Kony

[stokes234]

The first step towards something helpful surely is public awareness. As I said early in the thread, this guy is sadly not news, but has escaped public attention for some reason.

I just can't see what's wrong with bringing something like this up, and spreading the word around. I have no idea why some people are so hostile towards even just that for this guy.

I'm not hostile, but i'm not sure I understand what this is meant to achieve. If the only solution being proposed here is military intervention, is that likely to go particularly well? Is it ethical, considering many of his bodyguards are children? Do we even know where this guy is to go after him?

 

[Zelenius]

This is all Hype over Substance. Child soldiers are nothing new. Propaganda by its very nature lacks nuance and distorts the truth. This Kony campaign is no exception. The people who support it and spread the propaganda video know little about Africa, or Uganda. Kony and his forces haven't even been in Uganda since 2006.

I don't believe the U.S or anyone else should get involved in this, although I realize we already have forces there. This is a very complicated conflict that doesn't involve U.S interests. Getting involved may only make things worse.

Kony is certainly evil, but the forces fighting against him are hardly better.

Why I'm opposed to the Kony campaign.

If in the coming months somehow Kony gets killed or captured, watch Obama take all the credit for it.

 

[marplots]

The following is posted on the site.

JOSEPH KONY IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S WORST WAR CRIMINALS AND I SUPPORT THE INTERNATIONAL EFFORT TO ARREST HIM, DISARM THE LRA AND BRING THE CHILD SOLDIERS HOME.

These are the kids who killed their own parents, right? Might not be welcome back at home.

I like the idea that awareness somehow equals solution or even action. I wish it worked for stuff like heroin addiction, AIDS or the mortgage crisis. Is this one of those things where good intentions are the secular equivalent of prayer?

Is the emotional hook something about the supposed innocence and inherent goodness of children? I'm only wondering because I'd like to start an awareness of all the soldiers in the North Korean army -- estimated at over a million under arms -- all beholden to a corrupt idealism, some as young as 17. What is being done by the international community to bring those kids home?

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

The first step towards something helpful surely is public awareness. As I said early in the thread, this guy is sadly not news, but has escaped public attention for some reason.

Anyone who actually reads a newspaper everyday (or, in my case, newspapers), has known about this guy for quite some time. So he is news, for those who choose to stay informed.

I just can't see what's wrong with bringing something like this up, and spreading the word around. I have no idea why some people are so hostile towards even just that for this guy.

"Spread the word around" for what? So a million slacktivists "like" the video on Facebook, then what? Kony decides not to be a bad guy anymore? Or do you think this campaign will actually bring Kony to the attention of President Obama? "General Smith, I just saw a video about some guy named Kony on YouTube. We need to do something. Send a milltion troops to Africa!"

 

[angrysoba]

Neither Wildy nor Primus committed the logical fallacy you mentioned, although Primus did create a straw man. This exchange is getting oddly close to non sequiter as well...

Come on! If you don't support this it is like not supporting stopping Hitler.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

I'm not hostile, but i'm not sure I understand what this is meant to achieve.

It's so slacktivists can feel good about themselves for posting it on their Facebook wall. So when they all meet at the local fair-trade coffee co-op, they can pat each other on the back over how they made a difference in the world.

 

[Wildy]

I'm tempted to have a go at you over the words you added to my quote but you missed the point anyhow.

Too bad I didn't add words to your quote. Unless you think when I said "they" I was referring to you.

Why get in a sweat over one bad guy and not another?

So your point is a false dichotomy? Or are you trying to say that they should be opposing all dictators and bad guys instead of choosing one and dedicating their efforts to stopping that one person?

 

[psionl0]

Too bad I didn't add words to your quote. Unless you think when I said "they" I was referring to you.

So you quoted me but you weren't referring to me.

Got it.

 

[varwoche]

http://i.imgur.com/n7vC8.jpg

Bringing awareness to Africa's issues = good.

Buying this and thinking it'll help stop child soldiers = bad.

I suppose the same could be said of any altrusitic effort. What, you thnk sending $10 to Haiti will actually solve poverty?

And who is saying this effort will put a stop to child soldiers in Africa? Other than cynics creating straw men that is.

Just flat out ask for a donation and donate a significant percent of funds to helping Africa. Don't ask people to pay for dumb awareness merchandise.

Why not?

 

[stokes234]

I suppose the same could be said of any altrusitic effort. What, you thnk sending $10 to Haiti will actually solve poverty?

$10 won't stop poverty, but I can conceive of how it will make a tangible step in the right direction. If a million people donate $10 you could rebuild a town. If a million people are made aware of Kony I don't see a tangible benefit.

 

[varwoche]

$10 won't stop poverty, but I can conceive of how it will make a tangible step in the right direction. If a million people donate $10 you could rebuild a town. If a million people are made aware of Kony I don't see a tangible benefit.

Many millions of people are being made aware of Kony due to this project, and no doubt some of them will donate to the cause as a result.

No benefit to creating awareness? That's patently ridiculous.

 

[Fishstick]

Many millions of people are being made aware of Kony due to this project, and no doubt some of them will donate to the cause as a result.

No benefit to creating awareness? That's patently ridiculous.

Now look into the cause that generated the Kony campaign, and where those funds go to.

 

[varwoche]

Now look into the cause that generated the Kony campaign, and where those funds go to.

That's a different issue entirely.

 

[Mehdimentio]

Why make such a big fuss over one criminal? It's not like Uganda will be rid of its problems if Kony is killed or captured. My point is, why focus on a single case of crime, while the problem surely is much more deeply rooted than the focus of the campaign?

 

[Fishstick]

That's a different issue entirely.

So, its good that people are donating to IC because they feel bad about Kony, but it doesn't matter where IC spends the money or how little of it actually goes torelief. These are different issues in your mind?

 

[Safe-Keeper]

I just can't see what's wrong with bringing something like this up, and spreading the word around. I have no idea why some people are so hostile towards even just that for this guy.

You're not "raising awareness" by mindlessly spamming a propaganda video that's woefully out-of-date, and their excuse that they're milking this cash cow to get "someone to do something" (read: someone do all the hard work for me, please!) doesn't hold water either when this is already being hunted by US soldiers!

I also have a feeling that many of the people cheering military intervention against Kony's child soldiers also call themselves "pacifists" in other contexts:/.

Why make such a big fuss over one criminal? It's not like Uganda will be rid of its problems if Kony is killed or captured. My point is, why focus on a single case of crime, while the problem surely is much more deeply rooted than the focus of the campaign?

Because it's cool and trendy. Sure, these people could get off their butts and actually do something by joining the Red Cross or Amnesty or something, but nah, I'd rather hang out with my friends and put up posters downtown. Much more fun.

 

[Zelenius]

You're not "raising awareness" by mindlessly spamming a propaganda video that's woefully out-of-date, and their excuse that they're milking this cash cow to get "someone to do something" (read: someone do all the hard work for me, please!) doesn't hold water either when this is already being hunted by US soldiers!

I also have a feeling that many of the people cheering military intervention against Kony's child soldiers also call themselves "pacifists" in other contexts:/.
Because it's cool and trendy. Sure, these people could get off their butts and actually do something by joining the Red Cross or Amnesty or something, but nah, I'd rather hang out with my friends and put up posters downtown. Much more fun.

I agree with you 100%. This is just a fad. Most of these people will move on to something else after they get bored, or Kony is killed or captured. I highly doubt they will become interested in stopping another barbaric African rebel leader; very soon, that will be sooo "yesterday".

And I think you're right about many of them being "pacifists" in other contexts. Do these anti-Kony "activists" also support military intervention in Syria? Were they for the Iraq war? Do they favor stopping other African leaders who have been responsible for war crimes and human rights violations?

 

[John Albert]

Interview with Jason Russel: http://pmc-mag.com/2011/02/jason-russell/

1: Who am I?

I am a rebel soul: dream evangelist. I am obsessed with people. I tell stories by making inspiring movies that move people’s emotions, and then I take those emotions and transform them into action. My middle name is Radical. I married my best friend. We have known each other since we were six and seven. I have a three-year-old boy named Gavin Danger & a one-year-old girl named Everley Darling. I truly believe I am the luckiest person on earth because of my family, friends and the ability to go to a dream factory every day for work.

2: What do you do and what project are you currently working on?

Touring a new Invisible Children movie called Tony. We will screen it to a direct audience of 500,000 people for the next three months. We will have a huge event on April 25th in which we will be going silent for 25 hours in order to raise funds and protect the child soldiers in Joseph Kony’s rebel army. I am also training for an Iron Man.

3: Where are you from and where are you going?

I am from San Diego California with an upbringing in musical theater. I am going to help end the longest running war in Africa, get Joseph Kony arrested & redefine international justice. Then I am going to direct a Hollywood musical. Then I am going to study theology & literature in Oxford, England, and then move to New York to start “The Academy” – which will be a school where the best creative young minds in the world attend.

4: Who is your biggest hero?

If Oprah, Steven Spielberg and Bono had a baby, I would be that baby.

 

[aggle-rithm]

The first step towards something helpful surely is public awareness.

Interestingly, that's also the first step towards mob mentality.

 

[Captain Obvious]

Whatever the merits or demerits of this, I'm glad at least someone's starting to think of the children.