Long story short it's a video about a man named Joseph Kony, who is the head of a group of rebels that started in Uganda and now has spread out a bit. He kidnaps children, forces them to kill their parents, and mutilate other kids. Men then become soldiers in his army, women sex slaves. It's really horrifying, and the video has a bunch of information about what's been done so far to stop him, which is really touching.
American soldiers were sent to help the Ugandan army back in October, but he Kony has still not been caught. Apparently, support is waning and the government is considering recalling their troops. The video calls for support in any form it can get, whether it be a donation of a few dollars, or just helping to spread the word. There is a big focus on how this man has abducted 30,000 children, yet nobody knows who he is. He is the number one criminal on the ICC's wanted list, and the video is trying to make him famous so people can realize what is going on.
You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
Everyone should watch the Invisible Children documentary and follow/support what they're doing.
Kony and the LRA leadership are among the most despicable beings on the planet, and unfortunately it's not just limited to Uganda, but also Somalia and Sierra Leone as well.
I really do not like how they made the video. The dramatic music, slow camera changes, big voice-over, crying children, dead people and mixed with the opposite happy son to show the contrast. Populist method of bringing your message over to others will never fair good with me but I already knew mr. kony so I had to stop after five minutes because that sort of sensationalism makes me crazy.
Now if anyone believes that I just critiqued the reason why he did it, you are wrong. He will most likely get most attention out of it and will see it as a path to biggest recognition with his tools. Legit method, I cannot blame him for that. A lot of people will respond best to this sort of message but I would be happier if people didn`t. The same style can be applied to propaganda and fear-mongering videos and he obviously did not to that, but the system is the same. Beware of videos/messages/truths that come this way, it has nothing to do with news or journalism. As far as I know he never claimed to be that so how can I blame him for using this ? I cannot. He was most likely very frustrated as nothing happened and had to do something. It is sad that it had to come that far but now that he has done it, we will see what is going to happen. The cynic in me says nothing but we can always hope for the best.
Still a bad video but many people will disagree with me
Again, I am not playing down his message at all. if nothing else worked, he can at least try it this way. Only the method makes me crazy. CRAZY.
Like I always say life is underrated. Great initiative. Though 2 things I dislike: -Supposedly global but seems really america-centered (for instance the celebrities and policy makers) -The facebook-mania And the way the video is made: put a cute kid, new technologies, atrocities, african kids, a bad guy, good but powerless guys, some dubstep and here we go. And of course the dramatic or epic music when needed. But I guess if it's the only thing that works it's for the greater good. Sad people can get concerned only by seeing propaganda/hollywood type video.
not watching the video because of the way it is made is kinda stupid, imo. An intelligent person like you should be able to ignore the slow motion, the music and the voice over and extract the important parts of the video. I understand you and i hate populist methods as well, but this is an serious issue, not just a movie you watch in a cinema or a news you see on tv. you should be able to overcome your disgust and be helpful.
i like Sam Childers, hes a boss. he fights the good fight out there. ex biker turned Machine Gun Preacher.
LRA = lords resistance army, meaning anything that is opposite of good in this world.
kony believes he is satans puppet sent forth to do his bidding, sam childers is the hand of god in the flesh, i think he will be the one who gets kony someday.
On March 07 2012 04:52 amatoer wrote: not watching the video because of the way it is made is kinda stupid, imo. An intelligent person like you should be able to ignore the slow motion, the music and the voice over and extract the important parts of the video. I understand you and i hate populist methods as well, but this is an serious issue, not just a movie you watch in a cinema or a news you see on tv. you should be able to overcome your disgust and be helpful.
I agree, I am really turned off by the video and the way the people making this do everything in their power not to level with their audience. They are doing good work that can't be denied but I think the way they are going about it is manipulative.
Yeah please change the title of the thread. Also this has been going on since I was in MIDDLE SCHOOL. This isnt something new. Invisible children is an organization that has gone around to schools for years broadcasting these videos and getting people involved. It is a great cause, and I only wish that things like this would come to an end, but obviously there is not foreseeable end in sight.
On March 07 2012 05:15 lightrise wrote: Yeah please change the title of the thread. Also this has been going on since I was in MIDDLE SCHOOL. This isnt something new. Invisible children is an organization that has gone around to schools for years broadcasting these videos and getting people involved. It is a great cause, and I only wish that things like this would come to an end, but obviously there is not foreseeable end in sight.
I think the point of the new campaign (as suggested eg. by the new website launched by them, ) IS to bring Kony into justice in the foreseeable future.
I really do not like how they made the video. The dramatic music, slow camera changes, big voice-over, crying children, dead people and mixed with the opposite happy son to show the contrast. Populist method of bringing your message over to others will never fair good with me but I already knew mr. kony so I had to stop after five minutes because that sort of sensationalism makes me crazy.
Now if anyone believes that I just critiqued the reason why he did it, you are wrong. He will most likely get most attention out of it and will see it as a path to biggest recognition with his tools. Legit method, I cannot blame him for that. A lot of people will respond best to this sort of message but I would be happier if people didn`t. The same style can be applied to propaganda and fear-mongering videos and he obviously did not to that, but the system is the same. Beware of videos/messages/truths that come this way, it has nothing to do with news or journalism. As far as I know he never claimed to be that so how can I blame him for using this ? I cannot. He was most likely very frustrated as nothing happened and had to do something. It is sad that it had to come that far but now that he has done it, we will see what is going to happen. The cynic in me says nothing but we can always hope for the best.
Still a bad video but many people will disagree with me
Again, I am not playing down his message at all. if nothing else worked, he can at least try it this way. Only the method makes me crazy. CRAZY.
I thought it was a beautiful and well done movie. It was cohessive and simple enough for ADHD people like me to sit through and watch without feeling like i'm watching something that is stealing my prescious time salivating over something else on the internet. I'm sure they could have hired someone with an exotic accent like Richard Harris to do the voice-overs, but sadly he's dead. Him using personal pictures, videos and his own family to spread the word on something he believes should not be happening in our age and time. Also crying kids! Man... the audacity.
I don't know what kind of high standards you set when you are making an awareness video Mr, but you sure as hell made me curious in your techniques of capturing snotty film-makers(Who thinks they are watching a journalistic movie) hearts by the end of the five minute mark.
On March 07 2012 04:26 Tufas wrote: I really do not like how they made the video. The dramatic music, slow camera changes, big voice-over, crying children, dead people and mixed with the opposite happy son to show the contrast. Populist method of bringing your message over to others will never fair good with me but I already knew mr. kony so I had to stop after five minutes because that sort of sensationalism makes me crazy.
Now if anyone believes that I just critiqued the reason why he did it, you are wrong. He will most likely get most attention out of it and will see it as a path to biggest recognition with his tools. Legit method, I cannot blame him for that. A lot of people will respond best to this sort of message but I would be happier if people didn`t. The same style can be applied to propaganda and fear-mongering videos and he obviously did not to that, but the system is the same. Beware of videos/messages/truths that come this way, it has nothing to do with news or journalism. As far as I know he never claimed to be that so how can I blame him for using this ? I cannot. He was most likely very frustrated as nothing happened and had to do something. It is sad that it had to come that far but now that he has done it, we will see what is going to happen. The cynic in me says nothing but we can always hope for the best.
Still a bad video but many people will disagree with me
Again, I am not playing down his message at all. if nothing else worked, he can at least try it this way. Only the method makes me crazy. CRAZY.
That's how I felt too.Also it made an impression on me how they kept saying send <insert correct amount of money> EVERY MONTH.Well how about no?I am very sceptical when it comes to private oganisations demanding money for some cause.Not saying this guy is a con artist but there haven't been one or two cases where people sent their money for something and then it turned out not all the money went into doing that.And that guy seemed to be living in a pretty nice home. Should Kony be stopped - for sure.And yet somehow for some reason I don't like this movement.Maybe it's because of the way it was presented to me which the guy i quoted described.And the one main thing I didn't like was the part where people where rallied up chanting making serious faces and rising their hands like they did something.No you didn't.All you did was give your spare change and click 1 button on a stupid site to make your conscience feel better.(I'm almost sure I made some mistake with the tense here but I just can't figure out how the phrase it).
Maybe I'm too much of a pesimist but hey I didn't chose where to be born or how to be raised.
Everything aside this Kony guys sounds pretty impressive. I'm not saying I like the guy but sustaining an army with no support for more than 20 years is an achievement.
edit: im going to rape your kids, your mom will get her lips cut off for arguing it, i will torture your dad and let him watch as i mutilate your sister, then i will force you to murder your father, or I will kill the rest of your family. Pick which one you have only 5 seconds before your all dead. But as you stated you commend him for holding an army of people who do this. and to top it off every one of those soldiers started off with the story i just propose.
edit: rofl i just got kicked off a computer because the guy behind me thought i was really thinking about doing this. afk.
On March 07 2012 04:26 Tufas wrote: I really do not like how they made the video. The dramatic music, slow camera changes, big voice-over, crying children, dead people and mixed with the opposite happy son to show the contrast. Populist method of bringing your message over to others will never fair good with me but I already knew mr. kony so I had to stop after five minutes because that sort of sensationalism makes me crazy.
Now if anyone believes that I just critiqued the reason why he did it, you are wrong. He will most likely get most attention out of it and will see it as a path to biggest recognition with his tools. Legit method, I cannot blame him for that. A lot of people will respond best to this sort of message but I would be happier if people didn`t. The same style can be applied to propaganda and fear-mongering videos and he obviously did not to that, but the system is the same. Beware of videos/messages/truths that come this way, it has nothing to do with news or journalism. As far as I know he never claimed to be that so how can I blame him for using this ? I cannot. He was most likely very frustrated as nothing happened and had to do something. It is sad that it had to come that far but now that he has done it, we will see what is going to happen. The cynic in me says nothing but we can always hope for the best.
Still a bad video but many people will disagree with me
Again, I am not playing down his message at all. if nothing else worked, he can at least try it this way. Only the method makes me crazy. CRAZY.
I can understand this way of thinking, but it seems to be for a legitimate cause. I don't think a lot of people can doubt this would be a modest USE of the American Army at this point and time. America always brands itself as the world "Justice" or "Police", well this fits the bill to me.
On March 07 2012 04:26 Tufas wrote: I really do not like how they made the video. The dramatic music, slow camera changes, big voice-over, crying children, dead people and mixed with the opposite happy son to show the contrast. Populist method of bringing your message over to others will never fair good with me but I already knew mr. kony so I had to stop after five minutes because that sort of sensationalism makes me crazy.
Now if anyone believes that I just critiqued the reason why he did it, you are wrong. He will most likely get most attention out of it and will see it as a path to biggest recognition with his tools. Legit method, I cannot blame him for that. A lot of people will respond best to this sort of message but I would be happier if people didn`t. The same style can be applied to propaganda and fear-mongering videos and he obviously did not to that, but the system is the same. Beware of videos/messages/truths that come this way, it has nothing to do with news or journalism. As far as I know he never claimed to be that so how can I blame him for using this ? I cannot. He was most likely very frustrated as nothing happened and had to do something. It is sad that it had to come that far but now that he has done it, we will see what is going to happen. The cynic in me says nothing but we can always hope for the best.
Still a bad video but many people will disagree with me
Again, I am not playing down his message at all. if nothing else worked, he can at least try it this way. Only the method makes me crazy. CRAZY.
That's how I felt too.Also it made an impression on me how they kept saying send <insert correct amount of money> EVERY MONTH.Well how about no?I am very sceptical when it comes to private oganisations demanding money for some cause.Not saying this guy is a con artist but there haven't been one or two cases where people sent their money for something and then it turned out not all the money went into doing that.And that guy seemed to be living in a pretty nice home. Should Kony be stopped - for sure.And yet somehow for some reason I don't like this movement.Maybe it's because of the way it was presented to me which the guy i quoted described.And the one main thing I didn't like was the part where people where rallied up chanting making serious faces and rising their hands like they did something.No you didn't.All you did was give your spare change and click 1 button on a stupid site to make your conscience feel better.(I'm almost sure I made some mistake with the tense here but I just can't figure out how the phrase it).
Maybe I'm too much of a pesimist but hey I didn't chose where to be born or how to be raised.
Everything aside this Kony guys sounds pretty impressive. I'm not saying I like the guy but sustaining an army with no support for more than 20 years is an achievement.
While I would not say he had direct support, I think rape and pillage may count as a form of self-sustainment.
My first thoughts when i saw thread title was "oh this joseph kony guy must be pretty swell, people even making threads to make him famous! I wonder what kind of awesome thing he has done" :/
Too sensational and populistic. Even the crying was staged and artificial. This sort of thing is why I can never trust charity groups: they think manipulative methods are acceptable when it's all for a good cause. In a way I can understand this, but the price of such chronic dishonesty is long-term suspicion. You just never know if you're getting the whole story.
That said, it'd take a heart of stone to not appreciate what they are trying to do. I won't give them a cent, but i'll make sure my friends are aware of who Kony is.
The solution is simple, everyone on facebook and on the world should pay mones into a fond. Everyone should donate a few dollars ore some cents to this fond.
The purpose of the fond should be to pay the one who kills this Mr. Joseph Kony. In addition I would start a fond for Mr. Bashar al-Assad and for Mr. Kim Jong-un and several other despots.
We should cleanse the world from these people.
We have the possibilities to set up these fonds, we have techonologies like paypal and other online payment sources. This undertaking should be started by someone, I would donate immediatly to these fonds.
Shit on the international community, lets use our own money and influence to get rid of these creatures ourselves privatly and without national policy getting intermingled.
of course in addition to normal charity but there should alo be priviate killings fonds out there for the assholes of the world.
On March 07 2012 07:26 Holy_AT wrote: The solution is simple, everyone on facebook and on the world should pay mones into a fond. Everyone should donate a few dollars ore some cents to this fond.
The purpose of the fond should be to pay the one who kills this Mr. Joseph Kony. In addition I would start a fond for Mr. Bashar al-Assad and for Mr. Kim Jong-un and several other despots.
We should cleanse the world from these people.
We have the possibilities to set up these fonds, we have techonologies like paypal and other online payment sources. This undertaking should be started by someone, I would donate immediatly to these fonds.
Shit on the international community, lets use our own money and influence to get rid of these creatures ourselves privatly and without national policy getting intermingled.
Because when Kim-Jong-Il died, North-Korea really did a 180.
I wish it really was as easy as killing a few evil heads of state.
On March 07 2012 07:26 Holy_AT wrote: The solution is simple, everyone on facebook and on the world should pay mones into a fond. Everyone should donate a few dollars ore some cents to this fond.
The purpose of the fond should be to pay the one who kills this Mr. Joseph Kony. In addition I would start a fond for Mr. Bashar al-Assad and for Mr. Kim Jong-un and several other despots.
We should cleanse the world from these people.
We have the possibilities to set up these fonds, we have techonologies like paypal and other online payment sources. This undertaking should be started by someone, I would donate immediatly to these fonds.
Shit on the international community, lets use our own money and influence to get rid of these creatures ourselves privatly and without national policy getting intermingled.
Because when Kim-Jong-Il died, North-Korea really did a 180.
I wish it really was as easy as killing a few evil heads of state.
Yes, then I would let the next successor to be killed until these kind of people realise that there is no place for them here on earth. We should carry the fear and terror to these despots that fester among the people and drain them of their freedom and of their rights and of their wealth.
Been following and helping out with Invisible Children for several years. This is a big deal, and is an under-reported aspect of the atrocities going on in that region. Everyone should watch that documentary.
How exactly does the filmaker support himself? Seems like all he does is travel around the world. Unless he's paid to speek at schools, or even takes money from the donations. If anyone can shed some light on this I'd appreciate it.
The thing is, this dude and his kid probably pass homeless guys on the street everyday and do nothing, maybe give them some change but nothing major. The reason they have taken on this Kony guy is because it is sexy, it is grand and exciting, it gives their life meaning, they wouldn't get headlines or sexy african locations if they were to give homeless dudes a bath and some food and a bed for the night. "Causes" like this are never about helping anyone, not primarily anyway, it is always about the desires (and the satisfaction of those desires) of the person behind the "cause."
Don't get me wrong the Kony guy is contemptible and deserves taking down but the american dude is just as contemptible imo, but for other reasons.
On March 07 2012 06:58 nttea wrote: My first thoughts when i saw thread title was "oh this joseph kony guy must be pretty swell, people even making threads to make him famous! I wonder what kind of awesome thing he has done" :/
This, except I thought it was someone's cool quest to be renowned worldwide from modest Facebook roots. With the OP's permission, can the thread title be changed by a mod to replace the word "famous" with "infamous" as was suggested in the first couple of comments?
I'm not usually this concerned with correctness, but this is kind of offensive from my understanding of what it is to be famous as opposed to infamous.
Have of course heard of Joseph Kony far too many times for it not to be insanely depressing, but I had not heard of Invisible Children and Jason Russell(the director of this film) before. So I did some research and am glad to say that the more I find, the more I am okay with these people representing this cause. I was especially pleased with finding this in their FAQ:
Can I volunteer with Invisible Children in Uganda? While we appreciate and understand your eagerness to serve overseas, Invisible Children does not have a volunteer program abroad. As we’ve developed as an organization, we’ve seen how a large influx of people without a specific purpose can be detrimental to a small community. As a result, the programs we have developed on the ground focus on Ugandans helping Ugandans.
As for Jason Russell, any wealth he happens to have is in all likelihood not from Invisible Children. His own commercial work should have taken care of that.
So while I prefer to give my own money to other causes, dont let any uninformed skeptics stop you if you want to help this one. And even if you don't support them monetarily, do tell people of Joseph Kony, and don't cause a shitstorm when stopping him turns out not to be a walk in the park.
On March 07 2012 07:41 mememolly wrote: The thing is, this dude and his kid probably pass homeless guys on the street everyday and do nothing, maybe give them some change but nothing major. The reason they have taken on this Kony guy is because it is sexy, it is grand and exciting, it gives their life meaning, they wouldn't get headlines or sexy african locations if they were to give homeless dudes a bath and some food and a bed for the night. "Causes" like this are never about helping anyone, not primarily anyway, it is always about the desires (and the satisfaction of those desires) of the person behind the "cause."
Don't get me wrong the Kony guy is contemptible and deserves taking down but the american dude is just as contemptible imo, but for other reasons.
That may be true, but you cant blame him for not helping everyone, thats in no ones power. One can be glad that he is trying to help someone and that he is finding some audience.
Maybe he is helping because he has some self interrest, but that makes him better then everyone not helping or people even harming others.
Jospeh Kony is a despicable man who deserves the worse possible punishment, but the true problem is that he's just 1 out of dozens of similar rebel leaders all throughout Africa. Simply taking him out reduces the problem slightly, but honestly doesn't do much. You have to attack it at the source. (Taking our their funding/etc, which is primarly centered around a lot of luxuries we as 1st worlders absolutely covet and spend hundreds-thousands of dollars upon.)
are people really bitching about how the movie was made? it's 30 minutes of your life, can't even afford to spare that when all the crazy shit thats happening?
I thought the movie was great and got the point across perfectly.
There's been a few things like this. Like in Liberia where they fed child soldiers drugs and made them eat people. It really surprises me in a way that things like this still go on in the world, but I guess I'm so far removed from them.
I, too, don't really like the style of the documentary and I'd probably describe it in many colorful words if it'd be about any other subject. But, hell.. Even if the guy is doing all this for himself (to have a meaning in life, to get attention, to get money..), even if Kony is just one of many, even if this won't bring world peace.. the stated goal of the documentary/movement is one that will make this world a better place (if only very slightly), and as such deserves all the support it can get.
And to those that say "I won't give them any money.": You clearly did not watch the documentary and are entirely missing the point of all this. The documentary is partly at fault here, though, since it does not explain its plan for action until the very end. It's not about begging for money that will vanish on the way to Africa, it's about getting the attention of the people that can actually do something about this. It's about getting the public to talk about this so the politicians can't ignore it any longer.
On March 07 2012 07:49 1Eris1 wrote: Jospeh Kony is a despicable man who deserves the worse possible punishment, but the true problem is that he's just 1 out of dozens of similar rebel leaders all throughout Africa. Simply taking him out reduces the problem slightly, but honestly doesn't do much. You have to attack it at the source. (Taking our their funding/etc, which is primarly centered around a lot of luxuries we as 1st worlders absolutely covet and spend hundreds-thousands of dollars upon.)
yar i found it funny how hes entirely clueless and hopeful for something that will never happen. ie taking down one guy and ending the war. lol
Three pages of TL's self-righteous-twat-brigade coming out to complain about how the message is presented rather than acknowledging the message itself. Unbelievable. I wonder how many of those presuming to know so much about the film-maker's intentions had actually heard about Kony before coming into this thread? If this helps awareness, that's all that matters.
I think most people have heard about LRA and Kony before. Even my parents know about them. Eventually LRA will be hunted down and beaten by the armies of the countries where they hang around. Ok they all are quite weak in these areas especially if they (as according to some rumors) run around in the kivu provinces or south sudan but still. Actually suprised that they are still active. really interesting with their early activities attacking in cross formation and similar things, kinda like the mormons when they did battle in the US.
On March 07 2012 08:05 Deadeight wrote: There's been a few things like this. Like in Liberia where they fed child soldiers drugs and made them eat people. It really surprises me in a way that things like this still go on in the world, but I guess I'm so far removed from them. + Show Spoiler [comment with perhaps slightly poor taste] +
I couldn't help but expect Joseph Kony to turn out to be Marlon Brando.
Yea, Liberia is fucked up. The initiation rite for a boy soldier is to + Show Spoiler +
rape his mother
, they tell them it makes them immune to bullets. That, and so much more insane shit going on in the world.
Invisible children came to my school. It was extremely moving, and i'm now friends with Tony on facebook! not sure if they talk about him in the video though (only watching it now)
I feel like everyone needs to watch this. It makes me sad.
On March 07 2012 07:41 mememolly wrote: The thing is, this dude and his kid probably pass homeless guys on the street everyday and do nothing, maybe give them some change but nothing major. The reason they have taken on this Kony guy is because it is sexy, it is grand and exciting, it gives their life meaning, they wouldn't get headlines or sexy african locations if they were to give homeless dudes a bath and some food and a bed for the night. "Causes" like this are never about helping anyone, not primarily anyway, it is always about the desires (and the satisfaction of those desires) of the person behind the "cause."
Don't get me wrong the Kony guy is contemptible and deserves taking down but the american dude is just as contemptible imo, but for other reasons.
Honestly, I don't get that feeling even one bit. I think that your entire statement above is one of the most selfish, maybe even jealous things I've ever heard. I hope to God you don't actually believe the garbage you just spewed into this thread. This man clearly cares about the well-being of the people he's fighting for and to even attempt to discredit all the good things he's done to help these people would be nothing more than craziness. If you have to try and justify his kindness in these terms it goes to show that you must be seriously lacking in compassion of your own.
On March 07 2012 08:31 Flaccid wrote: Three pages of TL's self-righteous-twat-brigade coming out to complain about how the message is presented rather than acknowledging the message itself. Unbelievable. I wonder how many of those presuming to know so much about the film-maker's intentions had actually heard about Kony before coming into this thread? If this helps awareness, that's all that matters.
Amen man. It's really quite terrible to have to come onto teamliquid everyday and see this same general thing all the freakin time. Sometimes I wonder what some of the ignorant people on the forums would say if they weren't hidden behind the safety of their computer screens.
On March 07 2012 07:49 1Eris1 wrote: Jospeh Kony is a despicable man who deserves the worse possible punishment, but the true problem is that he's just 1 out of dozens of similar rebel leaders all throughout Africa. Simply taking him out reduces the problem slightly, but honestly doesn't do much. You have to attack it at the source. (Taking our their funding/etc, which is primarly centered around a lot of luxuries we as 1st worlders absolutely covet and spend hundreds-thousands of dollars upon.)
yar i found it funny how hes entirely clueless and hopeful for something that will never happen. ie taking down one guy and ending the war. lol
I found it funny that as you sit on your ass mocking him, he's actually trying to do something to change people's lives for the better. Someone here is definitely clueless and hopeless (HINT: It's not him).
On March 07 2012 07:41 mememolly wrote: The thing is, this dude and his kid probably pass homeless guys on the street everyday and do nothing, maybe give them some change but nothing major. The reason they have taken on this Kony guy is because it is sexy, it is grand and exciting, it gives their life meaning, they wouldn't get headlines or sexy african locations if they were to give homeless dudes a bath and some food and a bed for the night. "Causes" like this are never about helping anyone, not primarily anyway, it is always about the desires (and the satisfaction of those desires) of the person behind the "cause."
Don't get me wrong the Kony guy is contemptible and deserves taking down but the american dude is just as contemptible imo, but for other reasons.
Honestly, I don't get that feeling even one bit. I think that your entire statement above is one of the most selfish, maybe even jealous things I've ever heard. I hope to God you don't actually believe the garbage you just spewed into this thread. This man clearly cares about the well-being of the people he's fighting for and to even attempt to discredit all the good things he's done to help these people would be nothing more than craziness. If you have to try and justify his kindness in these terms it goes to show that you must be seriously lacking in compassion of your own.
Your statement makes me sick.
Hit the nail on the head, i couldn't have said it better.
On March 07 2012 04:26 Tufas wrote: I really do not like how they made the video. The dramatic music, slow camera changes, big voice-over, crying children, dead people and mixed with the opposite happy son to show the contrast. Populist method of bringing your message over to others will never fair good with me but I already knew mr. kony so I had to stop after five minutes because that sort of sensationalism makes me crazy.
Now if anyone believes that I just critiqued the reason why he did it, you are wrong. He will most likely get most attention out of it and will see it as a path to biggest recognition with his tools. Legit method, I cannot blame him for that. A lot of people will respond best to this sort of message but I would be happier if people didn`t. The same style can be applied to propaganda and fear-mongering videos and he obviously did not to that, but the system is the same. Beware of videos/messages/truths that come this way, it has nothing to do with news or journalism. As far as I know he never claimed to be that so how can I blame him for using this ? I cannot. He was most likely very frustrated as nothing happened and had to do something. It is sad that it had to come that far but now that he has done it, we will see what is going to happen. The cynic in me says nothing but we can always hope for the best.
Still a bad video but many people will disagree with me
Again, I am not playing down his message at all. if nothing else worked, he can at least try it this way. Only the method makes me crazy. CRAZY.
What would you have had him do/ Provide hundreds of hours of footage and statistics so people can have a 100% complete understanding of everything everywhere forever?
edit: ohgod "edgy" children. Seems like some people can't let anyone do anything without having some "enlightened" critique of their message or methods, just for the sake of seeming superior without actually presenting any serious thought.
Holy crap, this has just exploded, just checked the youtube video and the likes/comments increase sooo fast (like that parenting video a couple of weeks ago) but now it is for a good cause. Pretty sweet if this actually does something great.
However I always have problems with these projects, there seems to be this new idea that awareness = solution, which I really don't agree with.. I mean of course it helps if the whole world knows about something, but the whole world new about Muammar Gaddafi for years and nothing happened until 4 of the world's most powerful nations decided to invest heavily into his capture.
I guess my problem really comes from the fact that I just feel so hypocritical when I support these causes, sure I can give £5 a month and like their Facebook page but in all honesty more likely that not, the next day I'll just go on with my life and forget about it as will all the others. I give a lot of money to charity I can relate to, but I just don't really trust in these waves of charity from kids in developed worlds completely disconnected from the real problem 10,000 miles away, and would have difficulty believing they could lead to a really positive and deep rooted solution or outcome.
Also, the whole bringing your kid into the film was BS, but that's just me probably.
Having said that, major respect, its a beautiful life dedication, and truly touching.
And to those that say "I won't give them any money.": You clearly did not watch the documentary and are entirely missing the point of all this. The documentary is partly at fault here, though, since it does not explain its plan for action until the very end. It's not about begging for money that will vanish on the way to Africa, it's about getting the attention of the people that can actually do something about this. It's about getting the public to talk about this so the politicians can't ignore it any longer.
I said I won't give them money, and I both watched and understood the documentary. I won't give them money because I don't like the way they are doing this. It has nothing to do with whether or not the money will vanish in Africa. I just don't appreciate the manipulative approach. That said I support the cause wholeheartedly, which is precisely why I said that i'll personally do my part to raise awareness about Kony in my particular corner of the world. If anything that is more appropriate and fits better with their stated goal than donating.
I hadn't heard about this before so if nothing else, at least it is raising awareness. I don't really like the manipulative style of videos like this, but I think the posts here discounting his efforts are kind of ridiculous. I think it takes a lot of people making minor impacts to make the world a better place, not one guy doing everything.
A bit cheesy video but I like the idea. I'll try to share the video a bit don't feel like donating cause I bet I'm gonna have to pay import fee if they send me one of those kits ><
USA is one of the most warlike country, so even if the film director opinions and actions are respectable, I find it really disturbing to point out a distant evil warmonger then ask the help of the governement who is responsible for thousands of civilians killings, like innocent iraq and afganisthan kids for exemple. As usual, there are the good US people and the bad bloodthirsty dictator. Keeping up this manichean vision of the world leads to more wars. What i disliked too is how he wants us to think that all these murders and tortures will stop if you kill one guy. You can kill him, the next day he'll be replaced. These are the horrible symptoms of years of dictatorial regimes supported by many powerfull european countries, and extrem poverty. If you want to learn more you go on youtube and watch the famous documentary "General Idi Amin Dada - An Autoportrait". http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071544/
This is the classic basket case of African warlords. You want to get rid of people like Kony? You have to squash the entire organization, bring it down, make it disappear. LRA will continue to do same thing even if their leader is captured.
This whole activity is focused on wrong direction.
Just saw this video on facebook decided to see if there was a thread on TL and i didn't have to look further than first page. Make Kony infamous! PS watch the youtube video Link :
On March 07 2012 08:31 Flaccid wrote: Three pages of TL's self-righteous-twat-brigade coming out to complain about how the message is presented rather than acknowledging the message itself. Unbelievable. I wonder how many of those presuming to know so much about the film-maker's intentions had actually heard about Kony before coming into this thread? If this helps awareness, that's all that matters.
My sentiments exactly..
I watched the video, found it very touching, and posted it here on TL. I find it sickening that I come back some 8 hours later to find the vast majority of the comments either bitching about how he filmed his movie, or "omg hes trying to swindle me of my money".
It is QUITE clear that the primary objective of the video was to spread awareness about April 20th, NOT to ask for donations. And I believe whoever made the film did a very good job of being dramatic and capturing peoples attention..as you can clearly see if you have a facebook.
And the slogan of their campaign is "Make Kony Famous", hence the title, but whatever
On March 07 2012 08:31 Flaccid wrote: Three pages of TL's self-righteous-twat-brigade coming out to complain about how the message is presented rather than acknowledging the message itself. Unbelievable. I wonder how many of those presuming to know so much about the film-maker's intentions had actually heard about Kony before coming into this thread? If this helps awareness, that's all that matters.
Wow, complete agreement, the video may be cheesy, but its saddening to see the videomaker get flamed for taking on this particular cause.
Joseph Kony has been ravaging Africa for years and you complain about how the video was made? Are you kidding? There are way bigger issues here at stake. Sure, maybe arresting Kony won't end killings by the LRA, but it's a step in the right direction. Maybe violence will never be extinguished, but that doesn't mean that we can't try to make the world a better place. Invisible Children is doing more to benefit humanity then you or I ever have and most likely ever will. This video alone is spreading through virtually every major social networking site and bringing awareness to a cause. I'm sorry if you're too intelligent to be manipulated by "persuasive videos" and are to concentrated on the music playing in the background. But please, if you're not going to do anything but bash on how the information is presented, please not comment.
As for me, I have been a supporter of Invisible Children for years ever since knowing about the LRA a few years ago. I'm sorry if I'm too dumb and not intelligent enough to gain knowledge about atrocities without media like this, and that I'm all knowing and know everything that has ever happened to humanity. Without media like this, the LRA would still continue.
Hotel Rwanda (about the Rwandan Genocide): Paul: How can they not do anything? Don't they care? Jack: I think that when people turn on their TVs and see this footage, they'll say, "Oh my God, that's horrible," and then they'll go back to eating their dinners.
On March 07 2012 08:31 Flaccid wrote: Three pages of TL's self-righteous-twat-brigade coming out to complain about how the message is presented rather than acknowledging the message itself. Unbelievable. I wonder how many of those presuming to know so much about the film-maker's intentions had actually heard about Kony before coming into this thread? If this helps awareness, that's all that matters.
Actually most people who complained about the presentation also acknowledged the message explicitly. There's nothing wrong with thinking the cause is great while pointing out that something is not quite right. I was tempted to ignore such details myself, because it's such a worthy cause, but then I realized that I didn't want to encourage the sort of cynical manipulation going on in that video. He knows every trick in the book and never hesitated to employ each one in the making of this video.
On March 07 2012 08:31 Flaccid wrote: Three pages of TL's self-righteous-twat-brigade coming out to complain about how the message is presented rather than acknowledging the message itself. Unbelievable. I wonder how many of those presuming to know so much about the film-maker's intentions had actually heard about Kony before coming into this thread? If this helps awareness, that's all that matters.
Actually most people who complained about the presentation also acknowledged the message explicitly. There's nothing wrong with thinking the cause is great while pointing out that something is not quite right. I was tempted to ignore such details myself, because it's such a worthy cause, but then I realized that I didn't want to encourage the sort of cynical manipulation going on in that video. He knows every trick in the book and never hesitated to employ each one in the making of this video.
What is this ridiculous response I'm seeing in the first few pages of this thread?
Sadly, that response will dictate the theme of this thread for pages to come.
Let's clear this up right now.
The "tactics" used to raise awareness for this cause are both warranted and fair. They're not underhanded, they're not "shady" and to claim otherwise is to misinterpret the message.
They only feel shady or underhanded because these tactics are generally employed to spread false information. The dramatic music and alarmist tone in the video only feels dishonest because they are typically used in a dishonest way.
It's the same media tactics employed to tell the public that gay marriage will corrupt society, or that the president wasn't born in America.
Sensationalist media tactics work. They drown out everything else.
If these tactics get used to tell us that gay marriage will bring down the country, why not use them for something that's actually factually and logically true? I can't think of a better use for sensationalism than something actually sensational.
The reality of it all? I had no idea who Kony was before this thread, and now I know who he is.
Does the subject matter here not warrant dramatic sensationalism? If child abduction, rape, murder and mutilation don't call for sensationalist propaganda, I don't know what does.
So with that said, I've sent the video to others and hope they'll do the same. I'll also go and send an automated letter to my head of state. I'll also do all of the other non-onerous things the video pointed out to make what little difference I can. Why the hell wouldn't I? I haven't spent a dime on this cause (and though I might feel a little guilty for doing so, I don't plan on it).
This is about as difficult as tweeting #ESPORTS and the cause is far more serious and important.
No one would condone Kony's actions, everyone would deplore it... so why can't we allocate resources to it?
Is it possible to make something that is morally reprehensible a pressing social issue for our governments to address?
I really hope this campaign is successful so that I can answer those questions in the way I'd hope they'd be answered.
So go out there and tell people about this... and stop bitching about the format.
I just saw the 20+ min. movie, and I like the idea of sharing the message to more people for a good cause.
I see a lot of negative responses towards the old title of this TL thread and the way the movie was made, and I think all that it's good. At the end all the criticism makes the message of this cause being spread out in more places.
Since I'm not taking many classes at school this semester, I will try to talk to professors at my schools and see if I can get the word out. I'll post links for the pledge in my social network accounts and I will talk to my friends at school and work about it. As the movie explained we're running out of time, so I will try to help around the NY area ASAP.
I know I'm not the only one trying to do this, I just want it to post my way to help in as many places as I can.
I read about Kony a while ago, I was just like "Holy fuck, this guy is nuts", and then forgot about him. I'm happy people are spreading awareness about him. Best of luck to the movement!
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa.
People will eat all the crap they are fed these days.
I'm glad this is getting attention here, and everywhere. I've known about Invisible Children for a few years, I can't believe how much they've accomplished. I can only hope and pray that this works.
Kony is busy hiding from Ugandan military. Like he said, he is hardly considered problem nowdays. LRA has been irrelavent to Ugandan peace for long time now. Although, there are still plenty of abandoned child army from LRA when Kony went into hiding.
The video I just watched feels like it was made to manipulate me, not inform me. Joseph Kony sounds like a despicable person... but that video was shit and makes me not want to donate to their cause.
EDIT After reading more... yeah.. Joseph Kony is the worst person ever. No arguing that.
Considering he is so horrible though, there is no need to use all the dramatic fluff in the video. Make a video that gets across the most information possible... not the most emotions possible. Children crying does not tell me anything, dramatic music does not tell me anything...
If the situation is serious enough, raw facts without the fluff does plenty of justice.
On March 07 2012 15:55 Sinensis wrote: The video I just watched feels like it was made to manipulate me, not inform me. Joseph Kony sounds like a despicable person... but that video was shit and makes me not want to donate to their cause.
Ask yourself what you think you're being manipulated into...
...to encourage you to spread awareness of a war criminal? Or, perhaps in your case, to further inform yourself on the subject as a result of your skepticism?
I think understand your reaction. These attention grabbing tactics are generally used by alarmist groups to spread misinformation. Like, the kind of dramatic voice-overs and music in political attack ads. But what happens when a group uses these very effective attention grabbing tactics to raise awareness for something that isn't unscrupulous?
On March 07 2012 15:55 Sinensis wrote: The video I just watched feels like it was made to manipulate me, not inform me. Joseph Kony sounds like a despicable person... but that video was shit and makes me not want to donate to their cause.
Ask yourself what you think you're being manipulated into...
...to encourage you to spread awareness of a war criminal? Or, perhaps in your case, to further inform yourself on the subject as a result of your skepticism?
I think understand your reaction. These attention grabbing tactics are generally used by alarmist groups to spread misinformation. Like, the kind of dramatic voice-overs and music in political attack ads. But what happens when a group uses these very effective attention grabbing tactics to raise awareness for something that isn't unscrupulous?
Seriously, take a second and ask yourself:
What are you being manipulated into thinking?
If the cause is serious enough my own humanity should do all the convincing that needs done on me. I do not like being manipulated for any cause, for any reason, no matter how legitimate. There are THOUSANDS OF MILLIONS of problems with the planet I can help out with my hard earned cash. It makes it much easier to choose who to donate to and support if all their facts are completely transparent and straightforward. I do not like being manipulated into doing anything, and if this cause is serious enough I do not need to be manipulated to support it I simply need to be EDUCATED.
On March 07 2012 15:55 Sinensis wrote: The video I just watched feels like it was made to manipulate me, not inform me. Joseph Kony sounds like a despicable person... but that video was shit and makes me not want to donate to their cause.
Ask yourself what you think you're being manipulated into...
...to encourage you to spread awareness of a war criminal? Or, perhaps in your case, to further inform yourself on the subject as a result of your skepticism?
I think understand your reaction. These attention grabbing tactics are generally used by alarmist groups to spread misinformation. Like, the kind of dramatic voice-overs and music in political attack ads. But what happens when a group uses these very effective attention grabbing tactics to raise awareness for something that isn't unscrupulous?
Seriously, take a second and ask yourself:
What are you being manipulated into thinking?
If the cause is serious enough my own humanity should do all the convincing that needs done on me. I do not like being manipulated for any cause, for any reason, no matter how legitimate. There are THOUSANDS OF MILLIONS of problems with the planet I can help out with my hard earned cash. It makes it much easier to choose who to donate to and support if all their facts are completely transparent and straightforward. I do not like being manipulated into doing anything, and if this cause is serious enough I do not need to be manipulated to support it I simply need to be EDUCATED.
On March 07 2012 15:55 Sinensis wrote: The video I just watched feels like it was made to manipulate me, not inform me. Joseph Kony sounds like a despicable person... but that video was shit and makes me not want to donate to their cause.
Ask yourself what you think you're being manipulated into...
...to encourage you to spread awareness of a war criminal? Or, perhaps in your case, to further inform yourself on the subject as a result of your skepticism?
I think understand your reaction. These attention grabbing tactics are generally used by alarmist groups to spread misinformation. Like, the kind of dramatic voice-overs and music in political attack ads. But what happens when a group uses these very effective attention grabbing tactics to raise awareness for something that isn't unscrupulous?
Seriously, take a second and ask yourself:
What are you being manipulated into thinking?
that this is an issue.
kony has no power anymore and this whole campaign is a marketing scheme imo. theres no point in hunting down someone who has no power. they make it sound like this is happening today, which it isnt
On March 07 2012 15:55 Sinensis wrote: The video I just watched feels like it was made to manipulate me, not inform me. Joseph Kony sounds like a despicable person... but that video was shit and makes me not want to donate to their cause.
Ask yourself what you think you're being manipulated into...
...to encourage you to spread awareness of a war criminal? Or, perhaps in your case, to further inform yourself on the subject as a result of your skepticism?
I think understand your reaction. These attention grabbing tactics are generally used by alarmist groups to spread misinformation. Like, the kind of dramatic voice-overs and music in political attack ads. But what happens when a group uses these very effective attention grabbing tactics to raise awareness for something that isn't unscrupulous?
Seriously, take a second and ask yourself:
What are you being manipulated into thinking?
that this is an issue.
kony has no power anymore and this whole campaign is a marketing scheme imo. theres no point in hunting down someone who has no power. they make it sound like this is happening today, which it isnt
2nd post is full of win haha. All i wanted to pipe was we got to stop budding into other people's fucking bussiness, thats just how their society works over there and we'll only be hated if we interfer... Just because we don't view it as right doesn't mean we have to go change other people's views on the world.
On March 07 2012 15:55 Sinensis wrote: The video I just watched feels like it was made to manipulate me, not inform me. Joseph Kony sounds like a despicable person... but that video was shit and makes me not want to donate to their cause.
Ask yourself what you think you're being manipulated into...
...to encourage you to spread awareness of a war criminal? Or, perhaps in your case, to further inform yourself on the subject as a result of your skepticism?
I think understand your reaction. These attention grabbing tactics are generally used by alarmist groups to spread misinformation. Like, the kind of dramatic voice-overs and music in political attack ads. But what happens when a group uses these very effective attention grabbing tactics to raise awareness for something that isn't unscrupulous?
Seriously, take a second and ask yourself:
What are you being manipulated into thinking?
If the cause is serious enough my own humanity should do all the convincing that needs done on me. I do not like being manipulated for any cause, for any reason, no matter how legitimate. There are THOUSANDS OF MILLIONS of problems with the planet I can help out with my hard earned cash. It makes it much easier to choose who to donate to and support if all their facts are completely transparent and straightforward. I do not like being manipulated into doing anything, and if this cause is serious enough I do not need to be manipulated to support it I simply need to be EDUCATED.
This video does not educate me.
You still haven't answered the question:
What are you being manipulated into thinking?
I didn't need to answer that question because I don't need to be manipulated to in order to support something, I simply need to be educated about their cause in a non-convoluted, non-sensational manner and then I need to be able to donate in a way that isn't overly inconvenient for me.
Those are the only two things I need. Straightforward education and then an streamlined way to support. I don't need to be manipulated into thinking anything because I already believe people like Kony need to go away.
I'm trying to keep my emotions out of this post, since this is the one person on Earth I seriously want to beat the shit out of.
The only problem with capturing Kony is dealing with the child soldiers. You cannot ask someone to fight children, nor would you want to. He's hiding behind children as human shields, and any childs death in this case is one to many. I think the only way you are going to deal with this son of a bitch is to take him and his leadership out. Elite snipers, and special troopers.
I hate death, I hate even killing Ants with spray (they don't know any better they are just trying to survive like the rest of us). I am against the death penalty in most every case. This is the exception. Take this man out.
On March 07 2012 15:55 Sinensis wrote: The video I just watched feels like it was made to manipulate me, not inform me. Joseph Kony sounds like a despicable person... but that video was shit and makes me not want to donate to their cause.
Ask yourself what you think you're being manipulated into...
...to encourage you to spread awareness of a war criminal? Or, perhaps in your case, to further inform yourself on the subject as a result of your skepticism?
I think understand your reaction. These attention grabbing tactics are generally used by alarmist groups to spread misinformation. Like, the kind of dramatic voice-overs and music in political attack ads. But what happens when a group uses these very effective attention grabbing tactics to raise awareness for something that isn't unscrupulous?
Seriously, take a second and ask yourself:
What are you being manipulated into thinking?
that this is an issue.
kony has no power anymore and this whole campaign is a marketing scheme imo. theres no point in hunting down someone who has no power. they make it sound like this is happening today, which it isnt
you win the thread.
Really? Do you honestly think that raising awareness of Kony's actions is a bad thing?
There are two realities, here: One where Kony has actual power and is still a threat, and one where he isn't.
In the first situation, awareness here is warranted. The guy is still a threat and is still capable of influencing and hurting others.
But even if it is true that he has no power anymore:
Do you think it's a good idea to leave this situation unresolved?
Does it matter how far exactly his reach extends? Can we not still be indignant even if he impacts the world on a smaller scale than he used to?
Do you think it's not worth raising these issues in the first place? That the third world, especially in Africa, is easily manipulated by those with the most firepower?
Do you think it's not worth even knowing about? Did you know who Kony was before this? (If you did, the majority did not)
Why not raise awareness for this and other issues on the back of a poster boy war criminal? Does it matter that the means used are a bit sensational?
Would you have even heard about this guy had it not been sensationally presented in the first place?
Or, should we sweep this all under the rug because you feel you're being manipulated by a video on the internet?
Of all the things that use social media and sensationalism to fight for our attention, what is so egregiously wrong about this one?
I was just about to make a thread in regards to this myself, but saw that someone else had, please take 30 minutes to watch this video if you haven't already, it really is eye opening.
To the people that think the video is manipulative, if you do any research on your own of Kony's actions you'll see that his crimes are real and I think just about any person on earth would agree that what he's doing is wrong. This is a man who has been able to maintain his power because of the lack of attention our world has given him, hopefully this video is the start to a global movement to end his regime.
On March 07 2012 15:55 Sinensis wrote: The video I just watched feels like it was made to manipulate me, not inform me. Joseph Kony sounds like a despicable person... but that video was shit and makes me not want to donate to their cause.
Ask yourself what you think you're being manipulated into...
...to encourage you to spread awareness of a war criminal? Or, perhaps in your case, to further inform yourself on the subject as a result of your skepticism?
I think understand your reaction. These attention grabbing tactics are generally used by alarmist groups to spread misinformation. Like, the kind of dramatic voice-overs and music in political attack ads. But what happens when a group uses these very effective attention grabbing tactics to raise awareness for something that isn't unscrupulous?
Seriously, take a second and ask yourself:
What are you being manipulated into thinking?
that this is an issue.
kony has no power anymore and this whole campaign is a marketing scheme imo. theres no point in hunting down someone who has no power. they make it sound like this is happening today, which it isnt
you win the thread.
Really? Do you honestly think that raising awareness of Kony's actions is a bad thing? no There are two realities, here: One where Kony has actual power and is still a threat, and one where he isn't.
In the first situation, awareness here is warranted. The guy is still a thread and is still capable of influencing and hurting others.
But even if it is true that he has no power anymore:
Do you think it's a good idea to leave this situation unresolved? what does it matter? whats to resolve anyways? Does it matter how far exactly his reach extends? Can we not still be indignant even if he impacts the world on a smaller scale than he used to? of course he should be stopped from whatever minimal damage he can do now but its just weird how theyre making a huge deal out of it after most of his power has been stripped..why not use this propaganda video when he actually had a huge impact? Do you think it's not worth raising these issues in the first place? That the third world, especially in Africa, is easily manipulated by those with the most firepower? of course its worth raising these issues, but this issue specifically is weird because it isnt a problem right now. why isnt some other, bigger, problem being brought up instead, for people to get behind, rather than one with not as big impact as they're implying? Do you think it's not worth even knowing about? Did you know who Kony was before this? (If you did, the majority did not) its worth knowing about for sure, everything this terrible should be known. i knew who he was, but not much about him or what exactly he did before this Why not raise awareness for this and other issues on the back of a poster boy war criminal? Does it matter that the means used are a bit sensational? id say that it does matter because it manipulates you into not thinking for yourself, and you should be able to judge for yourself what you think, rather than having an opinion thrown at you Would you have even heard about this guy had it not been sensationally presented in the first place? probably not as much, but if media realizes this is how to get people to vote for you, etc, then this could lead to a very bad thing.
On March 07 2012 15:55 Sinensis wrote: The video I just watched feels like it was made to manipulate me, not inform me. Joseph Kony sounds like a despicable person... but that video was shit and makes me not want to donate to their cause.
Ask yourself what you think you're being manipulated into...
...to encourage you to spread awareness of a war criminal? Or, perhaps in your case, to further inform yourself on the subject as a result of your skepticism?
I think understand your reaction. These attention grabbing tactics are generally used by alarmist groups to spread misinformation. Like, the kind of dramatic voice-overs and music in political attack ads. But what happens when a group uses these very effective attention grabbing tactics to raise awareness for something that isn't unscrupulous?
Seriously, take a second and ask yourself:
What are you being manipulated into thinking?
that this is an issue.
kony has no power anymore and this whole campaign is a marketing scheme imo. theres no point in hunting down someone who has no power. they make it sound like this is happening today, which it isnt
you win the thread.
Really? Do you honestly think that raising awareness of Kony's actions is a bad thing?
There are two realities, here: One where Kony has actual power and is still a threat, and one where he isn't.
In the first situation, awareness here is warranted. The guy is still a threat and is still capable of influencing and hurting others.
But even if it is true that he has no power anymore:
Do you think it's a good idea to leave this situation unresolved?
Does it matter how far exactly his reach extends? Can we not still be indignant even if he impacts the world on a smaller scale than he used to?
Do you think it's not worth raising these issues in the first place? That the third world, especially in Africa, is easily manipulated by those with the most firepower?
Do you think it's not worth even knowing about? Did you know who Kony was before this? (If you did, the majority did not)
Why not raise awareness for this and other issues on the back of a poster boy war criminal? Does it matter that the means used are a bit sensational?
Would you have even heard about this guy had it not been sensationally presented in the first place?
Or, should we sweep this all under the rug because you feel you're being manipulated by a video on the internet?
Of all the things that use social media and sensationalism to fight for our attention, what is so egregiously wrong about this one?
SENSATIONALISM IS BAD. Period. Anyone who uses it is a con and anyone who eats it up is an imbecile. You want to know how to present material without soundling like sensationalist, manipulative, garbage? I present to you:
Bob Ross communicating how to paint mountains without sensationalism but still being effective:
Here is Fred Rogers in a non-sensationalist interview:
And here is a clip of David Attenborough's where he describes a Venus Fly Trap factually and unsensationally.
What all of these videos have in common is that I love all three of these men, and none of them use sensationalism to educate.
On March 07 2012 15:55 Sinensis wrote: The video I just watched feels like it was made to manipulate me, not inform me. Joseph Kony sounds like a despicable person... but that video was shit and makes me not want to donate to their cause.
Ask yourself what you think you're being manipulated into...
...to encourage you to spread awareness of a war criminal? Or, perhaps in your case, to further inform yourself on the subject as a result of your skepticism?
I think understand your reaction. These attention grabbing tactics are generally used by alarmist groups to spread misinformation. Like, the kind of dramatic voice-overs and music in political attack ads. But what happens when a group uses these very effective attention grabbing tactics to raise awareness for something that isn't unscrupulous?
Seriously, take a second and ask yourself:
What are you being manipulated into thinking?
that this is an issue.
kony has no power anymore and this whole campaign is a marketing scheme imo. theres no point in hunting down someone who has no power. they make it sound like this is happening today, which it isnt
you win the thread.
Really? Do you honestly think that raising awareness of Kony's actions is a bad thing?
There are two realities, here: One where Kony has actual power and is still a threat, and one where he isn't.
In the first situation, awareness here is warranted. The guy is still a threat and is still capable of influencing and hurting others.
But even if it is true that he has no power anymore:
Do you think it's a good idea to leave this situation unresolved?
Does it matter how far exactly his reach extends? Can we not still be indignant even if he impacts the world on a smaller scale than he used to?
Do you think it's not worth raising these issues in the first place? That the third world, especially in Africa, is easily manipulated by those with the most firepower?
Do you think it's not worth even knowing about? Did you know who Kony was before this? (If you did, the majority did not)
Why not raise awareness for this and other issues on the back of a poster boy war criminal? Does it matter that the means used are a bit sensational?
Would you have even heard about this guy had it not been sensationally presented in the first place?
Or, should we sweep this all under the rug because you feel you're being manipulated by a video on the internet?
Of all the things that use social media and sensationalism to fight for our attention, what is so egregiously wrong about this one?
SENSATIONALISM IS BAD. Period. Anyone who uses it is a con and anyone who eats it up is an imbecile. You want to know how to present material without soundling like sensationalist, manipulative, garbage? I present to you:
For anyone who has not yet seen the movie Machine Gun Preacher, it helps to see what its like. And searching Sam Childers on youtube afterwards gives more insight from his eyes.
On March 07 2012 15:55 Sinensis wrote: The video I just watched feels like it was made to manipulate me, not inform me. Joseph Kony sounds like a despicable person... but that video was shit and makes me not want to donate to their cause.
Ask yourself what you think you're being manipulated into...
...to encourage you to spread awareness of a war criminal? Or, perhaps in your case, to further inform yourself on the subject as a result of your skepticism?
I think understand your reaction. These attention grabbing tactics are generally used by alarmist groups to spread misinformation. Like, the kind of dramatic voice-overs and music in political attack ads. But what happens when a group uses these very effective attention grabbing tactics to raise awareness for something that isn't unscrupulous?
Seriously, take a second and ask yourself:
What are you being manipulated into thinking?
that this is an issue.
kony has no power anymore and this whole campaign is a marketing scheme imo. theres no point in hunting down someone who has no power. they make it sound like this is happening today, which it isnt
you win the thread.
Really? Do you honestly think that raising awareness of Kony's actions is a bad thing?
There are two realities, here: One where Kony has actual power and is still a threat, and one where he isn't.
In the first situation, awareness here is warranted. The guy is still a threat and is still capable of influencing and hurting others.
But even if it is true that he has no power anymore:
Do you think it's a good idea to leave this situation unresolved?
Does it matter how far exactly his reach extends? Can we not still be indignant even if he impacts the world on a smaller scale than he used to?
Do you think it's not worth raising these issues in the first place? That the third world, especially in Africa, is easily manipulated by those with the most firepower?
Do you think it's not worth even knowing about? Did you know who Kony was before this? (If you did, the majority did not)
Why not raise awareness for this and other issues on the back of a poster boy war criminal? Does it matter that the means used are a bit sensational?
Would you have even heard about this guy had it not been sensationally presented in the first place?
Or, should we sweep this all under the rug because you feel you're being manipulated by a video on the internet?
Of all the things that use social media and sensationalism to fight for our attention, what is so egregiously wrong about this one?
SENSATIONALISM IS BAD. Period. Anyone who uses it is a con and anyone who eats it up is an imbecile. You want to know how to present material without soundling like sensationalist, manipulative, garbage? I present to you:
What all of these videos have in common is that I love all three of these men, and none of them use sensationalism to educate.
Educating and raising awareness are two different things. This is the world you live in.
#stopkony is trending on twitter. Attenborough is not.
Education is the only way to change anything. Not pressing emotional buttons with music and crying children. Without education no one does anything different. This as far off topic as I go though in this thread.
On March 07 2012 15:55 Sinensis wrote: The video I just watched feels like it was made to manipulate me, not inform me. Joseph Kony sounds like a despicable person... but that video was shit and makes me not want to donate to their cause.
Ask yourself what you think you're being manipulated into...
...to encourage you to spread awareness of a war criminal? Or, perhaps in your case, to further inform yourself on the subject as a result of your skepticism?
I think understand your reaction. These attention grabbing tactics are generally used by alarmist groups to spread misinformation. Like, the kind of dramatic voice-overs and music in political attack ads. But what happens when a group uses these very effective attention grabbing tactics to raise awareness for something that isn't unscrupulous?
Seriously, take a second and ask yourself:
What are you being manipulated into thinking?
that this is an issue.
kony has no power anymore and this whole campaign is a marketing scheme imo. theres no point in hunting down someone who has no power. they make it sound like this is happening today, which it isnt
you win the thread.
Really? Do you honestly think that raising awareness of Kony's actions is a bad thing?
There are two realities, here: One where Kony has actual power and is still a threat, and one where he isn't.
In the first situation, awareness here is warranted. The guy is still a threat and is still capable of influencing and hurting others.
But even if it is true that he has no power anymore:
Do you think it's a good idea to leave this situation unresolved?
Does it matter how far exactly his reach extends? Can we not still be indignant even if he impacts the world on a smaller scale than he used to?
Do you think it's not worth raising these issues in the first place? That the third world, especially in Africa, is easily manipulated by those with the most firepower?
Do you think it's not worth even knowing about? Did you know who Kony was before this? (If you did, the majority did not)
Why not raise awareness for this and other issues on the back of a poster boy war criminal? Does it matter that the means used are a bit sensational?
Would you have even heard about this guy had it not been sensationally presented in the first place?
Or, should we sweep this all under the rug because you feel you're being manipulated by a video on the internet?
Of all the things that use social media and sensationalism to fight for our attention, what is so egregiously wrong about this one?
SENSATIONALISM IS BAD. Period. Anyone who uses it is a con and anyone who eats it up is an imbecile. You want to know how to present material without soundling like sensationalist, manipulative, garbage? I present to you:
What all of these videos have in common is that I love all three of these men, and none of them use sensationalism to educate.
Educating and raising awareness are two different things. This is the world you live in.
#stopkony is trending on twitter. Attenborough is not.
well attenborough doesnt have a hashtag, so obviously.
joking aside, why is kony trending? because it was sensationalized. what were you educated in the video? that theres a guy that does bad stuff to children. but the sensationalized part of it made it more than that: it made people share and share and share. which isnt necessarily bad, obviously, but the thing that has me worried here is that the same techniques can be used for something not very good and still give people the idea that the opinion is correct just because of how its presented. look at hitler, for example, he did this well. it's not that the idea is bad in itself, its just that its conveying it in a way where the consumer has little choice on what to think. the opinions are spoonfed to you.
On March 07 2012 15:55 Sinensis wrote: The video I just watched feels like it was made to manipulate me, not inform me. Joseph Kony sounds like a despicable person... but that video was shit and makes me not want to donate to their cause.
Ask yourself what you think you're being manipulated into...
...to encourage you to spread awareness of a war criminal? Or, perhaps in your case, to further inform yourself on the subject as a result of your skepticism?
I think understand your reaction. These attention grabbing tactics are generally used by alarmist groups to spread misinformation. Like, the kind of dramatic voice-overs and music in political attack ads. But what happens when a group uses these very effective attention grabbing tactics to raise awareness for something that isn't unscrupulous?
Seriously, take a second and ask yourself:
What are you being manipulated into thinking?
that this is an issue.
kony has no power anymore and this whole campaign is a marketing scheme imo. theres no point in hunting down someone who has no power. they make it sound like this is happening today, which it isnt
you win the thread.
Really? Do you honestly think that raising awareness of Kony's actions is a bad thing?
There are two realities, here: One where Kony has actual power and is still a threat, and one where he isn't.
In the first situation, awareness here is warranted. The guy is still a threat and is still capable of influencing and hurting others.
But even if it is true that he has no power anymore:
Do you think it's a good idea to leave this situation unresolved?
Does it matter how far exactly his reach extends? Can we not still be indignant even if he impacts the world on a smaller scale than he used to?
Do you think it's not worth raising these issues in the first place? That the third world, especially in Africa, is easily manipulated by those with the most firepower?
Do you think it's not worth even knowing about? Did you know who Kony was before this? (If you did, the majority did not)
Why not raise awareness for this and other issues on the back of a poster boy war criminal? Does it matter that the means used are a bit sensational?
Would you have even heard about this guy had it not been sensationally presented in the first place?
Or, should we sweep this all under the rug because you feel you're being manipulated by a video on the internet?
Of all the things that use social media and sensationalism to fight for our attention, what is so egregiously wrong about this one?
SENSATIONALISM IS BAD. Period. Anyone who uses it is a con and anyone who eats it up is an imbecile. You want to know how to present material without soundling like sensationalist, manipulative, garbage? I present to you:
What all of these videos have in common is that I love all three of these men, and none of them use sensationalism to educate.
Educating and raising awareness are two different things. This is the world you live in.
#stopkony is trending on twitter. Attenborough is not.
well attenborough doesnt have a hashtag, so obviously.
joking aside, why is kony trending? because it was sensationalized. what were you educated in the video? that theres a guy that does bad stuff to children. but the sensationalized part of it made it more than that: it made people share and share and share.
Absolutely right. If this whole issue is good for anything, it's for bringing this issue into the dialogue of millions of people. We can all now scrutinize it accordingly, and find out what the "real" problem is, if not Kony himself.
which isnt necessarily bad, obviously, but the thing that has me worried here is that the same techniques can be used for something not very good and still give people the idea that the opinion is correct just because of how its presented. look at hitler, for example, he did this well. it's not that the idea is bad in itself, its just that its conveying it in a way where the consumer has little choice on what to think. the opinions are spoonfed to you.
It's naive to think that sensationalism is new, and that this video is going to encourage its use for less noble means.
On March 07 2012 15:55 Sinensis wrote: The video I just watched feels like it was made to manipulate me, not inform me. Joseph Kony sounds like a despicable person... but that video was shit and makes me not want to donate to their cause.
Ask yourself what you think you're being manipulated into...
...to encourage you to spread awareness of a war criminal? Or, perhaps in your case, to further inform yourself on the subject as a result of your skepticism?
I think understand your reaction. These attention grabbing tactics are generally used by alarmist groups to spread misinformation. Like, the kind of dramatic voice-overs and music in political attack ads. But what happens when a group uses these very effective attention grabbing tactics to raise awareness for something that isn't unscrupulous?
Seriously, take a second and ask yourself:
What are you being manipulated into thinking?
that this is an issue.
kony has no power anymore and this whole campaign is a marketing scheme imo. theres no point in hunting down someone who has no power. they make it sound like this is happening today, which it isnt
you win the thread.
Really? Do you honestly think that raising awareness of Kony's actions is a bad thing?
There are two realities, here: One where Kony has actual power and is still a threat, and one where he isn't.
In the first situation, awareness here is warranted. The guy is still a threat and is still capable of influencing and hurting others.
But even if it is true that he has no power anymore:
Do you think it's a good idea to leave this situation unresolved?
Does it matter how far exactly his reach extends? Can we not still be indignant even if he impacts the world on a smaller scale than he used to?
Do you think it's not worth raising these issues in the first place? That the third world, especially in Africa, is easily manipulated by those with the most firepower?
Do you think it's not worth even knowing about? Did you know who Kony was before this? (If you did, the majority did not)
Why not raise awareness for this and other issues on the back of a poster boy war criminal? Does it matter that the means used are a bit sensational?
Would you have even heard about this guy had it not been sensationally presented in the first place?
Or, should we sweep this all under the rug because you feel you're being manipulated by a video on the internet?
Of all the things that use social media and sensationalism to fight for our attention, what is so egregiously wrong about this one?
SENSATIONALISM IS BAD. Period. Anyone who uses it is a con and anyone who eats it up is an imbecile. You want to know how to present material without soundling like sensationalist, manipulative, garbage? I present to you:
What all of these videos have in common is that I love all three of these men, and none of them use sensationalism to educate.
Educating and raising awareness are two different things. This is the world you live in.
#stopkony is trending on twitter. Attenborough is not.
well attenborough doesnt have a hashtag, so obviously.
joking aside, why is kony trending? because it was sensationalized. what were you educated in the video? that theres a guy that does bad stuff to children. but the sensationalized part of it made it more than that: it made people share and share and share.
Absolutely right. If this whole issue is good for anything, it's for bringing this issue into the dialogue of millions of people. We can all now scrutinize it accordingly, and find out what the "real" problem is, if not Kony himself.
which isnt necessarily bad, obviously, but the thing that has me worried here is that the same techniques can be used for something not very good and still give people the idea that the opinion is correct just because of how its presented. look at hitler, for example, he did this well. it's not that the idea is bad in itself, its just that its conveying it in a way where the consumer has little choice on what to think. the opinions are spoonfed to you.
It's naive to think that sensationalism is new, and that this video is going to encourage its use for less noble means.
obviously, but using sensationalism for good or bad isn't the way to do it is what im saying
Speaking of Joseph Kony, has anyone seen Machine Gun Preacher? It's based on real life preacher, Sam Childers who fights LRA with Ugandan military and help out abandoned Ugandan kids and rescues child soldiers from LRA.
This guy is a fucking hero. Yet, this video makes no mention of him?
I'm sorry, the guy has been fighting Kony for 7 years to the point where even Kony put a bounty on his head, yet this video makes not even one single mention of his name is pretty... depressing.
On March 07 2012 15:55 Sinensis wrote: The video I just watched feels like it was made to manipulate me, not inform me. Joseph Kony sounds like a despicable person... but that video was shit and makes me not want to donate to their cause.
Ask yourself what you think you're being manipulated into...
...to encourage you to spread awareness of a war criminal? Or, perhaps in your case, to further inform yourself on the subject as a result of your skepticism?
I think understand your reaction. These attention grabbing tactics are generally used by alarmist groups to spread misinformation. Like, the kind of dramatic voice-overs and music in political attack ads. But what happens when a group uses these very effective attention grabbing tactics to raise awareness for something that isn't unscrupulous?
Seriously, take a second and ask yourself:
What are you being manipulated into thinking?
that this is an issue.
kony has no power anymore and this whole campaign is a marketing scheme imo. theres no point in hunting down someone who has no power. they make it sound like this is happening today, which it isnt
you win the thread.
Really? Do you honestly think that raising awareness of Kony's actions is a bad thing?
There are two realities, here: One where Kony has actual power and is still a threat, and one where he isn't.
In the first situation, awareness here is warranted. The guy is still a threat and is still capable of influencing and hurting others.
But even if it is true that he has no power anymore:
Do you think it's a good idea to leave this situation unresolved?
Does it matter how far exactly his reach extends? Can we not still be indignant even if he impacts the world on a smaller scale than he used to?
Do you think it's not worth raising these issues in the first place? That the third world, especially in Africa, is easily manipulated by those with the most firepower?
Do you think it's not worth even knowing about? Did you know who Kony was before this? (If you did, the majority did not)
Why not raise awareness for this and other issues on the back of a poster boy war criminal? Does it matter that the means used are a bit sensational?
Would you have even heard about this guy had it not been sensationally presented in the first place?
Or, should we sweep this all under the rug because you feel you're being manipulated by a video on the internet?
Of all the things that use social media and sensationalism to fight for our attention, what is so egregiously wrong about this one?
SENSATIONALISM IS BAD. Period. Anyone who uses it is a con and anyone who eats it up is an imbecile. You want to know how to present material without soundling like sensationalist, manipulative, garbage? I present to you:
What all of these videos have in common is that I love all three of these men, and none of them use sensationalism to educate.
Educating and raising awareness are two different things. This is the world you live in.
#stopkony is trending on twitter. Attenborough is not.
well attenborough doesnt have a hashtag, so obviously.
joking aside, why is kony trending? because it was sensationalized. what were you educated in the video? that theres a guy that does bad stuff to children. but the sensationalized part of it made it more than that: it made people share and share and share.
Absolutely right. If this whole issue is good for anything, it's for bringing this issue into the dialogue of millions of people. We can all now scrutinize it accordingly, and find out what the "real" problem is, if not Kony himself.
which isnt necessarily bad, obviously, but the thing that has me worried here is that the same techniques can be used for something not very good and still give people the idea that the opinion is correct just because of how its presented. look at hitler, for example, he did this well. it's not that the idea is bad in itself, its just that its conveying it in a way where the consumer has little choice on what to think. the opinions are spoonfed to you.
It's naive to think that sensationalism is new, and that this video is going to encourage its use for less noble means.
Agreed. Think of the starving child in Africa videos, these videos are designed to pull on your heart strings and they are incredibly effective. Especially with women, children and their death resonate very strong.
I think the biggest problem with KONY is the fact that it took this long for it to become an issue. We've been too busy chasing weapons that didn't exist in Iraq and securing oil to worry about children dying.
Uganda is still fucked up though, so a good cause anyway. But I think this brings true light with how out of touch we are with the real global issues. Too busy worrying about National security and scaring our citizens to worry about real problems.
The world will become a better place when people stop pretending to be blind.
When people are willing to accept injustices because it does not effect them it snowballs, until bigger and bigger injustices are tolerated.
...We hunted Osama for 10 years after 9/11, which took the lives of over 3000 civilians.
Kony has taken more.. but since they are not American's, we do not care as much....
Smh, We as a community are blessed with the ability to watch SC2 mostly for free. Our power is in our numbers! We attract sponsors and grow esports as a community threw our collective might. We are a small community, yet look at all the money we have attracted from larger companies into our scene.
..We have power here as a community. We can use that for justice, funneling our energy into making a world we would be proud of to pass on to the next generation. We can use that for personal gain, manipulation of each other and ultimately the destruction of any sense of community. Or we can lay dorment, content with just growing E-Sports.
Brothers and Sisters, we are leading the charge in the evolution of E-Sports. Our actions will create the legacy of this sport. People have given their blood and sweat into making Starcraft 2, DotA, LoL, Call of Duty, Halo, and everything else to what we know today.
How do you choose to honor them for their hard work? What is the legacy you choose to leave? Are we a community that take's and take's or are we one that give's and give's?
With so much given to us, it is time for us to give back, if not with our money, then with our voice. If you do not like marketing, do not donate money, but do share the Kony video, as long as people are pissed the Government's hand will be forced.
This is not just about Joseph Kony, this is about a community coming together as kin and demanding that their voice be heard.
When I look at this community, I see some of the brightest minds I have ever seen, yet like a young Gohan naive to it's own power. It's time to release everything into a kamehameha of justice, and make our sport known as one that comes together to rejoice in the battle of spirits that is Starcraft 2, and stays to redirect that energy into their envirornment improving the world, furthering humanity, and perusing justice.
They say people choose not to vote because they feel their vote is insignificant, well fellow Tlers, you are not one voice, you are a voice plugged into a stadium.
On March 07 2012 07:26 Holy_AT wrote: The solution is simple, everyone on facebook and on the world should pay mones into a fond. Everyone should donate a few dollars ore some cents to this fond.
The purpose of the fond should be to pay the one who kills this Mr. Joseph Kony. In addition I would start a fond for Mr. Bashar al-Assad and for Mr. Kim Jong-un and several other despots.
We should cleanse the world from these people.
We have the possibilities to set up these fonds, we have techonologies like paypal and other online payment sources. This undertaking should be started by someone, I would donate immediatly to these fonds.
Shit on the international community, lets use our own money and influence to get rid of these creatures ourselves privatly and without national policy getting intermingled.
of course in addition to normal charity but there should alo be priviate killings fonds out there for the assholes of the world.
The issue I have with your 'World hit squad fund' thingy running around 'cleansing' the world is that disregarding the fact you want to pay people to kill other people (let's throw civilised behaviour out of the window rofl), where would you stop?
Okay so we've got rid of all the 'despots' and there is still cash in the fund. Oh look, there are some 'bad ish' people around who don't kill people and suchlike, but they do sell weapons and we are fairly sure some of those end up in 'bad' peoples hands.
Oh and the guys who hinder economic growth or they have dodgy religious beliefs... Yeah, lets take them out since we have extra cash?
Oh and next up should be anyone that doesn't like what the fund are doing, clearly the fund is doing good work so anyone that disagrees is 'bad' right? Let's get rid of them too?
Oh and the fund is based in, let's say 'Country A' and they have a problem with the president of 'Country B' stopping oil supplies and also he said that Country A's presidents wife looked like the back end of a cow, so lets take him out too?
Oh and since we have got down to this level, lets shoot anyone that didn't like Country A's X-Factor Xmas number 1? Clearly they are bad people....
On March 07 2012 17:19 IronMan3 wrote: To me it seems like propaganda to have the US military be there and protect the oil for Shell and ExxonMobil.
Are you fucking serious? Where in the movie does it even come CLOSE to talking about this? Did you even watch it or the previous documentary? Holy hell.
People on this site who strive to be bigots and seem like the intellectual minority at the expense of real issues are amazing. Support this movement, seriously. It's a small chance for otherwise motionless youth to do something at the expense of a few extra clicks or dollars. What are you going to do instead, ladder up and "save the world" with your micro? Fuck.
Last year, the organization spent $8,676,614. Only 31% went to their charity program. Most organizations worth donating to use over 90% to the charity. They also directly fund the Ugandan military which is a corrupt group of fucks who also rape and murder. Basically this KONY has been hiding the the congo(another country) since 2006 or so and Uganda is at a time of peace. This cause is outdated, it's like going to Iraq to stop saddam tomorrow
On March 07 2012 18:38 Jeenyus wrote: This is all i see on facebook and now, its on teamliquid.. I've never watched a 30 minute video on youtube and never will.
Dude, you should break your principles, and watch ... state of the game, or day9 daily (before he split them up), or something
I just dont get how this is going to stop Kony. And in addition, if we do a mega super project to stop the evil, why him? why not some dictator of north korea or something...
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
THIS IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM, ITS 13 YEAR OLD NEWS, UGANDA IS NOT THREATENED BY KONY ANYMORE.
holy crap dude did you even watch the video??? its not to do with uganda, but the all the despicable things that kony has done along with persecuting a criminal on an international scale that has gotten away with crimes against humanity for too long.
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
THIS IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM, ITS 13 YEAR OLD NEWS, UGANDA IS NOT THREATENED BY KONY ANYMORE.
holy crap dude did you even watch the video??? its not to do with uganda, but the all the despicable things that kony has done along with persecuting a criminal on an international scale that has gotten away with crimes against humanity for too long.
You're not getting the point, here. Think about why you want to stop kony...if you want to persecute him for revenge and revenge sake's alone, you're traipsing down a dangerous path, Captain Ahab. The reality is that kony is a part of an ongoing problem with human rights in Uganda, and that these issues are interlinked in a broader picture of Uganda's situation. It's possible that pursuing Kony at all costs would hurt more people. See the above links that a previous poster provided, criticizing this anti-kony movement.
On March 07 2012 18:49 R3m3mb3rM3 wrote: I just dont get how this is going to stop Kony. And in addition, if we do a mega super project to stop the evil, why him? why not some dictator of north korea or something...
Becuase most people would consider what he has done to be worse than most living dictators. Also because the guy is not backed up by any government or nation it would be a LOT easier to take him down than to try and "go after" north korea like you claim.
The point some people are trying to make in this thread about him having lost ground and not being worthwhile to go after anymore is utterly retarded. Sorry but I can have no respect for an opinion that stupid. You are seriously arguing that a mass murdered and slave master should be let off the hook because he only destroys a fragment of the lives he used to.
By that standard any dictator or warlord should be set free once their regime is over. It's clearly not morally or legally acceptable to have that standpoint.
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
THIS IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM, ITS 13 YEAR OLD NEWS, UGANDA IS NOT THREATENED BY KONY ANYMORE.
Thanks for the eye opener, I hate all these bullshit causes I'm supposed to just support.
Ironic, given your focus on not believing what you see, that you will read 1 comment and completely believe it. To use his analogy, you have selected to eat the crap that Kuja is feeding you, instead of forming your own opinion on independent research.
Wikipedia provides estimates from various sources as to the current troop strength of the LRA army, and peg it as being between 500 and 3000 people still.
Further, if you look at the history of the insurgency it is not uncommon for there to be periods of relative passivity on behalf of the LRA (with the most recent offensive being in late 2008 and early 2009, not that long ago). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord's_Resistance_Army_insurgency
I personally don't know what the current state of the LRA is, and I'm sure additional research would inform me. However, the basis upon which you are disregarding this is so, so incredibly stupid. The lack of mental processing is depressing.
For example: the purpose of this movement is to promote the cause OUTSIDE of Africa, creating political pressure in the U.S. and elsewhere so that public policy is directed towards the issue. In order to do this, you spend money OUTSIDE of Africa. The brilliant mind of Kuja has suggested that spending money outside of Africa somehow frustrates this purpose. Think about it... That is just stupid.
Heres the problem with people like the ones in this thread:
Lets say some dude is killing and raping needlessly. Destroying lives, raping children, etc etc. Then somebody somewhere says wtf and tries to stop it. They do something about it. They believe they are helping a cause by trying to fight back, even if its a lost cause, even if its in the name of something that can be argued against. And that person then brings his cause to the masses. You get these first world country pseudo-intellectuals saying things like "i hate how i have to donate to everything" and "this isnt even the real problem" etc etc. Who cares if its not the worlds biggest problem? These people and many others feel that it is worth their time and effort to try to stop it. What do you get personally out of telling everyone that a cause is "not the worlds biggest threat"? What.. YOU see through the BS and the rest of the populous is just a bunch of mindless drones, mouths open waiting for lies to come down the pipeline so we can gobble them up? BS. I call BS. You arent any smarter than anyone else, you arent proving anything to anyone, you are basically doing nothing. Lets [play a game then. Lets say that 10 million people are complete idiots, total fools who believe in the cheesy overly dramatic video these guys made. Lets say that all 10 million of those people have no idea that this isnt the worlds worst problem. We can even pretend that every one of those people is a fat, ugly, stupid, flag waving facebook humping moron who doesnt even like starcraft. But, their effort, the things they believed in, their cause, ends up coming to fruition and shit like this Kony guy are stopped or severely hindered. What does the world lose?
Nothing.
Nothing except a shitload of unneeded murder, rape, and suffering. I dont know about you, but id rather have 10 billion peaceful brainwashed morons with open wallets flinging money at worthwhile causes rather than a ton of internet trolls trying to play smart and open minded on a forum somewhere to impress everyone with how they "see through good causes". You are not obligated to believe what others believe. You are not obligated to feel guilt. You are not obligated to donate a single cent. But i have to wonder what kind of human being sees other human beings reaching into their hearts and wallets to fix what they believe i their hearts to be (and what most certainly is in this case) an incredibly urgent and important cause.
Ill take a world full of generous and empathetic morons over a world of fashionable internet forum neutral opinions any day of the week. Why, because generosity and empathy actually do something to help the world, not just the individual.
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
THIS IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM, ITS 13 YEAR OLD NEWS, UGANDA IS NOT THREATENED BY KONY ANYMORE.
I agree putting resources into catching Kony specifically is not exactly practical but it's more of a symbol. Killing Bin Landen didn't really do much strategically but it gave people a huge moral boost which isn't a great thing for that senseless war but will go a long way in empowering people to go after war criminals.
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
THIS IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM, ITS 13 YEAR OLD NEWS, UGANDA IS NOT THREATENED BY KONY ANYMORE.
I agree putting resources into catching Kony specifically is not exactly practical but it's more of a symbol. Killing Bin Landen didn't really do much strategically but it gave people a huge moral boost which isn't a great thing for that senseless war but will go a long way in empowering people to go after war criminals.
You are agreeing with someone who says that this is 13 year old news, when the LRA was launching attacks 3 years ago? Do some research instead of believing some idiot on TL.
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
THIS IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM, ITS 13 YEAR OLD NEWS, UGANDA IS NOT THREATENED BY KONY ANYMORE.
holy crap dude did you even watch the video??? its not to do with uganda, but the all the despicable things that kony has done along with persecuting a criminal on an international scale that has gotten away with crimes against humanity for too long.
You're not getting the point, here. Think about why you want to stop kony...if you want to persecute him for revenge and revenge sake's alone, you're traipsing down a dangerous path, Captain Ahab. The reality is that kony is a part of an ongoing problem with human rights in Uganda, and that these issues are interlinked in a broader picture of Uganda's situation. It's possible that pursuing Kony at all costs would hurt more people. See the above links that a previous poster provided, criticizing this anti-kony movement.
I support the moment because as it stands, it more of an example than anything. Showing that people have the power to influence policy and make a difference. From what i understand that culture (large scale issues) is a fair bit different in your country than mine. Anyway regardless of who the person is; whether it be Kony, some other corrupt warlord or a human trafficker from any country, i am happy to lend my support to the cause. Kony isn't the issue for me. i support the principle.
On March 07 2012 19:53 captainshards wrote: Heres the problem with people like the ones in this thread:
Lets say some dude is killing and raping needlessly. Destroying lives, raping children, etc etc. Then somebody somewhere says wtf and tries to stop it. They do something about it. They believe they are helping a cause by trying to fight back, even if its a lost cause, even if its in the name of something that can be argued against. And that person then brings his cause to the masses. You get these first world country pseudo-intellectuals saying things like "i hate how i have to donate to everything" and "this isnt even the real problem" etc etc. Who cares if its not the worlds biggest problem? These people and many others feel that it is worth their time and effort to try to stop it. What do you get personally out of telling everyone that a cause is "not the worlds biggest threat"? What.. YOU see through the BS and the rest of the populous is just a bunch of mindless drones, mouths open waiting for lies to come down the pipeline so we can gobble them up? BS. I call BS. You arent any smarter than anyone else, you arent proving anything to anyone, you are basically doing nothing. Lets [play a game then. Lets say that 10 million people are complete idiots, total fools who believe in the cheesy overly dramatic video these guys made. Lets say that all 10 million of those people have no idea that this isnt the worlds worst problem. We can even pretend that every one of those people is a fat, ugly, stupid, flag waving facebook humping moron who doesnt even like starcraft. But, their effort, the things they believed in, their cause, ends up coming to fruition and shit like this Kony guy are stopped or severely hindered. What does the world lose?
Nothing.
Nothing except a shitload of unneeded murder, rape, and suffering. I dont know about you, but id rather have 10 billion peaceful brainwashed morons with open wallets flinging money at worthwhile causes rather than a ton of internet trolls trying to play smart and open minded on a forum somewhere to impress everyone with how they "see through good causes". You are not obligated to believe what others believe. You are not obligated to feel guilt. You are not obligated to donate a single cent. But i have to wonder what kind of human being sees other human beings reaching into their hearts and wallets to fix what they believe i their hearts to be (and what most certainly is in this case) an incredibly urgent and important cause.
Ill take a world full of generous and empathetic morons over a world of fashionable internet forum neutral opinions any day of the week. Why, because generosity and empathy actually do something to help the world, not just the individual.
Well said man. The fact people are shitting all over someone who is trying to bring attention to an evil murderer is pretty despicable
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
THIS IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM, ITS 13 YEAR OLD NEWS, UGANDA IS NOT THREATENED BY KONY ANYMORE.
Thanks for the eye opener, I hate all these bullshit causes I'm supposed to just support.
Ironic, given your focus on not believing what you see, that you will read 1 comment and completely believe it. To use his analogy, you have selected to eat the crap that Kuja is feeding you, instead of forming your own opinion on independent research.
Wikipedia provides estimates from various sources as to the current troop strength of the LRA army, and peg it as being between 500 and 3000 people still.
Further, if you look at the history of the insurgency it is not uncommon for there to be periods of relative passivity on behalf of the LRA (with the most recent offensive being in late 2008 and early 2009, not that long ago). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord's_Resistance_Army_insurgency
I personally don't know what the current state of the LRA is, and I'm sure additional research would inform me. However, the basis upon which you are disregarding this is so, so incredibly stupid. The lack of mental processing is depressing.
For example: the purpose of this movement is to promote the cause OUTSIDE of Africa, creating political pressure in the U.S. and elsewhere so that public policy is directed towards the issue. In order to do this, you spend money OUTSIDE of Africa. The brilliant mind of Kuja has suggested that spending money outside of Africa somehow frustrates this purpose. Think about it... That is just stupid.
The difference being me not being a sensationalist and not trying to reach into his pockets so i can live off his money. And thats a HUGE difference. Also im not saying dont help Africa, im just saying that if you really want to help africa more send to a different more reliable charity with less sensationalist bullshit.
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
THIS IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM, ITS 13 YEAR OLD NEWS, UGANDA IS NOT THREATENED BY KONY ANYMORE.
Thanks for the eye opener, I hate all these bullshit causes I'm supposed to just support.
Ironic, given your focus on not believing what you see, that you will read 1 comment and completely believe it. To use his analogy, you have selected to eat the crap that Kuja is feeding you, instead of forming your own opinion on independent research.
Wikipedia provides estimates from various sources as to the current troop strength of the LRA army, and peg it as being between 500 and 3000 people still.
Further, if you look at the history of the insurgency it is not uncommon for there to be periods of relative passivity on behalf of the LRA (with the most recent offensive being in late 2008 and early 2009, not that long ago). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord's_Resistance_Army_insurgency
I personally don't know what the current state of the LRA is, and I'm sure additional research would inform me. However, the basis upon which you are disregarding this is so, so incredibly stupid. The lack of mental processing is depressing.
For example: the purpose of this movement is to promote the cause OUTSIDE of Africa, creating political pressure in the U.S. and elsewhere so that public policy is directed towards the issue. In order to do this, you spend money OUTSIDE of Africa. The brilliant mind of Kuja has suggested that spending money outside of Africa somehow frustrates this purpose. Think about it... That is just stupid.
The difference being me not being a sensationalist and not trying to reach into his pockets so i can live off his money. And thats a HUGE difference. Also im not saying dont help Africa, im just saying that if you really want to help africa more send to a different more reliable charity with less sensationalist bullshit.
It's funny how people here keep pretending that this is all about sending money to anyone. They are not asking for your money. They don't want your money. They want you to spread the word so something actually gets done that no charity money could ever pay for. Responding to that with "Well they ain't getting my money!" is, at the very least, showing a large amount of ignorance.
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
THIS IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM, ITS 13 YEAR OLD NEWS, UGANDA IS NOT THREATENED BY KONY ANYMORE.
Thanks for the eye opener, I hate all these bullshit causes I'm supposed to just support.
Ironic, given your focus on not believing what you see, that you will read 1 comment and completely believe it. To use his analogy, you have selected to eat the crap that Kuja is feeding you, instead of forming your own opinion on independent research.
Wikipedia provides estimates from various sources as to the current troop strength of the LRA army, and peg it as being between 500 and 3000 people still.
Further, if you look at the history of the insurgency it is not uncommon for there to be periods of relative passivity on behalf of the LRA (with the most recent offensive being in late 2008 and early 2009, not that long ago). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord's_Resistance_Army_insurgency
I personally don't know what the current state of the LRA is, and I'm sure additional research would inform me. However, the basis upon which you are disregarding this is so, so incredibly stupid. The lack of mental processing is depressing.
For example: the purpose of this movement is to promote the cause OUTSIDE of Africa, creating political pressure in the U.S. and elsewhere so that public policy is directed towards the issue. In order to do this, you spend money OUTSIDE of Africa. The brilliant mind of Kuja has suggested that spending money outside of Africa somehow frustrates this purpose. Think about it... That is just stupid.
The difference being me not being a sensationalist and not trying to reach into his pockets so i can live off his money. And thats a HUGE difference. Also im not saying dont help Africa, im just saying that if you really want to help africa more send to a different more reliable charity with less sensationalist bullshit.
It's funny how people here keep pretending that this is all about sending money to anyone. They are not asking for your money. They don't want your money. They want you to spread the word so something actually gets done.
... through their merchandise of posters and wristbands. And shit is being done. The American military is already seeing to it themselves. I don't know why people act as if nothing's being done about it, people are actively hunting the dude down, it's just kind of hard since he has a 3000 kid deep meatshield in front of him.
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
THIS IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM, ITS 13 YEAR OLD NEWS, UGANDA IS NOT THREATENED BY KONY ANYMORE.
Thanks for the eye opener, I hate all these bullshit causes I'm supposed to just support.
Ironic, given your focus on not believing what you see, that you will read 1 comment and completely believe it. To use his analogy, you have selected to eat the crap that Kuja is feeding you, instead of forming your own opinion on independent research.
Wikipedia provides estimates from various sources as to the current troop strength of the LRA army, and peg it as being between 500 and 3000 people still.
Further, if you look at the history of the insurgency it is not uncommon for there to be periods of relative passivity on behalf of the LRA (with the most recent offensive being in late 2008 and early 2009, not that long ago). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord's_Resistance_Army_insurgency
I personally don't know what the current state of the LRA is, and I'm sure additional research would inform me. However, the basis upon which you are disregarding this is so, so incredibly stupid. The lack of mental processing is depressing.
For example: the purpose of this movement is to promote the cause OUTSIDE of Africa, creating political pressure in the U.S. and elsewhere so that public policy is directed towards the issue. In order to do this, you spend money OUTSIDE of Africa. The brilliant mind of Kuja has suggested that spending money outside of Africa somehow frustrates this purpose. Think about it... That is just stupid.
The difference being me not being a sensationalist and not trying to reach into his pockets so i can live off his money. And thats a HUGE difference. Also im not saying dont help Africa, im just saying that if you really want to help africa more send to a different more reliable charity with less sensationalist bullshit.
It's funny how people here keep pretending that this is all about sending money to anyone. They are not asking for your money. They don't want your money. They want you to spread the word so something actually gets done that no charity money could ever pay for. Responding to that with "Well they ain't getting my money!" is, at the very least, showing a large amount of ignorance.
Did you even watch the video, they probably said "send x per month" 20 times throughout the whole thing. The poster above me said it well; and you call me ignorant LOL.
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
THIS IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM, ITS 13 YEAR OLD NEWS, UGANDA IS NOT THREATENED BY KONY ANYMORE.
Thanks for the eye opener, I hate all these bullshit causes I'm supposed to just support.
Ironic, given your focus on not believing what you see, that you will read 1 comment and completely believe it. To use his analogy, you have selected to eat the crap that Kuja is feeding you, instead of forming your own opinion on independent research.
Wikipedia provides estimates from various sources as to the current troop strength of the LRA army, and peg it as being between 500 and 3000 people still.
Further, if you look at the history of the insurgency it is not uncommon for there to be periods of relative passivity on behalf of the LRA (with the most recent offensive being in late 2008 and early 2009, not that long ago). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord's_Resistance_Army_insurgency
I personally don't know what the current state of the LRA is, and I'm sure additional research would inform me. However, the basis upon which you are disregarding this is so, so incredibly stupid. The lack of mental processing is depressing.
For example: the purpose of this movement is to promote the cause OUTSIDE of Africa, creating political pressure in the U.S. and elsewhere so that public policy is directed towards the issue. In order to do this, you spend money OUTSIDE of Africa. The brilliant mind of Kuja has suggested that spending money outside of Africa somehow frustrates this purpose. Think about it... That is just stupid.
The difference being me not being a sensationalist and not trying to reach into his pockets so i can live off his money. And thats a HUGE difference. Also im not saying dont help Africa, im just saying that if you really want to help africa more send to a different more reliable charity with less sensationalist bullshit.
It's funny how people here keep pretending that this is all about sending money to anyone. They are not asking for your money. They don't want your money. They want you to spread the word so something actually gets done that no charity money could ever pay for. Responding to that with "Well they ain't getting my money!" is, at the very least, showing a large amount of ignorance.
Did you even watch the video, they probably said "send x per month" 20 times throughout the whole thing.
Kuja... I think you're missing the point. Or perhaps you have changed your position and have neglected to tell anyone about it.
You have said all this crap about how there isn't actually anything going on there, and that there are no atrocities to speak of coming from the LRA. You have said a great deal of stuff about how this was all finished 13 years ago, yadda yadda.
That is all just flat out false. If you are basing your current arguments on all that bullshit you were spreading, then how do you expect your arguments to have any credibility at all?
You have tried to tell everyone here not to be involved in any capacity - be it through the spreading of the message, money, or whatever means people wish to be involved... you have said that the entire thing is a sham... how can you justify such a unpalatable position? How can you be so completely stupid? It is beyond me...
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
THIS IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM, ITS 13 YEAR OLD NEWS, UGANDA IS NOT THREATENED BY KONY ANYMORE.
I agree putting resources into catching Kony specifically is not exactly practical but it's more of a symbol. Killing Bin Landen didn't really do much strategically but it gave people a huge moral boost which isn't a great thing for that senseless war but will go a long way in empowering people to go after war criminals.
You are agreeing with someone who says that this is 13 year old news, when the LRA was launching attacks 3 years ago? Do some research instead of believing some idiot on TL.
Did you just ignore the "has been repeatedly beaten back sense?". I never said the attacks stops but your making it seem as if the LRA has already won and Kony is the king of Uganda. No, hes still in congo.
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
THIS IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM, ITS 13 YEAR OLD NEWS, UGANDA IS NOT THREATENED BY KONY ANYMORE.
I agree putting resources into catching Kony specifically is not exactly practical but it's more of a symbol. Killing Bin Landen didn't really do much strategically but it gave people a huge moral boost which isn't a great thing for that senseless war but will go a long way in empowering people to go after war criminals.
You are agreeing with someone who says that this is 13 year old news, when the LRA was launching attacks 3 years ago? Do some research instead of believing some idiot on TL.
Did you just ignore the "has been repeatedly beaten back sense?". I never said the attacks stops but your making it seem as if the LRA has already won and Kony is the king of Uganda. No, hes still in congo.
You put it in bold and said, "THIS IS 13 YEAR OLD NEWS". Wtf is wrong with you?
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
THIS IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM, ITS 13 YEAR OLD NEWS, UGANDA IS NOT THREATENED BY KONY ANYMORE.
Thanks for the eye opener, I hate all these bullshit causes I'm supposed to just support.
Ironic, given your focus on not believing what you see, that you will read 1 comment and completely believe it. To use his analogy, you have selected to eat the crap that Kuja is feeding you, instead of forming your own opinion on independent research.
Wikipedia provides estimates from various sources as to the current troop strength of the LRA army, and peg it as being between 500 and 3000 people still.
Further, if you look at the history of the insurgency it is not uncommon for there to be periods of relative passivity on behalf of the LRA (with the most recent offensive being in late 2008 and early 2009, not that long ago). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord's_Resistance_Army_insurgency
I personally don't know what the current state of the LRA is, and I'm sure additional research would inform me. However, the basis upon which you are disregarding this is so, so incredibly stupid. The lack of mental processing is depressing.
For example: the purpose of this movement is to promote the cause OUTSIDE of Africa, creating political pressure in the U.S. and elsewhere so that public policy is directed towards the issue. In order to do this, you spend money OUTSIDE of Africa. The brilliant mind of Kuja has suggested that spending money outside of Africa somehow frustrates this purpose. Think about it... That is just stupid.
The difference being me not being a sensationalist and not trying to reach into his pockets so i can live off his money. And thats a HUGE difference. Also im not saying dont help Africa, im just saying that if you really want to help africa more send to a different more reliable charity with less sensationalist bullshit.
It's funny how people here keep pretending that this is all about sending money to anyone. They are not asking for your money. They don't want your money. They want you to spread the word so something actually gets done that no charity money could ever pay for. Responding to that with "Well they ain't getting my money!" is, at the very least, showing a large amount of ignorance.
Did you even watch the video, they probably said "send x per month" 20 times throughout the whole thing.
Kuja... I think you're missing the point. Or perhaps you have changed your position and have neglected to tell anyone about it.
You have said all this crap about how there isn't actually anything going on there, and that there are no atrocities to speak of coming from the LRA. You have said a great deal of stuff about how this was all finished 13 years ago, yadda yadda.
That is all just flat out false. If you are basing your current arguments on all that bullshit you were spreading, then how do you expect your arguments to have any credibility at all?
You have tried to tell everyone here not to be involved in any capacity - be it through the spreading of the message, money, or whatever means people wish to be involved... you have said that the entire thing is a sham... how can you justify such a unpalatable position? How can you be so completely stupid? It is beyond me...
to quote myself "don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa." I NEVER said not to support Africa. and holy shit, please read my first post, i NEVER said that everything is ok in Uganda, i said that Kony isn't the problem, it is their corrupt government.
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
THIS IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM, ITS 13 YEAR OLD NEWS, UGANDA IS NOT THREATENED BY KONY ANYMORE.
Thanks for the eye opener, I hate all these bullshit causes I'm supposed to just support.
Ironic, given your focus on not believing what you see, that you will read 1 comment and completely believe it. To use his analogy, you have selected to eat the crap that Kuja is feeding you, instead of forming your own opinion on independent research.
Wikipedia provides estimates from various sources as to the current troop strength of the LRA army, and peg it as being between 500 and 3000 people still.
Further, if you look at the history of the insurgency it is not uncommon for there to be periods of relative passivity on behalf of the LRA (with the most recent offensive being in late 2008 and early 2009, not that long ago). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord's_Resistance_Army_insurgency
I personally don't know what the current state of the LRA is, and I'm sure additional research would inform me. However, the basis upon which you are disregarding this is so, so incredibly stupid. The lack of mental processing is depressing.
For example: the purpose of this movement is to promote the cause OUTSIDE of Africa, creating political pressure in the U.S. and elsewhere so that public policy is directed towards the issue. In order to do this, you spend money OUTSIDE of Africa. The brilliant mind of Kuja has suggested that spending money outside of Africa somehow frustrates this purpose. Think about it... That is just stupid.
The difference being me not being a sensationalist and not trying to reach into his pockets so i can live off his money. And thats a HUGE difference. Also im not saying dont help Africa, im just saying that if you really want to help africa more send to a different more reliable charity with less sensationalist bullshit.
It's funny how people here keep pretending that this is all about sending money to anyone. They are not asking for your money. They don't want your money. They want you to spread the word so something actually gets done that no charity money could ever pay for. Responding to that with "Well they ain't getting my money!" is, at the very least, showing a large amount of ignorance.
Did you even watch the video, they probably said "send x per month" 20 times throughout the whole thing.
Kuja... I think you're missing the point. Or perhaps you have changed your position and have neglected to tell anyone about it.
You have said all this crap about how there isn't actually anything going on there, and that there are no atrocities to speak of coming from the LRA. You have said a great deal of stuff about how this was all finished 13 years ago, yadda yadda.
That is all just flat out false. If you are basing your current arguments on all that bullshit you were spreading, then how do you expect your arguments to have any credibility at all?
You have tried to tell everyone here not to be involved in any capacity - be it through the spreading of the message, money, or whatever means people wish to be involved... you have said that the entire thing is a sham... how can you justify such a unpalatable position? How can you be so completely stupid? It is beyond me...
to quote myself "don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa." I NEVER said not to support Africa.
That isn't the important part of what you said. You said this: "the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; "
That statement shows that you do not understand what their purpose is. They are trying to sway public opinion abroad... and yet you are griping about how the money isn't going to Africa itself? What?
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
THIS IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM, ITS 13 YEAR OLD NEWS, UGANDA IS NOT THREATENED BY KONY ANYMORE.
Thanks for the eye opener, I hate all these bullshit causes I'm supposed to just support.
Ironic, given your focus on not believing what you see, that you will read 1 comment and completely believe it. To use his analogy, you have selected to eat the crap that Kuja is feeding you, instead of forming your own opinion on independent research.
Wikipedia provides estimates from various sources as to the current troop strength of the LRA army, and peg it as being between 500 and 3000 people still.
Further, if you look at the history of the insurgency it is not uncommon for there to be periods of relative passivity on behalf of the LRA (with the most recent offensive being in late 2008 and early 2009, not that long ago). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord's_Resistance_Army_insurgency
I personally don't know what the current state of the LRA is, and I'm sure additional research would inform me. However, the basis upon which you are disregarding this is so, so incredibly stupid. The lack of mental processing is depressing.
For example: the purpose of this movement is to promote the cause OUTSIDE of Africa, creating political pressure in the U.S. and elsewhere so that public policy is directed towards the issue. In order to do this, you spend money OUTSIDE of Africa. The brilliant mind of Kuja has suggested that spending money outside of Africa somehow frustrates this purpose. Think about it... That is just stupid.
The difference being me not being a sensationalist and not trying to reach into his pockets so i can live off his money. And thats a HUGE difference. Also im not saying dont help Africa, im just saying that if you really want to help africa more send to a different more reliable charity with less sensationalist bullshit.
It's funny how people here keep pretending that this is all about sending money to anyone. They are not asking for your money. They don't want your money. They want you to spread the word so something actually gets done that no charity money could ever pay for. Responding to that with "Well they ain't getting my money!" is, at the very least, showing a large amount of ignorance.
Did you even watch the video, they probably said "send x per month" 20 times throughout the whole thing.
Kuja... I think you're missing the point. Or perhaps you have changed your position and have neglected to tell anyone about it.
You have said all this crap about how there isn't actually anything going on there, and that there are no atrocities to speak of coming from the LRA. You have said a great deal of stuff about how this was all finished 13 years ago, yadda yadda.
That is all just flat out false. If you are basing your current arguments on all that bullshit you were spreading, then how do you expect your arguments to have any credibility at all?
You have tried to tell everyone here not to be involved in any capacity - be it through the spreading of the message, money, or whatever means people wish to be involved... you have said that the entire thing is a sham... how can you justify such a unpalatable position? How can you be so completely stupid? It is beyond me...
to quote myself "don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa." I NEVER said not to support Africa.
That isn't the important part of what you said. You said this: "the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; "
That statement shows that you do not understand what their purpose is. They are trying to sway public opinion abroad... and yet you are griping about how the money isn't going to Africa itself? What?
By purchasing their box of posters and stickers! Yea, i mean thats just convenient right?
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
THIS IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM, ITS 13 YEAR OLD NEWS, UGANDA IS NOT THREATENED BY KONY ANYMORE.
Thanks for the eye opener, I hate all these bullshit causes I'm supposed to just support.
Ironic, given your focus on not believing what you see, that you will read 1 comment and completely believe it. To use his analogy, you have selected to eat the crap that Kuja is feeding you, instead of forming your own opinion on independent research.
Wikipedia provides estimates from various sources as to the current troop strength of the LRA army, and peg it as being between 500 and 3000 people still.
Further, if you look at the history of the insurgency it is not uncommon for there to be periods of relative passivity on behalf of the LRA (with the most recent offensive being in late 2008 and early 2009, not that long ago). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord's_Resistance_Army_insurgency
I personally don't know what the current state of the LRA is, and I'm sure additional research would inform me. However, the basis upon which you are disregarding this is so, so incredibly stupid. The lack of mental processing is depressing.
For example: the purpose of this movement is to promote the cause OUTSIDE of Africa, creating political pressure in the U.S. and elsewhere so that public policy is directed towards the issue. In order to do this, you spend money OUTSIDE of Africa. The brilliant mind of Kuja has suggested that spending money outside of Africa somehow frustrates this purpose. Think about it... That is just stupid.
The difference being me not being a sensationalist and not trying to reach into his pockets so i can live off his money. And thats a HUGE difference. Also im not saying dont help Africa, im just saying that if you really want to help africa more send to a different more reliable charity with less sensationalist bullshit.
It's funny how people here keep pretending that this is all about sending money to anyone. They are not asking for your money. They don't want your money. They want you to spread the word so something actually gets done that no charity money could ever pay for. Responding to that with "Well they ain't getting my money!" is, at the very least, showing a large amount of ignorance.
Did you even watch the video, they probably said "send x per month" 20 times throughout the whole thing.
Kuja... I think you're missing the point. Or perhaps you have changed your position and have neglected to tell anyone about it.
You have said all this crap about how there isn't actually anything going on there, and that there are no atrocities to speak of coming from the LRA. You have said a great deal of stuff about how this was all finished 13 years ago, yadda yadda.
That is all just flat out false. If you are basing your current arguments on all that bullshit you were spreading, then how do you expect your arguments to have any credibility at all?
You have tried to tell everyone here not to be involved in any capacity - be it through the spreading of the message, money, or whatever means people wish to be involved... you have said that the entire thing is a sham... how can you justify such a unpalatable position? How can you be so completely stupid? It is beyond me...
to quote myself "don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa." I NEVER said not to support Africa.
That isn't the important part of what you said. You said this: "the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; "
That statement shows that you do not understand what their purpose is. They are trying to sway public opinion abroad... and yet you are griping about how the money isn't going to Africa itself? What?
Here, look at their own finances yourself. From wikipedia in a more readable format
Invisible Children's financial reports reveal that the organization's three filmmakers and co-founders received a combined pay of $262,287 for the fiscal year ending June 2011. This comprises 2.93% of IC's expenses.[38] 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).
The "swaying public opinion" is done through their films, which is where the majority of their income goes to. Also, it's fucking pointless. Why would they need to "sway public opinion"? There's active military organisations already hunting the guy down, America's sent search parties after him just the same as they did Osama. A bunch of kids talking about it on Facebook won't improve the situation. Donating might help, if not for the fact that all donations are being pointed at this organisation who spends their money on making films about getting more donations. What money they do spend on the problem is spent funding the militaries that are fighting child soldiers. Saying "bro save the children" and using that money to buy bullets to shoot them with is fucking despicable.
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
THIS IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM, ITS 13 YEAR OLD NEWS, UGANDA IS NOT THREATENED BY KONY ANYMORE.
Thanks for the eye opener, I hate all these bullshit causes I'm supposed to just support.
Ironic, given your focus on not believing what you see, that you will read 1 comment and completely believe it. To use his analogy, you have selected to eat the crap that Kuja is feeding you, instead of forming your own opinion on independent research.
Wikipedia provides estimates from various sources as to the current troop strength of the LRA army, and peg it as being between 500 and 3000 people still.
Further, if you look at the history of the insurgency it is not uncommon for there to be periods of relative passivity on behalf of the LRA (with the most recent offensive being in late 2008 and early 2009, not that long ago). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord's_Resistance_Army_insurgency
I personally don't know what the current state of the LRA is, and I'm sure additional research would inform me. However, the basis upon which you are disregarding this is so, so incredibly stupid. The lack of mental processing is depressing.
For example: the purpose of this movement is to promote the cause OUTSIDE of Africa, creating political pressure in the U.S. and elsewhere so that public policy is directed towards the issue. In order to do this, you spend money OUTSIDE of Africa. The brilliant mind of Kuja has suggested that spending money outside of Africa somehow frustrates this purpose. Think about it... That is just stupid.
The difference being me not being a sensationalist and not trying to reach into his pockets so i can live off his money. And thats a HUGE difference. Also im not saying dont help Africa, im just saying that if you really want to help africa more send to a different more reliable charity with less sensationalist bullshit.
It's funny how people here keep pretending that this is all about sending money to anyone. They are not asking for your money. They don't want your money. They want you to spread the word so something actually gets done that no charity money could ever pay for. Responding to that with "Well they ain't getting my money!" is, at the very least, showing a large amount of ignorance.
Did you even watch the video, they probably said "send x per month" 20 times throughout the whole thing.
Kuja... I think you're missing the point. Or perhaps you have changed your position and have neglected to tell anyone about it.
You have said all this crap about how there isn't actually anything going on there, and that there are no atrocities to speak of coming from the LRA. You have said a great deal of stuff about how this was all finished 13 years ago, yadda yadda.
That is all just flat out false. If you are basing your current arguments on all that bullshit you were spreading, then how do you expect your arguments to have any credibility at all?
You have tried to tell everyone here not to be involved in any capacity - be it through the spreading of the message, money, or whatever means people wish to be involved... you have said that the entire thing is a sham... how can you justify such a unpalatable position? How can you be so completely stupid? It is beyond me...
to quote myself "don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa." I NEVER said not to support Africa.
That isn't the important part of what you said. You said this: "the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; "
That statement shows that you do not understand what their purpose is. They are trying to sway public opinion abroad... and yet you are griping about how the money isn't going to Africa itself? What?
Here, look at their own finances yourself. From wikipedia in a more readable format
Invisible Children's financial reports reveal that the organization's three filmmakers and co-founders received a combined pay of $262,287 for the fiscal year ending June 2011. This comprises 2.93% of IC's expenses.[38] 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).
The "swaying public opinion" is done through their films, which is where the majority of their income goes to. Also, it's fucking pointless. Why would they need to "sway public opinion"? There's active military organisations already hunting the guy down, America's sent search parties after him just the same as they did Osama. A bunch of kids talking about it on Facebook won't improve the situation. Donating might help, if not for the fact that all donations are being pointed at this organisation who spends their money on making films about getting more donations. What money they do spend on the problem is spent funding the militaries that are fighting child soldiers. Saying "bro save the children" and using that money to buy bullets to shoot them with is fucking despicable.
I don't really understand how that is supposed to work? How does it help anyone when the people in modern countries know his name? We all know the name "Osama bin Laden" or several other people, who did something really "bad" and still it needed years to even find them. Just because suddenly everyone knows the name of person, it won't improve anything. In a month orso this sudden rise will be over and everyone will have forgotten about it. People would never care about something for long time, when aren't directly affected by that.
Also I find the full merchandise behind it very questionable. "If you don't buy those overpriced useless things, it is your fault when children die". This seems more like someone wants to make a lot of profit, especially since we all can't see what happens to the money, is it spent on more propaganda, it is spent to actual help people, or are did the owner just bought a new car? http://pastebin.com/Ku2Hw7W0 If that link is true, which nobody can say, then this seems more like a scam.
Also i really dislike that video, they are just manipulating people, they partly show some quotes from famous person(G. W Bush), but you can't say if Bush was talking about that matter or something completely else, and a many other things, which were most probably already said. I don't have time to actually watch that video now.
All in all I really doubt that they could actually change something with it, but their income.
If you maybe spent half of the time you're sitting in front of your fucking computer writing "this is a fraud I'm too smart to fall for it" actually doing something in your life, maybe we wouldn't need videos like these.
You idiots think this is fake? this is some sort of money scam? are you really that retarded? you think that this guy that he didn't do all those things? Imagine if something like that happened to your family. Would you then talk smart?
Maybe this won't stop the guy, but it's better than fucking doing nothing and sitting in front of your computer.
On March 07 2012 23:03 Yoshi- wrote: I don't really understand how that is supposed to work? How does it help anyone when the people in modern countries know his name? We all know the name "Osama bin Laden" or several other people, who did something really "bad" and still it needed years to even find them. Just because suddenly everyone knows the name of person, it won't improve anything. In a month orso this sudden rise will be over and everyone will have forgotten about it. People would never care about something for long time, when aren't directly affected by that.
Also I find the full merchandise behind it very questionable. "If you don't buy those overpriced useless things, it is your fault when children die". This seems more like someone wants to make a lot of profit, especially since we all can't see what happens to the money, is it spent on more propaganda, it is spent to actual help people, or are did the owner just bought a new car? http://pastebin.com/Ku2Hw7W0 If that link is true, which nobody can say, then this seems more like a scam.
Also i really dislike that video, they are just manipulating people, they partly show some quotes from famous person(G. W Bush), but you can't say if Bush was talking about that matter or something completely else, and a many other things, which were most probably already said. I don't have time to actually watch that video now.
All in all I really doubt that they could actually change something with it, but their income.
I could easily change your subject to AIDS, and it would have the same meaning.
"If we cannot cure AIDS because we aren't Einstein, why bother spread awareness of it? I mean, only some other people in the world dies, right?
It's totally a scam to buy protection. " its my fault when I get infected by AIDS.' This sounds like a scam that companies make to manipulate us to buy some pieces of rubber.
They partly show some clips of people regretting not using protection, this sounds manipulative. I mean, they could be talking about other matters. I don't have time to watch their accounts."
This thing is like completely dominating facebook goodness, people are seriously up in arms about it, except i can probably count on one hand the amount of kids that will actually donate money.
On March 07 2012 23:18 marconi wrote: so many smartasses here.
If you maybe spent half of the time you're sitting in front of your fucking computer writing "this is a fraud I'm too smart to fall for it" actually doing something in your life, maybe we wouldn't need videos like these.
You idiots think this is fake? this is some sort of money scam? are you really that retarded? you think that this guy that he didn't do all those things? Imagine if something like that happened to your family. Would you then talk smart?
Maybe this won't stop the guy, but it's better than fucking doing nothing and sitting in front of your computer.
Nobodys being a smart-ass here; we just want to be as cost effective as possible. I dont think anybody has said to not help africa, just that this particular organization is very very bad and you should find a better non-profit one to donate through if you really want to help.
On March 07 2012 23:18 marconi wrote: so many smartasses here.
If you maybe spent half of the time you're sitting in front of your fucking computer writing "this is a fraud I'm too smart to fall for it" actually doing something in your life, maybe we wouldn't need videos like these.
You idiots think this is fake? this is some sort of money scam? are you really that retarded? you think that this guy that he didn't do all those things? Imagine if something like that happened to your family. Would you then talk smart?
Maybe this won't stop the guy, but it's better than fucking doing nothing and sitting in front of your computer.
I don't think you're getting this. I don't think they made up Kony, I don't think the atrocities didn't happen, and I don't think it's an issue that shouldn't be dealt with. What I AM saying is that the organisation behind this Kony2012 thing is unneeded and not helping. They directly fund the various military groups fighting Kony with what money they do send in aid, and the rest they spend on making videos like this to get more donations. What the money injected into these groups does is purchase weapons to fire on the children they're supposed to be saving in an attempt to take Kony down. Groups that have been accused of the same atrocities as Kony. Furthermore, these efforts are completely pointless. Kony and his group is on the backfoot already, they're being beaten back, and have been for 6 years now. The American military, who has more resources than you could possibly give are tracking him down, and they're much less likely to be as corrupt as the various militia being funded by these donations. Given that the alternative is indirectly funding killing the kids we want to save, it is better to sit at my computer and do nothing. In fact, nothing needs to be done, at least by me. It's already under control in ways you fail to understand, and my resources, and the resources spent on buying fucking wrist bands and posters would better be spent on ongoing problems that still need to be addressed.
I could easily change your subject to AIDS, and it would have the same meaning.
"If we cannot cure AIDS because we aren't Einstein, why bother spread awareness of it? I mean, only some other people in the world dies, right?
It's totally a scam to buy protection. " its my fault when I get infected by AIDS.' This sounds like a scam that companies make to manipulate us to buy some pieces of rubber.
They partly show some clips of people regretting not using protection, this sounds manipulative. I mean, they could be talking about other matters. I don't have time to watch their accounts."
... Is all I get from your post.
Yea cause buying a t-shirt, which was most probably made by children, will totally save other children from getting killed. that some serious logic
On March 07 2012 23:18 marconi wrote: Maybe this won't stop the guy, but it's better than fucking doing nothing and sitting in front of your computer.
Wrong. Sometimes doing nothing is better. Such as in this case. I'm sure these links were already posted but here I'm posting them again for people like you.
Read this and form your opinion. As for myself, I'd rather do nothing than fund an army led by another warlord in an attempt to catch another warlord that is in another country away from the military that is being funded jurisdiction. Seems like an obvious thing... But be assured you're not the only one being caught up in this and mindlessly jumping on the band-wagon.
Also you might want to learn about how lobbyists work in the U.S. as it is very related to this issue...
The guy behind InvisibleChildren is a genius, a genius opportunist and borderline scam artist.
Well you can talk about what's right and wrong all day long, but the fact remains that this guy dedicated the last 10 years of his life to helping these people, which is more than can be said about you ( and please, correct me if I'm wrong and you dedicated 10 years of your life to anything other than yourself) . And he actually did something to raise the awareness of people about the problem. Now I really don't give a shit about his bank account, or if the group is funding some random militia. How do you think they are going to catch him? They are gonna ask him politely? More people will die, it's the sad truth, but if in the end something actually changes than those deaths are not in vain.
So yeah, you go on and continue doing nothing, it's obvious you're a great expert on the subject and that you will dedicate your enormous efforts of keyboard typing on other "ongoing problems that still need to be addressed".
And yeah, this whole project is probably a conspiracy by the lizards, masons and the queen of England, with the sole purpose of diverting public attention to the deaths of children in Africa.
On March 07 2012 23:18 marconi wrote: so many smartasses here.
If you maybe spent half of the time you're sitting in front of your fucking computer writing "this is a fraud I'm too smart to fall for it" actually doing something in your life, maybe we wouldn't need videos like these.
You idiots think this is fake? this is some sort of money scam? are you really that retarded? you think that this guy that he didn't do all those things? Imagine if something like that happened to your family. Would you then talk smart?
Maybe this won't stop the guy, but it's better than fucking doing nothing and sitting in front of your computer.
I don't think you're getting this. I don't think they made up Kony, I don't think the atrocities didn't happen, and I don't think it's an issue that shouldn't be dealt with. What I AM saying is that the organisation behind this Kony2012 thing is unneeded and not helping. They directly fund the various military groups fighting Kony with what money they do send in aid, and the rest they spend on making videos like this to get more donations. What the money injected into these groups does is purchase weapons to fire on the children they're supposed to be saving in an attempt to take Kony down. Groups that have been accused of the same atrocities as Kony. Furthermore, these efforts are completely pointless. Kony and his group is on the backfoot already, they're being beaten back, and have been for 6 years now. The American military, who has more resources than you could possibly give are tracking him down, and they're much less likely to be as corrupt as the various militia being funded by these donations. Given that the alternative is indirectly funding killing the kids we want to save, it is better to sit at my computer and do nothing. In fact, nothing needs to be done, at least by me. It's already under control in ways you fail to understand, and my resources, and the resources spent on buying fucking wrist bands and posters would better be spent on ongoing problems that still need to be addressed.
Let me guess, what world problems have you helped with your resources? Call of duty?
T-shirts, wrist bands and posters are marketing strategies. With them, the idea can be spread faster. It's pretty much the same as donations, except you donate to make more people aware to the current situation, and more afterwards. This is why many problems in this whole world could never be solved. 'Why bother? It's none of my business' is the summary of your whole post.
lol outstanding post HaruPH... Did you even read what Rock said ? This thread and the whole deal about that organisation just pisses me off so much, fuck. Not as much as the people defending it tho...
On March 07 2012 23:18 marconi wrote: so many smartasses here.
If you maybe spent half of the time you're sitting in front of your fucking computer writing "this is a fraud I'm too smart to fall for it" actually doing something in your life, maybe we wouldn't need videos like these.
You idiots think this is fake? this is some sort of money scam? are you really that retarded? you think that this guy that he didn't do all those things? Imagine if something like that happened to your family. Would you then talk smart?
Maybe this won't stop the guy, but it's better than fucking doing nothing and sitting in front of your computer.
I don't think you're getting this. I don't think they made up Kony, I don't think the atrocities didn't happen, and I don't think it's an issue that shouldn't be dealt with. What I AM saying is that the organisation behind this Kony2012 thing is unneeded and not helping. They directly fund the various military groups fighting Kony with what money they do send in aid, and the rest they spend on making videos like this to get more donations. What the money injected into these groups does is purchase weapons to fire on the children they're supposed to be saving in an attempt to take Kony down. Groups that have been accused of the same atrocities as Kony. Furthermore, these efforts are completely pointless. Kony and his group is on the backfoot already, they're being beaten back, and have been for 6 years now. The American military, who has more resources than you could possibly give are tracking him down, and they're much less likely to be as corrupt as the various militia being funded by these donations. Given that the alternative is indirectly funding killing the kids we want to save, it is better to sit at my computer and do nothing. In fact, nothing needs to be done, at least by me. It's already under control in ways you fail to understand, and my resources, and the resources spent on buying fucking wrist bands and posters would better be spent on ongoing problems that still need to be addressed.
Let me guess, what world problems have you helped with your resources? Call of duty?
T-shirts, wrist bands and posters are marketing strategies. With them, the idea can be spread faster. It's pretty much the same as donations, except you donate to make more people aware to the current situation, and more afterwards. This is why many problems in this whole world could never be solved. 'Why bother? It's none of my business' is the summary of your whole post.
Did you miss the part where they directly fund the deaths of the people they say they're going to save? "Why bother? It's none of my business"? You didn't read anything I wrote. What I said was, and I'll put it in bold so you can understand it; FUNDING INVISIBLE CHILDREN DIRECTLY HARMS THE CHILD SOLDIERS YOU WANT TO SAVE. INVEST YOUR RESOURCES IN PLACES WHERE IT'LL ACTUALLY DO GOOD. DONATE CLOTHES TO SHELTERS, GIVE YOUR LOCAL ORPHANAGE MONEY TO SUSTAIN ITSELF, DONATE BLOOD, GIVE MONEY TO SUPPORT AIDS RESEARCH, HELP FUND A CURE TO FUCKING PARKINSONS. DON'T BUY BULLETS FOR THE MILITARY FIGHTING CHILD SOLDIERS. Clear enough for you?
What "idea" needs to be spread through all this lucrative marketing? That he needs to be arrested? They're already working on that. That he exists? Tonnes of bastards exist, some without military superpowers breathing down their necks. Spread their message.
On March 07 2012 23:41 marconi wrote: Well you can talk about what's right and wrong all day long, but the fact remains that this guy dedicated the last 10 years of his life to helping these people, which is more than can be said about you ( and please, correct me if I'm wrong and you dedicated 10 years of your life to anything other than yourself) . And he actually did something to raise the awareness of people about the problem. Now I really don't give a shit about his bank account, or if the group is funding some random militia. How do you think they are going to catch him? They are gonna ask him politely? More people will die, it's the sad truth, but if in the end something actually changes than those deaths are not in vain.
So yeah, you go on and continue doing nothing, it's obvious you're a great expert on the subject and that you will dedicate your enormous efforts of keyboard typing on other "ongoing problems that still need to be addressed".
And yeah, this whole project is probably a conspiracy by the lizards, masons and the queen of England, with the sole purpose of diverting public attention to the deaths of children in Africa.
Helping these people? He funds shooting them. Spreading the message? Everyone that can do something already knows and is doing something. The only thing spreading the message serves is funding more movies to spread the message more. Well, that and making my day that much more shitty
On March 07 2012 23:18 marconi wrote: so many smartasses here.
If you maybe spent half of the time you're sitting in front of your fucking computer writing "this is a fraud I'm too smart to fall for it" actually doing something in your life, maybe we wouldn't need videos like these.
You idiots think this is fake? this is some sort of money scam? are you really that retarded? you think that this guy that he didn't do all those things? Imagine if something like that happened to your family. Would you then talk smart?
Maybe this won't stop the guy, but it's better than fucking doing nothing and sitting in front of your computer.
lol at the notion that retweeting the link to the video, or posting it on a forum or Facebook actually does anything. You're sitting in front of your computer like the rest of us.
On March 07 2012 07:41 mememolly wrote: The thing is, this dude and his kid probably pass homeless guys on the street everyday and do nothing, maybe give them some change but nothing major. The reason they have taken on this Kony guy is because it is sexy, it is grand and exciting, it gives their life meaning, they wouldn't get headlines or sexy african locations if they were to give homeless dudes a bath and some food and a bed for the night. "Causes" like this are never about helping anyone, not primarily anyway, it is always about the desires (and the satisfaction of those desires) of the person behind the "cause."
Don't get me wrong the Kony guy is contemptible and deserves taking down but the american dude is just as contemptible imo, but for other reasons.
Other people have shot you down, I can't stop myself from doing it too.
You wrote that someone who wants to stop kids being forced to kill their own fucking family is as contemptible as a man who actively makes that happen and has for the past 20 years.
Take a moment to think about what you wrote. If you actually think this man is anywhere CLOSE to Joseph Kony, you should seriously reconsider your outlook on the world.
I don't like having "CHARITY" forced down my throat. I've met people who think that their complaining about wars on facebook does anything to save lives, who genuinely are overly self important just want to look good and have everyone worship how good they are.
This man has mobilised a huge movement to help end a war. He actually did go to the US congress and make them do something. I think he does enough for the world. Never mind that, this dude is working actively to save the lives of thousands of children and to make a part of the world a much better place to be. What he's doing is saving many lives; it doesn't really compare to helping a homeless guy have 1 good night.
Sir, your comment was not thought through and shows a serious lack of thought on your part, and if you actually believe what you wrote, an astounding lack of insight and intelligence.
On March 07 2012 07:26 Holy_AT wrote: The solution is simple, everyone on facebook and on the world should pay mones into a fond. Everyone should donate a few dollars ore some cents to this fond.
The purpose of the fond should be to pay the one who kills this Mr. Joseph Kony.
So another African warlord who'd go on doing similar shit?
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
THIS IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM, ITS 13 YEAR OLD NEWS, UGANDA IS NOT THREATENED BY KONY ANYMORE.
Check the comment for the source, and it makes a point that it's not backed up by anything. But I beleive you, im not sure im buying into this kony thing...
On March 07 2012 07:26 Holy_AT wrote: The solution is simple, everyone on facebook and on the world should pay mones into a fond. Everyone should donate a few dollars ore some cents to this fond.
The purpose of the fond should be to pay the one who kills this Mr. Joseph Kony.
And what stops those in control of the fond from taking, say, 20 % of everything that's in there and put it in their own pockets?
On March 07 2012 07:26 Holy_AT wrote: The solution is simple, everyone on facebook and on the world should pay mones into a fond. Everyone should donate a few dollars ore some cents to this fond.
The purpose of the fond should be to pay the one who kills this Mr. Joseph Kony.
And what stops those in control of the fond from taking, say, 20 % of everything that's in there and put it in their own pockets?
Brilliant idea.
Under this rationale you could literally say its 100% never a good idea to give to any charity under any circumstances because the money might be misappropriated. Don't be so cynical.
"(...)people supporting KONY 2012 probably don’t realize they’re supporting the Ugandan military who are themselves raping and looting away." (http://visiblechildren.tumblr.com/)
On March 08 2012 01:47 BearDK wrote: "(...)people supporting KONY 2012 probably don’t realize they’re supporting the Ugandan military who are themselves raping and looting away." (http://visiblechildren.tumblr.com/)
Just going to leave this here.
Glad this is starting to get around, seems the organization mostly attempts to scam people nowadays. Their annual financial reports show that very little actually goes to helping the people of uganda. Meanwhile it appears they are trying to pass laws in an attempt to increase military influence in these countries.
On March 07 2012 07:26 Holy_AT wrote: The solution is simple, everyone on facebook and on the world should pay mones into a fond. Everyone should donate a few dollars ore some cents to this fond.
The purpose of the fond should be to pay the one who kills this Mr. Joseph Kony.
And what stops those in control of the fond from taking, say, 20 % of everything that's in there and put it in their own pockets?
Brilliant idea.
Under this rationale you could literally say its 100% never a good idea to give to any charity under any circumstances because the money might be misappropriated. Don't be so cynical.
Don't you see the flaw in this thinking?
Which is why you RESEARCH the charities that you are donating to. If you do some research on Inivisible Children you would know that they only gave 32% of the money they received to the cause that they're supporting, which ISN'T EVEN A GOOD ONE.
I think it's really sad that a movement that is trying to put to end a regime that has abducted, raped, and killed innocent children is being shrugged off by some people in this thread. I'd like to think we live in a world that logically could rationalize putting an end to this man's power, but I guess if their video, which stressed recognition rather than funding "emotionally manipulated you", that's a great reason to shrug of the issue completely. Trying to say that this is a dead issue is just false, do a bit of research on your own before making comments such as this.
It was a well made movie that uses pathos because it is an emotional issue. If we were trying to increase awareness of Roth IRA's maybe a different strategy should be used... this isn't some sort of scam to steal your money, this is a cry to increase global awareness of an issue that has gone overlooked because of our selfish nature to only care about issues relating to ourselves. Continue to share this video and expand this movement so we can make this world a better place for everyone.
It's hilarious. If charities try to ask for money in the "right way" everyone goes "thats a nice cause, meh" and doesn't do anything, if they then try and make you emotionally connect with the cause people go "HOW RUDE! Can't believe they are emotionally manipulating me." And there theres the usual "this charity doesn't isn't 100% efficient" or the classic "donating to this charity make the cause worse..." It pretty much boils down to people rationalizing using mental acrobatics so that they don't have to come to terms with the world and what a shit place it is, and also so they can ignore it and not feel guilty that they do fuck all to prevent it, or worse do a small amount to make them self "secure" about doing their part.
I do not doubt for a second that those involved in KONY 2012 have great intentions, nor do I doubt for a second that Joseph Kony is a very evil man. But despite this, I’m strongly opposed to the KONY 2012 campaign.
KONY 2012 is the product of a group called Invisible Children, a controversial activist group and not-for-profit. They’ve released 11 films, most with an accompanying bracelet colour (KONY 2012 is fittingly red), all of which focus on Joseph Kony. When we buy merch from them, when we link to their video, when we put up posters linking to their website, we support the organization. I don’t think that’s a good thing, and I’m not alone.
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 2/4 stars because they haven’t had their finances externally audited. But it goes way deeper than that.
The group is in favour of direct military intervention, and their money supports the Ugandan government’s army and various other military forces. Here’s a photo of the founders of Invisible Children posing with weapons and personnel of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army. Both the Ugandan army and Sudan People’s Liberation Army are riddled with accusations of rape and looting, but Invisible Children defends them, arguing that the Ugandan army is “better equipped than that of any of the other affected countries”, although Kony is no longer active in Uganda and hasn’t been since 2006 by their own admission. These books each refer to the rape and sexual assault that are perennial issues with the UPDF, the military group Invisible Children is defending.
Still, the bulk of Invisible Children’s spending isn’t on supporting African militias, but on awareness and filmmaking. Which can be great, except that Foreign Affairs has claimed that Invisible Children (among others) “manipulates facts for strategic purposes, exaggerating the scale of LRA abductions and murders and emphasizing the LRA’s use of innocent children as soldiers, and portraying Kony — a brutal man, to be sure — as uniquely awful, a Kurtz-like embodiment of evil.” He’s certainly evil, but exaggeration and manipulation to capture the public eye is unproductive, unprofessional and dishonest.
As Chris Blattman, a political scientist at Yale, writes on the topic of IC’s programming, “There’s also something inherently misleading, naive, maybe even dangerous, about the idea of rescuing children or saving of Africa. […] It hints uncomfortably of the White Man’s Burden. Worse, sometimes it does more than hint. The savior attitude is pervasive in advocacy, and it inevitably shapes programming. Usually misconceived programming.”
Still, Kony’s a bad guy, and he’s been around a while. Which is why the US has been involved in stopping him for years. U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) has sent multiple missions to capture or kill Kony over the years. And they’ve failed time and time again, each provoking a ferocious response and increased retaliative slaughter. The issue with taking out a man who uses a child army is that his bodyguards are children. Any effort to capture or kill him will almost certainly result in many children’s deaths, an impact that needs to be minimized as much as possible. Each attempt brings more retaliation. And yet Invisible Children supports military intervention. Kony has been involved in peace talks in the past, which have fallen through. But Invisible Children is now focusing on military intervention.
Military intervention may or may not be the right idea, but people supporting KONY 2012 probably don’t realize they’re supporting the Ugandan military who are themselves raping and looting away. If people know this and still support Invisible Children because they feel it’s the best solution based on their knowledge and research, I have no issue with that. But I don’t think most people are in that position, and that’s a problem.
Is awareness good? Yes. But these problems are highly complex, not one-dimensional and, frankly, aren’t of the nature that can be solved by postering, film-making and changing your Facebook profile picture, as hard as that is to swallow. Giving your money and public support to Invisible Children so they can spend it on supporting ill-advised violent intervention and movie #12 isn’t helping. Do I have a better answer? No, I don’t, but that doesn’t mean that you should support KONY 2012 just because it’s something. Something isn’t always better than nothing. Sometimes it’s worse.
If you want to write to your Member of Parliament or your Senator or the President or the Prime Minister, by all means, go ahead. If you want to post about Joseph Kony’s crimes on Facebook, go ahead. But let’s keep it about Joseph Kony, not KONY 2012.
~ Grant Oyston, visiblechildren@grantoyston.com
Grant Oyston is a sociology and political science student at Acadia University in Nova Scotia, Canada. You can help spread the word about this by linking to his blog at visiblechildren.tumblr.com anywhere you see posts about KONY 2012.
On March 07 2012 07:26 Holy_AT wrote: The solution is simple, everyone on facebook and on the world should pay mones into a fond. Everyone should donate a few dollars ore some cents to this fond.
The purpose of the fond should be to pay the one who kills this Mr. Joseph Kony.
And what stops those in control of the fond from taking, say, 20 % of everything that's in there and put it in their own pockets?
Brilliant idea.
Under this rationale you could literally say its 100% never a good idea to give to any charity under any circumstances because the money might be misappropriated. Don't be so cynical.
Don't you see the flaw in this thinking?
Which is why you RESEARCH the charities that you are donating to. If you do some research on Inivisible Children you would know that they only gave 32% of the money they received to the cause that they're supporting, which ISN'T EVEN A GOOD ONE.
Now seriously. I always knew that Americans are the most naive of all nations, easiest to fool. But come on! How naive, how uneducated you have to be, to believe that Africa/Uganda problem is one Kony. Kony deserves to be cought but IT WON"T SOLVE ANY PROBLEM. Americans - this is Africa, there hundreds of people like Kony and hundreds will come. Some created themselves, some were created by USA and USSR/Russia.
This movie was nice to watch, made me laught. Ugandan story is sad and tragic, but this movie trivializes the problem, the complexity of the problem. And that is sad too.
But hey, good luck, if it helps catch Kony and (what is MORE important) put an end to LRA, then congratulations. Some good will be done.
On March 07 2012 07:26 Holy_AT wrote: The solution is simple, everyone on facebook and on the world should pay mones into a fond. Everyone should donate a few dollars ore some cents to this fond.
The purpose of the fond should be to pay the one who kills this Mr. Joseph Kony.
And what stops those in control of the fond from taking, say, 20 % of everything that's in there and put it in their own pockets?
Brilliant idea.
Under this rationale you could literally say its 100% never a good idea to give to any charity under any circumstances because the money might be misappropriated. Don't be so cynical.
Don't you see the flaw in this thinking?
Which is why you RESEARCH the charities that you are donating to. If you do some research on Inivisible Children you would know that they only gave 32% of the money they received to the cause that they're supporting, which ISN'T EVEN A GOOD ONE.
Except that is wrong. Many people are just quoting the blog post. Most people don't actually do the research for themselves....
I do not doubt for a second that those involved in KONY 2012 have great intentions, nor do I doubt for a second that Joseph Kony is a very evil man. But despite this, I’m strongly opposed to the KONY 2012 campaign.
KONY 2012 is the product of a group called Invisible Children, a controversial activist group and not-for-profit. They’ve released 11 films, most with an accompanying bracelet colour (KONY 2012 is fittingly red), all of which focus on Joseph Kony. When we buy merch from them, when we link to their video, when we put up posters linking to their website, we support the organization. I don’t think that’s a good thing, and I’m not alone.
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 2/4 stars because they haven’t had their finances externally audited. But it goes way deeper than that.
The group is in favour of direct military intervention, and their money supports the Ugandan government’s army and various other military forces. Here’s a photo of the founders of Invisible Children posing with weapons and personnel of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army. Both the Ugandan army and Sudan People’s Liberation Army are riddled with accusations of rape and looting, but Invisible Children defends them, arguing that the Ugandan army is “better equipped than that of any of the other affected countries”, although Kony is no longer active in Uganda and hasn’t been since 2006 by their own admission. These books each refer to the rape and sexual assault that are perennial issues with the UPDF, the military group Invisible Children is defending.
Still, the bulk of Invisible Children’s spending isn’t on supporting African militias, but on awareness and filmmaking. Which can be great, except that Foreign Affairs has claimed that Invisible Children (among others) “manipulates facts for strategic purposes, exaggerating the scale of LRA abductions and murders and emphasizing the LRA’s use of innocent children as soldiers, and portraying Kony — a brutal man, to be sure — as uniquely awful, a Kurtz-like embodiment of evil.” He’s certainly evil, but exaggeration and manipulation to capture the public eye is unproductive, unprofessional and dishonest.
As Chris Blattman, a political scientist at Yale, writes on the topic of IC’s programming, “There’s also something inherently misleading, naive, maybe even dangerous, about the idea of rescuing children or saving of Africa. […] It hints uncomfortably of the White Man’s Burden. Worse, sometimes it does more than hint. The savior attitude is pervasive in advocacy, and it inevitably shapes programming. Usually misconceived programming.”
Still, Kony’s a bad guy, and he’s been around a while. Which is why the US has been involved in stopping him for years. U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) has sent multiple missions to capture or kill Kony over the years. And they’ve failed time and time again, each provoking a ferocious response and increased retaliative slaughter. The issue with taking out a man who uses a child army is that his bodyguards are children. Any effort to capture or kill him will almost certainly result in many children’s deaths, an impact that needs to be minimized as much as possible. Each attempt brings more retaliation. And yet Invisible Children supports military intervention. Kony has been involved in peace talks in the past, which have fallen through. But Invisible Children is now focusing on military intervention.
Military intervention may or may not be the right idea, but people supporting KONY 2012 probably don’t realize they’re supporting the Ugandan military who are themselves raping and looting away. If people know this and still support Invisible Children because they feel it’s the best solution based on their knowledge and research, I have no issue with that. But I don’t think most people are in that position, and that’s a problem.
Is awareness good? Yes. But these problems are highly complex, not one-dimensional and, frankly, aren’t of the nature that can be solved by postering, film-making and changing your Facebook profile picture, as hard as that is to swallow. Giving your money and public support to Invisible Children so they can spend it on supporting ill-advised violent intervention and movie #12 isn’t helping. Do I have a better answer? No, I don’t, but that doesn’t mean that you should support KONY 2012 just because it’s something. Something isn’t always better than nothing. Sometimes it’s worse.
If you want to write to your Member of Parliament or your Senator or the President or the Prime Minister, by all means, go ahead. If you want to post about Joseph Kony’s crimes on Facebook, go ahead. But let’s keep it about Joseph Kony, not KONY 2012.
~ Grant Oyston, visiblechildren@grantoyston.com
Grant Oyston is a sociology and political science student at Acadia University in Nova Scotia, Canada. You can help spread the word about this by linking to his blog at visiblechildren.tumblr.com anywhere you see posts about KONY 2012.
But all that post says is that the charity behind KONY2012 is perhaps not the best, the charity do ask for money at some point in the movie, but the whole KONY movement and the point of the video was awareness of the atrocities being committed, getting people to write to senators and to raise awareness, not asking directly for just money.
If all they wanted to do was spread the word they did a good job. If they didn't ask for money I'm sure a lot of people (who are turned off by them asking for money) might have actually looked into donating if they thought the organization deserved it.
Bottom line; if they wanted to spread awareness they didn't need to ask for money just let the video go viral.
Finally found this topic. So I'm watching this video, and by the two minute mark, it's just starting to get to the point. The narrator has that pseudo-urgent tone that is used in every single video where a celebrity speaks out against some humanitarian cause, bullshit or not. That is the EXACT tone.
Three minutes, and I see what everyone's complaining about. I'll watch the other 26 minutes later, since I'm a little pressed for time (my school is ending soon), so I'll just say this.
Kony is an evil man. I'm not denying that at all.
But this kind of bullshit on the Internet spread by celebrities is more "Look at me!" than actually helping this cause. It's the kind of inactive activity like posting a paragraph on Facebook that gives people the sense of accomplishment without actually having to bust their ass or pay a sum of money to get that sense. The way they try to humanize a human life - by introducing the guy's son? Well I could do the same thing to Osama or Hitler, tell you facts about their happy childhoods and insights into their life.
I do not doubt for a second that those involved in KONY 2012 have great intentions, nor do I doubt for a second that Joseph Kony is a very evil man. But despite this, I’m strongly opposed to the KONY 2012 campaign.
KONY 2012 is the product of a group called Invisible Children, a controversial activist group and not-for-profit. They’ve released 11 films, most with an accompanying bracelet colour (KONY 2012 is fittingly red), all of which focus on Joseph Kony. When we buy merch from them, when we link to their video, when we put up posters linking to their website, we support the organization. I don’t think that’s a good thing, and I’m not alone.
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 2/4 stars because they haven’t had their finances externally audited. But it goes way deeper than that.
The group is in favour of direct military intervention, and their money supports the Ugandan government’s army and various other military forces. Here’s a photo of the founders of Invisible Children posing with weapons and personnel of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army. Both the Ugandan army and Sudan People’s Liberation Army are riddled with accusations of rape and looting, but Invisible Children defends them, arguing that the Ugandan army is “better equipped than that of any of the other affected countries”, although Kony is no longer active in Uganda and hasn’t been since 2006 by their own admission. These books each refer to the rape and sexual assault that are perennial issues with the UPDF, the military group Invisible Children is defending.
Still, the bulk of Invisible Children’s spending isn’t on supporting African militias, but on awareness and filmmaking. Which can be great, except that Foreign Affairs has claimed that Invisible Children (among others) “manipulates facts for strategic purposes, exaggerating the scale of LRA abductions and murders and emphasizing the LRA’s use of innocent children as soldiers, and portraying Kony — a brutal man, to be sure — as uniquely awful, a Kurtz-like embodiment of evil.” He’s certainly evil, but exaggeration and manipulation to capture the public eye is unproductive, unprofessional and dishonest.
As Chris Blattman, a political scientist at Yale, writes on the topic of IC’s programming, “There’s also something inherently misleading, naive, maybe even dangerous, about the idea of rescuing children or saving of Africa. […] It hints uncomfortably of the White Man’s Burden. Worse, sometimes it does more than hint. The savior attitude is pervasive in advocacy, and it inevitably shapes programming. Usually misconceived programming.”
Still, Kony’s a bad guy, and he’s been around a while. Which is why the US has been involved in stopping him for years. U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) has sent multiple missions to capture or kill Kony over the years. And they’ve failed time and time again, each provoking a ferocious response and increased retaliative slaughter. The issue with taking out a man who uses a child army is that his bodyguards are children. Any effort to capture or kill him will almost certainly result in many children’s deaths, an impact that needs to be minimized as much as possible. Each attempt brings more retaliation. And yet Invisible Children supports military intervention. Kony has been involved in peace talks in the past, which have fallen through. But Invisible Children is now focusing on military intervention.
Military intervention may or may not be the right idea, but people supporting KONY 2012 probably don’t realize they’re supporting the Ugandan military who are themselves raping and looting away. If people know this and still support Invisible Children because they feel it’s the best solution based on their knowledge and research, I have no issue with that. But I don’t think most people are in that position, and that’s a problem.
Is awareness good? Yes. But these problems are highly complex, not one-dimensional and, frankly, aren’t of the nature that can be solved by postering, film-making and changing your Facebook profile picture, as hard as that is to swallow. Giving your money and public support to Invisible Children so they can spend it on supporting ill-advised violent intervention and movie #12 isn’t helping. Do I have a better answer? No, I don’t, but that doesn’t mean that you should support KONY 2012 just because it’s something. Something isn’t always better than nothing. Sometimes it’s worse.
If you want to write to your Member of Parliament or your Senator or the President or the Prime Minister, by all means, go ahead. If you want to post about Joseph Kony’s crimes on Facebook, go ahead. But let’s keep it about Joseph Kony, not KONY 2012.
~ Grant Oyston, visiblechildren@grantoyston.com
Grant Oyston is a sociology and political science student at Acadia University in Nova Scotia, Canada. You can help spread the word about this by linking to his blog at visiblechildren.tumblr.com anywhere you see posts about KONY 2012.
But all that post says is that the charity behind KONY2012 is perhaps not the best, the charity do ask for money at some point in the movie, but the whole KONY movement and the point of the video was awareness of the atrocities being committed, getting people to write to senators and to raise awareness, not asking directly for just money.
I can't tell if you are agreeing/disagreeing or summarizing parts of what I quoted.
After reading all the responses in the thread, I'm still sort of on the fence as to what to believe here. I don't doubt that Kony is an evil person who committed all these atrocities but I'm not entirely sure if this specific organization is worth supporting?
One of the points in the article is that Kony and the LRA are no longer in Uganda. Does this mean they're in another country doing the same things or what?
On March 08 2012 03:50 Box.N.Straw wrote: After reading all the responses in the thread, I'm still sort of on the fence as to what to believe here. I don't doubt that Kony is an evil person who committed all these atrocities but I'm not entirely sure if this specific organization is worth supporting?
One of the points in the article is that Kony and the LRA are no longer in Uganda. Does this mean they're in another country doing the same things or what?
In neighbouring countries, less active, still definitely deserving of being caught obviously. KONY2012 is still supporting the Ugandan military which is not by any means squeaky clean though (they rape and kill as well). Thorny issue. Worth supporting the ideas, money better spent elsewhere imo.
Personally though, one of the ideas in the film, that people are becoming increasingly able to hold governments accountable and force change is something I like though.
I saw it 2 hours ago it was really nice documentery, but Im confused about it. is it true or scum ? There were a lot of young Americans on video so have you guys heard about that at schools or anywhere ?
The idea is obviously awesome. Raise the awareness so that governments of the world would be more concerned for crimes against humanity even if they don't have as much to gain from the conflict. That's how world should be. We shouldn't separate ourselves in different countries and only care about our own domestic problems with nationalistic propaganda mixed in.
However, the actual organisation seems sort of scummy. The movie itself is made to be a tear jerker and appeal to young adult hipsterish demographic. So yeah.. The idea is good, but the way they try to spread it is pretty cheesy and lame.
I'm sure there was more conservative coverage on this (since they always like to create disinformation on any topic involving Obama or his administration), but that's the "best" one.
Anyway, this said I wouldn't go get my facts from a Facebook viral video as these are more often than not erronous and sometimes deliberate hoaxes. Kony is real and the problem is real (although as pointed out less so today than before), but there are better sources of information than a dramariddled viral video.
On March 08 2012 03:30 [UoN]Sentinel wrote: Finally found this topic. So I'm watching this video, and by the two minute mark, it's just starting to get to the point. The narrator has that pseudo-urgent tone that is used in every single video where a celebrity speaks out against some humanitarian cause, bullshit or not. That is the EXACT tone.
Three minutes, and I see what everyone's complaining about. I'll watch the other 26 minutes later, since I'm a little pressed for time (my school is ending soon), so I'll just say this.
Kony is an evil man. I'm not denying that at all.
But this kind of bullshit on the Internet spread by celebrities is more "Look at me!" than actually helping this cause. It's the kind of inactive activity like posting a paragraph on Facebook that gives people the sense of accomplishment without actually having to bust their ass or pay a sum of money to get that sense. The way they try to humanize a human life - by introducing the guy's son? Well I could do the same thing to Osama or Hitler, tell you facts about their happy childhoods and insights into their life.
Well I don't know much about the guy but if its true of what he says who and what he is,its obvious that he has been busting his ass for the last 8 years,helping people in Africa and trying to raise awareness by word of mouth. Thing is,obviously it doesn't cut it.You can visit only so many schools and make a few 100k of school girls cry by showing them the video,but it just doesn't cut it. This is if we like it or not the best way to market something in today's world.I don't like this type of propaganda either,but hey,it works.If you really want to make people care about something,or at least,make them think they care,you have to turn it into pop culture.In this case I think its worth it.
I'm sure there was more conservative coverage on this (since they always like to create disinformation on any topic involving Obama or his administration), but that's the "best" one.
Anyway, this said I wouldn't go get my facts from a Facebook viral video as these are more often than not erronous and sometimes deliberate hoaxes. Kony is real and the problem is real (although as pointed out less so today than before), but there are better sources of information than a dramariddled viral video.
Holy crap that's hilarious. Rush Limbaugh is such a joke. Why do I even need to say it? A joke.
Hey everyone buying this marketing and saying they aren't asking for money.
A con artist doesn't ask for money directly. He tells you a sob story and makes it very emotional to the point where you feel obligated to help them anyway you can. THIS IS THE OLDEST TRICK IN THE BOOK.
Child soldiers/cannibalism/rape/sex slaves/normal slaves/attempted genocide/rampant drug abuse/murder/torture on levels you can't imagine... has all been happening for along time in africa. And no KONY isn't the sole cause. Nor is he a major part. He is but one man. There are many many bad men in africa. You want to fix the problem you just became aware of?
You can't. Deal with it. How about making sure you fix your own country however you can and living a good life ensuring those around you do as well. Show me one country without poverty or people suffering from murder and rape. You can't. Fix your own country before throwing money to a con artist to ease your guilty conscience. I hate to see a rich con artist so much.
Walk out your door today and find someone to help! Do that everyday. Help all the time, however you can. THEN perhaps the world might get slightly better. If one country gets enough people helping each other eventually one country in the world might become an example for the rest. But I doubt it.
You won't help someone you see lying in the street. You won't help can a murderer in your own country. You won't give the local police more funding so they can hire more officers to keep the streets safe and maybe catch criminals. You won't fund a hospital so it can give free healthcare to people who NEED it. You will just through your money at a con man so you can feel better and forget it. Its people like you who make me sick.
I don't have a moral high ground but people who claim that they are helping by sharing this message about kony or giving money to it sicken me. OPEN YOUR EYES. The world is messed up. Fix your end of it first before trying to fix the rest.
On March 08 2012 04:14 Bobgrimly wrote: Hey everyone buying this marketing and saying they aren't asking for money.
A con artist doesn't ask for money directly. He tells you a sob story and makes it very emotional to the point where you feel obligated to help them anyway you can. THIS IS THE OLDEST TRICK IN THE BOOK.
Child soldiers/cannibalism/rape/sex slaves/normal slaves/attempted genocide/rampant drug abuse/murder/torture on levels you can't imagine... has all been happening for along time in africa. And no KONY isn't the sole cause. Nor is he a major part. He is but one man. There are many many bad men in africa. You want to fix the problem you just became aware of?
You can't. Deal with it. How about making sure you fix your own country however you can and living a good life ensuring those around you do as well. Show me one country without poverty or people suffering from murder and rape. You can't. Fix your own country before throwing money to a con artist to ease your guilty conscience. I hate to see a rich con artist so much.
Walk out your door today and find someone to help! Do that everyday. Help all the time, however you can. THEN perhaps the world might get slightly better. If one country gets enough people helping each other eventually one country in the world might become an example for the rest. But I doubt it.
You won't help someone you see lying in the street. You won't help can a murderer in your own country. You won't give the local police more funding so they can hire more officers to keep the streets safe and maybe catch criminals. You won't fund a hospital so it can give free healthcare to people who NEED it. You will just through your money at a con man so you can feel better and forget it. Its people like you who make me sick.
I don't have a moral high ground but people who claim that they are helping by sharing this message about kony or giving money to it sicken me. OPEN YOUR EYES. The world is messed up. Fix your end of it first before trying to fix the rest.
Wait, where is there proof that this man, or organization is a con man? I looked up how much the CEO makes, and it's 88k. That's not a lot for a CEO of a for-profit-organization, let alone any company.
On March 08 2012 03:30 [UoN]Sentinel wrote: Finally found this topic. So I'm watching this video, and by the two minute mark, it's just starting to get to the point. The narrator has that pseudo-urgent tone that is used in every single video where a celebrity speaks out against some humanitarian cause, bullshit or not. That is the EXACT tone.
Three minutes, and I see what everyone's complaining about. I'll watch the other 26 minutes later, since I'm a little pressed for time (my school is ending soon), so I'll just say this.
Kony is an evil man. I'm not denying that at all.
But this kind of bullshit on the Internet spread by celebrities is more "Look at me!" than actually helping this cause. It's the kind of inactive activity like posting a paragraph on Facebook that gives people the sense of accomplishment without actually having to bust their ass or pay a sum of money to get that sense. The way they try to humanize a human life - by introducing the guy's son? Well I could do the same thing to Osama or Hitler, tell you facts about their happy childhoods and insights into their life.
Well I don't know much about the guy but if its true of what he says who and what he is,its obvious that he has been busting his ass for the last 8 years,helping people in Africa and trying to raise awareness by word of mouth. Thing is,obviously it doesn't cut it.You can visit only so many schools and make a few 100k of school girls cry by showing them the video,but it just doesn't cut it. This is if we like it or not the best way to market something in today's world.I don't like this type of propaganda either,but hey,it works.If you really want to make people care about something,or at least,make them think they care,you have to turn it into pop culture.In this case I think its worth it.
This is true. Saddening, but true.
And I think this is the perfect thread to bust out my favorite quote:
You really that naive? Tomorrow there'll be a new Mengsk. And another one after that. Your great shining dream of the future is just an illusion.
On March 08 2012 04:14 Bobgrimly wrote: Hey everyone buying this marketing and saying they aren't asking for money.
A con artist doesn't ask for money directly. He tells you a sob story and makes it very emotional to the point where you feel obligated to help them anyway you can. THIS IS THE OLDEST TRICK IN THE BOOK.
Child soldiers/cannibalism/rape/sex slaves/normal slaves/attempted genocide/rampant drug abuse/murder/torture on levels you can't imagine... has all been happening for along time in africa. And no KONY isn't the sole cause. Nor is he a major part. He is but one man. There are many many bad men in africa. You want to fix the problem you just became aware of?
You can't. Deal with it. How about making sure you fix your own country however you can and living a good life ensuring those around you do as well. Show me one country without poverty or people suffering from murder and rape. You can't. Fix your own country before throwing money to a con artist to ease your guilty conscience. I hate to see a rich con artist so much.
Walk out your door today and find someone to help! Do that everyday. Help all the time, however you can. THEN perhaps the world might get slightly better. If one country gets enough people helping each other eventually one country in the world might become an example for the rest. But I doubt it.
You won't help someone you see lying in the street. You won't help can a murderer in your own country. You won't give the local police more funding so they can hire more officers to keep the streets safe and maybe catch criminals. You won't fund a hospital so it can give free healthcare to people who NEED it. You will just through your money at a con man so you can feel better and forget it. Its people like you who make me sick.
I don't have a moral high ground but people who claim that they are helping by sharing this message about kony or giving money to it sicken me. OPEN YOUR EYES. The world is messed up. Fix your end of it first before trying to fix the rest.
Wait, where is there proof that this man, or organization is a con man? I looked up how much the CEO makes, and it's 88k. That's not a lot for a CEO of a for-profit-organization, let alone any company.
On March 08 2012 03:30 [UoN]Sentinel wrote: Finally found this topic. So I'm watching this video, and by the two minute mark, it's just starting to get to the point. The narrator has that pseudo-urgent tone that is used in every single video where a celebrity speaks out against some humanitarian cause, bullshit or not. That is the EXACT tone.
Three minutes, and I see what everyone's complaining about. I'll watch the other 26 minutes later, since I'm a little pressed for time (my school is ending soon), so I'll just say this.
Kony is an evil man. I'm not denying that at all.
But this kind of bullshit on the Internet spread by celebrities is more "Look at me!" than actually helping this cause. It's the kind of inactive activity like posting a paragraph on Facebook that gives people the sense of accomplishment without actually having to bust their ass or pay a sum of money to get that sense. The way they try to humanize a human life - by introducing the guy's son? Well I could do the same thing to Osama or Hitler, tell you facts about their happy childhoods and insights into their life.
Well I don't know much about the guy but if its true of what he says who and what he is,its obvious that he has been busting his ass for the last 8 years,helping people in Africa and trying to raise awareness by word of mouth. Thing is,obviously it doesn't cut it.You can visit only so many schools and make a few 100k of school girls cry by showing them the video,but it just doesn't cut it. This is if we like it or not the best way to market something in today's world.I don't like this type of propaganda either,but hey,it works.If you really want to make people care about something,or at least,make them think they care,you have to turn it into pop culture.In this case I think its worth it.
This is true. Saddening, but true.
And I think this is the perfect thread to bust out my favorite quote:
You really that naive? Tomorrow there'll be a new Mengsk. And another one after that. Your great shining dream of the future is just an illusion.
--Gabriel Tosh
Interesting Tosh quote. I thought the same thing about Kony. But in the same vein, the type of activism (I almost typed 'activision' there, lol) espoused/conceptualized in the video is interesting, and maybe hints at a possibility where we don't have a perpetual lineage of Mengsks in every country. That takes transformative change though and is still a ways away methinks.
I'm sure there was more conservative coverage on this (since they always like to create disinformation on any topic involving Obama or his administration), but that's the "best" one.
Anyway, this said I wouldn't go get my facts from a Facebook viral video as these are more often than not erronous and sometimes deliberate hoaxes. Kony is real and the problem is real (although as pointed out less so today than before), but there are better sources of information than a dramariddled viral video.
The funny thing is that it is suggested that the LRA got support from khartoum so Limbaugh was like double wrong in his argument. Sure they are christians but only fighting other christians.
So Kony is apparently almost defeated. I think the people who made the campaign might feel a little embarrassed to see that the LRA is currently in peace talks (if the linked article is true).
So Kony is apparently almost defeated. I think the people who made the campaign might feel a little embarrassed to see that the LRA is currently in peace talks (if the linked article is true).
Kony is still about and that article was written in 2006, calming he was sick and dieing...
I think the problem in Uganda is the hate evangelists that came from america. Yeah they fucked Uganda pretty much up with their homophobic campaign. I'm not sure to what extent they've caused trouble, but i'm sure it's a serious problem there.
I love all the people being critical of the organization's finances. "Wait a minute, you're telling me that 100% of my proceeds don't go to African children?? What do you mean that movies and trips to and from Africa aren't free???? Con artist!"
On March 08 2012 06:24 Dr. Henry Killinger wrote: I love all the people being critical of the organization's finances. "Wait a minute, you're telling me that 100% of my proceeds don't go to African children?? What do you mean that movies and trips to and from Africa aren't free???? Con artist!"
I know, right. Asking that a charity use more then 1/3 of the money donated on actual people is so ridiculous. And saying they shouldn't use it to fund other militant groups that do similar things as Kony is outrageous as well.
On March 08 2012 06:24 Dr. Henry Killinger wrote: I love all the people being critical of the organization's finances. "Wait a minute, you're telling me that 100% of my proceeds don't go to African children?? What do you mean that movies and trips to and from Africa aren't free???? Con artist!"
31% of the funds only go to actual aid, and this aid is in the form of supporting the Ugandan military who there are allegations against for similar crimes.
You want to help out African families? Donate to a charity like Doctors Without Borders who use 100% of your funds to actually help people... instead of paying off militaries to have someone executed.
The video everyone watched is nothing more than emotional blackmail. It strategically manipulates facts and uses sensationalist tactics. The money you donate isn't even independantly audited. It could literally be going ANYWHERE and no one would know the difference.
Putting aside the legitimacy of Invisible Children, going after one man is the very definition of treating the symptoms not the disease.
This just in, a lot of African countries are screwed up. There's dozens of Joseph Kony's and just pretending that stopping one is a victory is ridiculous. Heck, Joseph Kony isn't even the worst thing happening in Uganda let alone the whole continent.
I just want to say good job to OP for using the word infamous, it is killing me when literally EVERYONE is writing "Make Kony famous for doing bad things!" I thought i didn't know what the definition of infamous is, oh yea and well this is some messed up shit.
On March 08 2012 07:18 DreamChaser wrote: I just want to say good job to OP for using the word infamous, it is killing me when literally EVERYONE is writing "Make Kony famous for doing bad things!" I thought i didn't know what the definition of infamous is, oh yea and well this is some messed up shit.
Thank a mod, the OP originally said Make him Famous then a mod changed it.
On March 08 2012 07:18 DreamChaser wrote: I just want to say good job to OP for using the word infamous, it is killing me when literally EVERYONE is writing "Make Kony famous for doing bad things!" I thought i didn't know what the definition of infamous is, oh yea and well this is some messed up shit.
Thank a mod, the OP originally said Make him Famous then a mod changed it.
On March 07 2012 04:26 Tufas wrote: I really do not like how they made the video. The dramatic music, slow camera changes, big voice-over, crying children, dead people and mixed with the opposite happy son to show the contrast. Populist method of bringing your message over to others will never fair good with me but I already knew mr. kony so I had to stop after five minutes because that sort of sensationalism makes me crazy.
Now if anyone believes that I just critiqued the reason why he did it, you are wrong. He will most likely get most attention out of it and will see it as a path to biggest recognition with his tools. Legit method, I cannot blame him for that. A lot of people will respond best to this sort of message but I would be happier if people didn`t. The same style can be applied to propaganda and fear-mongering videos and he obviously did not to that, but the system is the same. Beware of videos/messages/truths that come this way, it has nothing to do with news or journalism. As far as I know he never claimed to be that so how can I blame him for using this ? I cannot. He was most likely very frustrated as nothing happened and had to do something. It is sad that it had to come that far but now that he has done it, we will see what is going to happen. The cynic in me says nothing but we can always hope for the best.
Still a bad video but many people will disagree with me
Again, I am not playing down his message at all. if nothing else worked, he can at least try it this way. Only the method makes me crazy. CRAZY.
I agree and above that the film maker presented it as a personal issue with the Jacob thing and his son. I agree that this guy is a problem, but this approach is just wrong. I was watching another video from their channel and they were singing and dancing it seems to make the issue less serious.
If he had presented this things it would have been more serious in my opinion:
-What Kony has done -How this has effected people and how many (Not on a personal level) -How the people can show support towards this movement to their government -And no optimistic promises about how Kony will be arrested this year.
And last I'm sure people don't respond as well as you would think to this kinds of messages.
On March 08 2012 07:09 R3DT1D3 wrote: Putting aside the legitimacy of Invisible Children, going after one man is the very definition of treating the symptoms not the disease.
This just in, a lot of African countries are screwed up. There's dozens of Joseph Kony's and just pretending that stopping one is a victory is ridiculous. Heck, Joseph Kony isn't even the worst thing happening in Uganda let alone the whole continent.
Yeah I agree on that too. They presented it as if they stop Kony the world will be all bright and shinny. I felt horrible every time I heard him say that we are shaping history (as in this is the most important event of this century).
On March 08 2012 03:01 Radioman wrote: If all they wanted to do was spread the word they did a good job. If they didn't ask for money I'm sure a lot of people (who are turned off by them asking for money) might have actually looked into donating if they thought the organization deserved it.
Bottom line; if they wanted to spread awareness they didn't need to ask for money just let the video go viral.
As for Jason Russell, any wealth he happens to have is in all likelihood not from Invisible Children. His own commercial work should have taken care of that.
Actually, Jason Russell makes close to $90,000 a year from Invisible Children The CEO makes $88k and the other filmmaker makes $84k. They make about $4 million in revenue annually. Something seems a little fishy about this "charity", especially after they refuse to release their info to the Better Business Bureau
Very good posts by Sinensis. People need to read this in order to fully grasp the situation (the link should be added in the OP). There are less shady organizations that deal with actual problems.
The link in a nutshell: - Last year, the organization spent $8,676,614. Only 32% went to direct services. - Charity Navigator rates their accountability 2/4 stars because they lack an external audit committee. - According to Council on Foreign Relations, Invisible Children has manipulated facts for strategic purposes, exaggerating the scale of LRA abductions and murders and emphasizing the LRA's use of innocent children as soldiers. - By supporting Invisible Children, you are supporting the Ugandan army and Sudan People’s Liberation Army, both accused of rape and looting. - Kony is no longer active in Uganda and hasn’t been since 2006, thus there is even less reason to support the Ugandan army.
On March 08 2012 08:46 gn0m wrote: Very good posts by Sinensis. People need to read this in order to fully grasp the situation (the link should be added in the OP). There are less shady organizations that deal with actual problems.
The link in a nutshell: - Last year, the organization spent $8,676,614. Only 32% went to direct services. - Charity Navigator rates their accountability 2/4 stars because they lack an external audit committee. - According to Council on Foreign Relations, Invisible Children has manipulated facts for strategic purposes, exaggerating the scale of LRA abductions and murders and emphasizing the LRA's use of innocent children as soldiers. - By supporting Invisible Children, you are supporting the Ugandan army and Sudan People’s Liberation Army, both accused of rape and looting. - Kony is no longer active in Uganda and hasn’t been since 2006, thus there is even less reason to support the Ugandan army.
I was just going to post this article, just read it on Wil Wheaton's FB page.
I would find myself drawn towards this cause more if I knew the money donated was being used to raise an armed milita of volunteers from facebook to hunt Kony down, than an elaborate ticket campaign for America's youth. Somewhat like a 21st century spanish republician civil war analogue
Regardless, any campaign that promises to bring a man like Kony to justice gets my vengeful seal of approval.
On March 08 2012 10:09 FliedLice wrote: So where did this "hype" come from all of a sudden? Nobody gave a crap yesterday.
That guy has been doing that for years and there are hundreds of other warlords comitting similar crimes all over the place in africa as well...
this. Kony is not the only warlord remaining and not the biggest one aswell. What about the other people?
I am sorry but if people cant see the scam behind this vid and all the hype all of a sudden, then i guess, i should start making a crusade for Ahmedinejad.
deus vult! chip in 5 bucks for a shirt that says ahmedinejad 2012 and a holy cross made by 2 nukes under.
It worries me that millions of people blindly supporting something they haven't even scrutinized can actually make an impact.
I would be fine with this if it were simply a guy trying to raise awareness and maybe donations, but it isn't. There is a specific agenda and the people who watch the 30 minute video are fed an overly emotional and overly simplified message, and 99% of people will accept it as true and not think twice about it and donate money and spread the word.
People really need to be more critical when it comes to this sort of thing.
I can't believe so few people have heard of this guy before. It's like now he's getting all this attention. He should have been getting much more attention years ago.
On March 08 2012 10:38 FeUerFlieGe wrote: I can't believe so few people have heard of this guy before. It's like now he's getting all this attention. He should have been getting much more attention years ago.
It's not so much "attention" as "morons clicking Like and buying a bunch of posters so they can feel like they contribute to global issues"
Kony is a bad guy and everything, but it's not like he's the only warlord in Africa. The conflict diamond situation is basically the same, but that came and went, and so did the starving people of Somalia. These thisngs are always problems, and a lot of people make themselves look like fools for being swept up in the sensationalism of the cause and acting like it's their new mission in life, and then 6 months later no one even remembers. My facebook disgusts me right now, with the amount of mobilized, manipulated people.
Now, somebody tell me how I can break it to my girlfriend. She cried watching the video and won't shut up about it?
Edit:
It's not so much "attention" as "morons clicking Like and buying a bunch of posters so they can feel like they contribute to global issues"
On March 08 2012 10:41 ZackAttack wrote: Kony is a bad guy and everything, but it's not like he's the only warlord in Africa. The conflict diamond situation is basically the same, but that came and went, and so did the starving people of Somalia. These thisngs are always problems, and a lot of people make themselves look like fools for being swept up in the sensationalism of the cause and acting like it's their new mission in life, and then 6 months later no one even remembers. My facebook disgusts me right now, with the amount of mobilized, manipulated people.
Now, somebody tell me how I can break it to my girlfriend. She cried watching the video and won't shut up about it?
On March 08 2012 10:41 ZackAttack wrote: Kony is a bad guy and everything, but it's not like he's the only warlord in Africa. The conflict diamond situation is basically the same, but that came and went, and so did the starving people of Somalia. These thisngs are always problems, and a lot of people make themselves look like fools for being swept up in the sensationalism of the cause and acting like it's their new mission in life, and then 6 months later no one even remembers. My facebook disgusts me right now, with the amount of mobilized, manipulated people.
Now, somebody tell me how I can break it to my girlfriend. She cried watching the video and won't shut up about it?
I had to pour myself a drink to relax over how unbelievably stupid people on my facebook are. People were posting how they bought the kit and everything, oh god why.
The problem with these Facebook-driven events is that the people (or should I say kids) spreading this awareness are doing so for other reasons than to help the cause. Sure the storie's quite inspiring and provocative, but at least half the people helping to spread the news are more worried about personal goals, like their social integrity or personal image.
Because of this, the extension of Kony 2012's campaign can't last for more than a couple weeks at best. People will watch the video, post heartfelt statuses about their reactions, but that's about where the support will stop for most people. Few will probably never take the time or effort to attend a rally event or even donate a few dollars. Not because they are aweful supporters, but because they are KIDS. Kids don't have any money, and therefore cannot help out the cause much at all.
That brings me to my biggest issue with the video: it's content was specifically designed to manipulate the youth. There are several mentions about how "the power of Facebook is starting to make politicians or older (therefore evil) generations scared", basically screaming the notion of childhood anarchy. Keeping the message simple can be an extremely effective strategy for any cause, but the film intentionally revolves its simplicity around the Facebook addicted youth.
On March 07 2012 04:23 Jibba wrote: Everyone should watch the Invisible Children documentary and follow/support what they're doing.
Kony and the LRA leadership are among the most despicable beings on the planet, and unfortunately it's not just limited to Uganda, but also Somalia and Sierra Leone as well.
It's disgusting. My school actually had an assembly on this exact subjct a few months back and literally nothing changed. Now people do it simply so they can show off how fucking cool and active they are.
It's almost comparably as bad as Kony himself, because shitty human nature affects 7 billion.
man everyone near me is bandwagoning to this. I urge people to actually google this stuff and check out both sides of the argument. Its good that Invisible Children is opening some eyes to the issue in Africa but did you guys know that only 32% of your donations went to direct services last year? The group is directly supporting direct military intervention. When US soldiers went to Uganda to kill Kony, they constantly failed because his bodyguards were kids, in fact, you're technically killing kids. Ugandan military is not exactly the ones you should trust either. Perhaps direct military confrontation is not the right way to go?
For all the people picking this apart, do you not want this man to receive due justice?
It's kind of sick that people shoot something down so quick, "it was filmed in 2003" "Kony is no longer a problem". I would like to see this man be punished for his crimes. I don't care if that makes me a band-wagoner or not.
On March 08 2012 13:01 PureMetal wrote: For all the people picking this apart, do you not want this man to receive due justice?
It's kind of sick that people shoot something down so quick, "it was filmed in 2003" "Kony is no longer a problem". I would like to see this man be punished for his crimes. I don't care if that makes me a band-wagoner or not.
It's another thing entirely for a group to push such an issue if they are barely going to do anything about it in the first place. But just use it to make money.
Man this is really spreading. I am so glad it is, I was worried that the guy would fail to make any impact at all >.<
EDIT: To a lot of the people sitting high and mighty on the last few pages about how they have been above the whole "facebook bandwagon" thing... You are just being on a different wagon when you all act so proud of it. Focus on keeping the thread about the video and about Kony rather than whether you are cool or not -_-
On March 08 2012 13:04 GhandiEAGLE wrote: On MTV now...
Man this is really spreading. I am so glad it is, I was worried that the guy would fail to make any impact at all >.<
EDIT: To a lot of the people sitting high and mighty on the last few pages about how they have been above the whole "facebook bandwagon" thing... You are just being on a different wagon when you all act so proud of it. Focus on keeping the thread about the video and about Kony rather than whether you are cool or not -_-
The difference is that this different bandwagon is backed by facts and a couple of rational arguments whereas the original one is based on an emotional video and the argument 'Kony is evil, something must be done!'.
Yes, Kony is a pretty terrible human being. However throwing money at a shady organization is hardly an efficient way to make him go away.
I hate to sound like I don't care, because I do, but I feel the need to say the following:
1) this has been going on since before any of us were born, since about the 1600's of children soldiers. 2) Africa and areas such as that with high criminal activity in third world countries have been training kids for decades, and we knew about it 3) its been shown even in movies such as that war movie w/ Nicholas Cage. 4) Media just needs a new scapegoat for attention so they are revisiting it. 5) They want to send troops into battle now, when 3 months ago, they were complaining about troops in battle when they were in afghanistan and iraq, hunting the people who actually hurt US (the dominant nations on this earth)
This is just another way for the news media and liberal activists to gain attention, and then complain again about why our troops are getting hurt when they DO GET HURT. A cry for attention, and by spreading this, you are feeding it.
Regards, PrimarycOre 2nd LT., US ARMY.
EDIT: I can make a video of children falling and scraping their knee heart breaking. That's what CGI, good script writers, and camera effects are for.
You should read this article for any skeptics out there, it shows their expense breakdown for 2011 and they address their criticism.
Thank you for posting this. I was waiting for someone to post a response from them before I made an opinion on the matter. I feel it is best to have both sides of the story.
On March 08 2012 13:01 PureMetal wrote: For all the people picking this apart, do you not want this man to receive due justice?
It's kind of sick that people shoot something down so quick, "it was filmed in 2003" "Kony is no longer a problem". I would like to see this man be punished for his crimes. I don't care if that makes me a band-wagoner or not.
It's another thing entirely for a group to push such an issue if they are barely going to do anything about it in the first place. But just use it to make money.
They've certainly got the word out. Sounds like they've been pocketing proceeds, BUT the publicity Kony has gotten has made up for it. Not much they can do besides give funding, if you really want to get down to it; they are not soldiers themselves who can actively go chase Kony down...
there is very little that can be done to stop this man besides some sort of seal team 6 assassination. Any sort of direct military act means killing little kids in his army, when a part of the goal was to save/free them in the first place. Which is why donating for this "cause" to invisible children is only going to lead to the death of the child soldiers because this money goes to fund military action
did the mods of the forum change the title of the thread?
the directors of the movie wanted it to make him "famous" not "infamous" even if that's what they really meant. Not sure why the mods had to change the title, must not have watched the film.
On March 07 2012 15:55 Sinensis wrote: The video I just watched feels like it was made to manipulate me, not inform me. Joseph Kony sounds like a despicable person... but that video was shit and makes me not want to donate to their cause.
Ask yourself what you think you're being manipulated into...
...to encourage you to spread awareness of a war criminal? Or, perhaps in your case, to further inform yourself on the subject as a result of your skepticism?
I think understand your reaction. These attention grabbing tactics are generally used by alarmist groups to spread misinformation. Like, the kind of dramatic voice-overs and music in political attack ads. But what happens when a group uses these very effective attention grabbing tactics to raise awareness for something that isn't unscrupulous?
Seriously, take a second and ask yourself:
What are you being manipulated into thinking?
that this is an issue.
kony has no power anymore and this whole campaign is a marketing scheme imo. theres no point in hunting down someone who has no power. they make it sound like this is happening today, which it isnt
you win the thread.
Really? Do you honestly think that raising awareness of Kony's actions is a bad thing?
There are two realities, here: One where Kony has actual power and is still a threat, and one where he isn't.
In the first situation, awareness here is warranted. The guy is still a threat and is still capable of influencing and hurting others.
But even if it is true that he has no power anymore:
Do you think it's a good idea to leave this situation unresolved?
Does it matter how far exactly his reach extends? Can we not still be indignant even if he impacts the world on a smaller scale than he used to?
Do you think it's not worth raising these issues in the first place? That the third world, especially in Africa, is easily manipulated by those with the most firepower?
Do you think it's not worth even knowing about? Did you know who Kony was before this? (If you did, the majority did not)
Why not raise awareness for this and other issues on the back of a poster boy war criminal? Does it matter that the means used are a bit sensational?
Would you have even heard about this guy had it not been sensationally presented in the first place?
Or, should we sweep this all under the rug because you feel you're being manipulated by a video on the internet?
Of all the things that use social media and sensationalism to fight for our attention, what is so egregiously wrong about this one?
Those are very good points. The way the video is presented isn't the main issue; it's the message it's trying to get across. However, I have a slight problem with your second case presented. This seems to be saying that Kony is the mastermind in all of this, and the campaign is centered around him. It would make sense if he had a lot of power: stop him from using his power to do more damage. Makes sense. However, if he has no power, it makes much more sense to put a larger focus on the situation rather than the man who is already not a threat (I use this term for lack of a better one, of course he still has some degree of power, although not as great as in the past)
I think that this movement really is showcasing the power of social media, and I think victory over Kony, while maybe doing some minor good in some countries that have a lot to handle, will be something that puts more faith in more people that worthwhile messages can be spread.
Also, the popularity has come with lots of good skepticism that can only inform people more. So, that's my take-home with this.
On March 08 2012 14:17 emc wrote: did the mods of the forum change the title of the thread?
the directors of the movie wanted it to make him "famous" not "infamous" even if that's what they really meant. Not sure why the mods had to change the title, must not have watched the film.
To be honest, this movement's rallying line of "make Kony famous" just annoys me so much. Making him "famous" implies a positive connotation, it sounds like they're trying to get Kony elected for 2012.
On March 08 2012 14:12 Mrvoodoochild1 wrote: It's funny how everyone suddenly became a social activist over night because of this issue.
1. hear about issue 2. want to do something about it.
Yep, really funny.
It is funny, but not in a humorous way. People are acting as though "oh yes, posting this status and joining this group is going to aide in the prevention of child deaths in Africa!" They may want to do something about it, but many won't. And those who do, will just make the problem worse.
Also, people hop on these slacktivist movements in a jiffy, but only if, ONLY if, it comes to them. Had someone written a message about Kony several days ago as a status, no one would give a shit. But now, oh now it's a chance to really show off your compassion! Yeah!
I tend to not partipate in these threads, but I feel that there is a lot to be said about this matter. First and foremost I haven't watched the video. I probably won't. It's not something new. The LRA has been around for a vey long time, and the atrocities perpetrated are nothing new. I'm not going to start some kind of a history lesson, even though I'm pretty sure a large number of you guys have just found out about this. Secondly, I think people judging the type of sensationalism used in the video (so I understand) have to be a little more pragmatic. Why do you think people who now jump on the "we gotta do something" train weren't aware beforehand? Because most people aren't interested by whats happening outside of their backyard. So in a way this is a good thing. People becoming aware (too late, of course) IS a good thing. You can feel pissed that the guy used basic methods to get the buzz, but hey don't blame him, blame the people around you for being self centred ignorant sheep who have to be delivered atrocities on a fuckin plate right in front of them to actuallly wake up and see what going on else where.
There's not much to be added, unfortunately, as most people who even a minor sense of international lAw and the interests of a lot of countries in DRC, nothing will be done. And by the way, you can't go around behaving like a cop, people tend to get a bad image, and you usually fuck shit uP even worse (Iraq, Afghanistan, should be examples of why interventionism is a dangerous game).
All I hope is maybe there is a small chance of people growing out the media enforced intellectual coma that's been going on for a long time; just maybe people will use the Internet again to inform themselves instead of spending time watching videos on Facebook.
I think as a start you should all just type list of active conflicts and you will see that the world is not a civilised place and that kony s are everywhere. And if you want to do something, well get your fuckin act together and join a humanity association. Giving your money just to buy a conscience reminds me of the pay to get into heaven policy of the church in the middle ages here in euroPe.
On March 08 2012 14:12 Mrvoodoochild1 wrote: It's funny how everyone suddenly became a social activist over night because of this issue.
1. hear about issue 2. want to do something about it.
Yep, really funny.
It is funny, but not in a humorous way. People are acting as though "oh yes, posting this status and joining this group is going to aide in the prevention of child deaths in Africa!" They may want to do something about it, but many won't. And those who do, will just make the problem worse.
Also, people hop on these slacktivist movements in a jiffy, but only if, ONLY if, it comes to them. Had someone written a message about Kony several days ago as a status, no one would give a shit. But now, oh now it's a chance to really show off your compassion! Yeah!
Pisses me off, this phony benevolence.
I really dont get all the hate for this moment. Some guy works for years to get attention and now he has sucsieded doing it on a larger scale.
And fyi people clicking share and joining some groups in facebook does help as it increases the number of people on some page by 1. Silly to hate on them for getting overly proud for doing something little while still being too lazy of a person to ever put any real effort to make a bigger difference. Fact is that if they do the share thing and you dont, they do more GOOD for this cause than you do. The people you hate for being arrogant/hypocritic do more good for this cause than you do.
It seems, if you really want something done, the only rational course of action is to start/contribute to a fund putting a bounty on his head or hiring a mercenary company. Awareness alone doesn't do anything and Western countries getting involved militarily would be foolish and immoral.
On March 08 2012 15:52 OsoVega wrote: It seems, if you really want something done, the only rational course of action is to start/contribute to a fund putting a bounty on his head or hiring a mercenary company. Awareness alone doesn't do anything and Western countries getting involved militarily would be foolish and immoral.
A fund putting a bounty on someone head? Hilarious. Yeah your right, and I got the men for the job. The expendables! Or maybe Rambo!
On March 08 2012 15:44 Douillos wrote: I tend to not partipate in these threads, but I feel that there is a lot to be said about this matter. First and foremost I haven't watched the video. I probably won't. It's not something new. The LRA has been around for a vey long time, and the atrocities perpetrated are nothing new. I'm not going to start some kind of a history lesson, even though I'm pretty sure a large number of you guys have just found out about this. Secondly, I think people judging the type of sensationalism used in the video (so I understand) have to be a little more pragmatic. Why do you think people who now jump on the "we gotta do something" train weren't aware beforehand? Because most people aren't interested by whats happening outside of their backyard. So in a way this is a good thing. People becoming aware (too late, of course) IS a good thing. You can feel pissed that the guy used basic methods to get the buzz, but hey don't blame him, blame the people around you for being self centred ignorant sheep who have to be delivered atrocities on a fuckin plate right in front of them to actuallly wake up and see what going on else where.
There's not much to be added, unfortunately, as most people who even a minor sense of international lAw and the interests of a lot of countries in DRC, nothing will be done. And by the way, you can't go around behaving like a cop, people tend to get a bad image, and you usually fuck shit uP even worse (Iraq, Afghanistan, should be examples of why interventionism is a dangerous game).
All I hope is maybe there is a small chance of people growing out the media enforced intellectual coma that's been going on for a long time; just maybe people will use the Internet again to inform themselves instead of spending time watching videos on Facebook.
I think as a start you should all just type list of active conflicts and you will see that the world is not a civilised place and that kony s are everywhere. And if you want to do something, well get your fuckin act together and join a humanity association. Giving your money just to buy a conscience reminds me of the pay to get into heaven policy of the church in the middle ages here in euroPe.
Your attitude makes me so, so sad. You mention there's not much to be added, then add a full wall of text flaming a video you haven't seen. Cynicism could go right along with complacency my friend, regardless if you knew about LRA before this or not, this goes to show that people do care about issues when they're informed. To bash a culture based around social media, well I'm not so sure that needs to be addressed in this thread.
I also think playing "cop" in a country such as afghanistan or iraq is a little different than targeting a non-backed regime that takes advantage of children. I'm not sure though, maybe I don't understand your logic and you're making all sort of sense in your world. There are certainly other bad people in the world, but to make a statement that kony's are everywhere is humorous. I knew about this movement beforehand, and I continue to support them. Kony certainly doesn't hold the power he once did, but he is still out there and someone who has crimes as autrocious as these should be punished.
On March 08 2012 15:54 InFdude wrote: I actually already made a negative post earlier but after reading this thread I'm damn sure the negativity was justified.I thought I was being manipulated and if even half the things in this thread are true than yes I am.First off this Kony guys is just 1 of many AND from the looks of it he doesn't have any influence now.Also some guy pointed out the organisation is making MILLIONS out of the donations and a huge % of those donations isn't going for the cause.And even if he still was relative it's still a stupid campaign.Even if somehow you get people to go assasinate him so what?Nothing will change, another guy will take over. Should we do nothing about it? Well imo no,not nothing about anything, but nothing about this particular case. I can think of way better ways of spending 8 million$ than spamming posters all over the world of a guy who has no power. After looking at it more and more the maker of the video is starting to look like a bigger and bigger douche to me not to mention a fraud.
Please look at their financials... so many people using this argument when they clearly haven't researched it themselves, congrats.
In a world of too much political indifference and lack of awareness of global issues, am I going to complain that this may be too much activism for an issue? Hell no. Look at all the conversation and "research" it is starting. That, my friends, is good.
I am not defending this organization outright, but to be honest, it does not make sense for 90% of their fundraising to go straight to Africa programs. Why? Because they know with the previous level of awareness, it would not nearly be enough. Thus for the long-term goal, they probably strategically allocated their funds for more awareness, so they could then raise enough money to make a legitimate impact. It makes sense from my uninformed perspective.
What's with people complaining about the populist approach of the video?
Look, there are more than plenty of videos where things are explained from a more neutral viewpoint, but weirdly they don't get the fame. In order to raise the maximum amount of awareness for the issue, the video must cater to the viewers' emotions, because that's just how most people roll.
I love Teamliquid, but the so ground-down cynical viewpoints from several users on almost every issue make me sad. I personally find it awesome that people are doing this campaign out of their own initiative, but seems like we can never get rid of these indignant armchair commanders that feel entitled to criticize everything.
If you want some cool documentaries and journalism the way it should be done (Not stuff on Kim Kardashian and other shit that doesn't matter in the least) should check out Vice. They've got documentaries on the Congo, North Korea, Libya, Krokodil (which is FUCKED if you haven't heard about that), etc. If only actual news went as balls out on stuff.
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
THIS IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM, ITS 13 YEAR OLD NEWS, UGANDA IS NOT THREATENED BY KONY ANYMORE.
Have you seen the video? They even say in the video that Kony moved out of Uganda... The problem is that children who were taken by him are still doing the treacherous things that Kony got them to do. Perhaps he even has a mini little hierarchy of kid soldiers that are making the other kids continue, but either way, the minds of those kids are fucked, and it's because of Kony. Now Kony is in another country, but he's basically doing the same thing. The aid that was being sent to Uganda is mostly in the form of assistance, they are not sending anything to influential. They are trying to help stabilize the region, and the original intent was to save the children of Uganda. That's what the original mission was, and that's what is still being sought now. The Kony 2012 movement is a movement to get rid of that individual, because he is a criminal and people want him to be brought to justice, but your claims of this not being a problem anymore, the Invisible Children are TOO LATE, etc, are totally unfounded and invalid. As for the donation money, idk if you realize this, but the organization flies people from Uganda to the state, to Europe, to all over the world in their mission. They pay graphic designers and video editors to give their advertisements high production value, and they spend a lot of money spreading their word. If you think that they are doing everything all out of their own pocket, then you're an idiot. They are not a non-profit organization per-say, but they are a volunteer organization that is fighting for a cause, and not for self gain (at least not THAT much self gain, you try to put it off as them stealing $6 million dollars, but they probably bought themselves a car, paid for their temporary housing, and travel feeds etc).
Don't be an idiot. If you're educated about the situation in Uganda, but not educated about anything else, then don't pretend like you know everything. This is still a problem, Uganda still needs to be liberated from the terrorist children and the last of the LRA influence, Kony still needs to be captured, and lives still need to be saved. As the US government is doing though, aid needs to be provided, but actual international military action should not be taken (all as stated in the video, and is fact).
I haven't seen this posted yet, and I thought it was well written and brought up a few good points. The semantic nitpicking of word choice is unnecessary imo, but all of the other points are pretty good to consider.
The main points for those who won't read:
LRA has largely moved on from Uganda, timing of this whole thing doesn't make sense
Commercialization of this movement for personal gain
Ignoring broad, important issues about government structure and military/foreign involvement
Effectiveness in actually helping the Ugandan people, and whether or not they want this
This video is worth watching. It's about the Liberian civil war where General Butt Naked personally killed over 40,000 people, and he sometimes tore out his slain enemy's heart and ate it. He's now a reformed religious guy.
I think too much of the vast public are and will concentrate on the man Joseph Kony. This however is counter-productive as this is not the only country that this is a problem in. Africa is covered in countries that are controlled unofficially by rebels where this happens the exact same as was in Uganda.
More attention needs to be brought towards the issue of capturing children and forcing them to fight for the rebels rather then to catch on man that is a major part in it. I am sure that in his group he is not the only one that believes in his cause so what do people think will happen once he is captured. Just like the world works, someone that believes in the exact same things he did/does will take his place and will continue these incomprehensible actions.
I am glad people are joining this movement for the google searches going into Africa and Uganda. Simple starts such as, "Why didn't this guy get taken down by a Ugandan army?" and "Why haven't I heard about this sooner --- what else haven't I heard?" can lead to more learning in a week than today's New Math will teach people. A little more global awareness (and awareness is a buzzword if I've ever seen it. Breast cancer and HIV/AIDS awareness in Lord's Resistance Army awareness of Invisible Children sex trafficking awareness of the poverty-stricken hunger awareness) never hurt anyone.
Now, the glitz and glamour of this is about a good cause. The secondary story is unless a big free-time wealthy individual gets a movie crew and starts to film this and releases a heart-wrenching video, nobody cares. It's just a byline
Syrian protestors quelled - Gotta look to find a movie. Nobody famous enough is on tape
Apostate Muslim or Facebooking-without-a-burka-Muslim is tried and executed in Muslim Country
Poverty, Injustice, Cruelty on parade in 10x the proportions over in neighboring [x]
I am really glad that the movie was overdone to the point of comedy. It's almost like Children of Men or Expendables (?) got redone into a nonfiction work. Like all the good-looking protestors stopped decrying the oppression of the 1% and picked up new tshirts and signs for the 0.09% of Uganda. Tug at the heartstrings, okay passionate moment extendddddddddddd it, okay audience is roped in and taking a gasp, alright 'Take Action' transition sans Donate Now! button, okay close, It's a wrap.
What lurks in the background is a corrupt government and a country no stranger to strife. http://pomee.tumblr.com/post/18899601760/kony-2012-causing-more-harm-than-good I'm not going to comment on the veracity of this source, thank you MercilessMonkey, but it does point at the fact that it ignores the current regime in power like a shrugging man at some puppet state, "Well of course they can't do anything about a cruel man with a legion of child soldiers." A mere propaganda piece motivates with the motions, better pieces will give some idea of what has been done, and some basic information about the landscape of the conflict (link alleges that conflict has moved on, geographically). The movie does a disservice to its subject.
This video is worth watching. It's about the Liberian civil war where General Butt Naked personally killed over 40,000 people, and he sometimes tore out his slain enemy's heart and ate it. He's now a reformed religious guy.
There's tons more on the vice website I linked earlier. That one is nuts.
Or for those too lazy/stupid to google Lithium/Congo...
Your attitude makes me so, so sad. You mention there's not much to be added, then add a full wall of text flaming a video you haven't seen.
I didnt flame the video, did you even read my post...
On March 08 2012 16:06 DeadEyE X wrote: Cynicism could go right along with complacency my friend, regardless if you knew about LRA before this or not, this goes to show that people do care about issues when they're informed. To bash a culture based around social media, well I'm not so sure that needs to be addressed in this thread.
What got my into cynical mode, is that people only find this stuff out when people serve it on a fuckin plate, jamming it into their head. Hence the bashing of media driven societies. But i admit, it is a little of topic.
On March 08 2012 16:06 DeadEyE X wrote: I also think playing "cop" in a country such as afghanistan or iraq is a little different than targeting a non-backed regime that takes advantage of children. I'm not sure though, maybe I don't understand your logic and you're making all sort of sense in your world. There are certainly other bad people in the world, but to make a statement that kony's are everywhere is humorous. I knew about this movement beforehand, and I continue to support them. Kony certainly doesn't hold the power he once did, but he is still out there and someone who has crimes as autrocious as these should be punished.
Ah here my friend, is where you prove to be dramatically un-aware of the world's way of functionning. Please go through a minimum of international law to say "in your world".
Please dont get me wrong, i support these actions, I just feel undermined by the fact that people only have heard of this. Hey who knows, you might even find out in a year or two something is going on in Syria. But i doubt it, you should probably all go back to watching american idol.
All I'am hearing now is how invisible children is a group worthy of all our respect while giving a dollar to support the cause for every 100 they make in profit. Also getting the wire that Kony is what he is today because of the sitting (endorsed by the usa etc etc)regime to this day is commiting mass murderings, including children and women of among others Kony's people. Save the children, give Uganda more and better military grade equipment to deal with the problem... Also something about oil being found?
Someone better make a good writeup soon. Its Africa so I'am in no way suprised the tribal killings goes on and on with new methods to this day, whatever group at the top for the moment getting a pat on the back and some shiny toys in exchange for natural resources.
The idea was the get the message out, I am pretty sure they have done that. The things they are selling though are ridiculous. Can't help but think this is a money making scheme.
I wonder if being a child soldier in Kony's army is really worse than the life these kids might otherwise live. I mean we're talking about the poorest of the poor in Africa. Being a random Ugandan peasant probably means slowly starving like a mark in some rural backwater with very little outside help. Exposure to tragedy would be a generational constant that's soaked into the fabric of the society. I don't see a source of hope there, although I imagine religion does a lot to keep these people going.
Being in the army gives hope that you might overthrow the corrupt and brutal government (the same one that wants to make homosexuality punishable by life in prison and/or death, and yet retains the US govt's support). You are given food, camaraderie, travel, adventure, excitement, sex, money, power and a sense of purpose. Seems pretty brutal to us but in a savage place like that I'm not sure it's any worse considering the range of outcome you're otherwise looking at (many of which involve an early death anyway).
I haven't seen this posted yet, and I thought it was well written and brought up a few good points. The semantic nitpicking of word choice is unnecessary imo, but all of the other points are pretty good to consider.
The main points for those who won't read:
LRA has largely moved on from Uganda, timing of this whole thing doesn't make sense
Commercialization of this movement for personal gain
Ignoring broad, important issues about government structure and military/foreign involvement
Effectiveness in actually helping the Ugandan people, and whether or not they want this
Worth reading and worth thinking about.
Read it and can provide obvious flaws. 1) Yes LRA has laregly moved out of Uganda, but US strategic advisers were placed there first. 2) Well yes, they do personally gain out of this. I don't think as much as everyone thinks, but yeah, come one... ofc they do lol.. 3) The government will not be as strong as that of a foreign powerhouse country... Their military and other foreign involvement will be minuscule regardless. Also, US military efforts are not front line efforts, they are tactical and educational. In other words, they are simply attempts to more easily allow 'free', country driven Ugandans, to take care of themselves. Why do you want to talk about a lesser government that most likely has not given any attempt to truly strengthen itself. They are talking about 1 crisis, of people in Uganda, they are not talking about colonizing and policing an African country... As the US government already stated, we don't give a fuck about that country. There is no gain for the US if we help police the country. The point that I'm fighting is completely meaningless with respect to the issue at hand. 4) The affected Ugandan people want this... They want to not be mutilated. I think everyone would want to not be mutilated?... But do they want an overwhelming foreign presence in their homeland? no.... just like the Middle East hates it, Africa and China hated it, and every other country who has been unofficially invaded hates it. Supplying paid men to help build a trained military and police force in order to protect themselves is quite logical, and very welcomed.
Most people arguing against this cause are just trying to get themselves a little bit of fame.. Their not actually analyzing the words that they are saying, and realizing the real meaning behind it. Yes, people have a right to share disbelief in this movement. Not even I am a big supporter of it, but that is because in the end, we are all ignorant. We don't know what's actually happening, and unless you want to get into this all hardcore until you have no life, no job, no wife, and no money, you will never know everything that's happening behind the scenes. What I disagree with is the way people are fighting the movement. These arguments are invalid in almost every respect. If this is why you disapprove of the movement, then you're better off becoming slightly more educated and then backing it.
It's only been 2 days since I first heard about this Kony2012 thing and it's already apparent how fucking annoying it's going to get. I'm all for stopping violence in Uganda but spamming twitter and other social media outlets isn't helping anyone. Even people on twitch.tv streams are spamming it.. come on, use your own brain, do your own research and stop depending on your friends and twitter/facebook for your infomation, because it's usually wrong.
News flash, tweeting "Kony2012, make a difference" is not making a fucking difference.
On March 08 2012 20:25 akalarry wrote: to all the kony hipsters
Haha, I actually know most countries in africa, but I still can't find Uganda. But this made my laugh, so thank.
If you Move your curser along in a straight line from the "click on uganda" text, you will pass by a large country, now that i Congo. next to Congo are two rather small countrys... now theese are Burundi, and more importantly in this context rwanda, renown for Its brutal civil war in the early 90'ties... above rwanda is uganda, and the border between theese 3 countries, congo, rwanda and uganda is where the conflict is strongest. when the rwandan civil war "ended", 2 million Hutus where fleeing into congo and uganda, creating massive disturbance in what was allready an unhealthy region, and leading to the First congo war. theese conflicts have never really been resolved, and millions of people have died in them, and it is only within this chaotic political situation that a man like Kony have been able to create an organisation like the LRA. the regional problems in central afrika will not even remotely be solved by removing Kony, but it is an easy and justifiable goal none the less... what in my mind is more interesting in the Kony 2012 campaign though, is the prospect of having a large public outcry determine political actions on the international scene... now that would really be a revolution...
On March 08 2012 21:31 DeekZ wrote: It's only been 2 days since I first heard about this Kony2012 thing and it's already apparent how fucking annoying it's going to get. I'm all for stopping violence in Uganda but spamming twitter and other social media outlets isn't helping anyone. Even people on twitch.tv streams are spamming it.. come on, use your own brain, do your own research and stop depending on your friends and twitter/facebook for your infomation, because it's usually wrong.
News flash, tweeting "Kony2012, make a difference" is not making a fucking difference.
On March 08 2012 20:25 akalarry wrote: to all the kony hipsters
:D
Its about raising awareness, I found out about it through my Twitter feed. More people share the quicker it'll trend, and more people will search for it on youtube so itll be highlighted on the homepage as "most popular" or something. Some of us dont have the power to actually make a difference so we do the little we can, be that posting on social networking sites.
On March 07 2012 18:49 R3m3mb3rM3 wrote: I just dont get how this is going to stop Kony. And in addition, if we do a mega super project to stop the evil, why him? why not some dictator of north korea or something...
Becuase most people would consider what he has done to be worse than most living dictators. Also because the guy is not backed up by any government or nation it would be a LOT easier to take him down than to try and "go after" north korea like you claim.
The point some people are trying to make in this thread about him having lost ground and not being worthwhile to go after anymore is utterly retarded. Sorry but I can have no respect for an opinion that stupid. You are seriously arguing that a mass murdered and slave master should be let off the hook because he only destroys a fragment of the lives he used to.
By that standard any dictator or warlord should be set free once their regime is over. It's clearly not morally or legally acceptable to have that standpoint.
When dealing with a dictator/tyrant, the objective is to get rid of him so that we can stop it and then address the problem (situation of the area). If the dictator is already gone or no longer in power, a greater focus is put instead on the problem area. If it's true that Kony has been out of power, it's true that he shouldn't just be forgotten, but I find that looking at the root of the problem in Uganda and making sure people like Kony don't keep coming up, would be a better idea than using most of the resources for his capture.
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
THIS IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM, ITS 13 YEAR OLD NEWS, UGANDA IS NOT THREATENED BY KONY ANYMORE.
Thanks for the eye opener, I hate all these bullshit causes I'm supposed to just support.
Ironic, given your focus on not believing what you see, that you will read 1 comment and completely believe it. To use his analogy, you have selected to eat the crap that Kuja is feeding you, instead of forming your own opinion on independent research.
Wikipedia provides estimates from various sources as to the current troop strength of the LRA army, and peg it as being between 500 and 3000 people still.
Further, if you look at the history of the insurgency it is not uncommon for there to be periods of relative passivity on behalf of the LRA (with the most recent offensive being in late 2008 and early 2009, not that long ago). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord's_Resistance_Army_insurgency
I personally don't know what the current state of the LRA is, and I'm sure additional research would inform me. However, the basis upon which you are disregarding this is so, so incredibly stupid. The lack of mental processing is depressing.
For example: the purpose of this movement is to promote the cause OUTSIDE of Africa, creating political pressure in the U.S. and elsewhere so that public policy is directed towards the issue. In order to do this, you spend money OUTSIDE of Africa. The brilliant mind of Kuja has suggested that spending money outside of Africa somehow frustrates this purpose. Think about it... That is just stupid.
If that were true, he wouldn't be suggesting to give money to a more reliable charity organization. And yes, a very important point, stressing individual research on the subject to know more about it all.
On March 08 2012 21:31 DeekZ wrote: It's only been 2 days since I first heard about this Kony2012 thing and it's already apparent how fucking annoying it's going to get. I'm all for stopping violence in Uganda but spamming twitter and other social media outlets isn't helping anyone. Even people on twitch.tv streams are spamming it.. come on, use your own brain, do your own research and stop depending on your friends and twitter/facebook for your infomation, because it's usually wrong.
News flash, tweeting "Kony2012, make a difference" is not making a fucking difference.
On March 08 2012 20:25 akalarry wrote: to all the kony hipsters
:D
Its about raising awareness, I found out about it through my Twitter feed. More people share the quicker it'll trend, and more people will search for it on youtube so itll be highlighted on the homepage as "most popular" or something. Some of us dont have the power to actually make a difference so we do the little we can, be that posting on social networking sites.
The problem isn't that you're raising awareness about the problem, but the problem is obviously a real thing that needs to be fixed. The problem is that the awareness you're raising is for a company who is extremely shady, only 31% of the funds they raise go towards actually helping people and the rest is used personally by the 3 people in charge of Invisible Children. They also spend funds supporting the Ugandan army and military forces who are linked to many accusations of rape and looting. Here, have a read of this. http://wilwheaton.tumblr.com/post/18920717928/thedailywhat-on-kony-2012-i-honestly-wanted-to
why are these guys labeled rebels instead of terrorists? If the west recognized them as terrorists they would quickly disappear with all the black ops, proxy wars and what not. Just because they are not a threat to EU/NA they can do whatever they want and also because it's happening in Africa ( Land of the Western atrocities).
On March 08 2012 21:54 pyrogenetix wrote: This crap has way too high production value I don't trust it. And why exactly out of the 872389 warlords they choose this one guy?
that's actually how I felt about it as well, the production value was honestly really high and felt too commercialised (you even get movie stars to help spreading the words out)
But that being said, I do expect one day, twitter and facebook are going to change the way that world works and will be similar to this
Sadly tweeting something and sitting on facebook posting Kony2012 will do absolutely nothing. Donating money most likely does nothing as well as a lot of charities have been known to be corrupt and keep most of the profit. Does this raise awareness? Sure. But there are bigger things that we can be focusing on because Kony isnt the main problem in africa, let a lone the world
Best fraud ever. I have even seen people raging about those who actually cared to check up on the facts and share them with those who have blindly put faith in this because of this tearjerker of a commercial video -.- That's an accomplishment I guess.
On March 08 2012 22:51 archonOOid wrote: why are these guys labeled rebels instead of terrorists? If the west recognized them as terrorists they would quickly disappear with all the black ops, proxy wars and what not. Just because they are not a threat to EU/NA they can do whatever they want and also because it's happening in Africa ( Land of the Western atrocities).
On March 08 2012 22:51 archonOOid wrote: why are these guys labeled rebels instead of terrorists? If the west recognized them as terrorists they would quickly disappear with all the black ops, proxy wars and what not. Just because they are not a threat to EU/NA they can do whatever they want and also because it's happening in Africa ( Land of the Western atrocities).
because there is no oil in africa
No, they are rebels because it is akin to a civil dispute over the control of the country. It is not the content of the acts but their context that determins this.
On March 08 2012 22:51 archonOOid wrote: why are these guys labeled rebels instead of terrorists? If the west recognized them as terrorists they would quickly disappear with all the black ops, proxy wars and what not. Just because they are not a threat to EU/NA they can do whatever they want and also because it's happening in Africa ( Land of the Western atrocities).
well except libya and nigeria ... theres is no major oil producing country in africa ( and didint we went in libya a couple months ago )and nigeria has huge reserve but little developpement I was over simplifying the fact that us/eu has no real gain from going there
On March 08 2012 14:12 Mrvoodoochild1 wrote: It's funny how everyone suddenly became a social activist over night because of this issue.
1. hear about issue 2. want to do something about it.
Yep, really funny.
It is funny, but not in a humorous way. People are acting as though "oh yes, posting this status and joining this group is going to aide in the prevention of child deaths in Africa!" They may want to do something about it, but many won't. And those who do, will just make the problem worse.
Also, people hop on these slacktivist movements in a jiffy, but only if, ONLY if, it comes to them. Had someone written a message about Kony several days ago as a status, no one would give a shit. But now, oh now it's a chance to really show off your compassion! Yeah!
Pisses me off, this phony benevolence.
I really dont get all the hate for this moment. Some guy works for years to get attention and now he has sucsieded doing it on a larger scale.
And fyi people clicking share and joining some groups in facebook does help as it increases the number of people on some page by 1. Silly to hate on them for getting overly proud for doing something little while still being too lazy of a person to ever put any real effort to make a bigger difference. Fact is that if they do the share thing and you dont, they do more GOOD for this cause than you do. The people you hate for being arrogant/hypocritic do more good for this cause than you do.
No they are not. Doing nothing BUT CLICKING A BUTTON is still doing nothing. And the thing is they will never help. They are doing this for their self image. They won't ever help, and chances are neither will I. At least I don't lie to myself and everybody else, pretending as though these groups change shit.
And as for the guy working so hard for this moment, yeah I'm sure he did. Just look at all the money he put into making these movies (LOL). Yep, so now he sits on 90k a year, FOR PERSONAL USE, from donations. In a so-called non-profit organization. That is called taking advantage of a situation. And it's despicable and not worthy of praise.
Doing your own research is a great idea. Calling the organization a scam is short-sighted. There is ambiguity regarding the legitimacy of many charitable organizations, but a "scam of an organization" is implying that these people are taking money and running for the border, not spending too much on film-making and office rent.
There's a lot more to charity than the % that is spent directly on aid. I'm not claiming VC a great organization because I don't have that information yet. But I don't think we have the information to call them a scam either.
The general verdict seems to be: Invisible Children and its profitering top trio should be synonyms of Gordon Gekko before the drums settle down.
Absolutely noone will say that its not horrible things happening over there, but fixing it with more guns & weapons? Giving more power to a 'regime' that uses child soldiers and rape but happens to be on our "side"? Get another couple Million in donations to make another dramatic movie using tortured children and raped women to rake in more donations at 68% going to adminstration fees(Pay, Dollas, Hot Jazzusis) for the top of the IC organization and only 32% coming anywhere near Uganda? Name and shame this organization to the ground is my current standpoint. There are far better ones that are worth your money.
On March 08 2012 22:51 archonOOid wrote: why are these guys labeled rebels instead of terrorists? If the west recognized them as terrorists they would quickly disappear with all the black ops, proxy wars and what not. Just because they are not a threat to EU/NA they can do whatever they want and also because it's happening in Africa ( Land of the Western atrocities).
because there is no oil in africa
There are many many things better and more valuable than oil in africa. Also it is difficult to 'help' africa since a lot of organisation will keep money and the money that pass through will simply go in the pocket of a leader.
On March 09 2012 01:32 Ceril wrote: Get another couple Million in donations to make another dramatic movie using tortured children and raped women to rake in more donations at 68% going to adminstration fees(Pay, Dollas, Hot Jazzusis) for the top of the IC organization and only 32% coming anywhere near Uganda?
Invisible Children is primarily an awareness raising and lobbying charity. Admin here includes the filming, travel and distribution costs. This is quite a typical spread of funds for this type of charity and to claim that it indicates them profiteering indicates either dishonesty or ignorance on your part.
I have done volunteer work with an NGO which had phases in which it was aimed at raising awareness of the situation in Burma and phases when it was focused on getting work done on the ground there. It is normal for such high admin costs to exist in an awareness campaign.
*Not going to comment on Invisible Children and its admin in general, except to say I oppose a military intervention and support Kony being brought to justice as I have since I heard about him years ago.
On March 09 2012 02:16 ODKStevez wrote: Just watched the entire thing. Fucking inspiring. You got every bit of my support.
Or instead, you could take some time to think about the legitness of this all. Instead of impulse reacting to this video which is meant to make you do exactly that.
On March 09 2012 02:16 ODKStevez wrote: Just watched the entire thing. Fucking inspiring. You got every bit of my support.
Or instead, you could take some time to think about the legitness of this all. Instead of impulse reacting to this video which is meant to make you do exactly that.
On March 07 2012 07:41 mememolly wrote: The thing is, this dude and his kid probably pass homeless guys on the street everyday and do nothing, maybe give them some change but nothing major. The reason they have taken on this Kony guy is because it is sexy, it is grand and exciting, it gives their life meaning, they wouldn't get headlines or sexy african locations if they were to give homeless dudes a bath and some food and a bed for the night. "Causes" like this are never about helping anyone, not primarily anyway, it is always about the desires (and the satisfaction of those desires) of the person behind the "cause."
Don't get me wrong the Kony guy is contemptible and deserves taking down but the american dude is just as contemptible imo, but for other reasons.
Honestly, I don't get that feeling even one bit. I think that your entire statement above is one of the most selfish, maybe even jealous things I've ever heard. I hope to God you don't actually believe the garbage you just spewed into this thread. This man clearly cares about the well-being of the people he's fighting for and to even attempt to discredit all the good things he's done to help these people would be nothing more than craziness. If you have to try and justify his kindness in these terms it goes to show that you must be seriously lacking in compassion of your own.
Your statement makes me sick.
I don't necessarily agree with what he is saying, but I think it does have some merit. At least it is a point of view in ethics which has some support. I suppose if you belong to a different philosophical group in the world of ethics, it might make you sick to hear the point of view of somebody else. I think you should be more accepting of other viewpoints instead of just getting sick when you hear somebody with a different ethical theory from yours.
On March 07 2012 15:55 Sinensis wrote: The video I just watched feels like it was made to manipulate me, not inform me. Joseph Kony sounds like a despicable person... but that video was shit and makes me not want to donate to their cause.
Ask yourself what you think you're being manipulated into...
...to encourage you to spread awareness of a war criminal? Or, perhaps in your case, to further inform yourself on the subject as a result of your skepticism?
I think understand your reaction. These attention grabbing tactics are generally used by alarmist groups to spread misinformation. Like, the kind of dramatic voice-overs and music in political attack ads. But what happens when a group uses these very effective attention grabbing tactics to raise awareness for something that isn't unscrupulous?
Seriously, take a second and ask yourself:
What are you being manipulated into thinking?
that this is an issue.
kony has no power anymore and this whole campaign is a marketing scheme imo. theres no point in hunting down someone who has no power. they make it sound like this is happening today, which it isnt
you win the thread.
Really? Do you honestly think that raising awareness of Kony's actions is a bad thing?
There are two realities, here: One where Kony has actual power and is still a threat, and one where he isn't.
In the first situation, awareness here is warranted. The guy is still a threat and is still capable of influencing and hurting others.
But even if it is true that he has no power anymore:
Do you think it's a good idea to leave this situation unresolved?
Does it matter how far exactly his reach extends? Can we not still be indignant even if he impacts the world on a smaller scale than he used to?
Do you think it's not worth raising these issues in the first place? That the third world, especially in Africa, is easily manipulated by those with the most firepower?
Do you think it's not worth even knowing about? Did you know who Kony was before this? (If you did, the majority did not)
Why not raise awareness for this and other issues on the back of a poster boy war criminal? Does it matter that the means used are a bit sensational?
Would you have even heard about this guy had it not been sensationally presented in the first place?
Or, should we sweep this all under the rug because you feel you're being manipulated by a video on the internet?
Of all the things that use social media and sensationalism to fight for our attention, what is so egregiously wrong about this one?
SENSATIONALISM IS BAD. Period. Anyone who uses it is a con and anyone who eats it up is an imbecile. You want to know how to present material without soundling like sensationalist, manipulative, garbage? I present to you:
Its times like this that I'm glad I don't use Facebook. I'd get extremely annoyed if I went on and checked to find all my friends or "facebook friends" to be talking about issues like this. Acting like they care for some sort of self righteous/self image bullshit. Also talking/arguing with each other as if any of them had done any research into the matter whatsoever. Why do people think that spreading a video with their friends does anything to help the matter? 99% of the people who claim to care about this matter will and never would do anything to help solve the problem at all. If it even is a problem.
Personally I wont be researching it and I don't care to. Every form of media is a total fucking lie these days and when I open a thread that's full of so much controversy and arguing like this, its quite obvious that not all of the real facts are released. When governments and media can be 100% honest, then I'll give them my attention.
If some douche bag is causing all this suffering to humanity then I hope a honey badger mauls them to death. No video sharing for me.
On March 08 2012 22:51 archonOOid wrote: why are these guys labeled rebels instead of terrorists? If the west recognized them as terrorists they would quickly disappear with all the black ops, proxy wars and what not. Just because they are not a threat to EU/NA they can do whatever they want and also because it's happening in Africa ( Land of the Western atrocities).
because there is no oil in africa
Nigeria, Angola, Libya, Egypt, Sudan (South), Gabon, DRC, not to mention vast mineral wealth that puts much of the world to shame...
And the US has a highly vested interest in Nigerian oil, hence the strong partnership between the two...there is a definite US interest in Africa. We are "already there"
On March 08 2012 22:51 archonOOid wrote: why are these guys labeled rebels instead of terrorists? If the west recognized them as terrorists they would quickly disappear with all the black ops, proxy wars and what not. Just because they are not a threat to EU/NA they can do whatever they want and also because it's happening in Africa ( Land of the Western atrocities).
because there is no oil in africa
Nigeria, Angola, Libya, Egypt, Sudan (South), Gabon, DRC, not to mention vast mineral wealth that puts much of the world to shame...
And the US has a highly vested interest in Nigerian oil, hence the strong partnership between the two...there is a definite US interest in Africa. We are "already there"
I'm pretty sure the point was "there's no oil where Kony/these guys are, but there is where Saddam/Qaddafi/etc are" so that's why we invaded those countries and not the other ones, despite both having commited horrible acts against humanity.. I agree he could have worded it better though.
On March 09 2012 03:31 Dandel Ion wrote: Worse shit happens at numerous places, right now.
I'm not sure why people act like they didn't know about stuff like this.
Uhh no. This is actually about as bad as it gets. Child soldiers, forcing them to kill or rape their own parents, HIV as a weapon, constant drug induced state, etc. Similar things happen other places, but this is pretty much the top tier of grotesque human behavior.
For anyone who is actually interested in finding out more information about all this (and I'm talking about both sides here), here's Invisible Children's official response to the various allegations. No matter what side you're on, it's worth a read.
On March 08 2012 22:51 archonOOid wrote: why are these guys labeled rebels instead of terrorists? If the west recognized them as terrorists they would quickly disappear with all the black ops, proxy wars and what not. Just because they are not a threat to EU/NA they can do whatever they want and also because it's happening in Africa ( Land of the Western atrocities).
because there is no oil in africa
Nigeria, Angola, Libya, Egypt, Sudan (South), Gabon, DRC, not to mention vast mineral wealth that puts much of the world to shame...
And the US has a highly vested interest in Nigerian oil, hence the strong partnership between the two...there is a definite US interest in Africa. We are "already there"
I'm pretty sure the point was "there's no oil where Kony/these guys are, but there is where Saddam/Qaddafi/etc are" so that's why we invaded those countries and not the other ones, despite both having commited horrible acts against humanity.. I agree he could have worded it better though.
Even then, a simple look at a map reveals a great deal as to why a country like Uganda is far more likely to be safe from intervention than Libya or Iraq. Oil is a factor, but it's a sad mistake in judgment for internet warriors to always assume "OIL" as this great majestic driving force behind all world events since the dawn of man
On March 08 2012 22:51 archonOOid wrote: why are these guys labeled rebels instead of terrorists? If the west recognized them as terrorists they would quickly disappear with all the black ops, proxy wars and what not. Just because they are not a threat to EU/NA they can do whatever they want and also because it's happening in Africa ( Land of the Western atrocities).
because there is no oil in africa
Nigeria, Angola, Libya, Egypt, Sudan (South), Gabon, DRC, not to mention vast mineral wealth that puts much of the world to shame...
And the US has a highly vested interest in Nigerian oil, hence the strong partnership between the two...there is a definite US interest in Africa. We are "already there"
I'm pretty sure the point was "there's no oil where Kony/these guys are, but there is where Saddam/Qaddafi/etc are" so that's why we invaded those countries and not the other ones, despite both having commited horrible acts against humanity.. I agree he could have worded it better though.
Even then, a simple look at a map reveals a great deal as to why a country like Uganda is far more likely to be safe from intervention than Libya or Iraq. Oil is a factor, but it's a sad mistake in judgment for internet warriors to always assume "OIL" as this great majestic driving force behind all world events since the dawn of man
I don't disagree at all, just pointing out what (I think?) he meant to say.
On March 09 2012 03:46 TriO wrote: I love how everyone is becoming a social activtist after watching this, really its amusing.
Some of us have actually been involved for quite a while. The original Invisible Children documentary was just about the founders discovering the camps where children go for protection. Since then the situation has changed and IC has gotten more peachy and mainstream, but it shouldn't take away from their goals. There's still many other important NGOs you can support to improve the situation, such as Gulu Walk and Bitone.
On March 09 2012 03:31 Dandel Ion wrote: Worse shit happens at numerous places, right now.
I'm not sure why people act like they didn't know about stuff like this.
Uhh no. This is actually about as bad as it gets. Child soldiers, forcing them to kill or rape their own parents, HIV as a weapon, constant drug induced state, etc. Similar things happen other places, but this is pretty much the top tier of grotesque human behavior.
I'm not sure if this is the right place to elaborate, or if there even is a right place, so I won't. But I gently disagree with the notion that worse things don't happen, because they do.
I don't think we need to go into this =/ What does arguing about how awful the world really is achieve?
Also, I quite like the knee-jerk reaction people have had to this - "Oh, I hate it when people do this", "people thinking they are being social activists". It raises awareness. Why are you possibly arguing that this is a bad thing? Sure, some people can be jerks even when discussing campaigning against evil, but that's pretty much a given on the Internet. Why post about that?
They are not forced into Cannibalism so they don't starve? Getting addicted to drugs is, in my books, better than getting randomly cut their throats in front of the other children to make them scared of acting up. But that might be me. And executing people by throwing them into a pack of half-starved animals hold a special place in my heart.
Raping their parents IS sick, and I haven't heard that one before, but I'm 90% sure it's either a gross exaggeration or a complete lie.
Just like my points might not be true. I've never been to Africa, after all. Either these things happen or they don't, sad thing is it doesn't affect us.
Look, I appreciate that Invisible Children think leveraging the power of the Ugandan army to hunt down the LRA across borders of other sovereign nations is a solution, but it's not one without its own problems. I don't care whether they're actually handing the money over to the Ugandan army already or lobbying Washington to hand money over to the Ugandan army, the result is the same.
They are not forced into Cannibalism so they don't starve? Getting addicted to drugs is, in my books, better than getting randomly cut their throats in front of the other children to make them scared of acting up. But that might be me. And executing people by throwing them into a pack of half-starved animals hold a special place in my heart.
Raping their parents IS sick, and I haven't heard that one before, but I'm 90% sure it's either a gross exaggeration or a complete lie.
Just like my points might not be true. I've never been to Africa, after all. Either these things happen or they don't, sad thing is it doesn't affect us.
They are not forced into Cannibalism so they don't starve? Getting addicted to drugs is, in my books, better than getting randomly cut their throats in front of the other children to make them scared of acting up. But that might be me. And executing people by throwing them into a pack of half-starved animals hold a special place in my heart.
Raping their parents IS sick, and I haven't heard that one before, but I'm 90% sure it's either a gross exaggeration or a complete lie.
Just like my points might not be true. I've never been to Africa, after all. Either these things happen or they don't, sad thing is it doesn't affect us.
Did you see the video? They are forced to mutilate each other to scare each other.
Also executing people by throwing them into a pack of half-starved animals is "just" torture before death, not being worse than any other kind of torture.
Look, I appreciate that Invisible Children think leveraging the power of the Ugandan army to hunt down the LRA across borders of other sovereign nations is a solution, but it's not one without its own problems. I don't care whether they're actually handing the money over to the Ugandan army already or lobbying Washington to hand money over to the Ugandan army, the result is the same.
This is a complicated subject and Invisible Children is, in my opinion, a dubious non-profit (http://jezebel.com/5891269/think-twice-before-donating-to-kony-2012-the-meme-du-jour ). While I agree that they have their heart in the right place, there are questions about their finances and, even more importantly in my mind, questions about their assumptions.
I'll only scratch the surface here in noting that they are righteous about an issue that is complicated by the cross-cultural/national context in which they operate. Questions regarding what constitutes childhood, what constitutes being a soldier, what constitutes individual choice, and, questions regarding the extent to which Western organizations are legitimized in advancing a moral agenda for non-Western nations are at the heart of the issue. Invisible Children ignores all of these issues in favor of a pulled heartstrings approach.
I also have a bad taste in my mouth because I saw them present their case at a forum at University of New Mexico. They came off like a naive-cheerleading squad that didn't respect the intelligence of its audience.
My fiancee recently authored an essay on the problems with Invisible Children and the nuances of the child-soldiering debate. I'm sure she'd share it if anyone is interested.
tl'dr Invisibile Children is, imo, a sketchy organization that, like so many activist organizations, fails to deliver a nuanced or culturally-sensitive portrait of the problem they are tackling. One cannot simply be for or against child soldiering as the world, in all its complexity, doesn't reduce to such simple reasoning.
Jibba I dont understand what your argument is. All I see is you trying to is just listing things Kony did. Nobody is denying he's a bad man. It's the fact that this organization has lied and misconstrued information in order to get what it wants. Also the issue of how much of an issue Kony is anymore (hasnt even been in Uganda for years).
Look, I appreciate that Invisible Children think leveraging the power of the Ugandan army to hunt down the LRA across borders of other sovereign nations is a solution, but it's not one without its own problems. I don't care whether they're actually handing the money over to the Ugandan army already or lobbying Washington to hand money over to the Ugandan army, the result is the same.
This is a complicated subject and Invisible Children is, in my opinion, a dubious non-profit (http://jezebel.com/5891269/think-twice-before-donating-to-kony-2012-the-meme-du-jour ). While I agree that they have their heart in the right place, there are questions about their finances and, even more importantly in my mind, questions about their assumptions.
I'll only scratch the surface here in noting that they are righteous about an issue that is complicated by the cross-cultural/national context in which they operate. Questions regarding what constitutes childhood, what constitutes being a soldier, what constitutes individual choice, and, questions regarding the extent to which Western organizations are legitimized in advancing a moral agenda for non-Western nations are at the heart of the issue. Invisible Children ignores all of these issues in favor of a pulled heartstrings approach.
I also have a bad taste in my mouth because I saw them present their case at a forum at University of New Mexico. They came off like a naive-cheerleading squad that didn't respect the intelligence of its audience.
My fiancee recently authored an essay on the problems with Invisible Children and the nuances of the child-soldiering debate. I'm sure she'd share it if anyone is interested.
tl'dr Invisibile Children is, imo, a sketchy organization that, like so many activist organizations, fails to deliver a nuanced or culturally-sensitive portrait of the problem they are tackling. One cannot simply be for or against child soldiering as the world, in all its complexity, doesn't reduce to such simple reasoning.
I think this is an incredibly fair critique. Im glad they're drawing attention to it but there are other more focused, transparent and effectful groups that deal with the same issue and deserve support.
On March 09 2012 05:10 Apollo_Shards wrote: Jibba I dont understand what your argument is. All I see is you trying to is just listing things Kony did. Nobody is denying he's a bad man. It's the fact that this organization has lied and misconstrued information in order to get what it wants. Also the issue of how much of an issue Kony is anymore (hasnt even been in Uganda for years).
The issue is you're completely ignorant of the situation and are down playing what has gone on when it is in fact one of the largest and sickest human rights violations ever. Then you make ridiculous comments about how it might be made up or exaggerated. There's numerous reports of what's gone on, dating from before IC's inception. The issue with Invisible Children has nothing to do with the things the LRA has done.
"worse things happen elsewhere" is not only insulting and dismissive, it's factually wrong.
One cannot simply be for or against child soldiering as the world, in all its complexity, doesn't reduce to such simple reasoning.
Really?
I would love to hear the interesting nuance that will make me view child soldiers in a completely new light.
Not everything can be reduced to simple black and white, good and evil, but I think child soldiering is one of the rare few where you can.
But again, my mind is wide open. Can't wait to be illuminated and see how naive I was for all these years being against the concept of child soldiers.
Well his wording of that is wrong from the beginning. People CAN be simply for or against child soldiering. What he means to say is that such reasoning is too simple for the complexity of the situation/world. If he says that people CANNOT be simply for or against something, all one would have to do is find somebody who is for or against it to disprove his statement. If one person says "I am simply against child soldiering." then his statement can be proven false by counterexample. So while he tried to sound enlightened or something, he really just said something that made no sense, as it can easily be proven false by a simple counterexample. BOoOoOoOoOoOM!!!
On March 09 2012 03:31 Dandel Ion wrote: Worse shit happens at numerous places, right now.
I'm not sure why people act like they didn't know about stuff like this.
Your perspective is absurd. If everything need to be that bad for it to merit our attention, how could anyone ever get upset by anything? If people can't care about this, how do they justify caring about things like 9/11?
And why complain when people are jumping on a bandwagon for a good cause?
On March 09 2012 05:10 Apollo_Shards wrote: Jibba I dont understand what your argument is. All I see is you trying to is just listing things Kony did. Nobody is denying he's a bad man. It's the fact that this organization has lied and misconstrued information in order to get what it wants. Also the issue of how much of an issue Kony is anymore (hasnt even been in Uganda for years).
The issue is you're completely ignorant of the situation and are down playing what has gone on when it is in fact one of the largest and sickest human rights violations ever. Then you make ridiculous comments about how it might be made up or exaggerated. There's numerous reports of what's gone on, dating from before IC's inception. The issue with Invisible Children has nothing to do with the things the LRA has done.
"worse things happen elsewhere" is not only insulting and dismissive, it's factually wrong.
I would just like to jump in and say that you can't support the claim that the statement "worse things happen elsewhere." is factually wrong. First, it contains an undefined term, "worse." Nothing can be said about the factual truth of this statement unless this word is defined. Second, I doubt you have amassed enough knowledge about world events to conclusively prove that no events are happening elsewhere which could be considered worse, assuming we have defined "worse" in the first place.
I don't disagree with you if you say that "worse things happen elsewhere, so who cares?" is a bad argument. I just had to point out that your statement was a little hairy at the end there.
Now and then, in the course of the century, a great man of science, like Darwin; a great poet, like Keats; a fine critical spirit, like M. Renan; a supreme artist, like Flaubert, has been able to isolate himself, to keep himself out of reach of the clamorous claims of others, to stand 'under the shelter of the wall,' as Plato puts it, and so to realise the perfection of what was in him, to his own incomparable gain, and to the incomparable and lasting gain of the whole world. These, however, are exceptions. The majority of people spoil their lives by an unhealthy and exaggerated altruism-- are forced, indeed, so to spoil them. They find themselves surrounded by hideous poverty, by hideous ugliness, by hideous starvation. It is inevitable that they should be strongly moved by all this. The emotions of man are stirred more quickly than man's intelligence; and, as I pointed out some time ago in an article on the function of criticism, it is much more easy to have sympathy with suffering than it is to have sympathy with thought.Accordingly, with admirable, though misdirected intentions, they very seriously and very sentimentally set themselves to the task of remedying the evils that they see. But their remedies do not cure the disease: they merely prolong it. Indeed, their remedies are part of the disease.
They try to solve the problem of poverty, for instance, by keeping the poor alive; or, in the case of a very advanced school, by amusing the poor.
But this is not a solution: it is an aggravation of the difficulty. The proper aim is to try and reconstruct society on such a basis that poverty will be impossible. And the altruistic virtues have really prevented the carrying out of this aim. Just as the worst slave-owners were those who were kind to their slaves, and so prevented the horror of the system being realised by those who suffered from it, and understood by those who contemplated it, so, in the present state of things in England, the people who do most harm are the people who try to do most good; and at last we have had the spectacle of men who have really studied the problem and know the life--educated men who live in the East End--coming forward and imploring the community to restrain its altruistic impulses of charity, benevolence, and the like. They do so on the ground that such charity degrades and demoralises. They are perfectly right. Charity creates a multitude of sins.
There is also this to be said. It is immoral to use private property in order to alleviate the horrible evils that result from the institution of private property. It is both immoral and unfair.
It takes a youtube video to make people aware.... I'm pretty sure none of you are aware that the Ugandan government is trying to pass a bill to exterminate homosexuals.
I've studied numerous genocides actually. Northern Uganda was basically the S class of fucked up shit less than 5 years ago. You can look up UNCHR reports if you'd like. There have been similar tactics used in Sierra Leone, Burundi,DRC, Rwanda, Somalia and Zimbabwe but none have been as active as in Uganda since the mid 2000s. There's also spillage into and from southern Sudan which makes it exceptionally complicated.
Now and then, in the course of the century, a great man of science, like Darwin; a great poet, like Keats; a fine critical spirit, like M. Renan; a supreme artist, like Flaubert, has been able to isolate himself, to keep himself out of reach of the clamorous claims of others, to stand 'under the shelter of the wall,' as Plato puts it, and so to realise the perfection of what was in him, to his own incomparable gain, and to the incomparable and lasting gain of the whole world. These, however, are exceptions. The majority of people spoil their lives by an unhealthy and exaggerated altruism-- are forced, indeed, so to spoil them. They find themselves surrounded by hideous poverty, by hideous ugliness, by hideous starvation. It is inevitable that they should be strongly moved by all this. The emotions of man are stirred more quickly than man's intelligence; and, as I pointed out some time ago in an article on the function of criticism, it is much more easy to have sympathy with suffering than it is to have sympathy with thought.Accordingly, with admirable, though misdirected intentions, they very seriously and very sentimentally set themselves to the task of remedying the evils that they see. But their remedies do not cure the disease: they merely prolong it. Indeed, their remedies are part of the disease.
They try to solve the problem of poverty, for instance, by keeping the poor alive; or, in the case of a very advanced school, by amusing the poor.
But this is not a solution: it is an aggravation of the difficulty. The proper aim is to try and reconstruct society on such a basis that poverty will be impossible. And the altruistic virtues have really prevented the carrying out of this aim. Just as the worst slave-owners were those who were kind to their slaves, and so prevented the horror of the system being realised by those who suffered from it, and understood by those who contemplated it, so, in the present state of things in England, the people who do most harm are the people who try to do most good; and at last we have had the spectacle of men who have really studied the problem and know the life--educated men who live in the East End--coming forward and imploring the community to restrain its altruistic impulses of charity, benevolence, and the like. They do so on the ground that such charity degrades and demoralises. They are perfectly right. Charity creates a multitude of sins.
There is also this to be said. It is immoral to use private property in order to alleviate the horrible evils that result from the institution of private property. It is both immoral and unfair.
- Oscar Wilde Soul of Man
Holy crap, that's the most nonsensical text I've ever read.
The proper aim is to try and reconstruct society on such a basis that poverty will be impossible.
How the hell would you do that without compassion? That wouldn't even be a problem if the people with power and money had some compassion.
Not to mention the fact that Renan, Keats and Flaubert were very compassionate people, you would notice that if you read them...
Now and then, in the course of the century, a great man of science, like Darwin; a great poet, like Keats; a fine critical spirit, like M. Renan; a supreme artist, like Flaubert, has been able to isolate himself, to keep himself out of reach of the clamorous claims of others, to stand 'under the shelter of the wall,' as Plato puts it, and so to realise the perfection of what was in him, to his own incomparable gain, and to the incomparable and lasting gain of the whole world. These, however, are exceptions. The majority of people spoil their lives by an unhealthy and exaggerated altruism-- are forced, indeed, so to spoil them. They find themselves surrounded by hideous poverty, by hideous ugliness, by hideous starvation. It is inevitable that they should be strongly moved by all this. The emotions of man are stirred more quickly than man's intelligence; and, as I pointed out some time ago in an article on the function of criticism, it is much more easy to have sympathy with suffering than it is to have sympathy with thought.Accordingly, with admirable, though misdirected intentions, they very seriously and very sentimentally set themselves to the task of remedying the evils that they see. But their remedies do not cure the disease: they merely prolong it. Indeed, their remedies are part of the disease.
They try to solve the problem of poverty, for instance, by keeping the poor alive; or, in the case of a very advanced school, by amusing the poor.
But this is not a solution: it is an aggravation of the difficulty. The proper aim is to try and reconstruct society on such a basis that poverty will be impossible. And the altruistic virtues have really prevented the carrying out of this aim. Just as the worst slave-owners were those who were kind to their slaves, and so prevented the horror of the system being realised by those who suffered from it, and understood by those who contemplated it, so, in the present state of things in England, the people who do most harm are the people who try to do most good; and at last we have had the spectacle of men who have really studied the problem and know the life--educated men who live in the East End--coming forward and imploring the community to restrain its altruistic impulses of charity, benevolence, and the like. They do so on the ground that such charity degrades and demoralises. They are perfectly right. Charity creates a multitude of sins.
There is also this to be said. It is immoral to use private property in order to alleviate the horrible evils that result from the institution of private property. It is both immoral and unfair.
- Oscar Wilde Soul of Man
Holy crap, that's the most nonsensical text I've ever read.
Kony hasn't been in Uganda for years. The US gov. uses this charity as a propaganda tool to increase military presence and take control of the petroleum in Uganda, which has been eyed by China for quite a while now. Sadly, some people can't see the forest, but simply the trees.
Kony hasn't been in Uganda for years. The US gov. uses this charity as a propaganda tool to increase military presence and take control of the petroleum in Uganda, which has been eyed by China for quite a while now. Sadly, some people can't see the forest, but simply the trees.
On March 09 2012 05:43 Timurid wrote: It takes a youtube video to make people aware.... I'm pretty sure none of you are aware that the Ugandan government is trying to pass a bill to exterminate homosexuals.
Israël is protected by the USA to kill palestinians because it is the chosen people and their promised land. Oh wait...
For all those talking about Kony not being in Uganda, we know and IC knows.
They want to work with the Ugandan military because they're more effective than that of the Congo and Sudan (where the LRA is active) and Ugandans have a reason to want to rid the world of Kony and the LRA. Pretty sure they even mentioned in the video that the LRA left Uganda, albeit unclearly (when they talked about Kony "changing tactics").
Kony hasn't been in Uganda for years. The US gov. uses this charity as a propaganda tool to increase military presence and take control of the petroleum in Uganda, which has been eyed by China for quite a while now. Sadly, some people can't see the forest, but simply the trees.
YES!
Thank you.
Ladies and gentlemen, we have come full circle. This whole thing is in fact an attempt by the USA to invade Uganda.
I love how literally every good or evil in the world can be traced back to America.
Surely, we do not revolve around the sun, it is but a zionist conspiracy to distract us from the truth: Everyone and everything revolves around America.
I think that post should win some long-ball award for best "connect-America-to-it" post.
Maybe we should give bonus points if he can somehow manage to loop it back to Israel.
Kony hasn't been in Uganda for years. The US gov. uses this charity as a propaganda tool to increase military presence and take control of the petroleum in Uganda, which has been eyed by China for quite a while now. Sadly, some people can't see the forest, but simply the trees.
YES!
Thank you.
Ladies and gentlemen, we have come full circle. This whole thing is in fact an attempt by the USA to invade Uganda.
I love how literally every good or evil in the world can be traced back to America.
Surely, we do not revolve around the sun, it is but a zionist conspiracy to distract us from the truth: Everyone and everything revolves around America.
I think that post should win some long-ball award for best "connect-America-to-it" post.
Maybe we should give bonus points if he can somehow manage to loop it back to Israel.
America hasn't given a shit about any of this for years and years. We all know the shit that goes down in Africa and the Middle-east. America doesn't give a shit unless there's actually profit to be had for them, it's always like this for America ( see post WW2 fundings for Europe). Also I'm not saying that America is evil for doing this or the only government that does this, I'm not commenting on that at all. If the American government suddenly 'cares' about violation of human rights in Uganda and sends troops over there. You can say with 99% certainty there's alterior motives involved.
i consider myself a reasonable person. i watched the video and it hits the zeitgeist perfectly. ive known about problems like this for much longer and i think this is well deserved attention.
i can understand people being skeptical... its a healthy thing to be but what does it cost you to share something like this on facebook? maybe share one stupid ragecominc less? first snowball thing i actually take part of.
i like the idea of revolting from home if you can say it like this. i appreciate this also during times where people talk about things like ACTA. its not just child armies its the hole idea of this documentary that i support.
since 200.000 germans went to see obama in berlin i lost any kind of hope and respect for my generation. this thing actually could make me less of a misanthrop.
nothing wrong with that.
also discussion like this here are healthy too.
ps: id like to know what alex jones has to say about this ^_^
On March 09 2012 07:00 leecH wrote: i consider myself a reasonable person. i watched the video and it hits the zeitgeist perfectly. ive known about problems like this for much longer and i think this is well deserved attention.
i can understand people being skeptical... its a healthy thing to be but what does it cost you to share something like this on facebook? maybe share one stupid ragecominc less? first snowball thing i actually take part of.
i like the idea of revolting from home if you can say it like this. i appreciate this also during times where people talk about things like ACTA. its not just child armies its the hole idea of this documentary that i support.
since 200.000 germans went to see obama in berlin i lost any kind of hope and respect for my generation. this thing actually could make me less of a misanthrop.
nothing wrong with that.
also discussion like this here are healthy too.
ps: id like to know what alex jones has to say about this ^_^
Kony hasn't been in Uganda for years. The US gov. uses this charity as a propaganda tool to increase military presence and take control of the petroleum in Uganda, which has been eyed by China for quite a while now. Sadly, some people can't see the forest, but simply the trees.
Too bad that's about as wrong as possible.
It's not even on the top 97 list of oil reserves. Argument invalid.
One cannot simply be for or against child soldiering as the world, in all its complexity, doesn't reduce to such simple reasoning.
Really?
I would love to hear the interesting nuance that will make me view child soldiers in a completely new light.
Not everything can be reduced to simple black and white, good and evil, but I think child soldiering is one of the rare few where you can.
But again, my mind is wide open. Can't wait to be illuminated and see how naive I was for all these years being against the concept of child soldiers.
Thats not the point... But saying things like "im against child soldiers" or "im against war" is just stating the obvious and really doesnt mean anything. The whole situation is way more complex, poverty, racism, civil wars, etc etc, child soldiers are something thats happens because of these conditions.
Saying you want to stop child soldiers without adressing all of these problems is just stupid, the only point is to get people to support you because if anyone dares to disagree with you you can just throw "so you support child soldiers" in their face...
No one likes child soldiers but to do anything about it youd have to do something against the poverty in africa which probably isnt an easy task.. What if they catch this guy? Then everyone will be happy and whoever takes credit for it will get his fame, and in africa the next guy comes along and no one even cares anymore.
You cant prevent terrorism by invading a country You cant stop child pornography by censoring the internet You cant stop child soldiers by imprisoning kony..
You are against war? Against poverty? Against Child soldiers? Really? You dont say...
Its just a meaningless statement, this guy obviously is awful and no one "likes" what hes doing but thats not a way to approach this problem..
The problem runs much deeper than Kony. There are likely thousands of people willing to take his place, removing him won't do anything. Prime example; Osama, he's dead, and Al Qaeda is still operating per usual.
Being from the USA I'm tired of feeling as if my country has some kind of obligation to be the worlds army. I personally hope our government completely disregards this Kony shit because we're not able to financially support Uganda. Like I said, just taking Kony down is only a small step in the right direction.
On March 09 2012 07:48 accent wrote: The problem runs much deeper than Kony. There are likely thousands of people willing to take his place, removing him won't do anything. Prime example; Osama, he's dead, and Al Qaeda is still operating per usual.
Being from the USA I'm tired of feeling as if my country has some kind of obligation to be the worlds army. I personally hope our government completely disregards this Kony shit because we're not able to financially support Uganda. Like I said, just taking Kony down is only a small step in the right direction.
are you actually implying the world sees the US as their army?
On March 09 2012 07:48 accent wrote: The problem runs much deeper than Kony. There are likely thousands of people willing to take his place, removing him won't do anything. Prime example; Osama, he's dead, and Al Qaeda is still operating per usual.
Being from the USA I'm tired of feeling as if my country has some kind of obligation to be the worlds army. I personally hope our government completely disregards this Kony shit because we're not able to financially support Uganda. Like I said, just taking Kony down is only a small step in the right direction.
are you actually implying the world sees the US as their army?
I can't speak for him, but the world expects that of us. Why do work when someone else will?
On March 09 2012 07:48 accent wrote: The problem runs much deeper than Kony. There are likely thousands of people willing to take his place, removing him won't do anything. Prime example; Osama, he's dead, and Al Qaeda is still operating per usual.
Being from the USA I'm tired of feeling as if my country has some kind of obligation to be the worlds army. I personally hope our government completely disregards this Kony shit because we're not able to financially support Uganda. Like I said, just taking Kony down is only a small step in the right direction.
are you actually implying the world sees the US as their army?
I can't speak for him, but the world expects that of us. Why do work when someone else will?
On March 09 2012 07:48 accent wrote: The problem runs much deeper than Kony. There are likely thousands of people willing to take his place, removing him won't do anything. Prime example; Osama, he's dead, and Al Qaeda is still operating per usual.
Being from the USA I'm tired of feeling as if my country has some kind of obligation to be the worlds army. I personally hope our government completely disregards this Kony shit because we're not able to financially support Uganda. Like I said, just taking Kony down is only a small step in the right direction.
are you actually implying the world sees the US as their army?
I can't speak for him, but the world expects that of us. Why do work when someone else will?
Doesn't have to be implying.
well that's certainly not what I expect of the US army
On March 09 2012 07:48 accent wrote: The problem runs much deeper than Kony. There are likely thousands of people willing to take his place, removing him won't do anything. Prime example; Osama, he's dead, and Al Qaeda is still operating per usual.
Being from the USA I'm tired of feeling as if my country has some kind of obligation to be the worlds army. I personally hope our government completely disregards this Kony shit because we're not able to financially support Uganda. Like I said, just taking Kony down is only a small step in the right direction.
are you actually implying the world sees the US as their army?
I can't speak for him, but the world expects that of us. Why do work when someone else will?
Doesn't have to be implying.
No, the world doesn't expect that of you. We expect you to use the enourmous amount of power you have (which China is slowly taking over), for good - which could be done in other ways than invading every single country with oil... And piss of with your "we do all the work" attitude. You aren't alone on the front, and living in the country who happens to have the highest deathtoll/capita in Afghanistan it comes off as incredibly insulting.
Kony hasn't been in Uganda for years. The US gov. uses this charity as a propaganda tool to increase military presence and take control of the petroleum in Uganda, which has been eyed by China for quite a while now. Sadly, some people can't see the forest, but simply the trees.
Too bad that's about as wrong as possible.
It's not even on the top 97 list of oil reserves. Argument invalid.
No, the world doesn't expect that of you. We expect you to use the enourmous amount of power you have (which China is slowly taking over), for good - which could be done in other ways than invading every single country with oil... And piss of with your "we do all the work" attitude. You aren't alone on the front, and living in the country who happens to have the highest deathtoll/capita in Afghanistan it comes off as incredibly insulting.
Can you speak for the planet, sir?
Not to mention with incredible power at it's disposal, it can do as it pleases. It doesn't have to be the good guy in every event and has not requirement to do so.
Also using the oil invasion excuse puts forward a weak argument, if you truly believe that you are rather naive.
[B]On March 09 2012 08:39 Ghostcom wrote:
It's funny because you just tried to say that you know what those seven billion plus of Earths population expect of USA........
I'm inclined to believe that using logic and inductive reasoning.
I won't be donating, and there is a lot of misinformation, including a specifically selected accountant to audit the charities budgets. Not even that but they are trivializing the problems those people face by making it 'cool' and 'taken care of'. I wish I could provide a more positive avenue for people's energy, but that's for another topic.
No, the world doesn't expect that of you. We expect you to use the enourmous amount of power you have (which China is slowly taking over), for good - which could be done in other ways than invading every single country with oil... And piss of with your "we do all the work" attitude. You aren't alone on the front, and living in the country who happens to have the highest deathtoll/capita in Afghanistan it comes off as incredibly insulting.
Can you speak for the planet, sir?
Not to mention with incredible power at it's disposal, it can do as it pleases. It doesn't have to be the good guy in every event and has not requirement to do so.
Also using the oil invasion excuse puts forward a weak argument, if you truly believe that you are rather naive.
Apperantly you can?
EDIT: Nice ninjaedits....
No, what you do has nothing to do with logic nor inductive reasoning...
EDIT2: I'm not going to bother continuing this BS, let's get back to the issue at hand which is Kony/Invisible Children...
I don't see the situation changing over there anytime soon, and all these idiots on the internet spamming "KONY 2012" serves no real purpose. I don't get it :/
They think they can force change just like revolutionaries toppled regimes via social media in Egypt and Libya. The difference here is that Uganda has much fewer social media users than America, which is where most Kony 2012 supporters are coming from.
On March 09 2012 08:55 Enki wrote: I don't see the situation changing over there anytime soon, and all these idiots on the internet spamming "KONY 2012" serves no real purpose. I don't get it :/
You obviously haven't read very much. The idea is so that lots of people become aware of it. Through that, more people will decide it is an important issue, and the US gov is less likely to withdraw their assistance from Uganda.
On March 09 2012 08:02 BrenttheGreat wrote: Only 32% of the $8.7 million dollar donations being spent on actual direct service for this campaign.
No thanks.
Although that is true, much of the rest were spent on making videos like Kony 2012. As we've all said, one of their main ways to inform people is the making of the videos. Most people are wow'd by good effects, crisp editing and concise messaging, and making movies that capture all 3 aspects are not cheap. Travel money going across the US and other places informing school children about this movement is also not counted in the 32%. Of course, i'm all for more money DIRECLTY into Uganda/surrounding areas, but IC doesn't have the same goals as the Red Cross. A lot more than 32% was poured into their mission (1.8 million was staff salaries, 400k for renting their setup in San Diego, etc)
Just thought i'd share my two cents, to perhaps make people think twice when they hear statistics like that.
On March 09 2012 08:55 Enki wrote: I don't see the situation changing over there anytime soon, and all these idiots on the internet spamming "KONY 2012" serves no real purpose. I don't get it :/
I agree, i see it all over facebook and youtube ... i doubt even half of the people have ever heard of uganda let alone kony, im all for bad people getting whats coming to them, but this whole movement is just weird.
On March 09 2012 07:48 accent wrote: The problem runs much deeper than Kony. There are likely thousands of people willing to take his place, removing him won't do anything. Prime example; Osama, he's dead, and Al Qaeda is still operating per usual.
Being from the USA I'm tired of feeling as if my country has some kind of obligation to be the worlds army. I personally hope our government completely disregards this Kony shit because we're not able to financially support Uganda. Like I said, just taking Kony down is only a small step in the right direction.
are you actually implying the world sees the US as their army?
I can't speak for him, but the world expects that of us. Why do work when someone else will?
Kony isnt a bad guy and he didnt do any of the stuff that the media says he did. If you believe the stuff that is said here, then you believe that everywhere in the middle east is evil and that 9/11 wasnt set up.
Oh and you probably believe that the illuminati is a "group of bad guys" as well.
On March 09 2012 10:19 AeroEffect wrote: Kony isnt a bad guy and he didnt do any of the stuff that the media says he did. If you believe the stuff that is said here, then you believe that everywhere in the middle east is evil, the holocaust actually happened, and 9/11 wasnt set up.
Oh and you probably believe that the illuminati is a "group of bad guys" as well.
On March 09 2012 10:19 AeroEffect wrote: Kony isnt a bad guy and he didnt do any of the stuff that the media says he did. If you believe the stuff that is said here, then you believe that everywhere in the middle east is evil, the holocaust actually happened, and 9/11 wasnt set up.
Oh and you probably believe that the illuminati is a "group of bad guys" as well.
On March 09 2012 10:19 AeroEffect wrote: Kony isnt a bad guy and he didnt do any of the stuff that the media says he did. If you believe the stuff that is said here, then you believe that everywhere in the middle east is evil, the holocaust actually happened, and 9/11 wasnt set up.
Oh and you probably believe that the illuminati is a "group of bad guys" as well.
did you seriously just deny holocaust? its sickening me that there are people who acutally believe the stuff you just said!
On March 09 2012 10:19 AeroEffect wrote: Kony isnt a bad guy and he didnt do any of the stuff that the media says he did. If you believe the stuff that is said here, then you believe that everywhere in the middle east is evil, the holocaust actually happened, and 9/11 wasnt set up.
Oh and you probably believe that the illuminati is a "group of bad guys" as well.
did you seriously just deny holocaust? its sickening me that there are people who acutally believe the stuff you just said!
And you just found that out?
There are people like this all over the world. Plenty of people in japan denies Nanjing massacre ever happened, or the Turks refusing to acknowledge Armenian genocide by the Turks
disclaimer: i am not a CPA (yet), but I am getting my masters in accountancy at a top-ranking business school this year.
for those who are up in arms about invisible children's financial statements:
Invisible children's financial statements do not look much worse than any other non-for-profit organization out there. Also, even though they don't have an "independent audit board," they are audited by an accounting firm. They are a pretty small organization (less than 2 million in total assets), so having an independent audit board is probably not that big a deal. There are a lot of bigger organizations out there without an audit board.
the important ratio to consider is the program expense ratio (the amount of money spent directly to further the company's mission; or program expense/total expense), not the direct services expense compared to total expenses.
the program expense ratio actually looks pretty good: about 80% of expenses are program expenses. typically non-for-profit companies have program expense ratios of 65-90% so invisible children is right in the middle. Even though they only spent about 3 million on direct services doesn't mean they aren't spending their other money on pointless things. If you look at habitat for humanity's financial statements (a very reputable non-for-profit organization) they look much the same. Their program expense ratio is ~80%, but they spend less than 40% of their money on "House and Building transfers." Most of their money goes to other expenses (like salaries).
If you consider the fact that invisible children just made this video and spent a lot of money trying to develop their image, as well as the expenses that go into international travel, it is my opinion that their financial statements look reasonable. Their CEO made <90,000 last year. I just did a valuation of a private company whose revenues were <8 million (net income less than 300,000) and their CEO made over 200,000 last year not including bonuses and stock options.
edit: i'm not supporting invisible children, i actually had not heard of them before reading this thread so i'm not saying you should just automatically donate to them but, just from looking at their financial statements i didn't see anything out of the ordinary
This whole thing on facebook is like your favourite underground band suddenly goes mainstream. The people (girls) I know puttting up this on their facebook has very little knowledge about africa and all of a sudden they "know" about something that has been know for years. Hell it was on the news 10years ago, but I guess they were children then and didnt watch it. Too tired to make much sense but migh just as well post it. I'm sure there could be some logic in there.
On March 07 2012 04:26 Tufas wrote: I really do not like how they made the video. The dramatic music, slow camera changes, big voice-over, crying children, dead people and mixed with the opposite happy son to show the contrast.
Dude you're forgetting the average IQ is 100. 95% of people are thick morons they need things like this otherwise they can't pay attention.
Kony 2012: The latest cause célèbre that has most likely taken your Facebook newsfeed by storm. But while few would criticize putting indicted Ugandan war criminal Joseph Kony in prison, the motives of the latest viral video campaign are less clear.
FGo to the Invisible Children homepage, and the goal of Kony 2012 seems simple enough:
“KONY 2012 is a film and campaign by Invisible Children that aims to make Joseph Kony famous, not to celebrate him, but to raise support for his arrest and set a precedent for international justice.”
Scroll down, and a list of movers, shakers and policy-makers ranging from Lady Gaga to Bill Clinton let you know the Hollywood and Washington elite have taken this cause to heart.
On the surface, this is a simple black-and-white story: Joseph Kony, via the Uganda-based Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), has lead a violent campaign to set up a theocratic government at home, forcing enslaved child soldiers to commit unspeakable acts.
But dig a bit deeper, and one might want to think twice before donating to the Invisible Children charity.
For one, Invisible Children has blurred the line between charity and politics, advocating direct military action. They have also been accused of providing financial support to the Ugandan government’s military and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, both of which have regularly been charged with human rights abuses.
The group denies the claim, saying “none of the money donated through Invisible Children ever goes to the government of Uganda. Yet the only feasible and proper way to stop Kony and protect the civilians he targets is to coordinate efforts with regional governments.”
The group has also been accused of being heavy on advocacy and weak on aid. Writing on the social media site tumblr.com, sociology and political science student Grant Oyston said, “As a registered not-for-profit, its finances are public. Last year, the organization spent $8,676,614. Only 32 per cent 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 for an issue which arguably needs action and aid, not awareness, and Charity Navigator rates their accountability 2/4 stars because they lack an external audit committee. But it goes way deeper than that.”
The real question is, why has Kony 2012 skyrocketed to the top of social media consciousness? Writing for Foreign Policy magazine, Uganda-based journalist Joshua Keating perhaps puts it best.
“It would be great to get rid of Kony. He and his forces have left a path of abductions and mass murder in their wake for over 20 years. But let's get two things straight: 1) Joseph Kony is not in Uganda and hasn't been for 6 years; 2) the LRA now numbers at most in the hundreds, and while it is still causing immense suffering, it is unclear how millions of well-meaning but misinformed people are going to help deal with the more complicated reality,” Keating writes.
Perhaps more alarmingly, Invisible Children’s viral media smash follows Barack Obama’s decision to deploy 100 troops to Uganda last October with the aim of “removing” Joseph Kony from the picture.
In fact, during a period of relative calm that has not been seen in years, Mark Kersten from Justice in Conflict says Uganda’s recently-discovered oil reserves, which “may produce between 2.5 billion to 6 billion barrels of oil…has been directly linked to the country’s security.”
While bringing Joseph Kony to justice would be commendable, it seems implausible his capture would do much to bring stability to conflict-ridden East Africa.
Just try telling that to the 27 million people who have watched Kony 2012 on YouTube and the millions more who will be posting and tweeting about it in the days to come.
So all of this story is a huge scam to gather as much money as fast as possible from good and generous people all over the world. This is terrible because now the people are going to be very suspicious about charity organisations even the one that actually do the real job. If you want to help the uganda give your money to reliable organisations that are audited by independants parties not to charity buisness scammers.
On March 07 2012 07:49 1Eris1 wrote: Jospeh Kony is a despicable man who deserves the worse possible punishment, but the true problem is that he's just 1 out of dozens of similar rebel leaders all throughout Africa. Simply taking him out reduces the problem slightly, but honestly doesn't do much. You have to attack it at the source. (Taking our their funding/etc, which is primarly centered around a lot of luxuries we as 1st worlders absolutely covet and spend hundreds-thousands of dollars upon.)
yar i found it funny how hes entirely clueless and hopeful for something that will never happen. ie taking down one guy and ending the war. lol
his dream is ending the war, a step is taking down Kony, it's not difficult to understand man
On March 07 2012 07:49 1Eris1 wrote: Jospeh Kony is a despicable man who deserves the worse possible punishment, but the true problem is that he's just 1 out of dozens of similar rebel leaders all throughout Africa. Simply taking him out reduces the problem slightly, but honestly doesn't do much. You have to attack it at the source. (Taking our their funding/etc, which is primarly centered around a lot of luxuries we as 1st worlders absolutely covet and spend hundreds-thousands of dollars upon.)
yar i found it funny how hes entirely clueless and hopeful for something that will never happen. ie taking down one guy and ending the war. lol
his dream is ending the war, a step is taking down Kony, it's not difficult to understand man
Ending war by sending US troops to kill a single man who's not in uganda anymore, the whole thing based on a 30 minutes documentary showing footages taken in 2003 which encourage donations for a suspisious charity organisation that refuse to be audited. Makes sense...
It is interesting how too people can see the same data and same claims and have different interpretations, I dont make any of the same conclusions he does from the data. In their articel IC seemed to have a very solid response/ reasonable explanations for many of the criticisms they are facing. I can't say I'm sold enough to give them my money but I definitively support their mission and the ideas behind it.
Watch this video. its not one of those lame sad videos that dont really do anything but make you feel hate and anger. know whats going on before you try to be a hero.
On March 09 2012 11:48 gds wrote: So all of this story is a huge scam to gather as much money as fast as possible from good and generous people all over the world. This is terrible because now the people are going to be very suspicious about charity organisations even the one that actually do the real job. If you want to help the uganda give your money to reliable organisations that are audited by independants parties not to charity buisness scammers.
On March 09 2012 12:32 rayNimagi wrote: Hmm, so if Uganda has oil this might just become another Iraq...
Honestly, even if this entire thing was a giant conspiracy to get the US into Uganda and surrounding areas for oil, it will STILL be beneficial to the African people. Our presence alone would discourage and probably destabilize any local warlords, as well as keep the Ugandan military and special forces in check.
Sure, it would be an economic drain on us just like all of our recent military endeavors, but the area would be safer. That is how bad many parts of Africa actually are.
On March 07 2012 07:49 1Eris1 wrote: Jospeh Kony is a despicable man who deserves the worse possible punishment, but the true problem is that he's just 1 out of dozens of similar rebel leaders all throughout Africa. Simply taking him out reduces the problem slightly, but honestly doesn't do much. You have to attack it at the source. (Taking our their funding/etc, which is primarly centered around a lot of luxuries we as 1st worlders absolutely covet and spend hundreds-thousands of dollars upon.)
yar i found it funny how hes entirely clueless and hopeful for something that will never happen. ie taking down one guy and ending the war. lol
his dream is ending the war, a step is taking down Kony, it's not difficult to understand man
Ending war by sending US troops to kill a single man who's not in uganda anymore, the whole thing based on a 30 minutes documentary showing footages taken in 2003 which encourage donations for a suspisious charity organisation that refuse to be audited. Makes sense...
I only spoke about the idea of the guy, not the video itself (which I believe is innacurate)
On March 09 2012 12:32 rayNimagi wrote: Hmm, so if Uganda has oil this might just become another Iraq...
Honestly, even if this entire thing was a giant conspiracy to get the US into Uganda and surrounding areas for oil, it will STILL be beneficial to the African people. Our presence alone would discourage and probably destabilize any local warlords, as well as keep the Ugandan military and special forces in check.
Sure, it would be an economic drain on us just like all of our recent military endeavors, but the area would be safer. That is how bad many parts of Africa actually are.
Our forces will not only be ineffective, but they're likely to cause other tensions and have much greater blowback in the future. I honestly don't know why they focused so heavily on Uganda. The situation in Uganda is certainly not good, with the same authoritarian ruler which led to the LRA's rise in the first place, but it's not a war zone - it's a post-war rebuilding zone.
Given the letter they wrote, I think the bigger issue IC is trying to address is the fact that the LRA and splinter groups are still active in Central Africa. Not in Uganda anymore, but in Congo and Central African Republic. Small attacks in the Congo are still happening, the largest of which was a village of 300 civilians massacred in 2010. That said, I just don't think the US is equipped to capture or stop it, plus coordinating between three central African countries is a nightmare, and giving more military aid to those countries will have negative consequences in the future.
i don't think any of us in this thread have any real world expectations on how a charity should be run. remember running a charity and working for a charity are two different beasts.
i work as a phd student for 1 million dollar nfs grant. i'd suspect that anyone from the general public that looked at our spending could criticize us in a similar fashion as the person in the video above. this is also the case if you looked any other grant awardee. that said we, and other awardees, are doing our best to make advancements in our field and not wasting our research funds.
i think this charity has clear goals on what it wants to accomplish: to create public awareness about kony in hopes that it will lead to us not pulling it's resources. are any of you going to say that they were scamming us last year when they created enough public awarness to force the United States into sending ADVISORS to uganda? note that i'm not using the word soldiers. he's not pushing for us to send our armed forces to eliminate kony. he wants us to keep our advisors there to help the uganda soldiers, and the soldiers of surrounding countries, to eliminate kony by training local soldiers and support via military intelligence.
This Kony 2012 is intellectually dishonest. It looks cool to save poor African children by posting a video link doesn't it? Paternalistic shit from kids from developed countries. Helping the homeless guy you come across everyday is less epic than join a big movement to save Africa for sure. I hate it so much, this is being done so bad. Good editing, cute kid, atrocities, epic music, sad music and finally some dubstep and you have all the stupid fucks of this planet blindly joining.
On March 09 2012 16:13 TanTzoR wrote: This Kony 2012 is intellectually dishonest. It looks cool to save poor African children by posting a video link doesn't it? Paternalistic shit from kids from developed countries. Helping the homeless guy you come across everyday is less epic than join a big movement to save Africa for sure. I hate it so much, this is being done so bad. Good editing, cute kid, atrocities, epic music, sad music and finally some dubstep and you have all the stupid fucks of this planet blindly joining.
On March 09 2012 12:32 rayNimagi wrote: Hmm, so if Uganda has oil this might just become another Iraq...
Honestly, even if this entire thing was a giant conspiracy to get the US into Uganda and surrounding areas for oil, it will STILL be beneficial to the African people. Our presence alone would discourage and probably destabilize any local warlords, as well as keep the Ugandan military and special forces in check.
Sure, it would be an economic drain on us just like all of our recent military endeavors, but the area would be safer. That is how bad many parts of Africa actually are.
Our forces will not only be ineffective, but they're likely to cause other tensions and have much greater blowback in the future. I honestly don't know why they focused so heavily on Uganda. The situation in Uganda is certainly not good, with the same authoritarian ruler which led to the LRA's rise in the first place, but it's not a war zone - it's a post-war rebuilding zone.
Given the letter they wrote, I think the bigger issue IC is trying to address is the fact that the LRA and splinter groups are still active in Central Africa. Not in Uganda anymore, but in Congo and Central African Republic. Small attacks in the Congo are still happening, the largest of which was a village of 300 civilians massacred in 2010. That said, I just don't think the US is equipped to capture or stop it, plus coordinating between three central African countries is a nightmare, and giving more military aid to those countries will have negative consequences in the future.
I think your last point is a fairly important thing which no one is really considering. Some people seem to be firmly behind the idea of just helping fund military operations, which has been extremely ineffective in the past. The Taliban a while ago and Liberia more recently are two good examples of what can happen when short-term military funding is given with no long-term effectual presence in the area. Without any support in the region for a long period of time, any arming of military groups would be an extremely risky thing to do.
On March 09 2012 12:32 rayNimagi wrote: Hmm, so if Uganda has oil this might just become another Iraq...
Honestly, even if this entire thing was a giant conspiracy to get the US into Uganda and surrounding areas for oil, it will STILL be beneficial to the African people. Our presence alone would discourage and probably destabilize any local warlords, as well as keep the Ugandan military and special forces in check.
Sure, it would be an economic drain on us just like all of our recent military endeavors, but the area would be safer. That is how bad many parts of Africa actually are.
Our forces will not only be ineffective, but they're likely to cause other tensions and have much greater blowback in the future. I honestly don't know why they focused so heavily on Uganda. The situation in Uganda is certainly not good, with the same authoritarian ruler which led to the LRA's rise in the first place, but it's not a war zone - it's a post-war rebuilding zone.
Given the letter they wrote, I think the bigger issue IC is trying to address is the fact that the LRA and splinter groups are still active in Central Africa. Not in Uganda anymore, but in Congo and Central African Republic. Small attacks in the Congo are still happening, the largest of which was a village of 300 civilians massacred in 2010. That said, I just don't think the US is equipped to capture or stop it, plus coordinating between three central African countries is a nightmare, and giving more military aid to those countries will have negative consequences in the future.
I think your last point is a fairly important thing which no one is really considering. Some people seem to be firmly behind the idea of just helping fund military operations, which has been extremely ineffective in the past. The Taliban a while ago and Liberia more recently are two good examples of what can happen when short-term military funding is given with no long-term effectual presence in the area. Without any support in the region for a long period of time, any arming of military groups would be an extremely risky thing to do.
Agreed. I'm all for people caring about stuff. I'm all for using a good piece of film to persuade people using emotive imagery and language.
But military action/influence in a foreign country when the problem is essentially internal? Almost always a bad idea.
I don't trust this whole KONY 2012. I know it's intended to be a good cause to save kids, but exactly who is lying here? How the hell do we know if Joseph Kony is really what they say who he is? Why is there a lack of information on this guy when the world government is trying to convict this guy? All I found out is that he became a freedom fighter because he despise the current Ugandan government. Sounds like any other freedom fighters/rebels around the world to me.
Donating without knowing what is truly going on is stupid, especially when the money doesnt help the cause....anyways Im still waiting for more information on what is really going on. It seems like all the KONY stuffs we've been hearing were spoon-fed propaganda by Ugandan government.
On March 09 2012 17:14 TehPrime wrote: I don't trust this whole KONY 2012. I know it's intended to be a good cause to save kids, but exactly who is lying here? How the hell do we know if Joseph Kony is really what they say who he is? Why is there a lack of information on this guy when the world government is trying to convict this guy? All I found out is that he became a freedom fighter because he despise the current Ugandan government. Sounds like any other freedom fighters/rebels around the world to me.
Donating without knowing what is truly going on is stupid, especially when the money doesnt help the cause....anyways Im still waiting for more information on what is really going on. It seems like all the KONY stuffs we've been hearing were spoon-fed propaganda by Ugandan government.
Except that real freedom fighters don't use abduction to recruit, use child soldiers, force children to kill their families, or reward comrades with child sex slaves. Kony does. Real freedom fighters aim their attacks against their enemies not civilians.
Survivor testimony and the testimony of groups like the Red Cross are not property of the Ugandan government.
The Ugandan government is highly flawed and commits gross violations of human rights on a regular basis. They are incredibly homophobic and deserve international censure for their actions againts homosexuals in Uganda. Unfortunately, the sheer horror the LRA has inflicted on large regions of the country mean that focus has to go to rebuilding devastated regions that might otherwise go towards bringing Uganda as a whole into a new era of civil rights.
On March 09 2012 17:14 TehPrime wrote: I don't trust this whole KONY 2012. I know it's intended to be a good cause to save kids, but exactly who is lying here? How the hell do we know if Joseph Kony is really what they say who he is? Why is there a lack of information on this guy when the world government is trying to convict this guy? All I found out is that he became a freedom fighter because he despise the current Ugandan government. Sounds like any other freedom fighters/rebels around the world to me.
Donating without knowing what is truly going on is stupid, especially when the money doesnt help the cause....anyways Im still waiting for more information on what is really going on. It seems like all the KONY stuffs we've been hearing were spoon-fed propaganda by Ugandan government.
Except that real freedom fighters don't use abduction to recruit, use child soldiers, force children to kill their families, or reward comrades with child sex slaves. Kony does. Real freedom fighters aim their attacks against their enemies not civilians.
Survivor testimony and the testimony of groups like the Red Cross are not property of the Ugandan government.
The Ugandan government is highly flawed and commits gross violations of human rights on a regular basis. They are incredibly homophobic and deserve international censure for their actions againts homosexuals in Uganda. Unfortunately, the sheer horror the LRA has inflicted on large regions of the country mean that focus has to go to rebuilding devastated regions that might otherwise go towards bringing Uganda as a whole into a new era of civil rights.
But that's exactly what he meant. Why are you so sure he does use abduction to recruit or use child soldiers and other abominations? Stuff like this happens in every damn war! So it surely happens sometimes but on a small scale, just like in any war. When you fight a war, this is unavoidable.
On March 09 2012 17:14 TehPrime wrote: I don't trust this whole KONY 2012. I know it's intended to be a good cause to save kids, but exactly who is lying here? How the hell do we know if Joseph Kony is really what they say who he is? Why is there a lack of information on this guy when the world government is trying to convict this guy? All I found out is that he became a freedom fighter because he despise the current Ugandan government. Sounds like any other freedom fighters/rebels around the world to me.
Donating without knowing what is truly going on is stupid, especially when the money doesnt help the cause....anyways Im still waiting for more information on what is really going on. It seems like all the KONY stuffs we've been hearing were spoon-fed propaganda by Ugandan government.
Except that real freedom fighters don't use abduction to recruit, use child soldiers, force children to kill their families, or reward comrades with child sex slaves. Kony does. Real freedom fighters aim their attacks against their enemies not civilians.
Survivor testimony and the testimony of groups like the Red Cross are not property of the Ugandan government.
The Ugandan government is highly flawed and commits gross violations of human rights on a regular basis. They are incredibly homophobic and deserve international censure for their actions againts homosexuals in Uganda. Unfortunately, the sheer horror the LRA has inflicted on large regions of the country mean that focus has to go to rebuilding devastated regions that might otherwise go towards bringing Uganda as a whole into a new era of civil rights.
But that's exactly what he meant. Why are you so sure he does use abduction to recruit or use child soldiers and other abominations? Stuff like this happens in every damn war! So it surely happens sometimes but on a small scale, just like in any war. When you fight a war, this is unavoidable.
I do not remember seeing any 10 year old Americans fighting in the afghan war because they were told to do that or else get killed or mutilated.
On March 09 2012 17:14 TehPrime wrote: I don't trust this whole KONY 2012. I know it's intended to be a good cause to save kids, but exactly who is lying here? How the hell do we know if Joseph Kony is really what they say who he is? Why is there a lack of information on this guy when the world government is trying to convict this guy? All I found out is that he became a freedom fighter because he despise the current Ugandan government. Sounds like any other freedom fighters/rebels around the world to me.
Donating without knowing what is truly going on is stupid, especially when the money doesnt help the cause....anyways Im still waiting for more information on what is really going on. It seems like all the KONY stuffs we've been hearing were spoon-fed propaganda by Ugandan government.
Except that real freedom fighters don't use abduction to recruit, use child soldiers, force children to kill their families, or reward comrades with child sex slaves. Kony does. Real freedom fighters aim their attacks against their enemies not civilians.
Survivor testimony and the testimony of groups like the Red Cross are not property of the Ugandan government.
The Ugandan government is highly flawed and commits gross violations of human rights on a regular basis. They are incredibly homophobic and deserve international censure for their actions againts homosexuals in Uganda. Unfortunately, the sheer horror the LRA has inflicted on large regions of the country mean that focus has to go to rebuilding devastated regions that might otherwise go towards bringing Uganda as a whole into a new era of civil rights.
But that's exactly what he meant. Why are you so sure he does use abduction to recruit or use child soldiers and other abominations? Stuff like this happens in every damn war! So it surely happens sometimes but on a small scale, just like in any war. When you fight a war, this is unavoidable.
I do not remember seeing any 10 year old Americans fighting in the afghan war because they were told to do that or else get killed or mutilated.
Are you seriously comparing Afghan war to this, not to mention using American kids turning into child soldiers as analogy to Ugandan kids being turned into rebels?
On March 09 2012 17:14 TehPrime wrote: I don't trust this whole KONY 2012. I know it's intended to be a good cause to save kids, but exactly who is lying here? How the hell do we know if Joseph Kony is really what they say who he is? Why is there a lack of information on this guy when the world government is trying to convict this guy? All I found out is that he became a freedom fighter because he despise the current Ugandan government. Sounds like any other freedom fighters/rebels around the world to me.
Donating without knowing what is truly going on is stupid, especially when the money doesnt help the cause....anyways Im still waiting for more information on what is really going on. It seems like all the KONY stuffs we've been hearing were spoon-fed propaganda by Ugandan government.
Except that real freedom fighters don't use abduction to recruit, use child soldiers, force children to kill their families, or reward comrades with child sex slaves. Kony does. Real freedom fighters aim their attacks against their enemies not civilians.
Survivor testimony and the testimony of groups like the Red Cross are not property of the Ugandan government.
The Ugandan government is highly flawed and commits gross violations of human rights on a regular basis. They are incredibly homophobic and deserve international censure for their actions againts homosexuals in Uganda. Unfortunately, the sheer horror the LRA has inflicted on large regions of the country mean that focus has to go to rebuilding devastated regions that might otherwise go towards bringing Uganda as a whole into a new era of civil rights.
But that's exactly what he meant. Why are you so sure he does use abduction to recruit or use child soldiers and other abominations? Stuff like this happens in every damn war! So it surely happens sometimes but on a small scale, just like in any war. When you fight a war, this is unavoidable.
I do not remember seeing any 10 year old Americans fighting in the afghan war because they were told to do that or else get killed or mutilated.
On March 09 2012 17:14 TehPrime wrote: I don't trust this whole KONY 2012. I know it's intended to be a good cause to save kids, but exactly who is lying here? How the hell do we know if Joseph Kony is really what they say who he is? Why is there a lack of information on this guy when the world government is trying to convict this guy? All I found out is that he became a freedom fighter because he despise the current Ugandan government. Sounds like any other freedom fighters/rebels around the world to me.
Donating without knowing what is truly going on is stupid, especially when the money doesnt help the cause....anyways Im still waiting for more information on what is really going on. It seems like all the KONY stuffs we've been hearing were spoon-fed propaganda by Ugandan government.
Except that real freedom fighters don't use abduction to recruit, use child soldiers, force children to kill their families, or reward comrades with child sex slaves. Kony does. Real freedom fighters aim their attacks against their enemies not civilians.
Survivor testimony and the testimony of groups like the Red Cross are not property of the Ugandan government.
The Ugandan government is highly flawed and commits gross violations of human rights on a regular basis. They are incredibly homophobic and deserve international censure for their actions againts homosexuals in Uganda. Unfortunately, the sheer horror the LRA has inflicted on large regions of the country mean that focus has to go to rebuilding devastated regions that might otherwise go towards bringing Uganda as a whole into a new era of civil rights.
But that's exactly what he meant. Why are you so sure he does use abduction to recruit or use child soldiers and other abominations? Stuff like this happens in every damn war! So it surely happens sometimes but on a small scale, just like in any war. When you fight a war, this is unavoidable.
I do not remember seeing any 10 year old Americans fighting in the afghan war because they were told to do that or else get killed or mutilated.
You got that the wrong way around. What you will see is Afghan children fighting even without threat of mutilation and death. Not as many as in Africa, but yeah.
After being bombarded with your KONY 2012 crusade, I have no choice but to respond to your highly inaccurate, offensive, and harmful propaganda. I realized I had to respond in hopes of stopping you before you cause more violence and deaths to the Acholi people (Northern Ugandans), the very people you are claiming to protect.
Firstly, I would like to question your timing of this KONY 2012 crusade in Uganda when most of the violence from Joseph Kony and the LRA (The Lord's Resistance Army) has subsided in Uganda in the past 5 years. The LRA has moved onto neighboring countries like the DRC and Sudan. Why are you not urging action in the countries he is currently in? Why are you worried about Kony all of a sudden when Ugandans are not at this present moment?
This grossly illogical timing and statements on your website such as "Click here to buy your KONY 2012 products" makes me believe that the timing has more to do with your commercial interests than humanitarian interests. With the upcoming U.S. presidential elections and the waning interest in Invisible Children, it seems to be perfect timing to start a crusade. I also must add at this point how much it personally disgusts me the way in which you have commercialized a conflict in which thousands of people have died.
Secondly, I would like to address the highly inaccurate content of your video. Your video did not leave the viewer any more knowledgeable about the conflict in Uganda, but only emotionally assaulted. I could not help but notice how conveniently one-sided the "explanation" in your video was. There was absolutely no mention of the role of the Ugandan government and military in the conflict. Let alone the role of the U.S. government and military. The only information given is "KONY MUST BE STOPPED."
I would like to inform you that stopping Kony would not end the conflict. (It is correctly pronounced "Kohn" by the way). This conflict is deeply embedded in Uganda's history that neither starts nor ends with Kony. Therefore, your solution to the problem is flawed. There is no way to know the solution, without full knowledge of the problem itself. We must act on knowledge, not emotions.
Joseph Kony formed the LRA in retaliation to the brutality of President Museveni (from the south) committing mass atrocities on the Acholi people (from the north) when President Museveni came to power in 1986. This follows a long history of Ugandan politics that can be traced back to pre-colonial times. The conflict must be contextualized within this history. (If you want to have this proper knowledge, I suggest you start by working with scholars, not celebrities). President Museveni is still in power and in his reign of 26 years he has arguably killed as many, if not more Acholi people, than Joseph Kony. Why is President Museveni not demonized, let alone mentioned? I would like to give you more credit than just ignorance. I have three guesses. One is that Invisible Children has close ties with the Ugandan government and military, which it has been accused of many times. Second, is that you are willing to fight Kony, but not the U.S. Government, which openly supports President Museveni. Third, is that Invisible Children feels the need to reduce the conflict to better commercialize it.
This brings me to my third issue, the highly offensive nature of your video. Firstly, it is offensive to your viewer. The scene with your "explanation" of the conflict to your toddler son suggests that the viewers have the mental capacity of a toddler and can only handle information given in such a reductionist manner. I would like to think American teenagers and young adults (which is clearly your target audience) are smarter than your toddler son. I would hope that we are able to realize that it is not a "Star Wars" game with aliens and robots in some far off galaxy as your son suggests, but a real world conflict with real world people in Uganda. This is a real life conflict with real life consequences.
Secondly, and more importantly, it is offensive to Ugandans. The very name "Invisible Children" is offensive. You claim you make the invisible, visible. The statements, "We have seen these kids." and "No one knew about these kids." are part of your slogan. You seem to be strongly hinting that you somehow have validated and found these kids and their struggles.
Whether you see them or not, they were always there. Your having seen the kids does not validate their existence in any shape or form or bring it any more significance. You say "no one" knew about the kids. What about the kids themselves? What about the families of the kids who were killed and abducted? Are they "no one?" Are they not human?
These children are not invisible, you are making them invisible by silencing, dehumanizing, marketing, and invalidating them.
Last year I went to Gulu, Uganda, where Invisible Children is based, and interviewed over 50 locals. Every single person questioned Invisible Children's 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 didn't see or hear these voices or opinions in your video. If you are to be "saving" the Acholi people, the very least you can be doing is holding yourself accountable to them and actually listening to what they have to say.
This offensive, inaccurate misconstruction of Ugandans and its conflict makes me wonder what and whom this is really about. It seems that you feel very good about yourself being a savior, a Luke Skywalker of sorts, and same with the girl in your video who passionately states, "This is what defines us". Therefore, I can't help but wonder if Invisible Children is more about defining the American do-gooders (and making them feel good), rather than the Ugandans; profiteering the American military and corporations (which Invisible Children is officially and legally) than the conflict.
Lastly, I would like to address the harmful nature of your propaganda. I believe your actions will actually bring back the fighting in Northern Uganda. You are not asking for peace, but violence. The fighting has stopped in the past 5 years and the Acholi are finally enjoying some peace. You will be inviting the LRA and the fighting back into Uganda and disturbing this peace. The last time Invisible Children got politically involved and began lobbying it actually caused more violence and deaths. I beg you not to do it again.
If you open your eyes and see the actions of the Ugandan government and the U.S. government, you will see why. Why is it that suddenly in October of 2011 when there has been relative peace in Uganda for 4 years, President Obama decided to send troops into Uganda? Why is it that the U.S. military is so involved with AFRICOM, which has been pervading African countries, including Uganda? Why is it that U.S. has been traced to creating the very weapons that has been used in the violence? The U.S. is entering Uganda and other countries in Africa not to stop violence, but to create a new battlefield.
In your video you urge that the first course of action is that the Ugandan military needs American military and weapons. You are giving weapons to the very people who were killing the Acholi people in the first place. You are helping to open the grounds for America to make Uganda into a battlefield in which it can profit and gain power. Please recognize this is all part of a bigger military movement, not a humanitarian movement. This will cause deaths, not save lives. This will be doing more harm, than good.
You end your video with saying, "I will stop at nothing". If nothing else, will you not stop for the lives of the Acholi people? Haven't enough Acholi people suffered in the violence between the LRA and the Ugandan government? Our alliance should not be with the U.S. government or the Ugandan military or the LRA, but the Acholi people. There is a Ugandan saying that goes, "The grass will always suffer when two elephants fight." Isn't it time we let the grass grow?
Everyone should research the cause they decide to support or fund they decide to donate to before actually doing it. Its the smart thing to do, especially once you learn how to spot types of propaganda and learn to control your emotions.
lol , there is no way we can spread the message without any celebrity help and i am worried about usa action, each action they made is so intelligence that is so hard to spot.
Is there nothing the conspiracy freaks can't shit all over?
I knew about Kony before the campaign (hipster glasses) and despite the perhaps lacking non-profit group, I was glad that there was some press on the matter.
Deep down I knew there would be people like Pika Chu in this topic. He has been vomiting his worldview over several topics for a while now. His vile worldview consists of little more than justifying anything as long as the perpetrators are not white Americans.
I knew they would come and piss over the graves of children, yet it seems to be no less offensive now that they are doing it.
Don't trust them when they ask for proof. Don't humor them. They don't give a shit. You can give them hundreds of pages of well documented evidence and they will not accept it, because it doesn't fit in their perception of how the world works.
Kony and his ilk are an enemy to each person with a conscience. That is why he is a friend to Pika Chu and other conspiracy nuts like him.
On March 09 2012 19:09 zalz wrote: Is there nothing the conspiracy freaks can't shit all over?
I knew about Kony before the campaign (hipster glasses) and despite the perhaps lacking non-profit group, I was glad that there was some press on the matter.
Deep down I knew there would be people like Pika Chu in this topic. He has been vomiting his worldview over several topics for a while now. His vile worldview consists of little more than justifying anything as long as the perpetrators are not white Americans.
I knew they would come and piss over the graves of children, yet it seems to be no less offensive now that they are doing it.
Don't trust them when they ask for proof. Don't humor them. They don't give a shit. You can give them hundreds of pages of well documented evidence and they will not accept it, because it doesn't fit in their perception of how the world works.
Kony and his ilk are an enemy to each person with a conscience. That is why he is a friend to Pika Chu and other conspiracy nuts like him.
Conspiracy nuts? I beg your pardon, i'm only managing to note the obvious, which you clearly aren't.
I take your post as complete ad hominem, utter bullshit because you actually have no arguments and cannot hold a discussion which contains any views other than those you have.
And keep your hipster glasses on so we can spot you more easily, mister i wanna do good for the world so i support any military action of the west which has a thin emotional pretext.
And definitely Kony's my best friend, just as any cold blooded murderer, war monger (incredible irony that i spoke against george bush jr, i must've been faking it), rapist are my friends and i must be some kind of terrorist too because my views don't go with the mainstream western media flow.
On March 09 2012 19:09 zalz wrote: Is there nothing the conspiracy freaks can't shit all over?
I knew about Kony before the campaign (hipster glasses) and despite the perhaps lacking non-profit group, I was glad that there was some press on the matter.
Deep down I knew there would be people like Pika Chu in this topic. He has been vomiting his worldview over several topics for a while now. His vile worldview consists of little more than justifying anything as long as the perpetrators are not white Americans.
I knew they would come and piss over the graves of children, yet it seems to be no less offensive now that they are doing it.
Don't trust them when they ask for proof. Don't humor them. They don't give a shit. You can give them hundreds of pages of well documented evidence and they will not accept it, because it doesn't fit in their perception of how the world works.
Kony and his ilk are an enemy to each person with a conscience. That is why he is a friend to Pika Chu and other conspiracy nuts like him.
You could say exactly the same thing about the people who blindly accept whatever big 'benevolent' movements like these without going and looking for more evidence on their own. At least the so-called conspiracy theorists are doing research, more than most can say.
On March 09 2012 22:03 Pika Chu wrote: Conspiracy nuts? I beg your pardon, i'm only managing to note the obvious, which you clearly aren't.
The obvious. Clearly not so obvious considering only you and a handfull of like minded (or absence thereof) manage to "spot" it.
But it must be "obvious" because there is certainly no evidence to suggest any of your insane claims. Rather, all the evidence points towards the opposite. Kony is guilty, he is overwhelmingly guilty.
I take your post as complete ad hominem, utter bullshit because you actually have no arguments and cannot hold a discussion which contains any views other than those you have.
You make crazy claims without any real evidence. I reject your ridiculous claims for they have no evidence.
You have no content to attack, so only your person remains. Without evidence or content to attack, what else can I do but attack your person? Or your lack of any morality?
It is sad that you cry more when someone attacks your sickening defense of child soldiers then you do for the victims that die. Thousands of children are dead, and what are they to you? Nothing but things to laugh at as you defend the man that enabled their murder. For what? Only because he isn't American. Because in your world, America is the sole source of all evil in the world.
And keep your hipster glasses on so we can spot you more easily, mister i wanna do good for the world so i support any military action of the west which has a thin emotional pretext.
You would call child soldiers and various other atrocities and violations of basic human rights "thin emotional pretext."
You make light of these people's struggle, only because the criminal is black? Because the man that causes their horrors is black, their plight is reduced to a "thin emotional pretext"?
You seem outraged at my accusation that you have no morality, but you are doing a poor job of convincing anyone otherwise.
And definitely Kony's my best friend, just as any cold blooded murderer, war monger (incredible irony that i spoke against george bush jr, i must've been faking it), rapist are my friends and i must be some kind of terrorist too because my views don't go with the mainstream western media flow.
Of course you spoke out against George Bush.
He was white, he was American. Those are the criteria upon which you judge a persons morality.
If a non-American black person commits an atrocity such as Kony has, you rush to the man's defense. You scream that there is no evidence (even though there is more than you will ever bother to read) and when presented with evidence, you will scream that it is fake, it is propaganda and that poor Kony is a victim, a scapegoat.
You are defending child soldiering, torture, rape, oppression, and for what? Only because the man isn't American? What man would scoff at these people's suffering and pain, only because their tormentor has a black skin and was born on a different piece of dirt? No man at all.
You lack any ability to self-reflect, so you will keep repeating that you opposse the concept of child soldiers, all the while defending the practice and people that enable it. You are a hypocrite, but lacking the ability to see it.
You have defended countless atrocities in your dellusion, but this is by far the worst that you have decided to support. My god man, you are defending a man who is most obviously guilty of using child soldiers. Yet this fact does not even cause you to pause and reflect.
On March 09 2012 19:09 zalz wrote: Is there nothing the conspiracy freaks can't shit all over?
I knew about Kony before the campaign (hipster glasses) and despite the perhaps lacking non-profit group, I was glad that there was some press on the matter.
Deep down I knew there would be people like Pika Chu in this topic. He has been vomiting his worldview over several topics for a while now. His vile worldview consists of little more than justifying anything as long as the perpetrators are not white Americans.
I knew they would come and piss over the graves of children, yet it seems to be no less offensive now that they are doing it.
Don't trust them when they ask for proof. Don't humor them. They don't give a shit. You can give them hundreds of pages of well documented evidence and they will not accept it, because it doesn't fit in their perception of how the world works.
Kony and his ilk are an enemy to each person with a conscience. That is why he is a friend to Pika Chu and other conspiracy nuts like him.
You could say exactly the same thing about the people who blindly accept whatever big 'benevolent' movements like these without going and looking for more evidence on their own. At least the so-called conspiracy theorists are doing research, more than most can say.
They are not doing any research.
They simply scream that Kony is innocent. Why? Because America dislikes him, and anyone that America dislikes is their champion.
If they actually did even as little as a google search they could find the endless list of valid researches that shows the extent of the atrocities committed by Kony and his troops.
Its a misleading cause especially when most of the donations go to their bank accounts and 30% goes to the actual cause. Manipulative tactics to deceive people into giving them money. Seems like their main cause is to fund themselves.
After being bombarded with your KONY 2012 crusade, I have no choice but to respond to your highly inaccurate, offensive, and harmful propaganda. I realized I had to respond in hopes of stopping you before you cause more violence and deaths to the Acholi people (Northern Ugandans), the very people you are claiming to protect.
Firstly, I would like to question your timing of this KONY 2012 crusade in Uganda when most of the violence from Joseph Kony and the LRA (The Lord's Resistance Army) has subsided in Uganda in the past 5 years. The LRA has moved onto neighboring countries like the DRC and Sudan. Why are you not urging action in the countries he is currently in? Why are you worried about Kony all of a sudden when Ugandans are not at this present moment?
This grossly illogical timing and statements on your website such as "Click here to buy your KONY 2012 products" makes me believe that the timing has more to do with your commercial interests than humanitarian interests. With the upcoming U.S. presidential elections and the waning interest in Invisible Children, it seems to be perfect timing to start a crusade. I also must add at this point how much it personally disgusts me the way in which you have commercialized a conflict in which thousands of people have died.
Secondly, I would like to address the highly inaccurate content of your video. Your video did not leave the viewer any more knowledgeable about the conflict in Uganda, but only emotionally assaulted. I could not help but notice how conveniently one-sided the "explanation" in your video was. There was absolutely no mention of the role of the Ugandan government and military in the conflict. Let alone the role of the U.S. government and military. The only information given is "KONY MUST BE STOPPED."
I would like to inform you that stopping Kony would not end the conflict. (It is correctly pronounced "Kohn" by the way). This conflict is deeply embedded in Uganda's history that neither starts nor ends with Kony. Therefore, your solution to the problem is flawed. There is no way to know the solution, without full knowledge of the problem itself. We must act on knowledge, not emotions.
Joseph Kony formed the LRA in retaliation to the brutality of President Museveni (from the south) committing mass atrocities on the Acholi people (from the north) when President Museveni came to power in 1986. This follows a long history of Ugandan politics that can be traced back to pre-colonial times. The conflict must be contextualized within this history. (If you want to have this proper knowledge, I suggest you start by working with scholars, not celebrities). President Museveni is still in power and in his reign of 26 years he has arguably killed as many, if not more Acholi people, than Joseph Kony. Why is President Museveni not demonized, let alone mentioned? I would like to give you more credit than just ignorance. I have three guesses. One is that Invisible Children has close ties with the Ugandan government and military, which it has been accused of many times. Second, is that you are willing to fight Kony, but not the U.S. Government, which openly supports President Museveni. Third, is that Invisible Children feels the need to reduce the conflict to better commercialize it.
This brings me to my third issue, the highly offensive nature of your video. Firstly, it is offensive to your viewer. The scene with your "explanation" of the conflict to your toddler son suggests that the viewers have the mental capacity of a toddler and can only handle information given in such a reductionist manner. I would like to think American teenagers and young adults (which is clearly your target audience) are smarter than your toddler son. I would hope that we are able to realize that it is not a "Star Wars" game with aliens and robots in some far off galaxy as your son suggests, but a real world conflict with real world people in Uganda. This is a real life conflict with real life consequences.
Secondly, and more importantly, it is offensive to Ugandans. The very name "Invisible Children" is offensive. You claim you make the invisible, visible. The statements, "We have seen these kids." and "No one knew about these kids." are part of your slogan. You seem to be strongly hinting that you somehow have validated and found these kids and their struggles.
Whether you see them or not, they were always there. Your having seen the kids does not validate their existence in any shape or form or bring it any more significance. You say "no one" knew about the kids. What about the kids themselves? What about the families of the kids who were killed and abducted? Are they "no one?" Are they not human?
These children are not invisible, you are making them invisible by silencing, dehumanizing, marketing, and invalidating them.
Last year I went to Gulu, Uganda, where Invisible Children is based, and interviewed over 50 locals. Every single person questioned Invisible Children's 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 didn't see or hear these voices or opinions in your video. If you are to be "saving" the Acholi people, the very least you can be doing is holding yourself accountable to them and actually listening to what they have to say.
This offensive, inaccurate misconstruction of Ugandans and its conflict makes me wonder what and whom this is really about. It seems that you feel very good about yourself being a savior, a Luke Skywalker of sorts, and same with the girl in your video who passionately states, "This is what defines us". Therefore, I can't help but wonder if Invisible Children is more about defining the American do-gooders (and making them feel good), rather than the Ugandans; profiteering the American military and corporations (which Invisible Children is officially and legally) than the conflict.
Lastly, I would like to address the harmful nature of your propaganda. I believe your actions will actually bring back the fighting in Northern Uganda. You are not asking for peace, but violence. The fighting has stopped in the past 5 years and the Acholi are finally enjoying some peace. You will be inviting the LRA and the fighting back into Uganda and disturbing this peace. The last time Invisible Children got politically involved and began lobbying it actually caused more violence and deaths. I beg you not to do it again.
If you open your eyes and see the actions of the Ugandan government and the U.S. government, you will see why. Why is it that suddenly in October of 2011 when there has been relative peace in Uganda for 4 years, President Obama decided to send troops into Uganda? Why is it that the U.S. military is so involved with AFRICOM, which has been pervading African countries, including Uganda? Why is it that U.S. has been traced to creating the very weapons that has been used in the violence? The U.S. is entering Uganda and other countries in Africa not to stop violence, but to create a new battlefield.
In your video you urge that the first course of action is that the Ugandan military needs American military and weapons. You are giving weapons to the very people who were killing the Acholi people in the first place. You are helping to open the grounds for America to make Uganda into a battlefield in which it can profit and gain power. Please recognize this is all part of a bigger military movement, not a humanitarian movement. This will cause deaths, not save lives. This will be doing more harm, than good.
You end your video with saying, "I will stop at nothing". If nothing else, will you not stop for the lives of the Acholi people? Haven't enough Acholi people suffered in the violence between the LRA and the Ugandan government? Our alliance should not be with the U.S. government or the Ugandan military or the LRA, but the Acholi people. There is a Ugandan saying that goes, "The grass will always suffer when two elephants fight." Isn't it time we let the grass grow?
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Amber Ha
Thx for this learned alot more from this than the video. Sometimes you just need to do some research before mindlessly being mis-lead into supporting a cause..
I believe the intent of this is mostly good, but I (as most of you) don't like the methods. I don't believe this will actually accomplish that much either. I'd prefer to contribute to this cause in a another way.
It seems there is a greater need atm for restoration of that which has been corrupted in society as well as taking care of the people who have been hard-stricken from all of this. I'd much prefer advocating such noble work rather than focusing all energy on punishing the one made a lot of this happen since he (Kony) does NOT seem to be the main problem anymore.
On March 09 2012 19:09 zalz wrote: Is there nothing the conspiracy freaks can't shit all over?
I knew about Kony before the campaign (hipster glasses) and despite the perhaps lacking non-profit group, I was glad that there was some press on the matter.
Deep down I knew there would be people like Pika Chu in this topic. He has been vomiting his worldview over several topics for a while now. His vile worldview consists of little more than justifying anything as long as the perpetrators are not white Americans.
I knew they would come and piss over the graves of children, yet it seems to be no less offensive now that they are doing it.
Don't trust them when they ask for proof. Don't humor them. They don't give a shit. You can give them hundreds of pages of well documented evidence and they will not accept it, because it doesn't fit in their perception of how the world works.
Kony and his ilk are an enemy to each person with a conscience. That is why he is a friend to Pika Chu and other conspiracy nuts like him.
You could say exactly the same thing about the people who blindly accept whatever big 'benevolent' movements like these without going and looking for more evidence on their own. At least the so-called conspiracy theorists are doing research, more than most can say.
They are not doing any research.
They simply scream that Kony is innocent. Why? Because America dislikes him, and anyone that America dislikes is their champion.
If they actually did even as little as a google search they could find the endless list of valid researches that shows the extent of the atrocities committed by Kony and his troops.
America hasn't given a shit about any of this for years and years. We all know the shit that goes down in Africa and the Middle-east. America doesn't give a shit unless there's actually profit to be had for them, it's always like this for America ( see post WW2 fundings for Europe). Also I'm not saying that America is evil for doing this or the only government that does this, I'm not commenting on that at all. If the American government suddenly 'cares' about violation of human rights in Uganda and sends troops over there. You can say with 99% certainty there's alterior motives involved.
I responded to you earlier with exactly this zalz.
Let me just make clear that I do think Kony is guilty and deserves to be caught. I think it's very evil what he is doing and do not defend him in any way.
However I also don't believe that America would act solely on these reasons, as they have shown in the past that morality only is not nearly enough for them to take action. On top of that, why now? This has been going on for years and years so why does America act now? I think there's an alterior motive.
On March 09 2012 19:09 zalz wrote: Is there nothing the conspiracy freaks can't shit all over?
I knew about Kony before the campaign (hipster glasses) and despite the perhaps lacking non-profit group, I was glad that there was some press on the matter.
Deep down I knew there would be people like Pika Chu in this topic. He has been vomiting his worldview over several topics for a while now. His vile worldview consists of little more than justifying anything as long as the perpetrators are not white Americans.
I knew they would come and piss over the graves of children, yet it seems to be no less offensive now that they are doing it.
Don't trust them when they ask for proof. Don't humor them. They don't give a shit. You can give them hundreds of pages of well documented evidence and they will not accept it, because it doesn't fit in their perception of how the world works.
Kony and his ilk are an enemy to each person with a conscience. That is why he is a friend to Pika Chu and other conspiracy nuts like him.
You could say exactly the same thing about the people who blindly accept whatever big 'benevolent' movements like these without going and looking for more evidence on their own. At least the so-called conspiracy theorists are doing research, more than most can say.
They are not doing any research.
They simply scream that Kony is innocent. Why? Because America dislikes him, and anyone that America dislikes is their champion.
If they actually did even as little as a google search they could find the endless list of valid researches that shows the extent of the atrocities committed by Kony and his troops.
America hasn't given a shit about any of this for years and years. We all know the shit that goes down in Africa and the Middle-east. America doesn't give a shit unless there's actually profit to be had for them, it's always like this for America ( see post WW2 fundings for Europe). Also I'm not saying that America is evil for doing this or the only government that does this, I'm not commenting on that at all. If the American government suddenly 'cares' about violation of human rights in Uganda and sends troops over there. You can say with 99% certainty there's alterior motives involved.
I responded to you earlier with exactly this zalz.
Let me just make clear that I do think Kony is guilty and deserves to be caught. I think it's very evil what he is doing and do not defend him in any way.
However I also don't believe that America would act solely on these reasons, as they have shown in the past that morality only is not nearly enough for them to take action. On top of that, why now? This has been going on for years and years so why does America act now? I think there's an alterior motive.
"Now"
Do you even acknowledge the fact that Obama has send troops to Uganda long before this 2012 campaign?
Of course there is an ulterior motive, and here it is:
You have one greater evil and one lesser evil.
You help the lesser evil and in return you hope to get thanks for that help in terms of trade agreements or simply influence and friendships.
America doesn't have all that much influence in Africa, but it is obvious that Africa will become more important in the coming years.
But what does it matter?
Why does it matter that I catch a serial killer for the monetary reward instead of doing it because I am a cop? Doing good is doing good.
Do you really think the people of Uganda give a shit why the LRA is being defeated? They just want them to get fuck out and put a stop to the civil war.
Meanwhile people here are crying that it has to be done for the "right" reasons. You don't need to do good things for the right reasons. Doing good things for realistic reasons is fine too.
Why is America sending 240.000 tonnes of food to North-Korea? Because they are the nicest people in the world? No. Do you think the starving North-Koreans give a shit why they are getting the food? Do you think that if you tell them that they are receiving the food as a means to get North-Korea around the negotiation table, they will refuse to eat it?
Please I saw joesph kony yesterday he was sleeping on the floor in subway by 34th street sometimes he beats on his drum for money or tries to bite u when he's hungry kidding aside these raise "awareness" videos are almost pointless People see something get a million views or as a trending topic on twitter and think they have accomplished something in a week something new will take its place. Remember when save dafur Was cool.....Many countries in Africa have had problems with warlords and child soldiers forced into fighting for decades(ever see nick cages lord of war.... horrible movie but gives some insight to this topic) but it never will become a larger concern to the USA or Europe because it lacks the natural resources to be worth it to fix unlike the middle east
On March 09 2012 19:09 zalz wrote: Is there nothing the conspiracy freaks can't shit all over?
I knew about Kony before the campaign (hipster glasses) and despite the perhaps lacking non-profit group, I was glad that there was some press on the matter.
Deep down I knew there would be people like Pika Chu in this topic. He has been vomiting his worldview over several topics for a while now. His vile worldview consists of little more than justifying anything as long as the perpetrators are not white Americans.
I knew they would come and piss over the graves of children, yet it seems to be no less offensive now that they are doing it.
Don't trust them when they ask for proof. Don't humor them. They don't give a shit. You can give them hundreds of pages of well documented evidence and they will not accept it, because it doesn't fit in their perception of how the world works.
Kony and his ilk are an enemy to each person with a conscience. That is why he is a friend to Pika Chu and other conspiracy nuts like him.
You could say exactly the same thing about the people who blindly accept whatever big 'benevolent' movements like these without going and looking for more evidence on their own. At least the so-called conspiracy theorists are doing research, more than most can say.
They are not doing any research.
They simply scream that Kony is innocent. Why? Because America dislikes him, and anyone that America dislikes is their champion.
If they actually did even as little as a google search they could find the endless list of valid researches that shows the extent of the atrocities committed by Kony and his troops.
America hasn't given a shit about any of this for years and years. We all know the shit that goes down in Africa and the Middle-east. America doesn't give a shit unless there's actually profit to be had for them, it's always like this for America ( see post WW2 fundings for Europe). Also I'm not saying that America is evil for doing this or the only government that does this, I'm not commenting on that at all. If the American government suddenly 'cares' about violation of human rights in Uganda and sends troops over there. You can say with 99% certainty there's alterior motives involved.
I responded to you earlier with exactly this zalz.
Let me just make clear that I do think Kony is guilty and deserves to be caught. I think it's very evil what he is doing and do not defend him in any way.
However I also don't believe that America would act solely on these reasons, as they have shown in the past that morality only is not nearly enough for them to take action. On top of that, why now? This has been going on for years and years so why does America act now? I think there's an alterior motive.
"Now"
Do you even acknowledge the fact that Obama has send troops to Uganda long before this 2012 campaign?
Of course there is an ulterior motive, and here it is:
You have one greater evil and one lesser evil.
You help the lesser evil and in return you hope to get thanks for that help in terms of trade agreements or simply influence and friendships.
America doesn't have all that much influence in Africa, but it is obvious that Africa will become more important in the coming years.
But what does it matter?
Why does it matter that I catch a serial killer for the monetary reward instead of doing it because I am a cop? Doing good is doing good.
Do you really think the people of Uganda give a shit why the LRA is being defeated? They just want them to get fuck out and put a stop to the civil war.
Meanwhile people here are crying that it has to be done for the "right" reasons. You don't need to do good things for the right reasons. Doing good things for realistic reasons is fine too.
Why is America sending 240.000 tonnes of food to North-Korea? Because they are the nicest people in the world? No. Do you think the starving North-Koreans give a shit why they are getting the food? Do you think that if you tell them that they are receiving the food as a means to get North-Korea around the negotiation table, they will refuse to eat it?
You acknowledge that America likely has other motives, and that is not a bad thing at all ( which I can agree with depending on the motives). But you still bash these 'conspiracry theorists' on the head, because they believe exactly that?
On March 09 2012 19:09 zalz wrote: Is there nothing the conspiracy freaks can't shit all over?
I knew about Kony before the campaign (hipster glasses) and despite the perhaps lacking non-profit group, I was glad that there was some press on the matter.
Deep down I knew there would be people like Pika Chu in this topic. He has been vomiting his worldview over several topics for a while now. His vile worldview consists of little more than justifying anything as long as the perpetrators are not white Americans.
I knew they would come and piss over the graves of children, yet it seems to be no less offensive now that they are doing it.
Don't trust them when they ask for proof. Don't humor them. They don't give a shit. You can give them hundreds of pages of well documented evidence and they will not accept it, because it doesn't fit in their perception of how the world works.
Kony and his ilk are an enemy to each person with a conscience. That is why he is a friend to Pika Chu and other conspiracy nuts like him.
You could say exactly the same thing about the people who blindly accept whatever big 'benevolent' movements like these without going and looking for more evidence on their own. At least the so-called conspiracy theorists are doing research, more than most can say.
They are not doing any research.
They simply scream that Kony is innocent. Why? Because America dislikes him, and anyone that America dislikes is their champion.
If they actually did even as little as a google search they could find the endless list of valid researches that shows the extent of the atrocities committed by Kony and his troops.
America hasn't given a shit about any of this for years and years. We all know the shit that goes down in Africa and the Middle-east. America doesn't give a shit unless there's actually profit to be had for them, it's always like this for America ( see post WW2 fundings for Europe). Also I'm not saying that America is evil for doing this or the only government that does this, I'm not commenting on that at all. If the American government suddenly 'cares' about violation of human rights in Uganda and sends troops over there. You can say with 99% certainty there's alterior motives involved.
I responded to you earlier with exactly this zalz.
Let me just make clear that I do think Kony is guilty and deserves to be caught. I think it's very evil what he is doing and do not defend him in any way.
However I also don't believe that America would act solely on these reasons, as they have shown in the past that morality only is not nearly enough for them to take action. On top of that, why now? This has been going on for years and years so why does America act now? I think there's an alterior motive.
"Now"
Do you even acknowledge the fact that Obama has send troops to Uganda long before this 2012 campaign?
Of course there is an ulterior motive, and here it is:
You have one greater evil and one lesser evil.
You help the lesser evil and in return you hope to get thanks for that help in terms of trade agreements or simply influence and friendships.
America doesn't have all that much influence in Africa, but it is obvious that Africa will become more important in the coming years.
But what does it matter?
Why does it matter that I catch a serial killer for the monetary reward instead of doing it because I am a cop? Doing good is doing good.
Do you really think the people of Uganda give a shit why the LRA is being defeated? They just want them to get fuck out and put a stop to the civil war.
Meanwhile people here are crying that it has to be done for the "right" reasons. You don't need to do good things for the right reasons. Doing good things for realistic reasons is fine too.
Why is America sending 240.000 tonnes of food to North-Korea? Because they are the nicest people in the world? No. Do you think the starving North-Koreans give a shit why they are getting the food? Do you think that if you tell them that they are receiving the food as a means to get North-Korea around the negotiation table, they will refuse to eat it?
You acknowledge that America likely has other motives, and that is not a bad thing at all ( which I can agree with depending on the motives). But you still bash these 'conspiracry theorists' on the head, because they believe exactly that?
Exactly that?
I can respect a realistic scenario of political dealings.
I can't respect human garbage that goes on to pretent like Kony is an innocent little man that is being falsely accused.
These conspiracy nutjobs have the undying need to reduce the entire world into simplistic terms. Not only must America be the utmost evil, the enemy of America must be raised to sainthood.
So, in their hatred for America and their childish desire for a simplistic good/evil world, they absolve Kony of all his sins. They wave their conspiracy wand and they proclaim him innocent of everything. All his war crimes, all the documents on them, suddenly become vile American propaganda in their eyes.
They go onto their tinfoil blogs and they talk about how Kony is a paragon for human decency and his LRA is the right course for Africa.
The dead children that the LRA leaves in its wake? Those are too be pissed on by denying the crimes that were done against them.
These conspiracy theory nutjobs have no respect for the victims and raise the criminal to a saint. Why? Simply because they live in a childish black/white world where anyone that America dislikes must be pure good.
You could see the same with Putin. They couldn't accept that Putin had rigged the elections. America does not like Putin, therefore he must be a saint, therefore he could not rig any ellections, therefore any accusation, no matter how well documented, must be deemed false.
These people are moronic in their reasoning. They are untollerable due to the never ending arrogance in their own idiocy and their absence of morality.
These conspiracy freaks are a blight on a discussion at best. At worst they piss on the graves of dead children, all for the sake of propagating a good/evil worldview, so simple even a 10 year old should reject it.
On March 09 2012 19:09 zalz wrote: Is there nothing the conspiracy freaks can't shit all over?
I knew about Kony before the campaign (hipster glasses) and despite the perhaps lacking non-profit group, I was glad that there was some press on the matter.
Deep down I knew there would be people like Pika Chu in this topic. He has been vomiting his worldview over several topics for a while now. His vile worldview consists of little more than justifying anything as long as the perpetrators are not white Americans.
I knew they would come and piss over the graves of children, yet it seems to be no less offensive now that they are doing it.
Don't trust them when they ask for proof. Don't humor them. They don't give a shit. You can give them hundreds of pages of well documented evidence and they will not accept it, because it doesn't fit in their perception of how the world works.
Kony and his ilk are an enemy to each person with a conscience. That is why he is a friend to Pika Chu and other conspiracy nuts like him.
You could say exactly the same thing about the people who blindly accept whatever big 'benevolent' movements like these without going and looking for more evidence on their own. At least the so-called conspiracy theorists are doing research, more than most can say.
They are not doing any research.
They simply scream that Kony is innocent. Why? Because America dislikes him, and anyone that America dislikes is their champion.
If they actually did even as little as a google search they could find the endless list of valid researches that shows the extent of the atrocities committed by Kony and his troops.
America hasn't given a shit about any of this for years and years. We all know the shit that goes down in Africa and the Middle-east. America doesn't give a shit unless there's actually profit to be had for them, it's always like this for America ( see post WW2 fundings for Europe). Also I'm not saying that America is evil for doing this or the only government that does this, I'm not commenting on that at all. If the American government suddenly 'cares' about violation of human rights in Uganda and sends troops over there. You can say with 99% certainty there's alterior motives involved.
I responded to you earlier with exactly this zalz.
Let me just make clear that I do think Kony is guilty and deserves to be caught. I think it's very evil what he is doing and do not defend him in any way.
However I also don't believe that America would act solely on these reasons, as they have shown in the past that morality only is not nearly enough for them to take action. On top of that, why now? This has been going on for years and years so why does America act now? I think there's an alterior motive.
"Now"
Do you even acknowledge the fact that Obama has send troops to Uganda long before this 2012 campaign?
Of course there is an ulterior motive, and here it is:
You have one greater evil and one lesser evil.
You help the lesser evil and in return you hope to get thanks for that help in terms of trade agreements or simply influence and friendships.
America doesn't have all that much influence in Africa, but it is obvious that Africa will become more important in the coming years.
But what does it matter?
Why does it matter that I catch a serial killer for the monetary reward instead of doing it because I am a cop? Doing good is doing good.
Do you really think the people of Uganda give a shit why the LRA is being defeated? They just want them to get fuck out and put a stop to the civil war.
Meanwhile people here are crying that it has to be done for the "right" reasons. You don't need to do good things for the right reasons. Doing good things for realistic reasons is fine too.
Why is America sending 240.000 tonnes of food to North-Korea? Because they are the nicest people in the world? No. Do you think the starving North-Koreans give a shit why they are getting the food? Do you think that if you tell them that they are receiving the food as a means to get North-Korea around the negotiation table, they will refuse to eat it?
You acknowledge that America likely has other motives, and that is not a bad thing at all ( which I can agree with depending on the motives). But you still bash these 'conspiracry theorists' on the head, because they believe exactly that?
Exactly that?
I can respect a realistic scenario of political dealings.
I can't respect human garbage that goes on to pretent like Kony is an innocent little man that is being falsely accused.
These conspiracy nutjobs have the undying need to reduce the entire world into simplistic terms. Not only must America be the utmost evil, the enemy of America must be raised to sainthood.
So, in their hatred for America and their childish desire for a simplistic good/evil world, they absolve Kony of all his sins. They wave their conspiracy wand and they proclaim him innocent of everything. All his war crimes, all the documents on them, suddenly become vile American propaganda in their eyes.
They go onto their tinfoil blogs and they talk about how Kony is a paragon for human decency and his LRA is the right course for Africa.
The dead children that the LRA leaves in its wake? Those are too be pissed on by denying the crimes that were done against them.
These conspiracy theory nutjobs have no respect for the victims and raise the criminal to a saint. Why? Simply because they live in a childish black/white world where anyone that America dislikes must be pure good.
You could see the same with Putin. They couldn't accept that Putin had rigged the elections. America does not like Putin, therefore he must be a saint, therefore he could not rig any ellections, therefore any accusation, no matter how well documented, must be deemed false.
These people are moronic in their reasoning. They are untollerable due to the never ending arrogance in their own idiocy and their absence of morality.
These conspiracy freaks are a blight on a discussion at best. At worst they piss on the graves of dead children, all for the sake of propagating a good/evil worldview, so simple even a 10 year old should reject it.
You do everything you say others do, justifying it the same way it the same way you say they can not justify it. I cant write any more of my opinions since it would be horrifyingly indecent.
this is alload of junk, there has been inside posts released that state exactly how much money donated goes to stop this kony guy and i can say its below 35% which is pathetic.
1. Why do you keep on insinuating that i hate white people and USA?
Because first off, not only am i white but i'm also a supporter of race equality, i believe people of any color are equal and politicians should treat them as such. I do believe that any human being on the planet is equal to others no matter the country he has been born in.
I do not hate any country or any person. Just because i take a different stand and disagree with USA/NATO's does not imply i hate them. Because each of my motive for disagreeing on every action has deep rational founding and not emotional.
2. Why do keep on insinuating that i defend criminals?
I haven't mentioned any place that Kony should not be held responsible for the atrocities he did. I'm sure he did, and i'm sure the ugandan government did as well. Therefore both should be judged for their crimes. What i have stated is that donating to give weapons to the ugandan government or to push for a military action now is a very bad solution, it would only re-start the atrocities and more innocent people would get their lives destroyed. Check what ugandese bloggers have said, please read them, you obviously didn't.
Second:
I am strongly opposed to the idea of making peace by killing more people. Wars for peace are dumb. Atrocities and violence will never be stopped by guns! Only education will stop it.
You're the one who's splitting everything into a bi-dimensional world. Good and bad. Everyone who does not agree to your views is on the bad side, they lack morality.
I should stop relating to you because there's no way i or anyone can educate you in these matters. And it's really ironic how you accuse us of simplification when you're the one oversimplifying everything. To you if someone disagrees Israel's actions he's a nazi, if someone disagrees with USA's actions he's an american hater.
You're no pacifist or no good guy with high moral standards. You're just someone who's claiming that while enthusiastically clapping hands when soldiers destroy thousands of lives in the name of peace and freedom.
Not only 35% of the funds directed to help Africa is very low but that number is provided by the organisation itself, the same one that refuses to be audited by an independant party... I let you draw the conclusion.
On March 10 2012 00:09 gds wrote: Not only 35% of the funds directed to help Africa is very low but that number is provided by the organisation itself, the same one that refuses to be audited by an independant party... I let you draw the conclusion.
On March 10 2012 00:09 gds wrote: Not only 35% of the funds directed to help Africa is very low but that number is provided by the organisation itself, the same one that refuses to be audited by an independant party... I let you draw the conclusion.
Didnt they say they try to raise awareness of Joseph Kony so the US government would do something. "We printed hundreds of thousands of posters." Maybe that is where majority of the money is going.
On March 09 2012 19:09 zalz wrote: Is there nothing the conspiracy freaks can't shit all over?
I knew about Kony before the campaign (hipster glasses) and despite the perhaps lacking non-profit group, I was glad that there was some press on the matter.
Deep down I knew there would be people like Pika Chu in this topic. He has been vomiting his worldview over several topics for a while now. His vile worldview consists of little more than justifying anything as long as the perpetrators are not white Americans.
I knew they would come and piss over the graves of children, yet it seems to be no less offensive now that they are doing it.
Don't trust them when they ask for proof. Don't humor them. They don't give a shit. You can give them hundreds of pages of well documented evidence and they will not accept it, because it doesn't fit in their perception of how the world works.
Kony and his ilk are an enemy to each person with a conscience. That is why he is a friend to Pika Chu and other conspiracy nuts like him.
You could say exactly the same thing about the people who blindly accept whatever big 'benevolent' movements like these without going and looking for more evidence on their own. At least the so-called conspiracy theorists are doing research, more than most can say.
They are not doing any research.
They simply scream that Kony is innocent. Why? Because America dislikes him, and anyone that America dislikes is their champion.
If they actually did even as little as a google search they could find the endless list of valid researches that shows the extent of the atrocities committed by Kony and his troops.
I've not heard a single person say that Kony is innocent. I've heard people dislike the misinformation and the apparent scamming that is going on right now. You are putting words in these people's mouths.
On March 10 2012 00:09 Pika Chu wrote: I am strongly opposed to the idea of making peace by killing more people. Wars for peace are dumb. Atrocities and violence will never be stopped by guns! Only education will stop it.
You're the one who's splitting everything into a bi-dimensional world. Good and bad. Everyone who does not agree to your views is on the bad side, they lack morality.
I should stop relating to you because there's no way i or anyone can educate you in these matters. And it's really ironic how you accuse us of simplification when you're the one oversimplifying everything. To you if someone disagrees Israel's actions he's a nazi, if someone disagrees with USA's actions he's an american hater.
You're no pacifist or no good guy with high moral standards. You're just someone who's claiming that while enthusiastically clapping hands when soldiers destroy thousands of lives in the name of peace and freedom.
Yep, that pretty much sums it up. "Fighting for peace is like fucking for virginity."
I doubt they can independently fund a manhunt in Africa, and even if they take out this one man I doubt it'll do much for the general stability of the area. If I wanted to throw money in there to lessen conflicts, I would buy all the AKs I can from the local black markets and have them smelted.
On March 09 2012 19:09 zalz wrote: Is there nothing the conspiracy freaks can't shit all over?
I knew about Kony before the campaign (hipster glasses) and despite the perhaps lacking non-profit group, I was glad that there was some press on the matter.
Deep down I knew there would be people like Pika Chu in this topic. He has been vomiting his worldview over several topics for a while now. His vile worldview consists of little more than justifying anything as long as the perpetrators are not white Americans.
I knew they would come and piss over the graves of children, yet it seems to be no less offensive now that they are doing it.
Don't trust them when they ask for proof. Don't humor them. They don't give a shit. You can give them hundreds of pages of well documented evidence and they will not accept it, because it doesn't fit in their perception of how the world works.
Kony and his ilk are an enemy to each person with a conscience. That is why he is a friend to Pika Chu and other conspiracy nuts like him.
You could say exactly the same thing about the people who blindly accept whatever big 'benevolent' movements like these without going and looking for more evidence on their own. At least the so-called conspiracy theorists are doing research, more than most can say.
They are not doing any research.
They simply scream that Kony is innocent. Why? Because America dislikes him, and anyone that America dislikes is their champion.
If they actually did even as little as a google search they could find the endless list of valid researches that shows the extent of the atrocities committed by Kony and his troops.
America hasn't given a shit about any of this for years and years. We all know the shit that goes down in Africa and the Middle-east. America doesn't give a shit unless there's actually profit to be had for them, it's always like this for America ( see post WW2 fundings for Europe). Also I'm not saying that America is evil for doing this or the only government that does this, I'm not commenting on that at all. If the American government suddenly 'cares' about violation of human rights in Uganda and sends troops over there. You can say with 99% certainty there's alterior motives involved.
I responded to you earlier with exactly this zalz.
Let me just make clear that I do think Kony is guilty and deserves to be caught. I think it's very evil what he is doing and do not defend him in any way.
However I also don't believe that America would act solely on these reasons, as they have shown in the past that morality only is not nearly enough for them to take action. On top of that, why now? This has been going on for years and years so why does America act now? I think there's an alterior motive.
"Now"
Do you even acknowledge the fact that Obama has send troops to Uganda long before this 2012 campaign?
Of course there is an ulterior motive, and here it is:
You have one greater evil and one lesser evil.
You help the lesser evil and in return you hope to get thanks for that help in terms of trade agreements or simply influence and friendships.
America doesn't have all that much influence in Africa, but it is obvious that Africa will become more important in the coming years.
But what does it matter?
Why does it matter that I catch a serial killer for the monetary reward instead of doing it because I am a cop? Doing good is doing good.
Do you really think the people of Uganda give a shit why the LRA is being defeated? They just want them to get fuck out and put a stop to the civil war.
Meanwhile people here are crying that it has to be done for the "right" reasons. You don't need to do good things for the right reasons. Doing good things for realistic reasons is fine too.
Why is America sending 240.000 tonnes of food to North-Korea? Because they are the nicest people in the world? No. Do you think the starving North-Koreans give a shit why they are getting the food? Do you think that if you tell them that they are receiving the food as a means to get North-Korea around the negotiation table, they will refuse to eat it?
You acknowledge that America likely has other motives, and that is not a bad thing at all ( which I can agree with depending on the motives). But you still bash these 'conspiracry theorists' on the head, because they believe exactly that?
Exactly that?
I can respect a realistic scenario of political dealings.
I can't respect human garbage that goes on to pretent like Kony is an innocent little man that is being falsely accused.
These conspiracy nutjobs have the undying need to reduce the entire world into simplistic terms. Not only must America be the utmost evil, the enemy of America must be raised to sainthood.
So, in their hatred for America and their childish desire for a simplistic good/evil world, they absolve Kony of all his sins. They wave their conspiracy wand and they proclaim him innocent of everything. All his war crimes, all the documents on them, suddenly become vile American propaganda in their eyes.
They go onto their tinfoil blogs and they talk about how Kony is a paragon for human decency and his LRA is the right course for Africa.
The dead children that the LRA leaves in its wake? Those are too be pissed on by denying the crimes that were done against them.
These conspiracy theory nutjobs have no respect for the victims and raise the criminal to a saint. Why? Simply because they live in a childish black/white world where anyone that America dislikes must be pure good.
You could see the same with Putin. They couldn't accept that Putin had rigged the elections. America does not like Putin, therefore he must be a saint, therefore he could not rig any ellections, therefore any accusation, no matter how well documented, must be deemed false.
These people are moronic in their reasoning. They are untollerable due to the never ending arrogance in their own idiocy and their absence of morality.
These conspiracy freaks are a blight on a discussion at best. At worst they piss on the graves of dead children, all for the sake of propagating a good/evil worldview, so simple even a 10 year old should reject it.
Good god man, you're building a strawman larger than the empire state building. Stick to the topic. Kony may well be a horrible person, that doesn't change the fact that Invisible Children make a very good impression of being scam artists and that this whole kony-trending business is sensationalist bullshit. Terrible things happen in shithole countries, this is not news, but your google-insights about the going-ons of Uganda are several words of mouth away from fact.
After being bombarded with your KONY 2012 crusade, I have no choice but to respond to your highly inaccurate, offensive, and harmful propaganda. I realized I had to respond in hopes of stopping you before you cause more violence and deaths to the Acholi people (Northern Ugandans), the very people you are claiming to protect.
Firstly, I would like to question your timing of this KONY 2012 crusade in Uganda when most of the violence from Joseph Kony and the LRA (The Lord's Resistance Army) has subsided in Uganda in the past 5 years. The LRA has moved onto neighboring countries like the DRC and Sudan. Why are you not urging action in the countries he is currently in? Why are you worried about Kony all of a sudden when Ugandans are not at this present moment?
This grossly illogical timing and statements on your website such as "Click here to buy your KONY 2012 products" makes me believe that the timing has more to do with your commercial interests than humanitarian interests. With the upcoming U.S. presidential elections and the waning interest in Invisible Children, it seems to be perfect timing to start a crusade. I also must add at this point how much it personally disgusts me the way in which you have commercialized a conflict in which thousands of people have died.
Secondly, I would like to address the highly inaccurate content of your video. Your video did not leave the viewer any more knowledgeable about the conflict in Uganda, but only emotionally assaulted. I could not help but notice how conveniently one-sided the "explanation" in your video was. There was absolutely no mention of the role of the Ugandan government and military in the conflict. Let alone the role of the U.S. government and military. The only information given is "KONY MUST BE STOPPED."
I would like to inform you that stopping Kony would not end the conflict. (It is correctly pronounced "Kohn" by the way). This conflict is deeply embedded in Uganda's history that neither starts nor ends with Kony. Therefore, your solution to the problem is flawed. There is no way to know the solution, without full knowledge of the problem itself. We must act on knowledge, not emotions.
Joseph Kony formed the LRA in retaliation to the brutality of President Museveni (from the south) committing mass atrocities on the Acholi people (from the north) when President Museveni came to power in 1986. This follows a long history of Ugandan politics that can be traced back to pre-colonial times. The conflict must be contextualized within this history. (If you want to have this proper knowledge, I suggest you start by working with scholars, not celebrities). President Museveni is still in power and in his reign of 26 years he has arguably killed as many, if not more Acholi people, than Joseph Kony. Why is President Museveni not demonized, let alone mentioned? I would like to give you more credit than just ignorance. I have three guesses. One is that Invisible Children has close ties with the Ugandan government and military, which it has been accused of many times. Second, is that you are willing to fight Kony, but not the U.S. Government, which openly supports President Museveni. Third, is that Invisible Children feels the need to reduce the conflict to better commercialize it.
This brings me to my third issue, the highly offensive nature of your video. Firstly, it is offensive to your viewer. The scene with your "explanation" of the conflict to your toddler son suggests that the viewers have the mental capacity of a toddler and can only handle information given in such a reductionist manner. I would like to think American teenagers and young adults (which is clearly your target audience) are smarter than your toddler son. I would hope that we are able to realize that it is not a "Star Wars" game with aliens and robots in some far off galaxy as your son suggests, but a real world conflict with real world people in Uganda. This is a real life conflict with real life consequences.
Secondly, and more importantly, it is offensive to Ugandans. The very name "Invisible Children" is offensive. You claim you make the invisible, visible. The statements, "We have seen these kids." and "No one knew about these kids." are part of your slogan. You seem to be strongly hinting that you somehow have validated and found these kids and their struggles.
Whether you see them or not, they were always there. Your having seen the kids does not validate their existence in any shape or form or bring it any more significance. You say "no one" knew about the kids. What about the kids themselves? What about the families of the kids who were killed and abducted? Are they "no one?" Are they not human?
These children are not invisible, you are making them invisible by silencing, dehumanizing, marketing, and invalidating them.
Last year I went to Gulu, Uganda, where Invisible Children is based, and interviewed over 50 locals. Every single person questioned Invisible Children's 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 didn't see or hear these voices or opinions in your video. If you are to be "saving" the Acholi people, the very least you can be doing is holding yourself accountable to them and actually listening to what they have to say.
This offensive, inaccurate misconstruction of Ugandans and its conflict makes me wonder what and whom this is really about. It seems that you feel very good about yourself being a savior, a Luke Skywalker of sorts, and same with the girl in your video who passionately states, "This is what defines us". Therefore, I can't help but wonder if Invisible Children is more about defining the American do-gooders (and making them feel good), rather than the Ugandans; profiteering the American military and corporations (which Invisible Children is officially and legally) than the conflict.
Lastly, I would like to address the harmful nature of your propaganda. I believe your actions will actually bring back the fighting in Northern Uganda. You are not asking for peace, but violence. The fighting has stopped in the past 5 years and the Acholi are finally enjoying some peace. You will be inviting the LRA and the fighting back into Uganda and disturbing this peace. The last time Invisible Children got politically involved and began lobbying it actually caused more violence and deaths. I beg you not to do it again.
If you open your eyes and see the actions of the Ugandan government and the U.S. government, you will see why. Why is it that suddenly in October of 2011 when there has been relative peace in Uganda for 4 years, President Obama decided to send troops into Uganda? Why is it that the U.S. military is so involved with AFRICOM, which has been pervading African countries, including Uganda? Why is it that U.S. has been traced to creating the very weapons that has been used in the violence? The U.S. is entering Uganda and other countries in Africa not to stop violence, but to create a new battlefield.
In your video you urge that the first course of action is that the Ugandan military needs American military and weapons. You are giving weapons to the very people who were killing the Acholi people in the first place. You are helping to open the grounds for America to make Uganda into a battlefield in which it can profit and gain power. Please recognize this is all part of a bigger military movement, not a humanitarian movement. This will cause deaths, not save lives. This will be doing more harm, than good.
You end your video with saying, "I will stop at nothing". If nothing else, will you not stop for the lives of the Acholi people? Haven't enough Acholi people suffered in the violence between the LRA and the Ugandan government? Our alliance should not be with the U.S. government or the Ugandan military or the LRA, but the Acholi people. There is a Ugandan saying that goes, "The grass will always suffer when two elephants fight." Isn't it time we let the grass grow?
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Amber Ha
Thx for this learned alot more from this than the video. Sometimes you just need to do some research before mindlessly being mis-lead into supporting a cause..
Yeah that blog is not creditable in any sense of the word.
On the about me it even says to take his words with a grain of salt.
You all are missing the point with this scam conspiracy.
Joseph Kony is a criminal, and he uses children as his soldiers.
On that day and over the following three weeks, the LRA beat to death more than 800 people in north-eastern DR Congo and South Sudan, and abducted hundreds more.
This is the last paragraph of the BBC article.
He believes himself to be a Spiritual Medium, akin to the cult-like embrace Charles Manson created for himself. Charles Manson also killed people, mostly threw convincing other people to do it for him, much like Kony.
You cannot argue that Kony is a person who needs to be stopped, just like Charles Manson.
Where most of you find problems is the Invisible Children. I say fuck the Invisible Children, forget about them. Just raise awareness of Kony for the government to take note of, so they can invest resources into. The whole point of this plan is to do just that. The poster's and box's are tools to advance this, however you can do it without these.
Don't get so tied up in your conspiracy theories that you forget the reason why they are bringing Kony up in the first place, to stop a killer.
After being bombarded with your KONY 2012 crusade, I have no choice but to respond to your highly inaccurate, offensive, and harmful propaganda. I realized I had to respond in hopes of stopping you before you cause more violence and deaths to the Acholi people (Northern Ugandans), the very people you are claiming to protect.
Firstly, I would like to question your timing of this KONY 2012 crusade in Uganda when most of the violence from Joseph Kony and the LRA (The Lord's Resistance Army) has subsided in Uganda in the past 5 years. The LRA has moved onto neighboring countries like the DRC and Sudan. Why are you not urging action in the countries he is currently in? Why are you worried about Kony all of a sudden when Ugandans are not at this present moment?
This grossly illogical timing and statements on your website such as "Click here to buy your KONY 2012 products" makes me believe that the timing has more to do with your commercial interests than humanitarian interests. With the upcoming U.S. presidential elections and the waning interest in Invisible Children, it seems to be perfect timing to start a crusade. I also must add at this point how much it personally disgusts me the way in which you have commercialized a conflict in which thousands of people have died.
Secondly, I would like to address the highly inaccurate content of your video. Your video did not leave the viewer any more knowledgeable about the conflict in Uganda, but only emotionally assaulted. I could not help but notice how conveniently one-sided the "explanation" in your video was. There was absolutely no mention of the role of the Ugandan government and military in the conflict. Let alone the role of the U.S. government and military. The only information given is "KONY MUST BE STOPPED."
I would like to inform you that stopping Kony would not end the conflict. (It is correctly pronounced "Kohn" by the way). This conflict is deeply embedded in Uganda's history that neither starts nor ends with Kony. Therefore, your solution to the problem is flawed. There is no way to know the solution, without full knowledge of the problem itself. We must act on knowledge, not emotions.
Joseph Kony formed the LRA in retaliation to the brutality of President Museveni (from the south) committing mass atrocities on the Acholi people (from the north) when President Museveni came to power in 1986. This follows a long history of Ugandan politics that can be traced back to pre-colonial times. The conflict must be contextualized within this history. (If you want to have this proper knowledge, I suggest you start by working with scholars, not celebrities). President Museveni is still in power and in his reign of 26 years he has arguably killed as many, if not more Acholi people, than Joseph Kony. Why is President Museveni not demonized, let alone mentioned? I would like to give you more credit than just ignorance. I have three guesses. One is that Invisible Children has close ties with the Ugandan government and military, which it has been accused of many times. Second, is that you are willing to fight Kony, but not the U.S. Government, which openly supports President Museveni. Third, is that Invisible Children feels the need to reduce the conflict to better commercialize it.
This brings me to my third issue, the highly offensive nature of your video. Firstly, it is offensive to your viewer. The scene with your "explanation" of the conflict to your toddler son suggests that the viewers have the mental capacity of a toddler and can only handle information given in such a reductionist manner. I would like to think American teenagers and young adults (which is clearly your target audience) are smarter than your toddler son. I would hope that we are able to realize that it is not a "Star Wars" game with aliens and robots in some far off galaxy as your son suggests, but a real world conflict with real world people in Uganda. This is a real life conflict with real life consequences.
Secondly, and more importantly, it is offensive to Ugandans. The very name "Invisible Children" is offensive. You claim you make the invisible, visible. The statements, "We have seen these kids." and "No one knew about these kids." are part of your slogan. You seem to be strongly hinting that you somehow have validated and found these kids and their struggles.
Whether you see them or not, they were always there. Your having seen the kids does not validate their existence in any shape or form or bring it any more significance. You say "no one" knew about the kids. What about the kids themselves? What about the families of the kids who were killed and abducted? Are they "no one?" Are they not human?
These children are not invisible, you are making them invisible by silencing, dehumanizing, marketing, and invalidating them.
Last year I went to Gulu, Uganda, where Invisible Children is based, and interviewed over 50 locals. Every single person questioned Invisible Children's 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 didn't see or hear these voices or opinions in your video. If you are to be "saving" the Acholi people, the very least you can be doing is holding yourself accountable to them and actually listening to what they have to say.
This offensive, inaccurate misconstruction of Ugandans and its conflict makes me wonder what and whom this is really about. It seems that you feel very good about yourself being a savior, a Luke Skywalker of sorts, and same with the girl in your video who passionately states, "This is what defines us". Therefore, I can't help but wonder if Invisible Children is more about defining the American do-gooders (and making them feel good), rather than the Ugandans; profiteering the American military and corporations (which Invisible Children is officially and legally) than the conflict.
Lastly, I would like to address the harmful nature of your propaganda. I believe your actions will actually bring back the fighting in Northern Uganda. You are not asking for peace, but violence. The fighting has stopped in the past 5 years and the Acholi are finally enjoying some peace. You will be inviting the LRA and the fighting back into Uganda and disturbing this peace. The last time Invisible Children got politically involved and began lobbying it actually caused more violence and deaths. I beg you not to do it again.
If you open your eyes and see the actions of the Ugandan government and the U.S. government, you will see why. Why is it that suddenly in October of 2011 when there has been relative peace in Uganda for 4 years, President Obama decided to send troops into Uganda? Why is it that the U.S. military is so involved with AFRICOM, which has been pervading African countries, including Uganda? Why is it that U.S. has been traced to creating the very weapons that has been used in the violence? The U.S. is entering Uganda and other countries in Africa not to stop violence, but to create a new battlefield.
In your video you urge that the first course of action is that the Ugandan military needs American military and weapons. You are giving weapons to the very people who were killing the Acholi people in the first place. You are helping to open the grounds for America to make Uganda into a battlefield in which it can profit and gain power. Please recognize this is all part of a bigger military movement, not a humanitarian movement. This will cause deaths, not save lives. This will be doing more harm, than good.
You end your video with saying, "I will stop at nothing". If nothing else, will you not stop for the lives of the Acholi people? Haven't enough Acholi people suffered in the violence between the LRA and the Ugandan government? Our alliance should not be with the U.S. government or the Ugandan military or the LRA, but the Acholi people. There is a Ugandan saying that goes, "The grass will always suffer when two elephants fight." Isn't it time we let the grass grow?
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Amber Ha
Thx for this learned alot more from this than the video. Sometimes you just need to do some research before mindlessly being mis-lead into supporting a cause..
Yeah that blog is not creditable in any sense of the word.
On the about me it even says to take his words with a grain of salt.
On that day and over the following three weeks, the LRA beat to death more than 800 people in north-eastern DR Congo and South Sudan, and abducted hundreds more.
This is the last paragraph of the BBC article.
He believes himself to be a Spiritual Medium, akin to the cult-like embrace Charles Manson created for himself. Charles Manson also killed people, mostly threw convincing other people to do it for him, much like Kony.
You cannot argue that Kony is a person who needs to be stopped, just like Charles Manson.
Where most of you find problems is the Invisible Children. I say fuck the Invisible Children, forget about them. Just raise awareness of Kony for the government to take note of, so they can invest resources into. The whole point of this plan is to do just that. The poster's and box's are tools to advance this, however you can do it without these.
Don't get so tied up in your conspiracy theories that you forget the reason why they are bringing Kony up in the first place, to stop a killer.
Raising the awareness on Kony would lead people to also become known with Invisible Children, and since the vast majority of people is not on forums and exposed to the criticism of them, they might even want to support them. Which is a bad thing.
After being bombarded with your KONY 2012 crusade, I have no choice but to respond to your highly inaccurate, offensive, and harmful propaganda. I realized I had to respond in hopes of stopping you before you cause more violence and deaths to the Acholi people (Northern Ugandans), the very people you are claiming to protect.
Firstly, I would like to question your timing of this KONY 2012 crusade in Uganda when most of the violence from Joseph Kony and the LRA (The Lord's Resistance Army) has subsided in Uganda in the past 5 years. The LRA has moved onto neighboring countries like the DRC and Sudan. Why are you not urging action in the countries he is currently in? Why are you worried about Kony all of a sudden when Ugandans are not at this present moment?
This grossly illogical timing and statements on your website such as "Click here to buy your KONY 2012 products" makes me believe that the timing has more to do with your commercial interests than humanitarian interests. With the upcoming U.S. presidential elections and the waning interest in Invisible Children, it seems to be perfect timing to start a crusade. I also must add at this point how much it personally disgusts me the way in which you have commercialized a conflict in which thousands of people have died.
Secondly, I would like to address the highly inaccurate content of your video. Your video did not leave the viewer any more knowledgeable about the conflict in Uganda, but only emotionally assaulted. I could not help but notice how conveniently one-sided the "explanation" in your video was. There was absolutely no mention of the role of the Ugandan government and military in the conflict. Let alone the role of the U.S. government and military. The only information given is "KONY MUST BE STOPPED."
I would like to inform you that stopping Kony would not end the conflict. (It is correctly pronounced "Kohn" by the way). This conflict is deeply embedded in Uganda's history that neither starts nor ends with Kony. Therefore, your solution to the problem is flawed. There is no way to know the solution, without full knowledge of the problem itself. We must act on knowledge, not emotions.
Joseph Kony formed the LRA in retaliation to the brutality of President Museveni (from the south) committing mass atrocities on the Acholi people (from the north) when President Museveni came to power in 1986. This follows a long history of Ugandan politics that can be traced back to pre-colonial times. The conflict must be contextualized within this history. (If you want to have this proper knowledge, I suggest you start by working with scholars, not celebrities). President Museveni is still in power and in his reign of 26 years he has arguably killed as many, if not more Acholi people, than Joseph Kony. Why is President Museveni not demonized, let alone mentioned? I would like to give you more credit than just ignorance. I have three guesses. One is that Invisible Children has close ties with the Ugandan government and military, which it has been accused of many times. Second, is that you are willing to fight Kony, but not the U.S. Government, which openly supports President Museveni. Third, is that Invisible Children feels the need to reduce the conflict to better commercialize it.
This brings me to my third issue, the highly offensive nature of your video. Firstly, it is offensive to your viewer. The scene with your "explanation" of the conflict to your toddler son suggests that the viewers have the mental capacity of a toddler and can only handle information given in such a reductionist manner. I would like to think American teenagers and young adults (which is clearly your target audience) are smarter than your toddler son. I would hope that we are able to realize that it is not a "Star Wars" game with aliens and robots in some far off galaxy as your son suggests, but a real world conflict with real world people in Uganda. This is a real life conflict with real life consequences.
Secondly, and more importantly, it is offensive to Ugandans. The very name "Invisible Children" is offensive. You claim you make the invisible, visible. The statements, "We have seen these kids." and "No one knew about these kids." are part of your slogan. You seem to be strongly hinting that you somehow have validated and found these kids and their struggles.
Whether you see them or not, they were always there. Your having seen the kids does not validate their existence in any shape or form or bring it any more significance. You say "no one" knew about the kids. What about the kids themselves? What about the families of the kids who were killed and abducted? Are they "no one?" Are they not human?
These children are not invisible, you are making them invisible by silencing, dehumanizing, marketing, and invalidating them.
Last year I went to Gulu, Uganda, where Invisible Children is based, and interviewed over 50 locals. Every single person questioned Invisible Children's 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 didn't see or hear these voices or opinions in your video. If you are to be "saving" the Acholi people, the very least you can be doing is holding yourself accountable to them and actually listening to what they have to say.
This offensive, inaccurate misconstruction of Ugandans and its conflict makes me wonder what and whom this is really about. It seems that you feel very good about yourself being a savior, a Luke Skywalker of sorts, and same with the girl in your video who passionately states, "This is what defines us". Therefore, I can't help but wonder if Invisible Children is more about defining the American do-gooders (and making them feel good), rather than the Ugandans; profiteering the American military and corporations (which Invisible Children is officially and legally) than the conflict.
Lastly, I would like to address the harmful nature of your propaganda. I believe your actions will actually bring back the fighting in Northern Uganda. You are not asking for peace, but violence. The fighting has stopped in the past 5 years and the Acholi are finally enjoying some peace. You will be inviting the LRA and the fighting back into Uganda and disturbing this peace. The last time Invisible Children got politically involved and began lobbying it actually caused more violence and deaths. I beg you not to do it again.
If you open your eyes and see the actions of the Ugandan government and the U.S. government, you will see why. Why is it that suddenly in October of 2011 when there has been relative peace in Uganda for 4 years, President Obama decided to send troops into Uganda? Why is it that the U.S. military is so involved with AFRICOM, which has been pervading African countries, including Uganda? Why is it that U.S. has been traced to creating the very weapons that has been used in the violence? The U.S. is entering Uganda and other countries in Africa not to stop violence, but to create a new battlefield.
In your video you urge that the first course of action is that the Ugandan military needs American military and weapons. You are giving weapons to the very people who were killing the Acholi people in the first place. You are helping to open the grounds for America to make Uganda into a battlefield in which it can profit and gain power. Please recognize this is all part of a bigger military movement, not a humanitarian movement. This will cause deaths, not save lives. This will be doing more harm, than good.
You end your video with saying, "I will stop at nothing". If nothing else, will you not stop for the lives of the Acholi people? Haven't enough Acholi people suffered in the violence between the LRA and the Ugandan government? Our alliance should not be with the U.S. government or the Ugandan military or the LRA, but the Acholi people. There is a Ugandan saying that goes, "The grass will always suffer when two elephants fight." Isn't it time we let the grass grow?
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Amber Ha
Thx for this learned alot more from this than the video. Sometimes you just need to do some research before mindlessly being mis-lead into supporting a cause..
Yeah that blog is not creditable in any sense of the word.
On the about me it even says to take his words with a grain of salt.
You all are missing the point with this scam conspiracy.
Joseph Kony is a criminal, and he uses children as his soldiers.
On that day and over the following three weeks, the LRA beat to death more than 800 people in north-eastern DR Congo and South Sudan, and abducted hundreds more.
This is the last paragraph of the BBC article.
He believes himself to be a Spiritual Medium, akin to the cult-like embrace Charles Manson created for himself. Charles Manson also killed people, mostly threw convincing other people to do it for him, much like Kony.
You cannot argue that Kony is a person who needs to be stopped, just like Charles Manson.
Where most of you find problems is the Invisible Children. I say fuck the Invisible Children, forget about them. Just raise awareness of Kony for the government to take note of, so they can invest resources into. The whole point of this plan is to do just that. The poster's and box's are tools to advance this, however you can do it without these.
Don't get so tied up in your conspiracy theories that you forget the reason why they are bringing Kony up in the first place, to stop a killer.
Raising the awareness on Kony would lead people to also become known with Invisible Children, and since the vast majority of people is not on forums and exposed to the criticism of them, they might even want to support them. Which is a bad thing.
In KONY 2012 video, they say they haven't been able to find Joseph Kony for almost decade, even the world or Ugandan government.
But this one journalist did. Gee, I wonder how?
As the title says, somebody is lying. Or more like multiple people are lying.
This video was taken from a well-documented 2006 interview. I realize it's impossible to read ALL the material linked in this thread, but it was already posted: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/5124762.stm This video proves two things: Kony is blatently lying about war atrocities, and IC are misleading us to believe he is less accessible than he likely truly is.
I don't know which side of the argument this supports.
In KONY 2012 video, they say they haven't been able to find Joseph Kony for almost decade, even the world or Ugandan government.
But this one journalist did. Gee, I wonder how?
As the title says, somebody is lying. Or more like multiple people are lying.
This video was taken from a well-documented 2006 interview. I realize it's impossible to read ALL the material linked in this thread, but it was already posted: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/5124762.stm This video proves two things: Kony is blatently lying about war atrocities, and IC are misleading us to believe he is less accessible than he likely truly is.
I don't know which side of the argument this supports.
Osama Bin Laden also had interviews. It took us 10 years from 9/11 to be able to take him out.
I can't find the source to verify, however i recall the journalists being blindfolded and driven to a rendezvous location in order to conduct the interview.
What I saw was a film that was meant to evoke a purely emotional reaction, then get into your wallet. I'm constantly amazed at how many people get suckered into forking over their money by bypassing their logic circuits. If that video compelled you to make a difference in the world there are far better organizations to support.
On March 10 2012 04:19 Karnage77 wrote: What I saw was a film that was meant to evoke a purely emotional reaction, then get into your wallet. I'm constantly amazed at how many people get suckered into forking over their money by bypassing their logic circuits. If that video compelled you to make a difference in the world there are far better organizations to support.
I would challenge you to name one organization, company, or individual who does not use emotion to market a idea.
Aside from the basic need of humans being food, shelter, air, warmth, and debatably sex, a human needs nothing else in this world. Everything you choose to purchase is based on an emotional need. + Show Spoiler [Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs] +
On March 10 2012 03:37 TuElite wrote: Definitely having people support IC and unknowingly founding a military.
What is your source that IC is founding a military?
IC usse some of the donations to fund the govt. military. I'll find the source when I have time.
on topic: I still think this is retarded. The motives is good but the execution and whole planning is dumb. Hell they act like this is a giant RECENT problem and Kony is the kingpin. Some warlords were known to kidnap/recruit children into their army their philosophy being that a bullet from a 10 year old is just as effective from an adult...
On March 10 2012 03:37 TuElite wrote: Definitely having people support IC and unknowingly founding a military.
What is your source that IC is founding a military?
Go back and read the thread.
It was not in the OP, so I did a google search on "Invisible Children Military". What I came up with was people thinking IC is funding the Ugandan Military. Correct me if I am wrong. Next I googled "Invisible Children funding Ugandan Military". I couldn't find a reliable source to confirm that.
On March 09 2012 23:48 samscraft wrote: this is alload of junk, there has been inside posts released that state exactly how much money donated goes to stop this kony guy and i can say its below 35% which is pathetic.
First of all a link to these inside posts is needed for you post what you did.
Second of all calling any attempt to stop a man breaking as many human rights laws as Kony is while you have probably done shit fuck all to stop what's happening in any way is outrageous. Even if it is only 35%, this guy is actually doing something to stop evil in the world and bringing people together to do so. This guy should be making money for his efforts because he is making a real change.
And at least have a well thought-out paragraph ready before you call a organization that's helping people in the world "alload of junk".
On March 09 2012 23:48 samscraft wrote: this is alload of junk, there has been inside posts released that state exactly how much money donated goes to stop this kony guy and i can say its below 35% which is pathetic.
First of all a link to these inside posts is needed for you post what you did.
Second of all calling any attempt to stop a man breaking as many human rights laws as Kony is while you have probably done shit fuck all to stop what's happening in any way is outrageous. Even if it is only 35%, this guy is actually doing something to stop evil in the world and bringing people together to do so. This guy should be making money for his efforts because he is making a real change.
And at least have a well thought-out paragraph ready before you call a organization that's helping people in the world "alload of junk".
I have to agree. A statistic not backed up by anything is very likely to be wrong. Saying it is an inside source does not increase it's validity.
On March 09 2012 23:48 samscraft wrote: this is alload of junk, there has been inside posts released that state exactly how much money donated goes to stop this kony guy and i can say its below 35% which is pathetic.
First of all a link to these inside posts is needed for you post what you did.
Second of all calling any attempt to stop a man breaking as many human rights laws as Kony is while you have probably done shit fuck all to stop what's happening in any way is outrageous. Even if it is only 35%, this guy is actually doing something to stop evil in the world and bringing people together to do so. This guy should be making money for his efforts because he is making a real change.
And at least have a well thought-out paragraph ready before you call a organization that's helping people in the world "alload of junk".
Except Kony is not even in Uganda and he's not the only warlord. This is just purely a marketing scam.
On March 09 2012 23:48 samscraft wrote: this is alload of junk, there has been inside posts released that state exactly how much money donated goes to stop this kony guy and i can say its below 35% which is pathetic.
First of all a link to these inside posts is needed for you post what you did.
Second of all calling any attempt to stop a man breaking as many human rights laws as Kony is while you have probably done shit fuck all to stop what's happening in any way is outrageous. Even if it is only 35%, this guy is actually doing something to stop evil in the world and bringing people together to do so. This guy should be making money for his efforts because he is making a real change.
And at least have a well thought-out paragraph ready before you call a organization that's helping people in the world "alload of junk".
This is a pretty bad argument. You're basically saying, who cares if they're taking your money for themselves at least they're doing a little bit! You're not doing anything!
That's not how a non profit organization works in my book ( yeah yeah the money goes towards videos blerp derp they take a fair share as 'welldeserved' salary) and there's better organizations to spend your money on. Like doctors without borders.
Thereby the 35% that is going somewhere is going to the Ugandian army which isn't the best direction for it to take as many people do think.
On March 09 2012 23:48 samscraft wrote: this is alload of junk, there has been inside posts released that state exactly how much money donated goes to stop this kony guy and i can say its below 35% which is pathetic.
First of all a link to these inside posts is needed for you post what you did.
Second of all calling any attempt to stop a man breaking as many human rights laws as Kony is while you have probably done shit fuck all to stop what's happening in any way is outrageous. Even if it is only 35%, this guy is actually doing something to stop evil in the world and bringing people together to do so. This guy should be making money for his efforts because he is making a real change.
And at least have a well thought-out paragraph ready before you call a organization that's helping people in the world "alload of junk".
I have to agree. A statistic not backed up by anything is very likely to be wrong. Saying it is an inside source does not increase it's validity.
All these sources you're looking for are ALL OVER this thread, go back a few pages and be englightened.
On March 10 2012 04:56 AgentChaos wrote: half the people chanting 'kony 2012' doesnt even know where uganda is
half the people chanting 'kony 2012' don't even know where uganda is**
And you don't even know the English language! At least they're trying to do something instead of sitting infront of a computer bashing the people who actually are doing something. I wish people like you were in the public eye like orb so your career could be crushed for saying stupid shit like "half the people chanting 'kony 2012' doesnt even know where uganda is".
On March 09 2012 23:48 samscraft wrote: this is alload of junk, there has been inside posts released that state exactly how much money donated goes to stop this kony guy and i can say its below 35% which is pathetic.
First of all a link to these inside posts is needed for you post what you did.
Second of all calling any attempt to stop a man breaking as many human rights laws as Kony is while you have probably done shit fuck all to stop what's happening in any way is outrageous. Even if it is only 35%, this guy is actually doing something to stop evil in the world and bringing people together to do so. This guy should be making money for his efforts because he is making a real change.
And at least have a well thought-out paragraph ready before you call a organization that's helping people in the world "alload of junk".
I have to agree. A statistic not backed up by anything is very likely to be wrong. Saying it is an inside source does not increase it's validity.
All these sources you're looking for are ALL OVER this thread, go back a few pages and be englightened.
Then read my second comment... edit: sorry I just saw your response from before
On March 09 2012 23:48 samscraft wrote: this is alload of junk, there has been inside posts released that state exactly how much money donated goes to stop this kony guy and i can say its below 35% which is pathetic.
First of all a link to these inside posts is needed for you post what you did.
Second of all calling any attempt to stop a man breaking as many human rights laws as Kony is while you have probably done shit fuck all to stop what's happening in any way is outrageous. Even if it is only 35%, this guy is actually doing something to stop evil in the world and bringing people together to do so. This guy should be making money for his efforts because he is making a real change.
And at least have a well thought-out paragraph ready before you call a organization that's helping people in the world "alload of junk".
This is a pretty bad argument. You're basically saying, who cares if they're taking your money for themselves at least they're doing a little bit! You're not doing anything!
That's not how a non profit organization works in my book ( yeah yeah the money goes towards videos blerp derp they take a fair share as 'welldeserved' salary) and there's better organizations to spend your money on. Like doctors without borders.
Thereby the 35% that is going somewhere is going to the Ugandian army which isn't the best direction for it to take as many people do think.
I never said it couldn't be done better. I was simply saying don't bash them for doing something, even if that something could be done much better. You don't have to give them your money but don't bash a organization trying to help others, as it will always make you look like a total douche and quite frankly anyone who does insult this organization is a total douche
On March 09 2012 23:48 samscraft wrote: this is alload of junk, there has been inside posts released that state exactly how much money donated goes to stop this kony guy and i can say its below 35% which is pathetic.
First of all a link to these inside posts is needed for you post what you did.
Second of all calling any attempt to stop a man breaking as many human rights laws as Kony is while you have probably done shit fuck all to stop what's happening in any way is outrageous. Even if it is only 35%, this guy is actually doing something to stop evil in the world and bringing people together to do so. This guy should be making money for his efforts because he is making a real change.
And at least have a well thought-out paragraph ready before you call a organization that's helping people in the world "alload of junk".
I have to agree. A statistic not backed up by anything is very likely to be wrong. Saying it is an inside source does not increase it's validity.
All these sources you're looking for are ALL OVER this thread, go back a few pages and be englightened.
That figure is most certainly incorrect. The actual percentage is 31. Its just a matter of reading their own bookkeeping.
On March 08 2012 14:17 emc wrote: did the mods of the forum change the title of the thread?
the directors of the movie wanted it to make him "famous" not "infamous" even if that's what they really meant. Not sure why the mods had to change the title, must not have watched the film.
To be honest, this movement's rallying line of "make Kony famous" just annoys me so much. Making him "famous" implies a positive connotation, it sounds like they're trying to get Kony elected for 2012.
it only implies that if you didn't watch the video, anyone with a brain who watched it clearly understands why the director wanted him to be "famous". Maybe he originally wanted infamous but thought there would be a lot more attention given with "famous". And also look at it this way, he wanted average, every day people who use facebook and twitter to get their attention. The title of the movie got my attention and it certainly has gotten the attention of over 52 million people.
Could it had a different title? yes? but I think the one that was given is actually perfect and I don't feel mislead because of it. Sorry if you think that this would imply he is a good guy for some reason.
I'm glad the mods changed the title to what it is now instead of bastardizing the directors vision for his movie title. I'd be upset if I made a movie, someone created a thread with my movie title then was later changed because a mod with god complex decided it wasn't up to his standards.
not sure if this was posted or not in the 26 pages of this thread, but here is the truth from someone who knows from personal experience what she is talking about.
The LRA and Kony were pushed out of Africa years ago, and he is not the problem in Uganda. Invisible Children keeps 68% of their profits for themselves, while funding the Ugandan military with money which can't be used for anything other than stopping Kony, who ISNT even in Uganda.
Long story short, people on Facebook and other media sites are dumb and blind to real problems in this world, and will jump on any cause that puts together a well-made video without doing their research. Syria is a real problem in this world, yet no one even knows what is happening there.
On March 09 2012 16:13 TanTzoR wrote: This Kony 2012 is intellectually dishonest. It looks cool to save poor African children by posting a video link doesn't it? Paternalistic shit from kids from developed countries. Helping the homeless guy you come across everyday is less epic than join a big movement to save Africa for sure. I hate it so much, this is being done so bad. Good editing, cute kid, atrocities, epic music, sad music and finally some dubstep and you have all the stupid fucks of this planet blindly joining.
guys, do u think everything is fine, just because u hear nothing in the news about africa??? human right violations happen over there every day, but its radio silence... now some video, backed buy the cooperations that have material interest their screem war? c´mon get real: its all about oil and rare earths that china is buying and the U.S.S.A wants under their empire
same thing in syria and libya...one oil rich region over there just declared independence, just like ol´ times: Divide and Conquer!
colonialism at its best, and we should support that?? wtf
Where are people getting the 33% figure? Was there an independent audit or something? I quickly looked at the financials of IC and saw that out of $13.7 million on revenue, $7.16 miillion was spent on program services. That's more than 50% already. The payment for management and fundraising is about $1.7 million, and the rest was kept as net income to the organization. My guess is they're planning to use the extra income for expansion. They also had a LOSS of $1million in 2009 and a gain of only $189,000 in 2010.
Plus IC isn't like Red Cross. They're an awareness organization. So I wouldn't be surprised if much of their funds simply go towards things things focused on domestic media and such rather than rebuilding the infrastructure in Uganda.
Anyhow, I don't see where the 33% talk is coming from. If there is reason to believe they are misappropriating funds, then people need to bring evidence to this claim rather than just saying it "just cuz it's on the internet." I'm not really a supporter of an "awareness program" like IC, but I do think that the organization is trying its best to fulfill its mission.
Edit: Oh I see now. If you take out the cost of awareness programs then the percentage drops down to around 37%. :/ But that's not representative of their expenses on awareness and media. It's well above that percentage.
On March 09 2012 23:48 samscraft wrote: this is alload of junk, there has been inside posts released that state exactly how much money donated goes to stop this kony guy and i can say its below 31% which is pathetic.
This argument needs to stop already. That number, 31%, does NOT mean that IC puts 69% of incoming donations in their own pocket.
IC are not a charity organization in that matter, they work with raising AWARENESS and that is pretty much what the other 69% goes to.
That said, now that they succeeded in raising awareness, maybe they don't need more money and I myself will not give anything to IC, I would rather give it to Save the Children if I'd want to stick to this particular cause.
Edit: Yeah I know this is pretty much what the guy above me said ^^
On March 09 2012 23:48 samscraft wrote: this is alload of junk, there has been inside posts released that state exactly how much money donated goes to stop this kony guy and i can say its below 35% which is pathetic.
First of all a link to these inside posts is needed for you post what you did.
Second of all calling any attempt to stop a man breaking as many human rights laws as Kony is while you have probably done shit fuck all to stop what's happening in any way is outrageous. Even if it is only 35%, this guy is actually doing something to stop evil in the world and bringing people together to do so. This guy should be making money for his efforts because he is making a real change.
And at least have a well thought-out paragraph ready before you call a organization that's helping people in the world "alload of junk".
I have to agree. A statistic not backed up by anything is very likely to be wrong. Saying it is an inside source does not increase it's validity.
All these sources you're looking for are ALL OVER this thread, go back a few pages and be englightened.
That figure is most certainly incorrect. The actual percentage is 31. Its just a matter of reading their own bookkeeping.
The number 35 came from some man saying that they aren't EVEN spending 35%. Implying that it was even lower than 35. Than the other just took that number and said theýre spending 35%.
On March 09 2012 23:48 samscraft wrote: this is alload of junk, there has been inside posts released that state exactly how much money donated goes to stop this kony guy and i can say its below 35% which is pathetic.
First of all a link to these inside posts is needed for you post what you did.
Second of all calling any attempt to stop a man breaking as many human rights laws as Kony is while you have probably done shit fuck all to stop what's happening in any way is outrageous. Even if it is only 35%, this guy is actually doing something to stop evil in the world and bringing people together to do so. This guy should be making money for his efforts because he is making a real change.
And at least have a well thought-out paragraph ready before you call a organization that's helping people in the world "alload of junk".
I have to agree. A statistic not backed up by anything is very likely to be wrong. Saying it is an inside source does not increase it's validity.
All these sources you're looking for are ALL OVER this thread, go back a few pages and be englightened.
That figure is most certainly incorrect. The actual percentage is 31. Its just a matter of reading their own bookkeeping.
The number 35 came from some man saying that they aren't EVEN spending 35%. Implying that it was even lower than 35. Than the other just took that number and said theýre spending 35%.
A small misunderstanding.
This is where i draw problems. Some man is your source.
80.5% of their expenses are program expenses. This is what they spend on their goals, such as building schools in uganda and so forth.
16.2% of their expenses are administration. This is the office keeping, accounting, and basically the paperwork section. This includes salaries, if these are their only 3 expense accounts.
3.2% goes into fundraising, which is the growth of the non-profit.
This means that 80 cents out of every dollar you give them is going to help the children in africa, or whatever other projects they are doing.
This is besides the point however of Kony being the main target here. Don't donate to IC but get Kony's name out there, the government will do the rest.
I don't even know if we should even believe their little financial record considering they are known to withhold a lot of information for whatever reason.
As someone has said before instead of trying to treat the "symptom" why don't people, like a good doctor, try to treat the disease. I can guarantee you there are WAY WAY WAY better organizations that need more attention/funding and would do a better/ efficient job with more results if given the support like "Doctors without Borders."
This is what we are arguing about. IC's method and agenda is so damn naive and ignorant. Honestly it is somewhat infuriating.
guys, do u think everything is fine, just because u hear nothing in the news about africa??? human right violations happen over there every day, but its radio silence... now some video, backed buy the cooperations that have material interest their screem war? c´mon get real: its all about oil and rare earths that china is buying and the U.S.S.A wants under their empire
same thing in syria and libya...one oil rich region over there just declared independence, just like ol´ times: Divide and Conquer!
colonialism at its best, and we should support that?? wtf
ive listened to the alex jones podcast along time. i still do today to get a different perspecitve. and everyone should do so.
problem with his followers is most of them use him as the only source. i read mainstream aswell as indie media and after it make up my mind.
you should do the same.
because you will get lost in details otherwise and wont understand the bigger picture and understand the system as a hole.
suprised someone hasn't just pushed alex jones down some stairs.... hes made up so much crap, and been wrong many times, yet everybody still listens to him.
I knew something was fishy about that video, I felt it right away...
It's sad how the political elite make plans to invade a country, and one of the steps is to go 'backdoor' and have the social networks push them into military action. The sad part is how the people actually did exactly as expected, and the video went viral....
On March 10 2012 07:43 leecH wrote: ive listened to the alex jones podcast along time. i still do today to get a different perspecitve. and everyone should do so.
Everyone should listen to a maniac who spouts unsubstantiated conspiracy theories?
Alex Jones...well, I think he's radical, and wants to see everything fit into his conspiracy theory. But he's not just a nutcase. He does some good research and has valuable input on a lot of things. Like leecH says above...take it with a grain of salt.
On March 08 2012 22:51 archonOOid wrote: why are these guys labeled rebels instead of terrorists? If the west recognized them as terrorists they would quickly disappear with all the black ops, proxy wars and what not. Just because they are not a threat to EU/NA they can do whatever they want and also because it's happening in Africa ( Land of the Western atrocities).
because there is no oil in africa
Nigeria, Angola, Libya, Egypt, Sudan (South), Gabon, DRC, not to mention vast mineral wealth that puts much of the world to shame...
And the US has a highly vested interest in Nigerian oil, hence the strong partnership between the two...there is a definite US interest in Africa. We are "already there"
I'm pretty sure the point was "there's no oil where Kony/these guys are, but there is where Saddam/Qaddafi/etc are" so that's why we invaded those countries and not the other ones, despite both having commited horrible acts against humanity.. I agree he could have worded it better though.
Folks forget the US govt. has an overwhelmingly shitty reputation worldwide. Going after Kony is a boost for them, and any good PR they can get is good for them.
On March 09 2012 19:09 zalz wrote: Is there nothing the conspiracy freaks can't shit all over?
I knew about Kony before the campaign (hipster glasses) and despite the perhaps lacking non-profit group, I was glad that there was some press on the matter.
Deep down I knew there would be people like Pika Chu in this topic. He has been vomiting his worldview over several topics for a while now. His vile worldview consists of little more than justifying anything as long as the perpetrators are not white Americans.
I knew they would come and piss over the graves of children, yet it seems to be no less offensive now that they are doing it.
Don't trust them when they ask for proof. Don't humor them. They don't give a shit. You can give them hundreds of pages of well documented evidence and they will not accept it, because it doesn't fit in their perception of how the world works.
Kony and his ilk are an enemy to each person with a conscience. That is why he is a friend to Pika Chu and other conspiracy nuts like him.
Thank you. It's hard sometimes to ignore these people and remember that no amount of proof will satisfy them, especially when this is a subject that does matter to me.
Just a question for the 'anti war' left who now seem to be begging Obama and NATO to invade Africa like they invaded the middle east 10 years back.How can you be so against the wars in the middle east where foreign citizens were treated ruthlessly at the hands of murderers like Saddam and the taliban but support so strongly an invasion of Uganda to get this Kony guy.You must realise many civilians will die in this conflict and many thousands of Ugandans will rally around KONY because they see the US/NATO led invasion of Uganda rightfully as a threat?
All the past 18 months has shown is how little difference there is between the right and the left.
To quantify my own position i am against the middle east wars AND any African invasions , i was also against the Libyan intervention and would be against any strike on Iran , Pakistan , North Korea etc.Let other countries sort out their own affairs.
On March 10 2012 15:12 iPlaY.NettleS wrote: Just a question for the 'anti war' left who now seem to be begging Obama and NATO to invade Africa like they invaded the middle east 10 years back.How can you be so against the wars in the middle east where foreign citizens were treated ruthlessly at the hands of murderers like Saddam and the taliban but support so strongly an invasion of Uganda to get this Kony guy.You must realise many civilians will die in this conflict and many thousands of Ugandans will rally around KONY because they see the US/NATO led invasion of Uganda rightfully as a threat?
All the past 18 months has shown is how little difference there is between the right and the left.
To quantify my own position i am against the middle east wars AND any African invasions , i was also against the Libyan intervention and would be against any strike on Iran , Pakistan , North Korea etc.Let other countries sort out their own affairs.
What you said is perfect. People ignore the fact you can't stop the crazies out there without force. Peace won't stop the killings. Big guns stepping up in a world that no one appears to care about will. Once they get what they want, they will change their protest back to anti-war even though it will be war that will hopefully one day end this crisis.
You stop one terror group 10 more takes its place with same ideology and even more ruthless and radical.
If Africa own government doesnt want to help I fail to see what the rest of the world can do.
This is Ugandan people's problem. They need to fix it on their own. Their government caused this genocide by creating a maniac like Joseph Kony from first place because their own president committed a massive genocide on their own people. There is nothing the world can do except keep sending relief organization to look after the victims of civil war. You involve in their war, there is going to be nothing but killing and more casualties.
On March 10 2012 15:34 TehPrime wrote: You stop one terror group 10 more takes its place with same ideology and even more ruthless and radical.
If Africa own government doesnt want to help I fail to see what the rest of the world can do.
This is Ugandan people's problem. They need to fix it on their own. Their government caused this genocide by creating a maniac like Joseph Kony from first place because their own president committed a massive genocide on their own people. There is nothing the world can do except keep sending relief organization to look after the victims of civil war. You involve in their war, there is going to be nothing but killing and more casualties.
So defenseless human beings don't deserve the help of others who have the ability to save them? you are the definition of a scum bag.
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
On March 10 2012 15:34 TehPrime wrote: You stop one terror group 10 more takes its place with same ideology and even more ruthless and radical.
If Africa own government doesnt want to help I fail to see what the rest of the world can do.
This is Ugandan people's problem. They need to fix it on their own. Their government caused this genocide by creating a maniac like Joseph Kony from first place because their own president committed a massive genocide on their own people. There is nothing the world can do except keep sending relief organization to look after the victims of civil war. You involve in their war, there is going to be nothing but killing and more casualties.
So defenseless human beings don't deserve the help of others who have the ability to save them? you are the definition of a scum bag.
Question is: Would we even really be helping them?
On March 10 2012 15:34 TehPrime wrote: You stop one terror group 10 more takes its place with same ideology and even more ruthless and radical.
If Africa own government doesnt want to help I fail to see what the rest of the world can do.
This is Ugandan people's problem. They need to fix it on their own. Their government caused this genocide by creating a maniac like Joseph Kony from first place because their own president committed a massive genocide on their own people. There is nothing the world can do except keep sending relief organization to look after the victims of civil war. You involve in their war, there is going to be nothing but killing and more casualties.
So defenseless human beings don't deserve the help of others who have the ability to save them? you are the definition of a scum bag.
Who says they don't deserve to be saved? Don't put words into my mouth, scum bag.
You are the epitomy of internet keyboard warrior. You bitch at others for nothing doing anything. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE OTHER THAN BITCHING AT PEOPLE FOR NOT DOING ANYTHING ON INTERNET??
Have I bitched about people not doing anything? No, I have not. I simply called you a scum bag for measuring human life based on what you feel the rest of the world should care about. As long as it doesn't affect you, who cares, right?
On March 10 2012 16:13 jeremycafe wrote: Have I bitched about people not doing anything? No, I have not. I simply called you a scum bag for measuring human life based on what you feel the rest of the world should care about. As long as it doesn't effect you, who cares, right?
By the way, I think your shift key may be jammed.
I was talking about an entire US as a nation or any other nations in the world getting involved with Kony and Uganda civil war with military affair, not humanitarian. This isn't a case where some politic intervention gonna solve. Learn to proof read next time before you attempt to insult people. You wouldn't make yourself look like a complete idiot.
You are still stating that countries with the ability to protect civilians don't have any business helping. Just because the government is corrupt doesn't justify the lack of interest from the rest of the world. Turning a blind eye to human life and letting them "sort themselves out" will only lead to more innocent killings.
Anyways, I should go to bed before I become more of a complete idiot for committing 2am typos. How dare I...
On March 10 2012 16:24 jeremycafe wrote: You are still stating that countries with the ability to protect civilians don't have any business helping. Just because the government is corrupt doesn't justify the lack of interest from the rest of the world. Turning a blind eye to human life and letting them "sort themselves out" will only lead to more innocent killings.
Anyways, I should go to bed before I become more of a complete idiot for committing 2am typos. How dare I...
Well, putting our nose in the other people's business like we always do tend to bite us in the ass a few years later.
On March 10 2012 15:12 iPlaY.NettleS wrote: Just a question for the 'anti war' left who now seem to be begging Obama and NATO to invade Africa like they invaded the middle east 10 years back.How can you be so against the wars in the middle east where foreign citizens were treated ruthlessly at the hands of murderers like Saddam and the taliban but support so strongly an invasion of Uganda to get this Kony guy.You must realise many civilians will die in this conflict and many thousands of Ugandans will rally around KONY because they see the US/NATO led invasion of Uganda rightfully as a threat?
All the past 18 months has shown is how little difference there is between the right and the left.
To quantify my own position i am against the middle east wars AND any African invasions , i was also against the Libyan intervention and would be against any strike on Iran , Pakistan , North Korea etc.Let other countries sort out their own affairs.
I am a part of the 'anti war left'. I do not support the invasion of Uganda and will not unless Kony and the LRA return there and become powerful enough that deployment of a ground based force is the best reasonable means to defend the Ugandan people or some similarly awfull and unlikely situation arises. I support ground-based invasions only when they are the only means available to prevent mass-murder, or similar acts.
Something like the Eichmann arrest would probably work better, if he continues to evade capture.
Kony needs to go down, and part of ensuring that is avoiding anything that would give people cause to rally to him.
On March 10 2012 16:24 jeremycafe wrote: You are still stating that countries with the ability to protect civilians don't have any business helping. Just because the government is corrupt doesn't justify the lack of interest from the rest of the world. Turning a blind eye to human life and letting them "sort themselves out" will only lead to more innocent killings.
Anyways, I should go to bed before I become more of a complete idiot for committing 2am typos. How dare I...
Well, putting our nose in the other people's business like we always do tend to bite us in the ass a few years later.
When Kony committed crimes against humanity, his arrest and trial became everyone's business.
On March 10 2012 16:24 jeremycafe wrote: You are still stating that countries with the ability to protect civilians don't have any business helping. Just because the government is corrupt doesn't justify the lack of interest from the rest of the world. Turning a blind eye to human life and letting them "sort themselves out" will only lead to more innocent killings.
Anyways, I should go to bed before I become more of a complete idiot for committing 2am typos. How dare I...
Well, putting our nose in the other people's business like we always do tend to bite us in the ass a few years later.
When Kony committed crimes against humanity, his arrest and trial became everyone's business.
Then again there's even people saying he's dead, not official sources I guess. But what if he IS dead?
On March 10 2012 16:24 jeremycafe wrote: You are still stating that countries with the ability to protect civilians don't have any business helping. Just because the government is corrupt doesn't justify the lack of interest from the rest of the world. Turning a blind eye to human life and letting them "sort themselves out" will only lead to more innocent killings.
Anyways, I should go to bed before I become more of a complete idiot for committing 2am typos. How dare I...
Well, putting our nose in the other people's business like we always do tend to bite us in the ass a few years later.
When Kony committed crimes against humanity, his arrest and trial became everyone's business.
Then again there's even people saying he's dead, not official sources I guess. But what if he IS dead?
Nothing changes. His underlings take over and continue the fight.
On March 10 2012 16:24 jeremycafe wrote: You are still stating that countries with the ability to protect civilians don't have any business helping. Just because the government is corrupt doesn't justify the lack of interest from the rest of the world. Turning a blind eye to human life and letting them "sort themselves out" will only lead to more innocent killings.
Anyways, I should go to bed before I become more of a complete idiot for committing 2am typos. How dare I...
Well, putting our nose in the other people's business like we always do tend to bite us in the ass a few years later.
When Kony committed crimes against humanity, his arrest and trial became everyone's business.
Then again there's even people saying he's dead, not official sources I guess. But what if he IS dead?
Nothing changes. His underlings take over and continue the fight.
Yeah but all the hype is to arrest him, so if he's dead what are they going to do? Wipe out his child army?
On March 10 2012 16:24 jeremycafe wrote: You are still stating that countries with the ability to protect civilians don't have any business helping. Just because the government is corrupt doesn't justify the lack of interest from the rest of the world. Turning a blind eye to human life and letting them "sort themselves out" will only lead to more innocent killings.
Anyways, I should go to bed before I become more of a complete idiot for committing 2am typos. How dare I...
Well, putting our nose in the other people's business like we always do tend to bite us in the ass a few years later.
When Kony committed crimes against humanity, his arrest and trial became everyone's business.
Then again there's even people saying he's dead, not official sources I guess. But what if he IS dead?
Nothing changes. His underlings take over and continue the fight.
Yeah but all the hype is to arrest him, so if he's dead what are they going to do? Wipe out his child army?
Try to rehabilitate as many as possible of the kids, bring as many of the adults as possible to trial. Precedent set by Rwanda is that people should not be considered culpable for crimes committed as child soldiers. I don't think the LRA would survive terribly long without Kony at its head due to the cult-like religious elements he uses to heighten his control.
Oh, and celebrate that there is one fewer monster alive.
On March 10 2012 16:24 jeremycafe wrote: You are still stating that countries with the ability to protect civilians don't have any business helping. Just because the government is corrupt doesn't justify the lack of interest from the rest of the world. Turning a blind eye to human life and letting them "sort themselves out" will only lead to more innocent killings.
Anyways, I should go to bed before I become more of a complete idiot for committing 2am typos. How dare I...
Well, putting our nose in the other people's business like we always do tend to bite us in the ass a few years later.
When Kony committed crimes against humanity, his arrest and trial became everyone's business.
Then again there's even people saying he's dead, not official sources I guess. But what if he IS dead?
Nothing changes. His underlings take over and continue the fight.
Yeah but all the hype is to arrest him, so if he's dead what are they going to do? Wipe out his child army?
Try to rehabilitate as many as possible of the kids, bring as many of the adults as possible to trial. Precedent set by Rwanda is that people should not be considered culpable for crimes committed as child soldiers. I don't think the LRA would survive terribly long without Kony at its head due to the cult-like religious elements he uses to heighten his control.
Oh, and celebrate that there is one fewer monster alive.
I would support that if there was a over 90% chance of managing to take out that single motherfucker while not hurting the child soldiers and everyone. And i fully disagree with any "going for him" that would mean just killing all LRA's child army to get him (which seems the most plausible at the moment).
Any 'white' country troops deployed to Uganda will give such pretty headlines when the soldiers start shooting child soldiers first and ask questions later, you dont hesitate when the other side wants to kill you and have guns or you are the dead ones; after the first incident when a soldier didnt fire upon an enemy combatant because they were a child, the rest will learn and 'NATO Troops slaughtering child soldiers!' will be on the news. This will be the price to intervene in a wildfire like Africa and I dont think any politican is willing to take that heat.
Just remember Iraq war , over 1 million dead Iraqis Also the place is now a nuclear waste dump , since they removed the ban on depleted uranium shells back in 1991.Now rates of child defects and cancer are rising fast , go look it up. Does anyone really want to see the US use uranium shells in Uganda? because if they used them in Iraq it's not out of the question.
On March 09 2012 19:09 zalz wrote: Is there nothing the conspiracy freaks can't shit all over?
I knew about Kony before the campaign (hipster glasses) and despite the perhaps lacking non-profit group, I was glad that there was some press on the matter.
Deep down I knew there would be people like Pika Chu in this topic. He has been vomiting his worldview over several topics for a while now. His vile worldview consists of little more than justifying anything as long as the perpetrators are not white Americans.
I knew they would come and piss over the graves of children, yet it seems to be no less offensive now that they are doing it.
Don't trust them when they ask for proof. Don't humor them. They don't give a shit. You can give them hundreds of pages of well documented evidence and they will not accept it, because it doesn't fit in their perception of how the world works.
Kony and his ilk are an enemy to each person with a conscience. That is why he is a friend to Pika Chu and other conspiracy nuts like him.
Thank you. It's hard sometimes to ignore these people and remember that no amount of proof will satisfy them, especially when this is a subject that does matter to me.
I'm sorry.
Google terms
"Yoweri Museveni and Congo genocide" "Museveni and Kony" "Museveni and and Rwanda genocide" "Museveni and Acholi genocide" "U.S. support for dictator Museveni"
Need a new Bin Laden... I'd recommend reading and considering those facts, but it might not conform to the vengeful librarian worldview. Joeseph Kony is bad man, but this is about AFRICOM, not human rights. If it was about human rights we would be after Museveni for the 3 mill(half a holocaust?, and nothing?) he most likely murdered, nor would we be.. selling guns to Bahrain, or shipping guns to Mexico, or or or and the parade goes on....Don't tell me we wouldn't. The last serveral administrations have done whatever they damn please, to whom they please.
If you really care, you have to read both sides and then inbetween. I don't mind you tossing around 'conspiracy' half as much as you would mind me calling you a spoon-fed tool. You cannot preach human rights and defend who the US has supported in Uganada. End of G D story... Well you could, and you willl....won't you?
Going after Kony and ignoring the rest is hands down hypocracy. Ignoring our continued hand/prescence in all of this mess is something your rigid thinking refuses to come to grips with . We are only capable of righteous fury!!!!
Now , what was that about about conscious? Seriously?
On March 08 2012 22:51 archonOOid wrote: why are these guys labeled rebels instead of terrorists? If the west recognized them as terrorists they would quickly disappear with all the black ops, proxy wars and what not. Just because they are not a threat to EU/NA they can do whatever they want and also because it's happening in Africa ( Land of the Western atrocities).
because there is no oil in africa
Nigeria, Angola, Libya, Egypt, Sudan (South), Gabon, DRC, not to mention vast mineral wealth that puts much of the world to shame...
And the US has a highly vested interest in Nigerian oil, hence the strong partnership between the two...there is a definite US interest in Africa. We are "already there"
I'm pretty sure the point was "there's no oil where Kony/these guys are, but there is where Saddam/Qaddafi/etc are" so that's why we invaded those countries and not the other ones, despite both having commited horrible acts against humanity.. I agree he could have worded it better though.
Folks forget the US govt. has an overwhelmingly shitty reputation worldwide. Going after Kony is a boost for them, and any good PR they can get is good for them.
Yes, let's go into Uganda, a country with a large amount of untapped crude oil, to fight against a terrorist who is no longer in that country.
Sigh I feel this got to much publicity. Although I think Kony deserves to be punish for his crime IC is just a fraud organisation. They abused the fact that emotions are stronger then logic so they can get more money in there pockets make me sick. I just hope the Kony 2012 fad ends soon.
On March 09 2012 19:09 zalz wrote: Is there nothing the conspiracy freaks can't shit all over?
I knew about Kony before the campaign (hipster glasses) and despite the perhaps lacking non-profit group, I was glad that there was some press on the matter.
Deep down I knew there would be people like Pika Chu in this topic. He has been vomiting his worldview over several topics for a while now. His vile worldview consists of little more than justifying anything as long as the perpetrators are not white Americans.
I knew they would come and piss over the graves of children, yet it seems to be no less offensive now that they are doing it.
Don't trust them when they ask for proof. Don't humor them. They don't give a shit. You can give them hundreds of pages of well documented evidence and they will not accept it, because it doesn't fit in their perception of how the world works.
Kony and his ilk are an enemy to each person with a conscience. That is why he is a friend to Pika Chu and other conspiracy nuts like him.
Thank you. It's hard sometimes to ignore these people and remember that no amount of proof will satisfy them, especially when this is a subject that does matter to me.
I'm sorry.
Google terms
"Yoweri Museveni and Congo genocide" "Museveni and Kony" "Museveni and and Rwanda genocide" "Museveni and Acholi genocide" "U.S. support for dictator Museveni"
Need a new Bin Laden... I'd recommend reading and considering those facts, but it might not conform to the vengeful librarian worldview. Joeseph Kony is bad man, but this is about AFRICOM, not human rights. If it was about human rights we would be after Museveni for the 3 mill(half a holocaust?, and nothing?) he most likely murdered, nor would we be.. selling guns to Bahrain, or shipping guns to Mexico, or or or and the parade goes on....Don't tell me we wouldn't. The last serveral administrations have done whatever they damn please, to whom they please.
If you really care, you have to read both sides and then inbetween. I don't mind you tossing around 'conspiracy' half as much as you would mind me calling you a spoon-fed tool. You cannot preach human rights and defend who the US has supported in Uganada. End of G D story... Well you could, and you willl....won't you?
Going after Kony and ignoring the rest is hands down hypocracy. Ignoring our continued hand/prescence in all of this mess is something your rigid thinking refuses to come to grips with . We are only capable of righteous fury!!!!
Now , what was that about about conscious? Seriously?
I do not care why people are now trying to bring Kony to justice, only that they are. Provided the means are calculated to cause a minimum of harm, this end is good irregardless of motive.
I would really like it if all the other bastards were also brought to justice, but even one is a milestone I would be very happy to reach.
I'm more of an idealist than a vengeful librarian, and I will always support moves to bring those who commit crimes against humanity to trial. That you assume I have never paid attention to Uganda before this says more about you than me - I have participated in awareness raising on issues relating to the actions of the Ugandan governement and the LRA previously. Also, I'm from Ireland not the US. It is not my hand you speak of.
I'm now withdrawing from this thread, if you wish to continue to accuse me of being a mindless tool of the war machine or wantonly ignoring the plight of those who die off camera please do so in PMs.
On March 09 2012 19:09 zalz wrote: Is there nothing the conspiracy freaks can't shit all over?
I knew about Kony before the campaign (hipster glasses) and despite the perhaps lacking non-profit group, I was glad that there was some press on the matter.
Deep down I knew there would be people like Pika Chu in this topic. He has been vomiting his worldview over several topics for a while now. His vile worldview consists of little more than justifying anything as long as the perpetrators are not white Americans.
I knew they would come and piss over the graves of children, yet it seems to be no less offensive now that they are doing it.
Don't trust them when they ask for proof. Don't humor them. They don't give a shit. You can give them hundreds of pages of well documented evidence and they will not accept it, because it doesn't fit in their perception of how the world works.
Kony and his ilk are an enemy to each person with a conscience. That is why he is a friend to Pika Chu and other conspiracy nuts like him.
Thank you. It's hard sometimes to ignore these people and remember that no amount of proof will satisfy them, especially when this is a subject that does matter to me.
I'm sorry.
Google terms
"Yoweri Museveni and Congo genocide" "Museveni and Kony" "Museveni and and Rwanda genocide" "Museveni and Acholi genocide" "U.S. support for dictator Museveni"
Need a new Bin Laden... I'd recommend reading and considering those facts, but it might not conform to the vengeful librarian worldview. Joeseph Kony is bad man, but this is about AFRICOM, not human rights. If it was about human rights we would be after Museveni for the 3 mill(half a holocaust?, and nothing?) he most likely murdered, nor would we be.. selling guns to Bahrain, or shipping guns to Mexico, or or or and the parade goes on....Don't tell me we wouldn't. The last serveral administrations have done whatever they damn please, to whom they please.
If you really care, you have to read both sides and then inbetween. I don't mind you tossing around 'conspiracy' half as much as you would mind me calling you a spoon-fed tool. You cannot preach human rights and defend who the US has supported in Uganada. End of G D story... Well you could, and you willl....won't you?
Going after Kony and ignoring the rest is hands down hypocracy. Ignoring our continued hand/prescence in all of this mess is something your rigid thinking refuses to come to grips with . We are only capable of righteous fury!!!!
Now , what was that about about conscious? Seriously?
I do not care why people are now trying to bring Kony to justice, only that they are. Provided the means are calculated to cause a minimum of harm, this end is good irregardless of motive.
I would really like it if all the other bastards were also brought to justice, but even one is a milestone I would be very happy to reach.
I'm more of an idealist than a vengeful librarian, and I will always support moves to bring those who commit crimes against humanity to trial. That you assume I have never paid attention to Uganda before this says more about you than me - I have participated in awareness raising on issues relating to the actions of the Ugandan governement and the LRA previously. Also, I'm from Ireland not the US. It is not my hand you speak of.
I'm now withdrawing from this thread, if you wish to continue to accuse me of being a mindless tool of the war machine or wantonly ignoring the plight of those who die off camera please do so in PMs.
I'd say the reasoning for doing something is just as important as the action itself. Besides, what if the USA does more harm than good in this whole catch kony thing? Would you still support it?
I don't have anything against these campaigns, except they appeal on people emotions with simplistic holywoodesque tools without informing them really well about the subject people are supposed to care about.
The Guardian's article has a couple of gems, such as this interview Arthur Larok, Actions Aids' director in Uganda:
From what I know about Invisible Children, it's an international NGO, and it documents the lives of children living in conflict for international campaigning to draw attention to the lives of children in the north.
Six or 10 years ago, this would have been a really effective campaign strategy to get international campaigning. But today, years after Kony has moved away from Uganda, I think campaigning that appeals to these emotions … I'm not sure that's effective for now. The circumstances in the north have changed.
Many NGOs and the government, especially local government in the north, are about rebuilding and securing lives for children, in education, sanitation, health and livelihoods. International campaigning that doesn't support this agenda is not so useful at this point. We have moved beyond that.
There are conflicts in the north – several small conflicts over natural resources. Land is the major issue: after many years of displacement, there is quite a bit of land-related conflict.
But many organisations and governments are focusing on this. We need to secure social stability, health and education. These are the priorities. This is what we're trying to focus on. Poverty is high compared to the rest of the country. That's the practical issue that needs to be addressed.
I don't think this is the best way. It might be an appeal that makes sense in America. But there are more fundamental challenges. Kony has been around for 25 years and over. I don't think in the north at the moment that is really what is most important. It might be best on the internet and the like but, at the end of the day, there are more pressing things to deal with. If the Americans had wanted to arrest him, they would have done that a long time ago.
They [Invisible Children] are not a member of our forum. Many international organisations prefer to work and have direct contact with their quarters. They don't work so much within the structures we have in the country. There is nothing dramatic about them. They are like any other organisation trying to make a difference. At the moment I think the work of Invisible Children is about appealing to people's emotions. I think that time has passed. Their reputation in the country is something that can be debatable. There is a strong argument generally about NGOs and their work in the north.
It doesn't sound like a fair representation of Uganda. We have challenges within the country, but certainly the perception of a country at war is not accurate at all. There are political, economic and social challenges, but they are complex. Being dramatic about a country at war is not accurate.
If the international media want to be helpful especially for the conflict situation, they should exert more time and effort understanding practically what the needs are. It is fast-changing.
The video would have been appealing in the last decade. Now we just need support for the recovery rather than all this international attention on this one point. Getting the facts right is most important for the international media. That would help the situation as it is.
People are ready to jump on something like that because it makes feel good about themselves and it's very emotional, but if you start to explain them the real, complex, dry and challenging problems of these countries (which usually involve our own interests, the exploitation of natural resource by our corporations, endemic corruption of these countries elite, etc...), they get bored and don't listen.
Pity we are not really mature enough for caring about the real world and real political situations, and that it has to be mixed with mass entertainment medias with the brainless attitude that goes with it so that people start to "care".
Anyway. I hope this bastards get arrested or killed. But this video thing leaves me cold.
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
Even though Invisible Children might be misleading on some points, I think that ultimately what they're doing is still a good thing. Whether or not Kony is as a big problem now as he was in 2003, some effort should really be put into catching someone who's nr 1 on Haag's list. Saying "ahh no he's not been very active the last 6 years so let's cut him some slack" is very naive imo.
On March 07 2012 03:48 Kuja wrote: You know whats funny and what most people wont realize? This was filmed in 2003 when this was actually a problem. The problem with Uganda right now is not Kony its the corrupt government. the LRA was beaten back into congo in 2004; and has repeatedly been beaten back sense. Inviable Children is TOO LATE. The problem with night commuting is no longer a problem. At its hight 40,000 children were night commuting but now there are only 10,000 who do it by choice. Uganda still has tons of problems, but it is NOT KONY.
the invisible children do not even send 50% of their revenue to Africa, the make about $9million in donations and send over $3million; don’t donate through invisible children find a real non profit organization that actually helps people if you want to help africa. SOURCE + Show Spoiler +
On March 12 2012 06:11 FreeZer wrote: Even though Invisible Children might be misleading on some points, I think that ultimately what they're doing is still a good thing. Whether or not Kony is as a big problem now as he was in 2003, some effort should really be put into catching someone who's nr 1 on Haag's list. Saying "ahh no he's not been very active the last 6 years so let's cut him some slack" is very naive imo.
Its not their motive that people seems to be discord with. Its the reaction of the general public as one single video made from sensationalist view with good editing and cheesy musics can start a whole new movement in a blink of eye while there are much larger threat to humanity than Kony. This proves that the human race is very whimsical and would choose to act upon feelings rather than being rational. This whole event is face-palm worthy.
On March 12 2012 06:11 FreeZer wrote: Even though Invisible Children might be misleading on some points, I think that ultimately what they're doing is still a good thing. Whether or not Kony is as a big problem now as he was in 2003, some effort should really be put into catching someone who's nr 1 on Haag's list. Saying "ahh no he's not been very active the last 6 years so let's cut him some slack" is very naive imo.
Its not their motive that people seems to be discord with. Its the reaction of the general public as one single video made from sensationalist view with good editing and cheesy musics can start a whole new movement in a blink of eye while there are much larger threat to humanity than Kony. This proves that the human race is very whimsical and would choose to act upon feelings rather than being rational. This whole event is face-palm worthy.
The only thing that inspires face-palming, are the robots that don't understand humanity and keep crying that:
"This isn't the right way to care!"
How can you seriously claim that the goal should be for the entire human race to be rational, and only then will you accept people caring about this stuff.
Doesn't that ever make you stop and wonder about how realistic your expectations are? When you expect the entire human race to change its very nature...
For someone so rational you sure pick arbitrary reasons to complain.
The fact is that these people don't care why you want to help. You don't need to cry about the victims of the Haiti earthquake before you are allowed to donate.
Some of you honestly believe that victims of atrocities and disasters will refuse a helping hand when it comes from an emotional viewpoint rather than a rational one?
"No thank you, I only take aid from rational people thank you very much."
Robots are in vogue when the great temptations attack the heart, blockading the mind. I wish I was Robotic.
I'm not going to say I love you Zalz, or any other feel good crap. I would ask if it's principle or salary that drives your positions. You dance neatly around subject matter in the last page and a half that would give any 'ardent' supporter of the campaign pause. I wonder why you do not.
What about the viewpoint of the young lady with family still in country, or the video linked by TehPrime. It reminds me of how weapons of mass destruction turns into 'staying the course', despite all evidence to the contrary.
On March 15 2012 02:19 BioNova wrote: Robots are in vogue when the great temptations attack the heart, blockading the mind. I wish I was Robotic.
I'm not going to say I love you Zalz, or any other feel good crap. I would ask if it's principle or salary that drives your positions. You dance neatly around subject matter in the last page and a half that would give any 'ardent' supporter of the campaign pause. I wonder why you do not.
What about the viewpoint of the young lady with family still in country, or the video linked by TehPrime. It reminds me of how weapons of mass destruction turns into 'staying the course', despite all evidence to the contrary.
My response wasn't against/for the cause, which one can be critical of or not.
My response was aimed against the endless torrent of "You don't care the right way!" or "You don't know TEH TRUTH!". More the first than the later in this case, though the two tend to overlap somewhat.
People complain about people reacting on emotion, and somehow that is wrong and that shouldn't happen. Then, on the next topic they complain that nobody gives a shit and (as always they single them out) Americans only care about themselves.
I am so sick and tired of people that cannot tell the difference between intelligence and cynicism, even if their life depended on it.
It doesn't matter to them what the most accurate or well-documented position is. The only thing that matters is what position is the darkest, most grim and most cynical.
Surely the US can't send troops to help Uganda (on request of the government) to foster better relations. In and of itself I don't recall that improving relations between countries is an illegal act, but for some reason when America does it, it is.
So America can't just be fostering better relations, no, it has to be more sinister. And suddenly, without any evidence, this campaign is turned into some conspiracy bullshit US army tactic to invade Uganda to capture oil supplies which, last I read, are so nihlic that they are of nearly no importance, even if the entire US foreign policy was about oil.
And if throwing conspiracy theories around that have no evidence to speak of, they complain that people aren't caring about this problem the right way.
Who gives a shit that people are discovering about this problem via a viral video? You seriously have people that complain and bitch like politco-hipsters that they knew about it first, so they are the real people that care. Seriously?
Most people these days flock towards the most cynical position they can find. Like I said before, they cannot tell the difference between an intelligent position and a cynical one.
What about the viewpoint of the young lady with family still in country, or the video linked by TehPrime. It reminds me of how weapons of mass destruction turns into 'staying the course', despite all evidence to the contrary.
At least those people bother to change their positions when they prove to be wrong. The least amount of effort you can put into it.
Most people here are still bitching about oil whilst there is no evidence that suggests the US invasion of Iraq had anything to do with that, nor is there evidence that they stole any or that they struck bargain deals.
Some people, regardless of pro or anti-Iraq war, just don't give a fuck about the facts. You will find those people on every topic.
news from 2009 : "KAMPALA, UGANDA - Uganda’s oil reserves could be as much as that of the Gulf countries, a senior official at the US Department of Energy has said."
On March 15 2012 10:54 {CC}StealthBlue wrote: The AJE field report, cause AJE apparently goes to the actual locations rather than copy/quote social media sites.
Both really interesting tbh. If the people of Uganda reject this campaign, perhaps people will start to wake up to the fact it has come years too late?
Slick advertising can bullshit people on Youtube, but it clearly doesn't impress the people that Kony actually hurt. Telling, very telling imo.
Yes that also suprises me. The first time i heard about kony i already got extremely annoyed and suspicious by the verry agressive way the case was hyped and presented on the internet.
I'm glad this died down pretty quick. People stopped posting about this on my facebook shortly after the video came out. I explained to my business law class why the whole thing was essentially bullshit two days after the video came out.
Just in: Jason Russell, 33, one of the co-founders of Invisible Children, makers of last week's viral Kony 2012 video, was detained in Pacific Beach, Calif. on Thursday for being drunk in public and masturbating, according to San Diego Police Department.
More: Can Uganda tourism survive 'Kony 2012'
NBCSanDiego.com is reporting that Russell, 33, was found masturbating in public, vandalizing cars and possibly under the influence of something, according to Lt. Andra Brown, who said Russell was acting very strange.
Wow......just wow. He really went off the deep end
Lol Ugandans can smell the bullshit. Shows how damn short sighted you are when the people you're trying to help are unhappy with you.
Honestly, the entire time I was thinking this. I didn't know if it was because I've been going over Imperialism and the, "White Man's Burden," alot, or if it was legit until now. When I watched the entire video all the way through, it looked so painfully and obviously marketed to some pseudo-activism, bored, white, ignorant americans who still view theirselves and their country as the world's police/guardian angels.
I thought I was just being a cynical asshole, as no one else seemd to share the opinion.
Lol Ugandans can smell the bullshit. Shows how damn short sighted you are when the people you're trying to help are unhappy with you.
Honestly, the entire time I was thinking this. I didn't know if it was because I've been going over Imperialism and the, "White Man's Burden," alot, or if it was legit until now. When I watched the entire video all the way through, it looked so painfully and obviously marketed to some pseudo-activism, bored, white, ignorant americans who still view theirselves and their country as the world's police/guardian angels.
I thought I was just being a cynical asshole, as no one else seemd to share the opinion.
Cynical assholes are usually right, brother. Never doubt your powers of skepticism.
Just in: Jason Russell, 33, one of the co-founders of Invisible Children, makers of last week's viral Kony 2012 video, was detained in Pacific Beach, Calif. on Thursday for being drunk in public and masturbating, according to San Diego Police Department.
More: Can Uganda tourism survive 'Kony 2012'
NBCSanDiego.com is reporting that Russell, 33, was found masturbating in public, vandalizing cars and possibly under the influence of something, according to Lt. Andra Brown, who said Russell was acting very strange.
Wow......just wow. He really went off the deep end
You know, I was going to make some big dramatic post about how at first, I was almost fooled by this campaign, but now I know better, etc.
But instead I found myself enthralled in weeping hilarity over this news... It's kind of tragic, to see this whole campaign, which I still believe has relatively good intentions, sink in such a fiasco, but there's just something dark-ly hilarious about this pure-hearted, christian, all-american family man who just wants to save the african children, getting caught masturbating and drunk off his ass in public. It's sad, but I can't help but find humor in it too.
Lol Ugandans can smell the bullshit. Shows how damn short sighted you are when the people you're trying to help are unhappy with you.
Honestly, the entire time I was thinking this. I didn't know if it was because I've been going over Imperialism and the, "White Man's Burden," alot, or if it was legit until now. When I watched the entire video all the way through, it looked so painfully and obviously marketed to some pseudo-activism, bored, white, ignorant americans who still view theirselves and their country as the world's police/guardian angels.
I thought I was just being a cynical asshole, as no one else seemd to share the opinion.
Cynical assholes are usually right, brother. Never doubt your powers of skepticism.
No.
There was a Kony 2012 bandwagon, and now there is an Anti-Kony 2012 bandwagon. Both are equally blind. Be careful of extreme opinions.
Just in: Jason Russell, 33, one of the co-founders of Invisible Children, makers of last week's viral Kony 2012 video, was detained in Pacific Beach, Calif. on Thursday for being drunk in public and masturbating, according to San Diego Police Department.
More: Can Uganda tourism survive 'Kony 2012'
NBCSanDiego.com is reporting that Russell, 33, was found masturbating in public, vandalizing cars and possibly under the influence of something, according to Lt. Andra Brown, who said Russell was acting very strange.
Wow......just wow. He really went off the deep end
You know, I was going to make some big dramatic post about how at first, I was almost fooled by this campaign, but now I know better, etc.
But instead I found myself enthralled in weeping hilarity over this news... It's kind of tragic, to see this whole campaign, which I still believe has relatively good intentions, sink in such a fiasco, but there's just something dark-ly hilarious about this pure-hearted, christian, all-american family man who just wants to save the african children, getting caught masturbating and drunk off his ass in public. It's sad, but I can't help but find humor in it too.
Hilarity aside, the guy basically sunk his campaign. The timing of this idiocy on his part couldn't have been worse, especially after just putting out this Kony 2012 video. Not to mention the fact the video is losing its good rep, especially with news of how Ugandans are really offended by it.
I have a mixed feeling about the recent rise and fall of the campaign. On one hand, we are seeing a fallacious organization finally demonstrating its true color of severe misrepresentation. One the other, this will brings much sophistication to the public on future donation event(s). Every time a new charity attempt get released, people will only remind themselves of the Kony 2012's epic failure. Programs with genuine intents will not receive the necessary fund needed.
His act in itself isn't that big a deal. Controversy happens in legit orgs all the time too since they're run by humans. And to be fair, its unrelated to the campaign in a way. But yes the timing is absolutely delicious.
On March 17 2012 07:30 Xiphos wrote: I have a mixed feeling about the recent rise and fall of the campaign. On one hand, we are seeing a fallacious organization finally demonstrating its true color of severe misrepresentation. One the other, this will brings much sophistication to the public on future donation event(s). Every time a new charity attempt get released, people will only remind themselves of the Kony 2012's epic failure. Programs with genuine intents will not receive the necessary fund needed.
Well for new charity asking videos organizations needs to add more information about organization themselves, like how much goes to intended target charity and how it goes there (not going to army or something corrupt organization) etc
On March 17 2012 07:30 Xiphos wrote: I have a mixed feeling about the recent rise and fall of the campaign. On one hand, we are seeing a fallacious organization finally demonstrating its true color of severe misrepresentation. One the other, this will brings much sophistication to the public on future donation event(s). Every time a new charity attempt get released, people will only remind themselves of the Kony 2012's epic failure. Programs with genuine intents will not receive the necessary fund needed.
I think for the most part people who were skeptical were already aware of previous controversies anyway. And those who chases ideals will just move to the next trend.
If you're just joining the dark and gloominess of real world now though, its important to note that if you want to continue donating and do good, you're just gonna have to be more aware more than ever about the action you're taking and put more thought in to it. Also important to not let things like this paralyze you from taking action. If you do then you're making zero difference. So expect to be burned from time to time. Its the reality of the world we live in.
On March 17 2012 07:30 Xiphos wrote: I have a mixed feeling about the recent rise and fall of the campaign. On one hand, we are seeing a fallacious organization finally demonstrating its true color of severe misrepresentation. One the other, this will brings much sophistication to the public on future donation event(s). Every time a new charity attempt get released, people will only remind themselves of the Kony 2012's epic failure. Programs with genuine intents will not receive the necessary fund needed.
And that is OK. Because you want an organization who has to WORK to gain trust and respectability.
Lol Ugandans can smell the bullshit. Shows how damn short sighted you are when the people you're trying to help are unhappy with you.
Honestly, the entire time I was thinking this. I didn't know if it was because I've been going over Imperialism and the, "White Man's Burden," alot, or if it was legit until now. When I watched the entire video all the way through, it looked so painfully and obviously marketed to some pseudo-activism, bored, white, ignorant americans who still view theirselves and their country as the world's police/guardian angels.
I thought I was just being a cynical asshole, as no one else seemd to share the opinion.
But the point of the Kony 2012 is to market awareness/activism to bored, white ignorant americans.If you look at the other Invisible Children videos, they're way different and actually address the issues the Ugandans talk about. The first video actually shows the victims and their suffering. But the new Kony 2012 video wasn't to bring awareness to suffering, but to how a person that committed crimes against humanity is still free. So of course the Ugandans are going to be mad at the new video, but I'm pretty sure they'd be happier with the first video that Invisible Children released.
Lol Ugandans can smell the bullshit. Shows how damn short sighted you are when the people you're trying to help are unhappy with you.
Honestly, the entire time I was thinking this. I didn't know if it was because I've been going over Imperialism and the, "White Man's Burden," alot, or if it was legit until now. When I watched the entire video all the way through, it looked so painfully and obviously marketed to some pseudo-activism, bored, white, ignorant americans who still view theirselves and their country as the world's police/guardian angels.
I thought I was just being a cynical asshole, as no one else seemd to share the opinion.
But the point of the Kony 2012 is to market awareness/activism to bored, white ignorant americans.If you look at the other Invisible Children videos, they're way different and actually address the issues the Ugandans talk about. The first video actually shows the victims and their suffering. But the new Kony 2012 video wasn't to bring awareness to suffering, but to how a person that committed crimes against humanity is still free. So of course the Ugandans are going to be mad at the new video, but I'm pretty sure they'd be happier with the first video that Invisible Children released.
Actually, this is one of his previews videos, seems like an attempt to go viral but that did not work
Lol Ugandans can smell the bullshit. Shows how damn short sighted you are when the people you're trying to help are unhappy with you.
Honestly, the entire time I was thinking this. I didn't know if it was because I've been going over Imperialism and the, "White Man's Burden," alot, or if it was legit until now. When I watched the entire video all the way through, it looked so painfully and obviously marketed to some pseudo-activism, bored, white, ignorant americans who still view theirselves and their country as the world's police/guardian angels.
I thought I was just being a cynical asshole, as no one else seemd to share the opinion.
But the point of the Kony 2012 is to market awareness/activism to bored, white ignorant americans.If you look at the other Invisible Children videos, they're way different and actually address the issues the Ugandans talk about. The first video actually shows the victims and their suffering. But the new Kony 2012 video wasn't to bring awareness to suffering, but to how a person that committed crimes against humanity is still free. So of course the Ugandans are going to be mad at the new video, but I'm pretty sure they'd be happier with the first video that Invisible Children released.
Actually, this is one of his previews videos, seems like an attempt to go viral but that did not work
I knew it was a stupid cause when I remembered seeing it in Casino Royale, and remembered it being a small army. Upon seeing that the army has no base and is estimated to be of 200-250 men in size it was quite obviously a sham.