Kony 2012 [ Video Inside ]

[ckamo]

I'm a little torn on this. I watched the video, and I think it's a good cause (taking down Kony), but then I see the stuff about Invisible Children..which seems just, mismanaged...or something. Less than half their money spent went to helping the people they are supposed to help. Now, I'm not saying I don't support the cause, but I'm just wondering (evidently "out loud") if there's another way. For the naysayers: is there a better way?

And I don't mean that as a challenge. I would actually really like to know.

It's always easy to point out the flaws in plans, but the hard part is finding the solutions.

The main issue that a lot of people have with the KONY 2012 campaign seems to just be with Invisible Children.... So if someone participates in the KONY 2012 campaign in terms of just spreading the word (and not funding it), does that make them contributors to Invisible Children (since KONY2012 is run by IC)?

[250Integra]

It's always good to keep an alternative perspective.

http://ilto.wordpress.com/2006/11/02/the-visible-problem-with-invisible-children/

For those planning to buy an "Action kit" or whatever it's called - save your money and make your own stuff for the Kony 2012 gatherings.

Plus donate that money instead to a charitable cause where you KNOW where the money is going.

[AbbyNucksFan]

visiblechildren.tumblr.com

read this.

[ckamo]

and another interesting read:

http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/03/07/stop-kony-yes-but-dont-stop-asking-questions/

[Rink on Renfrew]

A little on the fence.....the cause of awareness is great but I refuse sending money to a group that supports any army. The facts are debatable, in the sense that funding Ugandas military for the purpose of finding this stain on humanity and bringing him to justice by to funding an army who uses some of the same practices.

The video is moving and well done but IC needs to have a full audit on where all this money is going. I'm sure after this intense breakout through social media (no doubt, I think over thirty people have posted it on my FB newsfeed) they'll be swimming in donations.

Just my opinion-sometimes when the people come out in huge droves, I get suspicious.

[Amish Rake Fighter]

This is one of the most explosive online viral campaign I've ever seen.

Make sure you research fully anything that you're sending money to.

[Lychees]

No one wants to hear the truth is the problem, on both sides. Yes people in Uganda need help, do they need help from IC? Not in the way the money is being allocated.

It's basically cut down to a marketing scheme with a humanitarian message. If you disagree then you're shrouded by an unrealistic view that the world can be saved.

[FeStealth]

The conflict has been going on for 30+ years... the internet has been around for 20+ years.... and people are only noticing this conflict now?

[Miss Korea Bob.Loblaw]

No one wants to hear the truth is the problem, on both sides. Yes people in Uganda need help, do they need help from IC? Not in the way the money is being allocated.

It's basically cut down to a marketing scheme with a humanitarian message. If you disagree then you're shrouded by an unrealistic view that the world can be saved.

[Bang Bang Boogie]

[Darkstar]

So they found oil in Uganda and now this social activist stuff has come up. I'm sure it's just a coincidence.

[GLASSJAW]

I find it ironic that you're criticizing people for "not knowing" things when one of your main back-up sources is wikipedia. Did your teachers not educate you about how it is one of the most unreliable sources on the internet?

The campaign is to make this guy famous through means of social media. Stop overcomplicating things. This criminal has committed crimes that breaches all forms of humanity and deserves to be killed.

You know why things don't change? Because of idiots like YOU who choose to sit back, do nothing, and convince the people around you nothing is going to happen. It's the same type of attitude that people have when they don't bother voting because they think their vote won't make a difference.

[elvis15]

I do find it interesting how the people who have jumped on board are quick to also jump on people with any criticism of the movement. The people with a counter-point aren't automatically against bringing Kony to justice, nor are they uninformed, nor are they doing nothing about it. All they're saying is don't just start donating money to an organization (one you know as little about as you did about Kony prior to watching the video) just because they made a flashy video with lots of emotional points.

It's my opinion supporting the Ugandan military is a bad way to fix problems. Certainly, if any of the major powers in the world wanted to end this, it'd be easy to go "Tropic Thunder/Navy Seal" and take him out. It's just not going to happen because a bunch of people got together and said he's a bad guy.

That points to the ineffectiveness of world government in general (watch out Iran, or we'll sanction you again!) and how if the main powers were to act with the best interests in mind, we'd have legalized marijuana instead of prosecuting, dismantled all nuclear weapons instead of stockpiling, greatly reduced world hunger and illiteracy, and settled most of the world's military disputes.

Social media works when the people actually involved stand up and make a difference. Egypt didn't create change by having people stand in a park and make a pretty movie, they took to the streets and stood up for themselves.

That doesn't mean you should stop if you want to support a cause, but be aware of what you're actually supporting.

[Quinn12]

Hipsters putting all that extra spare time to good use? ...

[KoreanHockeyFan]

The movement itself on Facebook and other social networking sites is great and definitely inspirational, it really shows how the Internet can rapidly mobilize the masses. HOWEVER, the organization "backing" this entire thing? Ehhh..let's think this through a little. I think we've already seen several sources pointing out their shady business, and the empirical evidence is there, plain and simple. Supporting direct military intervention in a war-ridden country is NOT the way to go, supporting an army that is also part of the problem, not really good either, and lastly, donating to an organization that spends less than half of their donations towards the actual cause? Not good at all.

Policy-wise, ending Kony is going to take a while. That's just a fact people. There's a whole legal process to go through and it's going to take a bit. Diplomacy is needed, and it's going to have to go through the UN and a concise strategy is going to be needed to put in place. Sending small forces in one by one and nation by nation is only going to swell up the problem and aggravate Kony. One big sweeping strike is going to be needed to put in place to disarm Kony and his forces in a short period of time. Fail to do so, and we could be seeing another full-scale war and if that is to come, civilian casualties will be inevitable (i.e. Libya).

But then again...the UN hasn't really been reliable throughout the majority of its history. But we'll see what happens. Bottom line, this can't be instantly solved with some donations and some events. It's great for spreading the issue around but as for solving it? I'm sorry but this "over-complication" you guys are all bickering about is required and already set in stone. That's how foreign policies work. PERIOD.

As for the video itself, I actually didn't find it to be that powerful...it definitely got the message through though.

[Ajax19]

Of the $8.9 million they spent in 2011, this is the breakdown:

• $1.7 million in US employee salaries

• $357,000 in Film costs

• $850,000 in Production costs

• $685,000 in Computer equipement

• $244,000 in "professional services" (DC lobbyists)

• $1.07 million in travel expenses

• $400,000 in office rent in San Diego

• $16,000 in Entertainment etc...

Only 2.8 million (31%) made it to their charity program (which is further whittled down by local Ugandan government officials)

[UFCanuck]

I'm happy that something is being done to help bring justice and freedom to all of the children and people.

But this seems like a slick marketing plan more than anything. I would rather send money directly to feed the kids then give it to the army.

[Vigneault's Timeout]

The movement itself on Facebook and other social networking sites is great and definitely inspirational, it really shows how the Internet can rapidly mobilize the masses. HOWEVER, the organization "backing" this entire thing? Ehhh..let's think this through a little. I think we've already seen several sources pointing out their shady business, and the empirical evidence is there, plain and simple. Supporting direct military intervention in a war-ridden country is NOT the way to go, supporting an army that is also part of the problem, not really good either, and lastly, donating to an organization that spends less than half of their donations towards the actual cause? Not good at all.

Policy-wise, ending Kony is going to take a while. That's just a fact people. There's a whole legal process to go through and it's going to take a bit. Diplomacy is needed, and it's going to have to go through the UN and a concise strategy is going to be needed to put in place. Sending small forces in one by one and nation by nation is only going to swell up the problem and aggravate Kony. One big sweeping strike is going to be needed to put in place to disarm Kony and his forces in a short period of time. Fail to do so, and we could be seeing another full-scale war and if that is to come, civilian casualties will be inevitable (i.e. Libya).

But then again...the UN hasn't really been reliable throughout the majority of its history. But we'll see what happens. Bottom line, this can't be instantly solved with some donations and some events. It's great for spreading the issue around but as for solving it? I'm sorry but this "over-complication" you guys are all bickering about is required and already set in stone. That's how foreign policies work. PERIOD.

As for the video itself, I actually didn't find it to be that powerful...it definitely got the message through though.

[Niloc009]

Invisible Children And Kony 2012 Exposed

Today my feed has EXPLODED with this Kony 2012 stuff. Who is Kony? He’s a murderer that runs an organization in Africa, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), which kidnaps kids and kills people. The response to this is that we should fight back against him and help save Uganda from the child kidnapper and family murderer. Here’s how to stop him: all you have to do is just donate a few dollars to… Wait a minute!

How the hell are people smart enough to avoid a Craigslist scam asking to help a Nigerian Prince recover his riches, but someone makes a thirty minute high-production video on YouTube and suddenly: SEND ALL THE MONEY! Immediately a few red flags came up on Kony 2012 and most of them were solved in just a few minutes of Google searching and digging.

Is Joseph Kony Even In Uganda?

Nope. Uganda is in a phase of rebuilding. The Kony 2012 video and Invisible Children make it seem that Joseph Kony is a monster ravaging through Northern Uganda as if he were Godzilla stomping through Tokyo. However, a quick fact check has pointed me to this: On July 8th, 2005, the International Criminal Court (ICC) named Joseph Kony the number one criminal in the world because of his crimes in Uganda. Shortly after the ICC indicted Kony, he fled Uganda and officially has been in hiding since 2006 (Source). Basically, he has since been hiding in a hole like Saddam Hussein and has approximately as much power as Saddam Hussein had while he was living in his hole, next to none. Hold that thought for later.

In short: I’ve just learned that this company “Invisible Children Inc” is lying. They’re making money off a man and a problem based on our ignorance.

Who Are Invisible Children?

Invisible Children is a company that was created by a few college students who travelled to Uganda and made a movie about it. They didn’t travel there looking for a story, they had to make one up as they went. They can be best described in this quote: “Invisible Children is too late. It has taught us that MTV type media can get university students interested in a world crisis, the problem is it took too much time. Night commuting, outlined as one of the major problems in northern Uganda by the film, is practically non-existent now. Why? Peace is coming to the region.” (Source). I’ve also learned that Invisible Children Inc isn’t even accredited by the Better Business Bureau. Susan G. Komen has come under fire for recent decisions that have been made and because their CEO makes millions, regardless they’re accredited because they’re a legitimate charity that helps millions of women. Invisible Children Inc is not accredited, which tells me they may not be a real charity, and that’s a huge red flag.

A little digging has shown me that they are in fact a charity organization and cannot profit, which is nice, except that the organization’s three filmmakers and co-founders receive a combined pay of $223,922 and in addition, Invisible Children holds the following assets: computer equipment ($751,000), transportation equipment ($288,762), video and camera equipment ($177,769), and furniture and fixtures ($45,361). (Source 1)(Source 2). The first source tells us that Invisible Children is very good with their money: Everything checks out and is accounted for, however, they score very low in their Accountability and Transparency. Basically that means they handle their money well, but they may not be doing what we think they should be doing with their money.

In short: Invisible Children has already lied about Joseph Kony being the Godzilla of Uganda, so my belief is that the executives and filmmakers at Invisible Children continue to make movies that are a few years too late and rely on college students and younger people to fund their travels around the world so that each of them can live a very moderate life averaging a little over $80,000/year. In the process, they’ve accrued a great deal of funds to build their movie making and documentary system and in return, all they have to do is build a few schools and buy clothes for people in Uganda with the extra money so not to make it look like it’s a giant scheme.

Are There Bigger Problems Facing Africa?

Yes, lots. The issue with what seems like a vast majority of people these days is that they assume killing the bad guy will lead to prosperity. Egypt, Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq have all lost their vicious leaders and we expected them to be fixed by now. Egypt is in a rebuilding phase, Syria is a dump, Afghanistan is still in war, and Iraq is a dump. Saddam Hussein was tried and given capital punishment in 2006: Iraq is still rebuilding from that (hold this thought too). Uganda is in the process of rebuilding which involves needing supplies for schools, education, economy, clean water, heath care and a strong organized government. The people of Uganda need to unite and come together to form one peaceful community, but that is going to take many many years.

In short: Uganda has a lot more than 99 problems and they can’t be solved overnight, and especially not with the arrest and/or assassination of Joseph Kony.

Conclusion:

Still holding those Saddam Hussein thoughts from earlier? Here everything will make sense: Joseph Kony left Uganda and is effectively hiding with no power since 2006 and Uganda has been rebuilding since. This means Joseph Kony is basically Uganda’s Saddam Hussein (Saddam hasn’t been in power in Iraq since his death in 2006). Watch what happens when I translate Uganda to have it make sense to uninformed Americans: Invisible Children is telling us that we should make Joseph KonySaddam Hussein famous in 2012, because Joseph Kony Saddam Hussein is running rampant inUganda Iraq and is killing innocent children. Saddam Hussein has been dead since 2006, Joseph Kony has been (pretty much) dead since 2006.

Invisible Children is trying to make money from our ignorance based solely on the fact that they’re a relatively small organization and have avoided major public backlash and scrutiny for lying directly to us by flying just under the media radar. However, with this new Kony 2012 effort: I can almost see the future say with confidence that Invisible Children is going to come under major fire for exaggerating the facts and manipulating people in their course for making money.

Do not trust Invisible Children with your money. It’s pretty easy to see that there’s a large amount of evidence pointing to this company being a money making scheme by a few smart men who have been able to dance around the law and media scrutiny.

Love,

Joe

http://blog.joerenken.com/2012/03/07/invisible-children-and-kony-2012-exposed/

[FeStealth]