Mar 12 2012
Viral Video ‘Kony 2012’ Generates Controversy
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Few Americans who have spent any time online in this past week have missed the excitement and furor over a super-viral video entitled Kony 2012. In just a week the short documentary-style advocacy video became one of the most watched Internet videos of all time with over 56 million views on YouTube since its March 5th posting. The 27 minute video produced by the activist group “Invisible Children Inc” is a follow up to their 2006 documentary, also called “Invisible Children” detailing the use of child soldiers in the Ugandan Civil war. The San Diego based group had advocated an expanded American presence in Uganda, helping to pass a 2010 bill authorizing US aid to the African nation and supporting a 2011 decision by the Obama administration to deploy 100 special forces soldiers to assist in the capture of Joseph Kony, commander of the insurgent Lords Resistance Army. This latest video by Invisible Children, Kony 2012 seeks to further publicize Joseph Kony and his exploits, citing fears that American support may be withdrawn if the warlord is not arrested within the year. The video advertises an “Action Kit” containing stickers and bracelets available for 30 dollars and a April 20th “Cover the Night” poster campaign in effort aimed at “redefining the propaganda.”
The video has garnered sharp criticism form Uganda experts and journalists while the organization behind the videos has come under financial scrutiny regarding the incomes of its board of directors. Nigerian-American author Teju Cole, on Twitter, berated Invisible Children as part of the “white savior industrial complex” while others have raised questions of the film’s factual accuracy. Controversy surrounding a speech given by Invisible Children founder Jason Russell in 2011 at evangelical Christian, Liberty University has been seen by some as an admission that the organization is cover for an evangelizing campaign in Central Africa. Ugandans too have complained that the Kony 2012 video disregards efforts made by indigenous aid groups and ignores the peace in Northern Uganda, now in its sixth year. Concerns also abound as to the consequences of US involvement in the African nation and the possibility of escalation if Joseph Kony remains at large by years end.
GUEST: Emira Woods, Co-Director of Foreign Policy in Focus
Emira Woods recommends the following video rebuttal of Kony 2012:
9 Responses to “Viral Video ‘Kony 2012’ Generates Controversy”
So,my question is for the African blogger that you posted under your article. I do not understand what she is trying to say.Let me if you will address this post directly to her and hopefully she will be able to read it. Is it that the film didn’t portray the situation in Africa accurately or that outsiders should not take on a fight that doesn’t directly affect them. Do you have an issue with westerners taking on causes you feel they can’t relate to. Maybe you are trying to point out that the film is too simplistic but I do not think that you understand the films objective. To bring to light the complexity of the civil war that had taken place in Uganda and that continues to affect Africans in other areas of the continent would take about 50 documentaries that would be at least 2 hours long. This film was to address the basic situation that continues to be a big problem for the African people and bring a basic awareness to the general public who are ignorant to these issues. I do not see anything wrong with that. Any nation dealing with the magnitude of the issues that Africa is dealing with in regards to these rebel groups would need help from other nations so that there is a collective effort to eliminate the problem. America is the richest and most powerful nation in the world as it stands today and if its resources can be tapped or directed at contributing to fight these injustices in Africa why shouldn’t the African people not welcome that? Your message seems a bit confusing and contradicting. I am sure that a good majority of the people who watched the film understand that the issues in Africa are much more complex than the movie was able to relate in just 27 minutes and that there are many more organizations as well as individuals, domestic and foreign who have dedicated their services and advocacy to these issues. The problem I have with your post is that it seems to discourage individuals from participating in any effort toward this issue especially if they are from the west. Wether this is intentional or unintentional it has the same result. My opinion is that if the African people have an existing problem that obviously affects thousands of people in such detrimental and life threatening ways than where ever and when ever they can get help they shouldn’t hesitate to take it. My question to you is have you been directly affected by this rebel army and civil war? It seems like if you or anyone who you held dear to you was directly affected, if you or any of your loved ones had been kidnapped and abused or even killed you would not be blogging about the problems you have with organizations like Invisible Children and their films on the topic you would be praising their efforts to bring awareness to the world.
If by, “individuals participating in any effort toward an issue,” you mean buying a $5 bracelet or $30 campaign kit in hopes that it will end a long-standing conflict/bring down an inhuman leader of one of many groups involved in a civil war on a continent thousands of miles away – then yes, i’m all for the western intervention. If instead you’re implying that the mass “individual” purchases of these items of propganda should somehow urge the U.S. government to deploy military aid into a war that isn’t fully understood, in a country found to bare rich oil reserves – then not only is such an initiative toward “peace,” convoluted, but clearly a sad portrayal of history repeating itself. It’s all a gray area; but intervention hasn’t once been proven to be effective.
For #J:
“…intervention hasn’t once been proven to be effective.”
Good heavens! What history books have you not been reading?! The world stood by without intervening when Hitler rose to power, murdering, pillaging and raping, and look what it got us. Had the world stood by longer, Hitler would have killed more and more people — his own people, Jews and anyone that dared try and stand in his way.
It does no good for sheep to pass a resolution on vegetarianism unless the wolves agree.
(And if the wolves agree, don’t forget Neville Chamberlain and his Anglo-German Agreement with Hitler. “Peace for our time” must have sounded pretty hollow to those in the concentration camps…)
http://flavorwire.com/271624/teju-cole-on-kony-2012-and-the-white-savior-industrial-complex
“Feverish worry over that awful African warlord. But close to 1.5 million Iraqis died from an American war of choice. Worry about that.” – Teju Cole
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