@swguevin@sdpace@lorraineb This is a guy who is no longer even in Uganda whose forces are comprised now of a few hundred people wandering in the Congo. He is not a threat. Of course the guy is a piece of shit, but Africa is full of horrible atrocities that are actually still happening, and time and resources are better spent focusing on them.
@bradleynovak one man started this campaign to rid the world of the crimes of one other man. he is still wanted, whether in Uganda or not. Just because it doesn't directly affect our daily lives doesn't mean it's not worth our time. If this guy's campaign works and he is captured, what do you think will be next??...my bet is all of the other criminals and atrocities will start to be brought to light and more people will start taking action. I support this campaign. It doesn't take much time or money, and no one said you have to pick one global issue to devote your time or money to...we can give this campaign $30 and go atrocity hunting in Africa for ourselves if we want to.
@sdpace It just blows my mind that people were unaware of this to begin with, see a video, then are sold that they need to help this particular problem now, when so many more places are currently more effed up. I never said anything about it not affecting our daily lives thus it isn't worth our time, that's something you have decided I thought when it is the complete opposite of what I am saying. People who are uninformed watch this video, and are now suddenly moved by a problem that was at its peak years ago. People care about Uganda now because they saw a video. What about the dozens of other countries that CURRENTLY are in worse conflicts? Why aren't we helping? Because a video hasn't been made about it that one could easily view in youtube. It's a joke. Furthermore, do you know what you are supporting when you support this video? Military intervention. In a country most have not seen, because they've watched a short video. The LRA is a blip right now.
@bradleynovak i disagree - people aren't moved and suddenly aware of the situation....they're moved and suddenly aware that there is something they can do to help, and it makes them realize that just one person can do a lot. it's empowering. this isn't about Uganda, this is about humanity, and last time I checked, we're all part of it. the initial campaign on college campuses raised awareness and forced our government (in the US) to take notice. "government by the people, for the people" is not something we often feel has any merit, but Jason Russell and Jacob's story have shown us that it still exists.
The overall effect of this campaign will be that people will take notice of important things and maybe think twice about their first world problems for a moment before they spread their vomit all over the internet. I would rather see Kony 2012 on my whole facebook feed than have to read about someone's kid's bowel problems or someone's pedicure gone wrong. Hell, I'd even prefer it over news about an atheist billboard getting vandalized. To me, it's a wake up moment - we can do something. The LRA may be a blip, but at one time Hitler was just a blip. Stalin was just a blip. al Queda was just a blip. bin Laden was just a blip. When one man is in power over a terrorist organization, bad things happen - history has shown that. We don't live in Utopia just because bin Laden and Hitler are dead...and as sheltered as we are as Americans, we need things like this to keep us in check.
@bradleynovak ps. I don't know how anyone's mind can be blown that American's aren't aware of something outside of America. We're the biggest self-righteous, selfish dolts on the planet. :)
@sdpace I just don't know. People should now by now that if there is a cause they believe in, there is a way to help. I think we want the same thing, for people to aid in good causes, but you just have a more optimistic outlook on it. You appreciate this movement because now more people are in the know. It dissapoints me because more people weren't in the know to begin with, and it requires a video being shoved in their face before they take notice.
@bradleynovak I do agree with you on that, but I think it is ingenious of the organization to start to utilize social media and the internet to get more support for the cause - Jason Russell knows that he is a different kind of human, and he knows what kind of humans most Americans are, so in essence, he has come down to "our" level, which is brilliant. The reddit thread you posted had some really good information in it, and they state that their mission is to stop Kony and the LRA wherever they are, as well as help rehabilitate people and communities affected by them - that last part will be the "big thing," and I totally understand their need to push now because they will need support and funding for that to happen.
I saw on your profile/website that you work with animal rescue, so I know you are a proponent of working for a good cause. I think some people are oblivious, but I also think that some people can't stomach the truth enough to move forward and do something. We like our compact little lives the way that they are, but things like this Kony movement remind us that we all have emotions, we all care about humanity, and we all can do something to help. (I say all...I know that there are some people who don't give a shit about anything and make fun of everything...that's a big group in America that needs help....)
@sdpace I think we agree on more than we disagree.
The most important thing though that needs to be discussed though are your lightroom filters/photoshop actions that you use because your pictures are LOVELY.
@bradleynovak why thank you, they are custom, made by yours truly. :) i've been thinking about sharing them, but not sure how to go about doing it or where to put them.
@bradleynovak@sdpace You've both put up a good argument, and its good to see both sides too. I'm impressed by the people power, its great that they are willing to take a stand against something that is wrong, especially when it involves innocent children. Thanks both of you.
@bradleynovak - yes, but be realistic. The 'general' population are not going to search for obscure articles on NY Times website. Things like this should get front page but they don't, because most people, mainly in the Global North, are just not interested as it's not affecting their daily lives. The media is an extremelely powerful tool, especially in the age of globalization, and the voices of millions are powerful too. Social movements CAN make changes - look at the Civil Rights Movement, Indian Independence, the end of the Charles Taylor regime in Liberia. Examples are endless. I find it disappointing that people feel the need to criticize when the West tries to help/raise awareness and brand it 'neocolonialist' or even 'jumping on the bandwagon' (sorry, this is not a personal attack on you lol, I'm just needing to voice my opinion).The fact that you said 'it's 8 years too late' is even more of a worry, as it shows how long Invisible Children have been campaigning for awareness and how still so many people were unaware of this. And how long the LRA have been using children for soldiers (over 20 years now). It's too easy to be a critic, but I don't see any other brilliant solutions propping up anywhere? I think the first step to finding a solution is creating awareness about the problem, and Invisible Children, though not perfect in any means, are doing just that, and I don't see how it can be a bad thing. Raising awareness on one issue can also lead to raised awareness on others, too. Because there is a lot of bad stuff going on in this world (I learn about it every day for my degree - it's very easy to give up hope that one day we will live in a more peaceful world but I refuse to turn into a cynic). We are lucky that we are born into a society where we can exercise our democratic voices. Not everyone can say the same.
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Here's the first thing that popped up, I haven't seen much about him in a while so I'm sure there's more.
The overall effect of this campaign will be that people will take notice of important things and maybe think twice about their first world problems for a moment before they spread their vomit all over the internet. I would rather see Kony 2012 on my whole facebook feed than have to read about someone's kid's bowel problems or someone's pedicure gone wrong. Hell, I'd even prefer it over news about an atheist billboard getting vandalized. To me, it's a wake up moment - we can do something. The LRA may be a blip, but at one time Hitler was just a blip. Stalin was just a blip. al Queda was just a blip. bin Laden was just a blip. When one man is in power over a terrorist organization, bad things happen - history has shown that. We don't live in Utopia just because bin Laden and Hitler are dead...and as sheltered as we are as Americans, we need things like this to keep us in check.
I saw on your profile/website that you work with animal rescue, so I know you are a proponent of working for a good cause. I think some people are oblivious, but I also think that some people can't stomach the truth enough to move forward and do something. We like our compact little lives the way that they are, but things like this Kony movement remind us that we all have emotions, we all care about humanity, and we all can do something to help. (I say all...I know that there are some people who don't give a shit about anything and make fun of everything...that's a big group in America that needs help....)
The most important thing though that needs to be discussed though are your lightroom filters/photoshop actions that you use because your pictures are LOVELY.
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/organizations/l/lords_resistance_army/index.html
Do you not consider the New York Times to be media?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17295078