding like a devils advocate, I want to bring up something. I often like to check the source and never get my news from just one place. I want to share my findings. This, origionally from 2006, mentions he was a problem but no longer, and what Kony 2012 is really advocating is him being brought to justice. I think he is still sympathetic to the organization, but just want to bring this fact to everyone attention. Uganda is no longer experiencing violence from the LRA. Yes, I said it. Its an uncomfortable truth, but it is a truth. For about the last year, since before IC hit the scene, Kony and his troops have been pushed into Congo, into the Garamba National Forest there. Hes sick, starving, and on his last legs. For the first time, Uganda is in the middle of real peace talks and the rebels have laid down their arms and are assembling to make peace. Why? This is happening because Joseph Kony was defeated. Similarly It isnt hard to imagine why the views of northern Ugandans wouldnt be considered they dont fit with the narrative produced and reproduced in the insulated echo chamber that produced the Kony 2012 film. I also found this who voices his opposition harder... maybe too far. Invisible Children has been condemned time and time again. As a registered not-for-profit, its finances are public. Last year, the organization spent 8,676,614. Only 32 went to direct services page 6, with much of the rest going to staff salaries, travel and transport, and film production. This is far from ideal, and Charity Navigator rates their accountability 24 stars because they havent had their finances externally audited. But it goes way deeper than that. Another who claims to work in Africa You may think that I would welcome the passage of this bill as a beacon of hope for my friends in northern Uganda. I am not supporter of this bill. The bill opens the door for the American military to legally militarize Uganda in the name of humanitarian efforts. Also saw this in the comments after one defended IC. Black Star News Editor's Note If I may interject my own point--I respect the points you made in your piece. However, to ignore the crimes of the UPDF in both Uganda and DRC --exceeding those of the vicious LRA several fold-- is to land in the same trap that Invisible Children did. Which is that, in order to oppose and combat the LRA, one has to automatically embrace the miltaristic regime of Yoweri Museveni and to embrace his brutal army when in fact the LRA and Museveni's army could be seen as opposite sides of the same coin. It's no accident that finally there are calls for the ICC to investigate Museveni and his army as the ICC wanted to before Ocampo blocked the probe--see Wall Street Journal front page June 8, 2006. And finally from a MSM newspaper that isnt so one sided If you want to freely support Kony 2012, go ahead, that wasnt my point. All I am saying is be sure you do your homework and try to find as much information as possible and dont base any decision on one 30 minute video. Now I dont know about all of these websites. And if you come to me saying, There is something you dont know about these news sources, then you proved my point. If I am forced to make a decision on them, I will first try to make an effort to find actual Africans living in Africa and get it from them. Which is hard to do! So far, this is all I got and confirming this person is from Africa is even harder. my answer would be that this type of paternalistic campaigns cause way more harm than good. uganda has a vibrant civil society which have on their own been very successful in dealing with these problems. so for one outside help is not needed, and secondly this type of attention is the same type we have been given for the past couple of decades in which we are the weak, helpless, poverty sticken, lost cause in need for a knight in shining armor galloping in to africa to save us from ourselves. no thank you, we are more than capable of finding our solutions and fixing our own problems. with regards to the kony situation itself , its way more complicated than this extremely naive film makes it out to be. kony is not a good guy but neither is musavi. this tired old formula of targeting rich white youth for action in africa has to go. One other from Reddit Last year I went to Gulu, Uganda, where Invisible Children is based, and interviewed over 50 locals. Every single person questioned Invisible Childrens legitimacy and intention. Every single person. If anything, it seemed the people saw Invisible Children as a bigger threat than Joseph Kony at the time. Why is it the very people you are trying to help feel more offense than relief with your aid? They come here to make money and use us. It makes us feel terrible to be presented as being so stupid and helpless. These are direct quotes. This was the sentiment of the majority of the people that I interviewed in varying degrees. I definitely didnt see or hear these voices or opinions in your video. So yes, there are some that are opposed to this. The last one even says, I believe your actions will actually bring back the fighting in Northern Uganda. You are not asking for peace, but violence. Satire has already kicked in. Here is the bill they supported