KONY 2012, Invis. Children, Thoughts/Critiques/More

[Garem]

Howdy.

As many, most, or hopefully all of you are aware, there's a big new push being made by the Invisible Children movement to end the LRA's tyranny in Sudan, the DRC, and Central African Republic. Shit's cray.

So there was the Invisible Children movement. Now there's this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc

It's quite good, well worth 30 minutes.

Of course, nothing is perfect. There have been a lot of criticisms of the Invisible Children. As the eternal cynic, I always question the world around me. Invisible Children did not get a pass.

So then there was this:
http://visiblechildren.tumblr.com/

Mr. Oysten has a lot of his facts right, too, to back up his opinions. However, as Mr. Oysten says, it's not so simple.

So I beg to differ. None of Oysten's arguments presented hold much weight with me. Granted, I'm well within the "done my research" group, and it's definitely good to be critical and make sure progress is done the right way. It sucks, no doubt, but military intervention gets things done in one of two ways: (1) if Kony realizes that the free world is out to get him, we can buy him out or coerce him (see America's success in forcing Sudan to create South Sudan), or (2) he will only go down with a fight and that's just what it's going to take. EITHER way, you need a strong showing of force or diplomacy won't matter. If the big guns don't show up, Kony will keep breaking promises because he knows he can.

A quick sidebar on personal experience that I'm not going to get in-depth explaining: I have been to Africa, work with an African relief program, and I have African friends in Africa. Americans are always very critical on one issue- why spend money GOING there? Can't we just send the airfare money on things to help these people? There's a long answer, but the short answer is: NO NO NO. Our African friends and co-workers have specifically asked us to not to do so. Back to the point...

The article itself begins with a series of misleading statements about the finances. Only X amount goes to direct donations, but is that the point of Invisible Children? To donate money, or build playgrounds, or even finance a war against one of, if not THE most despicable man on the planet? Nope. It's to make movies, raises awareness. Both of those require people and supplies. Hell, if anything, I wish they'd spend more of that money on the key mission: remind the free world, the wealthy world, that they have the power to bring peace to our African brothers and sisters.

On the problems with the Ugandan army, I actually totally agree. I'd be much happier with direct uni- or multi-lateral intervention. And then we need to make the right decisions when Kony is gone, not create another 1980s Afghanistan (Charlie Wilson's War's final scene, anyone?).

But we aren't there yet because people don't know and they don't care.

Lastly, I really, really hate his "White Man's Burden" comparison. This is nothing like colonialism, or the sophistication of a "lesser species"... for God's sake, it's about creating peace and ending the LRA's reign, not changing them as a people. If anything, it's racist to say "it's a black/African problem, but not our problem" because it only perpetuates the idea of races to begin with, an inherently racist belief.

At the end of the day, Mr. Oysten is a delayer of the worst kind. He's the sit-back, do-nothing, wait-for-an-opportunity to arise. 26 years have gone by. What the hell are we waiting for, Kony to get sick? The time to fix this wreck was decades ago. Diplomacy has been tried, it failed. Small-scale American efforts have failed. The Ugandans and the (South) Sudanese have failed, maybe/probably even made things worse. So yes, I'm absolutely going to support an imperfect answer above no answer at all. 26 YEARS! That's nuts.

-That's- the hard pill to swallow. And it's really going to suck, because as everyone knows, we're probably going to have to harm or kill children. Lots of them. That's the world we live in though, because we've neglected for decades to keep it from getting so bad. And if we delay further, it's only going to get worse. KONY 2012 is a step in the right direction, Oyston is dead wrong, and things are only going to get worse in the long-term by doing nothing about it.

Agree? Disagree?

Either way, that's totally fine. Just talk about it. Ask your friends and family about it. I don't mean to be crass or exaggerate. But let's be honestly, lives are on the line. Maybe. So talk about it. On the internet, real life, or wherever. Be smart about it, look at both sides.

In the end, let's bring Kony to justice. Let's see him, preferably alive, before the ICC for his crimes.

-Garem of Fallen

[SixThumbs]

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

[CrazyCracka420]

My big critique with this whole movement is that not everyone has 30 minutes to learn about a new humanitarian cause.

Much like large papers (and really any formal writing) follows a structure which gives us a topic sentence or opening paragraph, it would be nice if things like this gave you a 2 minutes video explaining the issues and overview, and then a 30 minute video to learn more in depth about it.

The presentation is certainly lacking and will hurt the overall cause.

[Garem]

@ SixThumbs

zOMG I can post a wall of text too and make a point. This response came out today.

http://s3.amazonaws.com/www.invisiblechildren.com/critiques.html

I don't feel like dragging around in the mud, though. I just want people to know what's going on, and clearly you feel the same. That's why you posted your link. My personal response and the response from IC itself do a pretty good job of laying out the reasons why that perspective presented is just dead wrong. Even the simple point, that this isn't a Ugandan issue but one covering a large swathe of central Africa, seems to be lost in both of the critiques we've posted. They mean well, but they don't understand the problem and admit to having no solution.

Maybe I'm wrong, of course! Do the research. Find out. Even if I am dead wrong, at least we've got a good start on finding out what's up.

[Cyclopsided]

http://seet.weebly.com/1/post/2012/03/concerning-kony-2012.html
yeah

[[ptx]]

http://seet.weebly.com/1/post/2012/03/concerning-kony-2012.html
yeah

Millions of lives? I read that LRA has a strength of less than 3000.

[Berplars]

Killing a criminal Warlord in Africa will do absolutely nothing regarding the whole situation of rebel armies and corrupt coverment.

There are so many organistaions that are helping africa in a meaningfull way without promoting a single "warlord". Even if he would be killed their would sure be either a another organisation that picks the Place of the LRA, or simply another men.

Also this Video is so super overemotional it really looks like a propaganda video from the old days, litte facts much emotion. The first 5 minutes looked like a commercial for facebook and holding your own kid in the camera is imho the worst style of promoting a serious video. It looks alot like a selfpromotion video.

Not defending the Kony guy, but the critical blogs overviews have a much more valid point, then the video.

[Overdriven]

Also this Video is so super overemotional it really looks like a propaganda video from the old days, litte facts much emotion. The first 5 minutes looked like a commercial for facebook and holding your own kid in the camera is imho the worst style of promoting a serious video. It looks alot like a selfpromotion video.

It's meant to drum up awareness and support. And it works. It doesn't need solid facts...the point is to get people involved. And from that aspect it has done fantastically well.

It's the same reason that charities use pictures of starving children in Africa crying, people sifting through rubbish in slums and some such in ads to get donations. When in fact the reality usually isn't quite as brutal, and the people depicted actually find it demeaning and patronising to be shown that way.

Fact is, that when it comes to military intervention, the Western world is sorely lacking in any care for most of Africa. In the Ugandan genocide, or Mugabe's ruination of Zimbabwe or any other many examples the West simply did not care enough to get properly involved. Yet when it comes to Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and countries where there is a vested interest, they will jump at the chance.

[Darkkarma]

Kony is for pussies.

It's all about Liberia man.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whGLJk-qagE

[Berplars]

Sticking posters around different cities in the world is helping africa a damn shit. Facebook Sharing the "OMG THIZ MONY SO BAD !!!! STOP HIM THAN ALL GOOOD !!!!" stuff doesn´t make a difference for africa. And also why now? Just because of Facebook being this popular?

Africa is a problem on its own, you can´t demonstrate against something like that, nothing will change the good intetion of this video will be forgotten rather sooner then later. And if even if Kony is killed the attention will be gone.

What is probably pissing me off the most is, that the majority of the support only comes if you give them some sort of Emotional stuff. Most of them never cared about africa before nor will after this action. And the organistation doesn´t seem to be more honorable than other who are helping africa since a longer time in a way more efficient way.

[Overdriven]

Sticking posters around different cities in the world is helping africa a damn shit. Facebook Sharing the "OMG THIZ MONY SO BAD !!!! STOP HIM THAN ALL GOOOD !!!!" stuff doesn´t make a difference for africa. And also why now? Just because of Facebook being this popular?

Africa is a problem on its own, you can´t demonstrate against something like that, nothing will change the good intetion of this video will be forgotten rather sooner then later. And if even if Kony is killed the attention will be gone.

What is probably pissing me off the most is, that the majority of the support only comes if you give them some sort of Emotional stuff. Most of them never cared about africa before nor will after this action. And the organistation doesn´t seem to be more honorable than other who are helping africa since a longer time in a way more efficient way.

Why now? Yeah because Facebook has given an unprecedented level of communication. Using two websites: Facebook and Youtube. You can create a ridiculous amount of awareness for something in a very short space of time. That kind of awareness would be impossible to drum up by simply going on the street, or even ads on tv. And the first thing charities ect need to be effective is awareness. Without awareness people don't give a shit and you'll get no support. With some support from the public, Governmental organisations may just begin to listen to you.

That's the problem that any charity has always had. People aren't interested. Full stop. Unless you make something like this which appeals heavily to the emotions or some such, and you effectively guilt people into doing something/donating or whatever, then very little money or support comes through. It sucks that they have to do it this way, particularly because as I mentioned, often the people in these places hate being depicted this way, but unfortunately it's often the only way to get any level of support.

It's not about honour. There are many charities that are long term and put a lot of effort into staying in an area and helping, rather than delivering a quick fix and then getting the hell out (like a lot of NGO's). But fact is that any level of support that this video can drum up will ultimately benefit other charities as well. If even a few people do a little research and look upon many of the charities that do fantastic work, then it will have helped.

[Wookimonsta]

Well, finally someone takes care of orphans in africa, and people call him the bad guy...

[SixThumbs]

Facebook and Youtube seem all nice and well when it comes to "awareness" but hey:

"Gets hundreds of thousands of people to throw money, emotions, 'support' and 'awareness' around"

"*grab grab grab grab grab*"

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/26/world/africa/uganda-welcomes-oil-but-fears-graft-it-attracts.html?_r=1

[B3RS3RK]

Yeah, mate , show me where uganda even is in africa on a map before you brag about how political commited you are with Children soldiers in uganda and shit.

[Garem]

@ Berserk.

This is my immediate response, without looking at a map or any other resource. Uganda is in central Africa, bordering Rwanda, Kenya, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo and probably a few more. There are two Congos. Congo (smaller) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (virtually no government, massive country). They're usually referred to as Congo-Kinshasa and Congo-Whatevertheothercapitalis.

Now, my personal experiences mentioned above are in Kenya- I've circled over a few hundred miles around the mountain there, name eluding me (again, not looking at a map, just typing an immediate answer). I went northeast, counterclockwise towards Meru, one of the 5 largest cities. I ended up in Maua, Kenya- which means "flower" in Swahili, but it is anything but a flower. I worked with the local hospital and AIDS orphans, who are neglected by their communities because of poverty and social reasons that I won't get into. I also spent some time in Meru by working with a good friend named John Mwalimu who taught about a dozen AIDS orphans how to increase their agricultural productivity to help feed them and their siblings, and maybe even make a little extra money by selling it to pay for their little brothers' and sisters' school supplies. At least, the lucky ones with enough land and not too many mouths can afford to.

This was before continuing my counterclockwise journey, visiting Samburu National Reserve. If you were my friend on Steam, you'd notice that it's an elephant- one that I saw there. Samburu is famous for a lioness that adopted a baby gazelle whose mother had abandoned it. Pretty interesting story- wikipedia it sometime.

We returned to Nairobi around the other side of the mountain, but it was hidden in the clouds. I digress, back to greater African geography.

South of Kenya is Tanzania, once controlled by Julius Nyerere, a good man and a decent leader in very hard times who modeled socialism to fit the local customs; it didn't work out, but it was an interesting experiment. In Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta was the big man of his era and helped bring Kenya out of the waning colonial period in the late 50s, early 60s after the Mau Mau (spelling?) rebellion. North of Kenya is Somalia, on the horn- I met several refugee children in Maua. Very happy children, very curious and talkative. They kicked my ass in soccer. The tensions in Somalia stress the Kenyan economy because of security concerns, not unlike the issue of the LRA in the central region of Africa.

As you start looking west of Somalia, you have the corner where Nigeria dominates the region. It's not a massive country size-wise (although it has a huge population), but its economy fare significantly better because of the natural oil reserves. There's a tiny country consisting of a small island and an equally small mainland claim- it's run by an awful, awful family that makes a killing off of their offshore oil. Can't recall the family, or the country's name.

You've also got Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire west of Nigeria, two relatively stable countries. France is weird about l'Afrique francaphone- they provide a great deal of foreign aid to them in order to protect their cultural legacy. But this also gives them a stake in preserving the French language abroad and comes with a great deal of strings. If any country could be called neo-Colonial, it's the French. But hey, better to go to school and speak French than to not go at all, so it's a weird relationship.

Sierra Leone and a few smaller nations are to the west. Mostly stable, terribly impoverished, not much going on there.

To the north of all of these West African countries are the beginnings of the Saharan countries. Mostly Muslim, some Christians in those countries. This divide leaves the region uneasy, although relatively peaceful for now. Mali and Burkina Faso come to mind, all the way up to Morocco and the Arabic North African countries.

Morocco and Spain have an interesting conflict going on, a disagreement in territorial control over two cities that speak Spanish. The cities consider themselves Spanish, the Spanish consider them Spanish, but the Moroccans consider them Moroccan- and they're probably right, since virtually every other Colonial claim has been relinquished and the map just makes more sense if the cities were Moroccan.

That's a rough verbal map of Africa and a few scraps of interesting history sprinkled in. Would you like me to work my way around the southern nations? I'll admit that I'm less familiar with them, as my studies and advocacy tend to revolve around Kenya and its neighboring countries.

Shall we talk about other interesting African issues?
-FGM?
-AIDS (and American programs specifically)?
-The hopefully-upcoming Malaria vaccine?
-The cold conflict of religions in Africa?
-The failures of so many relief programs by agro-economic devastation in the wake of food donation programs?
-The failure of Western nations to address medical drug problems, often called "The Viagra Problem"?
-The interesting neo-colonialist vibes of Asian, European, and North American interest in the region?
-The permanent infrastructure problems in post-colonial Africa?

Be careful when you're cynical. This isn't a movement supported just by dreamy-eyed little girls wishing on stars for world peace.
The purpose of this movement is to reshape the paradigm of Afro-pessimism that you're partaking in. I'm not going to call it racist, since it could just as well be white or Asian nations that were failing, but your attitudes towards this inevitable failure of action in Africa is just dead fucking wrong.

Do you know what Africans call non-Africans (even black Americans)? Mzungus. It means "dizzy people". It's because Westerners don't understand the fundamental differences in Africa to our own perspectives- we see the world through our own paradigms. There's a common saying in African studies, "Zebras not horses." Zebras are the equines of the continent, but they can't be domesticated. It's a different place than we understand from our own paradigm. But I digress.

Kony 2012 does make a difference, you just don't see it. You never saw the importance of the American AIDS relief grant sent in 2007, either- but it was HUGE. I bet you don't even understand the massive impact American foreign policymakers, former Senator Jack Danforth foremost amongst them, made in CREATING the country we now know as South Sudan. Just because you're utterly ignorant of the changes we can and have been making doesn't mean they aren't being made.

I do not believe for one second that our Western democracies are so defeated and demoralized so as to be incapable of helping change the African world. It's just a matter of changing our attitudes, voicing our concerns, and voting for the right people.