Kony 2012

[piercehawkeye45]

No has talked about this yet? tsk tsk.

[Aliantha]

There's a link in the upsetting me thread posted by BigV.

Most people are aware of the campaign by now though aren't they?

[Griff]

Facebook is dragging us into wars now? I haven't read a lot about it but it seems like there is an evil rebel and an evil regime and this movement wants us to fight the evil rebel?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michae...b_1327417.html

[Blueflare]

I know I said before that I'm glad that this is in the public eye, and I am, but I'd like to add some things to that.
There are several issues with the viral video in the sense that it vastly over-simplifies the issue. This doesn't bother me hugely because it made a big impact and this can act as a trigger to get people to talk about the complex issues. If it was too complicated, it probably wouldn't be the success it is.
But now I have found out that there are serious concerns about the Invisible Children charity... I didn't know that before, not being au fait with US based charities. I don't doubt they do some valuable work, but in my opinion there are better charities out there.
I broadly agree with this article, which raises many interesting points and provides further links.

[Gravdigr]

Funny, I just read where they took in over $8 million last year, only under $3 million went to help.

[regular.joe]

O.K. let me get this straight, a lot of people want to send me to Africa to get this guy, but 99% of these same people will not volunteer to join me...Hmmmmm...I say go fuck yourselves. And I'll go where the President tells me to go. Still, don't want to join me yet??? Go fuck yourselves.

I've had a bit of an attitude problem lately, I know.

[piercehawkeye45]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

There's a link in the upsetting me thread posted by BigV.

Didn't see that. Apologies BigV.

Originally Posted by Blueflare

I know I said before that I'm glad that this is in the public eye, and I am, but I'd like to add some things to that.
There are several issues with the viral video in the sense that it vastly over-simplifies the issue. This doesn't bother me hugely because it made a big impact and this can act as a trigger to get people to talk about the complex issues. If it was too complicated, it probably wouldn't be the success it is.

I'm on the same page. I tip my hat to them in the sense that their video production and marketing was brilliant and they were extremely successful in putting Kony in the mainstream spotlight. I have never seen such a tremendous response from an awareness campaign. Also, the idea of getting the population to pressure the government into making "ethical" foreign policy decisions is a powerful, unexploited idea in democratic societies.

On the other hand, the more I read about Kony, Uganda, and Invisible Children the more I feel IC has no clue what the hell they are doing. They are great video producers who can create a moving, powerful film about real issues but I agree that they have simplified the issue to a point, not to mention the racist and arrogant overtones of the entire thing, where they will most likely cause more harm than good. They also grossly misrepresented the situation to an extreme where I am guessing they are unwilling to accept how the circumstances in Uganda have changed and how it deviated from their original goal so now they must basically lie to save face.

Freelance Journalist Michael Wilkerson pointed out in a blog post for FP this week that this fear of some imminent withdrawal of the U.S. advisors doesn't seem to be based on any actual statements from the Obama administration.

"So the goal is to make sure that President Obama doesn't withdraw the advisors he deployed until Kony is captured or killed. That seems noble enough, except that there has been no mention by the government of withdrawing those forces -- at least any I can find," Wilkerson wrote.

.....

In a Feb. 22 briefing with reporters, Navy Rear Adm. Brian Losey, commander of Special Operations Command Africa, said that the LRA is on the run and is down to about 200 core fighters.

"Now they are only a small percentage of their former strength," Losey said.

http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/po..._the_kony_hunt

[Aliantha]

Originally Posted by regular.joe

O.K. let me get this straight, a lot of people want to send me to Africa to get this guy, but 99% of these same people will not volunteer to join me...Hmmmmm...I say go fuck yourselves. And I'll go where the President tells me to go. Still, don't want to join me yet??? Go fuck yourselves.

I've had a bit of an attitude problem lately, I know.

Well you wouldn't go there until the President said so anyway. Apparently there is already a small force of US soldiers there acting as advisors.

Aren't most military interventions (or whatever you call them) enacted because people feel something needs to be done? Isn't this just more overt than anything we've seen before.

I'm still reserved in my judgement. I really think it's a UN issue, but what do I know?

Either way, this man Kony is just one of hundreds of others who bring terror to the lives of others for personal gain. It would be nice to see them all dethroned, but I guess it never happens till someone on the outside takes an interest.

[regular.joe]

Not really my point. I'm saying that a bunch of peacenicks with a whole lot of good intentions really want some one else to go and do the dirty work for their conscience.

[regular.joe]

Oh, and I've known about the advisors helping to hunt the LRA since they were sent there.

[HungLikeJesus]

Originally Posted by regular.joe

O.K. let me get this straight, a lot of people want to send me to Africa to get this guy, but 99% of these same people will not volunteer to join me...Hmmmmm...I say go fuck yourselves. And I'll go where the President tells me to go. Still, don't want to join me yet??? Go fuck yourselves.

I've had a bit of an attitude problem lately, I know.

I don't quite follow, Joe. Are you referring to other military personnel or to the general public?

[Griff]

I think he's saying that if they really were committed could have spent their production money on a rifle and a pocketful of rounds but instead prefer to pressure the US government into sending war weary troops into a situation with no upside.

[ZenGum]

Kony 2012? The GOP are getting desperate!

[HungLikeJesus]

I didn't watch the video because I don't drink coffee.

[footfootfoot]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

Either way, this man Kony is just one of hundreds of others who bring terror to the lives of others for personal gain. It would be nice to see them all dethroned, but I guess it never happens till someone on the outside takes an interest.

True. As long as there is a market, there will always be suppliers, the only way to stop it is to destroy the market.