*dusts off the soapbox and steps onto it*
Joseph Kony is an evil bastard that deserves to rot and it's good that people finally know of him now. There's a good reason why he is number 1 on the ICC list. The shit he does actually happens whilst we munch away on choc jam donuts dipped in honey and watch Big Bang Theory re-runs on our 75 inch wall-mounted TVs. The intention of KONY 2012 is to make him famous, and it has thankfully worked. I sincerely hope we see his face in an international court soon, preferably dragged into the hearing by two kids holding teddy bears, and placed in front of a line of children taking turns to throw wasabi ice cream at his eyes, before being sentenced to a lifetime of being the toilet cleaner at every Ugandan, Sudanese and Congolese orphange....
BUT!! before you get swept up in KONY 2012, know these 3 things:
1. KONY 2012 has an end-goal that is focused on direct military intervention by the UPDF (Ugandan army). Research the UPDF and know that the UN has condemned them for acts of rape, running prostitution rings, looting, corruption etc. Many human rights observers believe that that this is still going on. Supporting KONY 2012 means you will be supporting the UPDF as well.
2. Joseph Kony and his LRA have been around for many years. Kony himself is no longer in Uganda, but is rather in Congo and has been for many years now. Joint US and UPDF military action has forced him to flee. For the UPDF to capture him, they will have to do it outside their own borders. The UPDF has been entering Sudan and Congo to continue military operations (but supposedly aren't allowed to now? Can't find info to back that one up). Regardless, is allowing foreign armies into other countries in such an unstable area wise, especially considering that Uganda was forced to pay $10bn in reparations to Congo due to the aforementioned UN report regarding their indiscretions? We also know of the trials and tribulations of Sudan's civil war lately. Think of the overall big picture and what could potentially occur to the general civilian population in that area, if there is escalating military activity that is not coordinated properly between the neighbouring regional countries. There is no point in ridding Kony, if we just open up another pandora's box of problems, a box that could perhaps be avoided if there is at least more dialogue between concerned parties before instigation of force.
3. If you are thinking of donating money: KONY 2012 is run by Invisible Children which has been around for a decade now, and have made a number of films. It does also carry out actual charitable works rather than just advocate military intervention (eg education for kids, early warning radio networks in Uganda etc.) However, check public figures and know that only just over 50% of your money actually goes to charitable programs ( http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=12429 ). After administration fees, and fundraising expenses, the rest of it pretty much goes to making flashy films (like the one you saw) and awareness/advocacy. Awareness and advocacy is now pretty much moot. The world knows now.
What I'm trying to say is basically this...
Firstly, remember that it's about Joseph Kony, not KONY 2012. Secondly, remember that there is more than just Joseph Kony in that part of the world that we can help with in a more substantial way that isn't just clicking on links, social media sharing and bill posting on city walls that some poor council cleaner has to take off later on. Before you get swept up in the frenzied explosion of the celebrity-approved, fist-pumping-of-the-masses, flashy-film-making of KONY 2012, read into Kony and his LRA a bit more as well as the UPDF. More importantly, find out more about the bigger picture of Uganda, Congo, Sudan, and surrounding areas, and the awful plight they endure on the whole. The *last* thing we should do is focus solely on Kony, and neglect the fact that the problem of child soldiers, amongst other genocidal horrors, is an old and widespread problem in that part of the world. This is not to belittle the sheer atrocities of Joseph Kony, but to neglect the wider problem would be tragic. Yes, action has to begin with one and Kony is a good place to start, but if you focus on this one instance, it should facilitate ongoing conversation about all the others. Joseph Kony is a symptom of a much bigger underlying disease. You go to the hospital because you want a cure, not just something to mask the symptoms.
Invisible Children and its KONY 2012 campaign is not necessarily deceiving or manipulative. The intentions are good, and should be applauded, if anything simply because they have the balls to actually try to make a big difference. Go ahead and support KONY 2012 only if you think that there's no other option to get rid of him, and only if your conscience is clear regarding the UPDF. If you, the independent individual who can think and act for yourself rather than be swept up in the swelling mainstream masses of social media and popular sentiment, think otherwise, there are other, more concrete ways of devoting your time, money and support such as donating to a 4 star charity that serves the region (charitynavigator.org helps). Posting bills up in the city on April 20th is all well and good, but after you've done that, and you've left it to be cleaned up by other people, are you yourself going to get your hands dirty, and put your money where your mouth is?
*gets off soapbox*
Now does anyone have the number for that Navy SEAL team that got rid of Bin Laden? :D
Joseph Kony is an evil bastard that deserves to rot and it's good that people finally know of him now. There's a good reason why he is number 1 on the ICC list. The shit he does actually happens whilst we munch away on choc jam donuts dipped in honey and watch Big Bang Theory re-runs on our 75 inch wall-mounted TVs. The intention of KONY 2012 is to make him famous, and it has thankfully worked. I sincerely hope we see his face in an international court soon, preferably dragged into the hearing by two kids holding teddy bears, and placed in front of a line of children taking turns to throw wasabi ice cream at his eyes, before being sentenced to a lifetime of being the toilet cleaner at every Ugandan, Sudanese and Congolese orphange....
BUT!! before you get swept up in KONY 2012, know these 3 things:
1. KONY 2012 has an end-goal that is focused on direct military intervention by the UPDF (Ugandan army). Research the UPDF and know that the UN has condemned them for acts of rape, running prostitution rings, looting, corruption etc. Many human rights observers believe that that this is still going on. Supporting KONY 2012 means you will be supporting the UPDF as well.
2. Joseph Kony and his LRA have been around for many years. Kony himself is no longer in Uganda, but is rather in Congo and has been for many years now. Joint US and UPDF military action has forced him to flee. For the UPDF to capture him, they will have to do it outside their own borders. The UPDF has been entering Sudan and Congo to continue military operations (but supposedly aren't allowed to now? Can't find info to back that one up). Regardless, is allowing foreign armies into other countries in such an unstable area wise, especially considering that Uganda was forced to pay $10bn in reparations to Congo due to the aforementioned UN report regarding their indiscretions? We also know of the trials and tribulations of Sudan's civil war lately. Think of the overall big picture and what could potentially occur to the general civilian population in that area, if there is escalating military activity that is not coordinated properly between the neighbouring regional countries. There is no point in ridding Kony, if we just open up another pandora's box of problems, a box that could perhaps be avoided if there is at least more dialogue between concerned parties before instigation of force.
3. If you are thinking of donating money: KONY 2012 is run by Invisible Children which has been around for a decade now, and have made a number of films. It does also carry out actual charitable works rather than just advocate military intervention (eg education for kids, early warning radio networks in Uganda etc.) However, check public figures and know that only just over 50% of your money actually goes to charitable programs ( http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=12429 ). After administration fees, and fundraising expenses, the rest of it pretty much goes to making flashy films (like the one you saw) and awareness/advocacy. Awareness and advocacy is now pretty much moot. The world knows now.
What I'm trying to say is basically this...
Firstly, remember that it's about Joseph Kony, not KONY 2012. Secondly, remember that there is more than just Joseph Kony in that part of the world that we can help with in a more substantial way that isn't just clicking on links, social media sharing and bill posting on city walls that some poor council cleaner has to take off later on. Before you get swept up in the frenzied explosion of the celebrity-approved, fist-pumping-of-the-masses, flashy-film-making of KONY 2012, read into Kony and his LRA a bit more as well as the UPDF. More importantly, find out more about the bigger picture of Uganda, Congo, Sudan, and surrounding areas, and the awful plight they endure on the whole. The *last* thing we should do is focus solely on Kony, and neglect the fact that the problem of child soldiers, amongst other genocidal horrors, is an old and widespread problem in that part of the world. This is not to belittle the sheer atrocities of Joseph Kony, but to neglect the wider problem would be tragic. Yes, action has to begin with one and Kony is a good place to start, but if you focus on this one instance, it should facilitate ongoing conversation about all the others. Joseph Kony is a symptom of a much bigger underlying disease. You go to the hospital because you want a cure, not just something to mask the symptoms.
Invisible Children and its KONY 2012 campaign is not necessarily deceiving or manipulative. The intentions are good, and should be applauded, if anything simply because they have the balls to actually try to make a big difference. Go ahead and support KONY 2012 only if you think that there's no other option to get rid of him, and only if your conscience is clear regarding the UPDF. If you, the independent individual who can think and act for yourself rather than be swept up in the swelling mainstream masses of social media and popular sentiment, think otherwise, there are other, more concrete ways of devoting your time, money and support such as donating to a 4 star charity that serves the region (charitynavigator.org helps). Posting bills up in the city on April 20th is all well and good, but after you've done that, and you've left it to be cleaned up by other people, are you yourself going to get your hands dirty, and put your money where your mouth is?
*gets off soapbox*
Now does anyone have the number for that Navy SEAL team that got rid of Bin Laden? :D
