Joseph Kony film going viral...why not kill him?

[Hodgson]

Anyone see this viral video about the LRA cult leader Joseph Kony?

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=J ... 9Q&cad=rja

A very telling part of the article....

Russell emphatically denied that any money from his organization is in the hands of any army.
“I’m for peace, not war,” Russell said. “Why would we ever fund an army?”

My question? Why!!!?
Invisible Children (the group behind this video) has spent over 3 million dollars "raising awareness". I wrote them and asked them why they don't hire a group like Exective Outcomes to go in there and kill everybody.
Apparently that's not a solution they are interested in. Better facebook awareness I guess. Somebody is making some cash and the three metrosexual Christian fellows behind the movie are probably doing okay.

(They may just be the well meaning Christian version of the Occupy kids, so I shouldn't be so harsh, but this whole 21st century "awareness raising" is a white liberal cliche)

[henbaker]

Didn't Rush Limbaugh defend Kony, saying he was a Christian and that going after Kony was part of Obama's war on Christianity?

[smallLliberal]

My kid was talking all about this film yesterday.

[RedDog]

I could be mistaken but I believe we're not permitted to provide direct links to the Red Star. styky usually offers a link through Google.

[Hodgson]

Sorry about that. I actually avoid reading anything Star published, but this spread was laid out nicely.

[RedDog]

Perhaps styky can be arm twisted into replacing the link (the same destination will still be arrived at) without inviting further trouble for the owners and hosts here.

[henbaker]

Rush Limbaugh defended this guy. He said that Kony is a good Christian, and that Obama, by going after this guy, is declaring war on Christianity.

[ccurrie]

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/is-ther ... s-the-eye/

[free_life2]

Link changed to google linnk

Here is youtube vid on this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... 4MnpzG5Sqc

the guy sure isn't a Christian

[Fairwarning]

Rush Limbaugh defended this guy. He said that Kony is a good Christian, and that Obama, by going after this guy, is declaring war on Christianity.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/0 ... 32477.html

[styky]

Yes the man is outrageous but what is also outrageous is the amount being racked in on this so called "awareness" film. I'm just considering the "donations" accumulated t-shirts etc. Someone's cleanin up over this one.

[styky]

Maybe invisible children aren't there

By: Phil Cook
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinio ... 88783.html
Posted: 03/10/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)


Over the past few days, Joseph Kony has risen to stardom faster than a Kardashian sibling. His name is trending on Twitter, his picture is all over Facebook, and suddenly everyone knows everything about him -- all from a 30-minute YouTube video.

But in a world where information is often shared before it is digested, we need to take a step back and think critically about Kony 2012. Increased awareness should not come at the expense of informed decision-making.

I was quite surprised by some of my friends who were sharing the now (in)famous video made by Invisible Children. I had no idea they were so passionate about this issue. In fact, I didn't realize they even knew anything about it. So quickly they became educated and so eager they were to spread this new-found knowledge.

They became social activists overnight, and everyone from P. Diddy to Justin Trudeau was along for the ride. The good thing about social media is that you can mobilize a lot of people quickly. The bad thing about social media is that you can mobilize a lot of people quickly.

Luckily, there are people out there who have been studying the Lord's Resistance Army for longer than a half-hour. I think it's time we gave them a little attention.

There have been reports claiming children comprise as much as 80 per cent of LRA combatants. The gun-wielding seven-year-old is the poster boy for the campaign to bring down Kony; it's the driving force behind Kony 2012 and it's what inspired Jason Russell & Co. to found Invisible Children.

The problem? Experts agree the involvement of children in the LRA has been vastly exaggerated. Studies show the prevalence of child soldiers in the LRA has been consistently over-reported.

The Human Rights Center at the University of California, Berkley examined LRA combatant age by looking at formerly abducted persons (FAPs) who passed through rehabilitation centres after leaving the army. Of the 25,231 FAPs studied, only 6.4 per cent of them were aged six to 12. More than 60 per cent of the male returnees were teenagers or young adults, and their average age was 20.

Perhaps we can't see the invisible children because they aren't actually there.

This is a mere snapshot of many intensive studies with similar findings. Take it for what it's worth. It shouldn't change where you stand on Kony 2012. In fact, I hope it doesn't. In the same way it is imprudent to support a cause after watching a short video, it would be equally foolish to abandon it entirely after hearing a couple of statistics.

But it should raise a few questions. Just how much do you know about this issue? I am by no means an expert, but chances are, neither are you. And while you don't need to be an expert to support a worthy cause, I would make a few suggestions: Do a little research before you re-tweet, ask a few questions before you click like, and do the best you can to make an informed decision.

Are there children in the LRA? Yes. Should Joseph Kony be indicted for his actions? Of course. But can a half-hour video summarize and solve this issue? Not a chance.

Congratulations Invisible Children, Joseph Kony is now famous. Mission accomplished. But now we are all aware, it's time to get informed.

The only thing more dangerous than not knowing anything is thinking you know everything.

Oakbank native and University of Manitoba graduate Phil Cook is graduate student at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 10, 2012 A16

[styky]

Wag the Ugandan Dog
By John Galt
– March 13, 2012
http://johngaltfla.com/wordpress/2012/0 ... andan-dog/

[styky]

As hits for Kony 2012 video fall sharply and charity faces backlash, will viral campaign even matter?

Reuters Mar 14, 2012 – 3:22 PM ET | Last Updated: Mar 14, 2012 6:56 PM ET
By Peter Apps

A YouTube video gone viral has propelled Joseph Kony, leader of Uganda’s rebel Lord’s Resistance Army, back onto the agenda, entrenching his position at the top of the list of the world’s most wanted men.

But how long the current spike of interest will last is far from clear. Hits on the video appeared to have fallen sharply in recent days, while the charity has also found itself on the receiving end of a savage backlash.

Produced by U.S.-based group ” Invisible Children”, “Kony 2012″ has scored more than 77 million hits in less than a week and endorsements from young people, and a few celebrities, across North America.....................http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/03/14 ... en-matter/

[styky]

Kony 2012 campaigner Jason Russell detained for masturbating in public

Russell, co-founder of Invisible Children, allegedly vandalised cars and made sexual gestures while wearing his underwear
One of the co-founders of Invisible Children, the San Diego-based charity which is campaigning for the arrest of Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony, has been hospitalised after police said he was detained for being naked and masturbating in public...............http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/ma ... r-detained